BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — In a controversial event, a professional football team in Argentina featured a well-known social media influencer in a recent league match, creating significant unrest among rival players.


Iván Buhajeruk, popularly known by his online alias “Spreen,” played for under a minute during Deportivo Riestra’s game against top league teams, Velez Sarsfield, which ended in a 1-1 draw. Notably, Buhajeruk did not manage to touch the ball during his fleeting appearance on the field.


Buhajeruk, a prominent figure in the streaming community with around 8 million subscribers on YouTube and over 5 million on Instagram, signed with Deportivo Riestra two months ago and joined the team’s training sessions just last week.


Officials from Deportivo Riestra justified their decision as a promotional tactic for their main sponsor, an energy drink brand, aiming to draw attention and increase visibility.


This unconventional move did not sit well with many players. After the match, Velez striker Braian Romero expressed his discontent, stating, “What happened today was a lack of respect for football. It sends the wrong message to society and to kids who put in hard work. Football is about perseverance — trying, failing, and trying again.”


The match saw Velez take the lead with a penalty goal by Romero in the 43rd minute, followed by an equalizer from Deportivo Riestra’s Nicolás Caro Torres in the 63rd minute.


The captain of Deportivo Riestra, Milton Celiz, shared with reporters that the idea to include Buhajeruk came from Victor Stinfale, who owns both the football club and the energy drink brand sponsoring it. Stinfale was instrumental in signing the influencer as well as the team’s coach.


When questioned about Buhajeruk’s athletic abilities, Celiz acknowledged his streaming prowess by commenting, “As a streamer, he is number one.”


Cristian Fabbiani, the coach of Deportivo Riestra, mentioned that he had briefed his counterpart at Velez, Gustavo Quinteros, about the influencer’s participation in the game. “I informed him that he was going to play due to a contractual obligation, as the club heavily relies on publicity,” Fabbiani explained, noting that this match served as both Buhajeruk’s debut and farewell for the club.


Currently, Velez Sarsfield sits at the top of the Argentine league table with 43 points, while Deportivo Riestra is positioned in ninth place with 31 points.