RadioProfile | AFA celebrated 130 years of its precursor association

The Argentina Association Football League was born from the enthusiasm of the Scottish immigrant Alejandro Watson Hutton, a key figure in the consolidation of football in Argentina.

Born in Glasgow and graduated in humanities from the University of Edinburgh, Watson Hutton settled in the country in 1882 when he was hired as director of the exclusive Saint Andrew’s Scots School in Olivos.

Among his belongings were found objects that surprised everyone at the Argentine customs: soccer balls and inflators.

Watson Hutton Insist on including the practice of sports, and in particular football, as a fundamental part of the pedagogical activity at school.

Two years later, he left the same to create an institution that was better suited to his educational ideas, founding the Buenos Aires English High School in Belgrano, a school that would be the base of the mythical Alumni club.

After the failed attempt to create a soccer league in Argentina in 1891, Alejandro Watson Hutton took charge of the organization and founded the Argentina Association Football League on February 21, 1893.

Alejandro was nominated to occupy the presidency of the brand new association, promoted together with a group of Englishmen who practiced the sport in Buenos Aires.

With the support of several local clubs, highlighting the young and since then current Quilmes Atlético Club, the Brazilian Association Football League was the rector and promoter of the first soccer championships in the country.

The tournaments would grow and improve as the years went by, highlighting an absolutely transformative first decade of the 20th century for Argentine soccer, the cradle of great champions and the birth of several of the most popular teams today.

The Argentina Association Football League is considered the predecessor of the Argentine Football Association, which was established as such in 1934 and in tune with the beginning of the so-called professional era.

Thanks to the governing body created by Watson Hutton, the AFA is the oldest football association in the American continent, and one of the first in the world to establish a club league.

The Argentine Football Association has the most winning senior national team in history. The Argentine National Team won 22 titles, highlighting its three World Cups, two intercontinental national team titles and 15 Copa Américas.

In addition, the AFA is the second association in the world with the most clubs that have won international tournaments, 75 titles spread over 13 teams.

On February 21, 1893, Alejandro Watson Hutton founded the predecessor association of the AFA.

The story is also news on Radio Perfil. Script by Pita Fortín and locution by Nicolás Ziccardi.

by Radio Profile FM 101.9