AFA sparks controversy as Rosario Central are handed 'new' title

Rosario Central football club added an unexpected title last Thursday after the Argentine Football Association (AFA) named it "Champion of the League" in a decision not contemplated in the original rules.

The title was unanimously decided at a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Liga Professional de Fútbol to be awarded to the team with the most points in the General Table grouping this year’s Apertura and Clausura tournaments, according to an AFA communiqué.

However, a number of clubs denied they had approved the change.

The decision means that Ángel Di María, who helped win the World Cup for Argentina in Qatar in 2022, thus obtained his first championship since returning  to Argentina.

"It was also unanimously decided that Rosario Central be crowned champion of the League in this 2025 season," a distinction awarded in the midst of the competition with the round of 16 of the Clausura tournament set to start on Saturday, said AFA

An image shared by AFA showed the new trophy being received by players Ángel Di María and Jorge Broun and coach Ariel Holan.

AFA also declared that the creation of this new trophy of "Champion of the League" for the teams with the most points during the year "does not invalídate holding the Supercopa Internacional, the Supercopa Argentina and the Trophy of Champions" while announcing a future Recopa.

Gonzalo Belloso, the president of Rosario Central and an ex-player, highlighted in statements to TNT Sports that it is something "super-deserved by a club like ours, which was first from start to finish, notched up more points than anybody and lost just two matches in the entire year."

In this context, Rosario Central celebrates its 13th title and its 5th League title after winning the National Championships of 1971, 1973 and 1980, the 1986-87 First Division tournament, seven national cups and the international Copa Conmebol in 1995.

– TIMES/AFP