ARGENTINA are rumoured to have hauled 900kg of steak to the 2026 World Cup as they prepare to bring the South American party up north.
La Seleccion have been known to bring the food culture to the FIFA tournament that is due to kick off on Thursday.
Argentina’s secret to success may just be down to their barbecue skills Credit: Getty
In Qatar the Argentine squad brought nearly a ton of meat to cook throughout the World Cup Credit: Getty
Back in 2022, , along with , made a deal with their associations to bring in their own meat ahead of the tournament.
And it may have just been the extra edge that won his first World Cup.
Even when the team were choosing their hub for the month-long competition, it was vital that it had space for a traditional open-air South American barbecue, or asado.
Even if it was .
A source from the Argentine FA told the Mail : “We visited the campus several times and chose it because not only does it have great facilities but it also has open-air space for asados.
“This is very important to the players and Argentines in general, it’s part of our culture.
“We want to make them feel at home while they are in Qatar and the best way to do this is to make sure that they get a taste of home while focusing on the football.”
As well as it being a typical Argentinian tradition, the high-quality combination of protein, iron and zinc allows the players to build muscle, optimise oxygen transport and accelerate post-training recovery.
Argentina will be looking to pull out all the stops to seal back-to-back World Cup titles Credit: AP
It was asados that they turned to when they beat the UAE 5-0 in their final 2022 World Cup warm-up match – with more than 70 people turning out to the celebration.
Of course, after a box-office final that saw Kylian Mbappe recover a hat-trick only to lose out 4-2 on penalties.
At the time, Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni added: “My favourite food is the asado, but it’s more than that.
“It creates an atmosphere of union and collective chemistry.
“It’s part of our culture, of the Argentine idiosyncrasy.
“It’s during that time that we get to talk, to laugh, relax and connect… It’s not necessarily about the meat, although we love it.
“It’s to be part of a group and the connection that it generates.”
But not every nation from their continent shares their barbecue tradition.
Argentina will face Jordan, Austria and Algeria in the Group Stage Credit: Getty instead opted for coffee and seasonings with 30kg of cassava flour to cook the popular Brazilian dish farofa.
And elsewhere in the world, reportedly brought £750,000 worth of their own dates to the 2018 Russia World Cup.
Argentina wrapped up their last warm-up game on Wednesday ahead of the 2026 opening ceremony in City for co-host Mexico’s first game against .
La Albiceleste sealed a 3-0 win over as they head into Group J.
They are due to come up against debutants , long-absent , and dark horses Algeria.
Their first fixture comes in the early hours of June 17 against Riyad Mahrez’s Algeria.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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