Argentine football has a long history of strikes driven by both players and referees, alongside interruptions caused by judicial measures, like the 1991 conflict over televised broadcasts and the 1998 suspension prompted by escalating violence. However, the current strike by Liga Profesional clubs, which is likely to be ratified by the AFA Executive Committee, lacks direct precedents. To draw a parallel situation, one must look back to the AFA’s 1948 crisis, which revolved around conflicts with the players rather than a state entity.

In the late 1940s, Argentine football was gripped by its most significant strike, one that lasted five months and impacted the last five games of that year and the first game of the next. This earlier strike, unlike the current one, was a conflict between the players and the AFA. Currently, the conflict involves the clubs confronting a state institution, the Revenue and Customs Control Agency (ARCA), highlighting a shift in the dynamics of power struggles within the sport.

The implications of the current strike may reflect not just ongoing issues in governance and management within Argentine football, but also broader concerns regarding state intervention in sports. By comparing these historical events, the article invites readers to consider how the landscape of football management has evolved and the various influences that shape player and club interactions with governing bodies.