BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — 13 Argentine believers roam the streets buenos aires They proudly wear their team jerseys, but instead of being on two legs, they crawl on all fours and occasionally bark.
As Argentina rides world cup Enthusiastic dog walkers have joined the local fan base in hopes of beating Cape Verde in Friday’s Round of 32.
Nahuel Meneghini, 33, walks with his dogs, wearing team jerseys, leads and collars, through the streets of the capital’s center, cheering them on. lionel messi troops.
“I did it out of love for them and Argentina and for the World Cup,” Meneghini, known as “Nano,” told The Associated Press on Thursday while walking with his pack of dogs.
The dog walker, also dressed head-to-toe in a fan-like outfit, deftly managed all the leashes as he led his dog along the narrow sidewalks of the capital’s San Cristobal district.
As they passed, smiles lit up the faces of onlookers who pulled out their phones to take pictures. “Let’s go, Argentina!” cried the woman.
“For workers and retirees, this is the only joy because nothing goes our way. Everything is against us,” said Edgardo Pérez, 80, who was taking a photo of the group known as “La Peroneta” on social media.
The name is an allusion to the nickname of the national team, “La Scaloneta”, which is aimed at retaining the World Cup title under coach Lionel Scaloni.
Scaloni has been praised in Argentina following his team’s victories at the 2022 World Cup and Finalissima and the 2021 Copa America.
Meneghini came up with the idea of dressing the dogs in Argentina colors last week as they progressed from the group stage.
The two dogs he always walks, Sirio and Roberta, were wearing jerseys emblazoned with Messi’s number 10. Their owner bought them after getting into World Cup fever.
Meneghini liked the idea and decided to dress the rest of the dogs in the same clothes. He stopped at a pet store and picked up jerseys in different sizes. The owner happily accepted the costumes.
So did the collar and leash he made in light blue and white. He added three rivets to the leash, one for each of Argentina’s 1978, 1986 and 2022 World Cup winners, and dangled a tag that read “Los Perros de Nano” (Dogs of Nano) from the collar.
Meneghini provides pet owners with all items at affordable prices. Neighbors are also starting to order for their pets.
The dog and its walker roam about 60 blocks most days and have become local celebrities and social media stars.
“This is patriotism,” said Dora Maisano, 73, as she watched the group pass by. “They’re not just peeing and pooping. They’re all wearing number 10. Well done, congratulations! You’re so cute!”
Meneghini said that even if Argentina were eliminated from the competition, the team would continue to wear the national colors “forever”. “But I believe we can win a fourth Cup. Once the fourth Cup is over, we will add another rivet to the lead.”
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See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here
