Argentina fans shut down Southwest Blvd. with pre-game pep rally, dance party
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- Café Corazón and Pan Caliente KC hosted a banderazo serving Choripán and music.
- Professional dancers Tango Matiz performed tango as the block grew into a street party.
- Travelers from all over the world were excited to party before Argentina's first match.
On the eve of Kansas City’s first World Cup match, Southwest Boulevard was a sea of white and blue. The smell of fresh Choripán lingered in the air, as dozens of jerseys adorned with a large 10 crowded the blocked-off street.
People traveled thousands of miles to take part in local World Cup activities, including the traditional “banderazo,” or pep rally, to celebrate before the match. Café Corazón held a banderazo Monday night in preparation for Argentina’s first match against Algeria.
Pan Caliente KC, a local Argentinian bakery that provides treats to the café, also helped host the event. They served Choripán, a grilled chorizo sausage with chimichurri tucked in a bread roll and typical Argentinian street food for soccer games.
Alejandro Cabero is a co-owner of Pan Caliente KC, and he said they proposed the idea to Café Corazón. The café then led the plan, and the bakery helped by bringing Argentinian cultural ideas to the event.
“There were more people than we expected. It was beautiful, and well, very Argentinian,” Cabero said. “This is Argentina. This is how Argentina is in every corner.”
Cabero said he was excited to see the enthusiasm and spirit around soccer that he remembers growing up in his native country.
“This is something I lived in Argentina, and I never lived it again,” he said. “Now I’m living it in Kansas City. This is something special.”
From the second the music started, feet were shuffling on the dance floor. Then Selekto Show took the stage, and the dance floor grew. The group had six months to prepare for the banderazo, and have performed for multiple World Cup events.
“Growing up watching the World Cup all the time with my parents, and then having it in my backyard is a whole different experience,” guitarist Edgar Madrid said. “It’s life-changing.”
Fans weren’t the only ones feeling the beat.
Kirill Miniaev and his wife, Sophia Miniaeva, are professional dancers known as Tango Matiz. Throughout the night, they would dance Tango, a traditional Argentine dance.
“We’re just happy the World Cup is here in Kansas City because now there’s a lot of people coming to get a chance to see what our city is all about, and we can be a little part of that representation,” Miniaev said.
The event started inside Café Corazón and its sidewalk, but as more people made their way to the banderazo, the space only grew. By the end of the night, the entire block of Southwest Boulevard was closed as fans crowded the street.
Matias Montes traveled from Barcelona, Spain, to Iowa City to meet with his brother. Then, Montes and his family made their way to Kansas City.
“We knew there was going to be a (party) of Argentinian people, so we came to eat Choripan and drink beer,” Montes said.
Montes is anxious to buy tickets for the match, as he and his family have still not purchased tickets.
Lucila Cejas traveled with her kid from Portland, Oregon, to attend the FIFA Fan Fest and attend the World Cup match. Cejas has been watching every World Cup since 1990.
“Every four years I said, ‘one day, I’m going to go to the World Cup,’” Cejas told The Star.
With the event taking place in the U.S., she decided this year would be the year she attends.
“I love how soccer is becoming a part of American culture, and this is a country that brings cultures together,” Cejas said. “This is the America I love.”
