Hi there Leeds fans,
This morning, I’m highlighting my experience watching Leeds United in Mendoza and Cafayate, Argentina.
I’m writing this a bit confused this morning. I’m not sure if I’m worried, excited or nervous. I haven’t wrote here since the Accrington Stanley match, and so much has happened. We play Everton in four and a half hours, and I’m thoroughly looking forward to seeing how we shape up against a side near us in the table. Hopefully we continue to play with width!
I won’t be able to watch the second half of today’s match as I’ll be traveling for a football pilgrimage that many Leeds fans are beginning to take. More on that next week :)
Finding a place for the match(es)
For the Nottingham Forest match, my missus had planned for us to go on a vineyard tour. The vineyards were very nice and had WiFi, so as long as I could access a stream on my phone, I’d be sorted to watch the match.
And it worked out that way! I was able to watch the match from a streaming service back home due to this travel hack.
So pretty simple there. Just make sure that your SIM card is topped up with data (in case there’s no WiFi), your streaming applications are cached, and that your VPN is on whether you’re on WiFi or cellular data. You’ll look a bit odd screaming at your phone while everyone is enjoying the smell of an aged Malbec, but I digress.
The first of the scum double header is where the normal tactics, of finding a Leeds match, came into play.
Argentines take siestas in the middle of the day, so if your kick off is between 1-4pm on a weekday, you might not find a place that’s open. Most places open (or reopen) at 6pm, but after a simple Google Maps search, I was able to find a bar/restaurant that was open at 5pm for the Leeds kick off.
For this specific match, it was the only premier league game on the evening, so Argentine television showed it on ESPN. All I had to do was message the restaurant on WhatsApp, and confirm they could show the game!
It was that simple! Find a bar that’s open, message them on WhatsApp if they can show the game on ESPN or Star+, and they’ll confirm yes or no. I did this with a few places, and after Chachingo responded positively, I elected to go there. Chachingo was on the street with all the bars in Mendoza, so after the match, we were able to have a stroll in the lively part of Mendoza.
Finding a bar for the second Manchester United match followed a different pattern. I was in a small town called Cafayate in Salta Province, Argentina. The town’s plaza had a number of restaurants and cafes, and one of them was both! Someone in the town told me the three bars that had TVs and it just happened that one of the bars transformed into a breakfast cafe and would be open at 8am. They didn’t have WhatsApp, so when I was out on the town Saturday night, I walked over and confirmed with the manager that they could show the game the following morning.
Watching the match(es)
I’m going to focus on the games against scum due to Forest being an odd one out.
The experience in Mendoza was pretty standard. Chachingo was a normal brewery with a supporting restaurant. My missus and I went in, had them turn on ESPN, and ordered a couple of beers and a sandwich to share. The service was good, and I’d recommend it as a great second option to watch football, in Mendoza, if one of the neighboring Irish pubs isn’t open (in our case they were closed).
When we went up 1-0, I was so excited and was jumping around relentlessly. But I didn’t want to interrupt the other patrons, so it was in complete silence 😂. After others realized Leeds had scored, they told me, “Brother, don’t worry. You can yell.” So when the second went in, I did just that.
Watching the second match against scum, whilst I was Cafayate, was a great experience.
Since it’s summer, and it’s mainly locals frequenting the cafe early in the morning, everyone was sitting outside. I was the only person who went inside at the time of kickoff, so I got to pick the table in front of the TV. The manager knew I was there for the game, so he put it on the television, brought me a liter of beer, and wished us luck. He even changed the sound inside the bar from the standard music playlist to the match’s commentary. This small bit of service and acknowledgement made watching Leeds a bit sweeter. I never would’ve expected someone to go out of their way to make sure I was enjoying the match.
And as the game went on, more locals were stopping inside to stay updated on the match. One person even asked me, “are you Leeds or Manchester?” When I responded “Leeds”, he said “Good.” Everyone hates scum! And believe it or not, someone who lived near Leeds came into the bar to watch the finishing moments. They were a Liverpool supporter, but it was still cool as I haven’t met anyone from the UK on my trip so far.
And to finish off the experience, a young lad, who came in to watch the match, asked me who I supported as well. He asked me in English, as he likely wanted to practice, and we had a small conversation on the upcoming Leeds and Manchester City match. Watching Leeds in Chaile Lounge and Bar was a wholesome experience, and broke up a bit of the homesickness I’ve been experiencing the last 10 days or so.
Overall experience watching the match(es)
Finding a place to watch the two matches against scum were both pretty standard experiences. I’ve found that if you’re in a bigger city in Argentina, everywhere has a WhatsApp business account and they’re very responsive. So just ask around where the best place to watch matches is, and then do a google search for bars, pubs and restaurants in that area. Even if they’re not showing the match on TV, every location I’ve been to had WiFi, so you could likely watch the match on your tablet or phone. Just make sure you follow some good VPN hygiene.
In the smaller towns, like Cafayate, people are extremely helpful. Ask around for places that have televisions, see if they’re open at the hour of kickoff, and head over to ask the manager if they can show the game on ESPN or Star+.
You’ll find that people in Argentina love watching football, even if it’s not their club playing. So you’ll likely have a few people come around you and ask questions about Leeds. Always bring up Bielsa! A lot of people in Argentina are aware of Leeds now because of the Bielsa era.
Cost-wise, Argentina is extremely affordable for Americans due to something call the “Blue Dollar” rate. Argentina’s currency is pretty volatile so Americans will get a better exchange rate when using a Visa credit card due to an agreement between Visa and the Argentine government. I couldn’t find if British citizens are extended the same rate.
So we usually spent $10-20 USD on food and drinks depending on how much we drink. If you’re in the area for a short period of time, just grab a Quilmes or Salta beer with some papas frites (fries/chips). If you want to have a full meal while watching a match, literally order anything. Argentina’s food is fantastic.
For today’s match, I’ll be watching from an airport in Buenos Aires. And while, I’m missing a bit of the second half against Everton, the pilgrimage we’re making is worth it.
Where are we going? 🤷♂. Vamos Leeds Carajo!