One of the great rivalries in world football could be set to resume in Melbourne’s own backyard, the MCG, in early June next year, according to local media reports which appeared earlier this week. No, it’s not Heidelberg versus South Melbourne, but the Superclásico de las Américas, between South American giants Brazil and Argentina.
Created in 2011, the Superclásico was staged as a home and away two-legged tie in the first two episodes in 2011 and 2012. It was cancelled in 2013 before being revived as a one-game event in a neutral country, in China, in 2014.
After being cancelled last year, it’s set to resume in 2017 and, according to a report in The Australian, the Victorian government is expected to announce the event will take place in Melbourne in June.
In addition to the gala match, efforts are reportedly under way by the FFA to arrange for one of the Superclásico participants to stay on for a further match in Australia against the Socceroos, giving coach Ange Postecoglou a chance to test his squad against the world’s best ahead of next year’s Confederations Cup.
The star-studded Brazilian and Argentine national teams would provide a major attraction for football fans in Victoria, and with the match slated for the MCG, football attendance records could be broken amid a tourist windfall for Victoria.
Fans would flock to the ‘G to watch two of the world’s top-ranking football nations and two of the best footballers in the world, Barcelona team mates Messi and Neymar, line up on opposite sides. Joining them could be Premier League stars Sergio Aguero and Pablo Zabaleta for Argentina, as well as Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho, Roberto Firmino and Chelsea’s David Luiz for Brazil.
The two nations have won seven World Cups between them, and met 103 times, with Brazil narrowly leading 40 wins to Argentina’s 37 wins, with 26 draws.
The Victorian government would neither confirm nor deny the reports, with spokesperson Patrick Way telling Neos Kosmos, “the government is aware of recent media reports. We have nothing to add”. The FFA has also declined to comment on the matter.