It is hard to convey to someone who has never been to a tournament in Argentina - or been to Argentina for that matter - just exactly how popular the women's hockey national team, affectionately called Las Leonas (the lionesses), are in their country.
There are few places where hockey is a sport big enough to catch the public's attention and raise interest beyond those involved in the sport actively or by family ties, friendships, or professional interest, but Argentina certainly is one of them.
The Leonas are true superstars here, recognized by people in the streets and seen on TV shows. Individual sponsorship deals put their faces on streetside billboard advertisements. They appear on daily papers' covers, and grace the pages of the yellow press with their model boyfriends and rugby player husbands.
Everyone knows them, from the taxi driver to the shoe store sales clerk, and from the little girl on the street to the waiter in the restaurant. Foreigners who speak some Spanish are often asked why they are here, and when explaining that they are in the city for hockey, the universal answer is infallibly some variety of 'Yes, the Leonas. They are fantastic'.
At the tournament here in Quilmes, on the days for which tickets are still available, a queue starts forming at the ticket booth as early as 3 hours before the first match - more than 8 hours before the Leonas make their appearance. When they do, the stands are full with people passionately and vociferously supporting them, and the posters that have been put up for people to leave their messages for the girls are almost entirely black with the many words of encouragement, support, and admiration.
The public stands are covered every night in Argentinian flags, posters, or bed sheets adorned with more messages for the Leonas, for the team or individual players. 'Never cease to make us proud' says one, 'They aren't history, they made history' another, 'I am not ashamed of this love' yet another.
Adressed to Luciana Aymar, one spectator claims that 'Hockey isn't hockey when Lucha plays. It is magic'. Local girl Marine Russo enjoys special attention with several banners to her name, including two saying 'Nené, as long as you are on the fields, here is where I will be' and 'Number 19 - when passion turns into madness'. Another tells Gabriela Aguirre 'Always on your side'.
Fans also remember those players who helped take the Leonas where they are now but no longer form part of the squad, such as Cecilia 'Ceci' Rognoni and Mercedes 'Mechi' Margalot. 'Ceci 16, you remain the hymn of my heart' says the banner for Rognoni, 'Impossible is Nothing with Mechi' the one for Margalot, another simply proclaims 'For Rognoni, for Margalot, Amen'.
Even Santi Freixa, a forward on the Spanish men's team and one of hockey's big names of the moment in his own right, is taken aback by quite how popular the Leonas are. Out in a bar in Buenos Aires with Sergio Vigil, the legendary coach of the Leonas who led them out into the spotlight and to the World Champion title in 2002, random people would walk up to 'Cachito' to pay their respects and thank him, calling him an inspiration and a pride to the nation. 'The things people would say, they gave me goosebumps', says Freixa, noticeably impressed.
New coach Gabriel Minadeo, who took over when Vigil switched over to coaching the men's national team, obviously hopes to continue the success story, and looks well on his way to achieve that. A fourth place in last year's Champions Trophy was followed by a bronze medal in last year's World Cup, but the fan base of the Leonas is waiting for a major title - a feat their team has not managed since the World Cup 5 years ago.
However, things are looking good for the Argentine women here in Quilmes, where they have won their two opening matches and are perceived to be the main opponents of World Champion Netherlands in the fight for the title and set for the tournament final. The local audience of course hope that their support will carry the Leonas to a home victory, but their enthusiasm and adoration for the famed Leonas goes well beyond results and titles.
