A Relic Full of History

Just days before the Argentine National Team faces England in the 2026 World Cup semifinals, expectations are sky-high this July 13, 2026. Amidst the pre-match excitement, Claudia Villafañe surprised everyone by appearing on the TV show La cocina rebelde (eltrece) wearing a true historical gem: the original jersey worn by Diego Maradona during the unforgettable match against England in Mexico 1986.

The businesswoman took off her jacket to show the garment, leaving everyone in the studio speechless. Jimena Monteverde was the first to point it out: “First, I want the camera to see that it's stained. It's the original one.”

The Unexpected Origin of the Alternate Jersey

The anecdote shared by Villafañe hides details unknown to much of the public. During the 1986 World Cup, Argentina had to wear their alternate blue jersey to avoid clashing with England's white kit. However, the team didn't have that specific jersey at the time. “They went looking in Mexico City, and the only thing they could find from the national team's brand was this one,” she explained.

The garment had unique characteristics: two different shades of blue, a silver number, and the crests were not embroidered. How was it fixed? Thanks to the heart and dedication of the women working at the Argentine camp. “The same girls who cleaned at the camp, who cooked and did everything, sewed them on as best they could,” she recalled emotionally.

“It was the only thing they could get, and, fortunately, we won,” she closed, immediately connecting the past with the present. She added: “And now they play with the same blue jersey. Argentina asked to play with the blue jersey, so they will play with another model, but it won't be the light blue and white one,” referring to the upcoming match on July 15, 2026, at 4:00 PM at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

The Post That United Football's Families

The connection with the past didn't end there. To celebrate advancing to the semifinals after beating Switzerland, Villafañe shared an image on her social media that instantly went viral. It's her iconic photo with Maradona, where she wears a fur coat, but this time edited with the light blue and white colors of the Argentine flag.

“Beautiful morning, isn't it?” she wrote, quoting the classic meme of actor Guillermo Francella from the Argentine movie Extermineitors 4. The post quickly surpassed 200,000 likes and generated a warm reaction from Antonela Roccuzzo, who commented with light blue and white hearts, further uniting the most emblematic families of Argentine football ahead of a match that promises to make history.

Source: TN