Hundreds of Argentine fans have gathered at Bogatell beach for the traditional 'banderazo' ahead of the big final. The Argentine community in Barcelona, one of the largest in the city, has turned the shoreline into a hotbed of chants and hope.
This Saturday, Bogatell beach has been dyed sky blue and white. Hundreds of Argentines living in Barcelona have come together to celebrate the traditional 'banderazo' in support of their national team, less than 24 hours before the big final. The festive atmosphere has dominated the day, with chants, flags, and a sea of shirts bearing Messi's number '10'.
A community that feels at home
Among the attendees, Ezequiel Seibel, a young man from Santa Fe who arrived in Barcelona in January, explained that the city has offered him a quick integration. “It was easy for me to find people here, and I immediately felt at home,” he recounted. Seibel, who works at a video game company, has dyed his hair with a yellow streak in homage to Maradona.
For him, the experience of being Argentine in Barcelona is comfortable. “I don’t miss my homeland much because I have almost everything I had there, and the lifestyle is very similar,” he stated. Additionally, he is trying to learn Catalan, “poc a poc,” he says with a laugh.
Match day routine with superstitions and friends
During the final, Seibel will meet with at least six friends in the same flat where they have watched all the knockout matches. “We don’t have many superstitions, but we do repeat our clothes and don’t even consider changing our spot,” he explained. Although there are several events organised in Barcelona, the group prefers the intimacy of a friend’s home.
This Saturday, Sebastián Bazelmans, a Cordoban living in Eindhoven (Netherlands), joined the group, having travelled specifically for the final. “I felt I had to come to Barcelona to watch it with them; it’s going to be amazing,” he asserted. Bazelmans recalled that he experienced the final in Qatar in Eindhoven, which helped him reconnect with Argentine culture, but he hopes that the experience in Barcelona will be even better.
Barcelona, a second Buenos Aires
For Bazelmans, Barcelona is a second home. “I have many friends here, and I feel that the city has a sort of second Argentine representation,” he explained. Messi's impact in the Catalan capital and the large community of compatriots make many Argentines feel at home.
Seibel, who experienced the 2022 final in Buenos Aires, remembers that experience as something unforgettable. “These are the things your family tells you that you will remember for your whole life,” he said emotionally. Now, in Barcelona, he hopes to repeat that joy.
The 'banderazo' at Bogatell has only been the prelude to a night that promises to be long. Argentines in Barcelona already have their plan: to find a bar to watch the consolation match and then focus on the big event on Sunday. For one day, the city feels a little more Argentine.
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