The 128th Argentine Open, the most famous tournament on the world polo calendar, came to an exciting finale on Sunday, November 19, when Argentina overcame the United States 14–12 in the championship match held at the Palermo fields in Buenos Aires.
On a scorching summer’s day in the Argentine capital, the much-awaited championship match got underway at 4:30 p.m. local time, with the renowned Cathedral of Polo serving as a perfect background. Over 30,000 passionate spectators packed the grandstands and lined the fields, igniting an electrifying atmosphere worthy of the most coveted award in sports.
Argentina’s formidable squad, consisting of Adolfo Cambiaso, Pablo MacDonough, Juan Martín Nero, and Jeta Castagnola, made it clear from the start that they meant business at home. They surged out of the gates to establish a 4-1 lead against the States at the end of the opening chukka, working together telepathically.
But in the second quarter, the Americans stabilized themselves brilliantly to create a serious battle out of it. They ended the second chukker with a 5-4 disadvantage, led by the legendary Ignacio “Nacho” Figueras and his reliable companions Juan Britos, Keko Magrini, and Diego Cavanagh.
What came next was a polo classic performed in scorching heat with the utmost ferocity. Amid the thundering crack of bamboo on bamboo and the thudding of horse hooves, two quartets of elite athletes engaged in blow-for-blow combat, striving to grab any small edge.
Amid their remarkable careers, Cambiaso and Figueras, two legendary athletes, constituted the centre of the intense activity. The Argentine was able to waltz thanks to his incredible stickwork and quickness.
However, Figueras, his old colleague, was using all of his big-game prowess to serve as the Americans’ lucky charm. He was galloping the length of the field on his magic mares to make many crucial scoring plays that kept his team in the lead.
As the match entered its last two chukkas, it was still quite close. However, everything went wrong when Magrini was seriously injured in a hard collision. The brave American was taken to the hospital on a stretcher after a long wait.
Both sets of players were feeling the physical strain and pressure of the big game when play eventually started, and emotions were running high. The two sides’ opposing styles were fascinating to see, as Argentina’s deft passing game contrasted with the U.S.’s relentless counterattacking prowess.
Argentina demonstrated why they have been the dominant power in polo for years by withstanding wave after wave of American onslaught and then delivering the decisive punch on the counter as the drama reached its climax in the last chukka.
When there were less than three minutes left and the scores were tied at 12, Cambiaso produced one of his signature magical plays. He picked up the ball off his saddlery, split the American defence, and then buried an almost impossible-looking neck shot from an almost perfect angle into the opposition’s goal.
The passionate supporters of Argentina burst into applause upon witnessing their idol land a potentially game-winning strike. Shortly after, MacDonough scored the game’s last point to make it 14–12, igniting wild celebrations both on and off the field.
Cambiaso and Nero led the hugs with their heartbroken American opponents, who were left sprawled on the field fatigued by their enormous efforts over 110 agonizing minutes when the final hooter thankfully sounded.
The crowded Palermo bleachers became a bouncing, serenading mass of wild ecstasy as the Argentine players conducted a lap of honour. In the past ten years, this was their team’s seventh Argentine Open victory. The United States is still waiting for its first championship since 1987.
A moved Cambiaso remarked later, “I’m just so proud of these boys and what they’ve achieved in front of our people today.” Since we were little children, all of us have wanted to play this game. Like the Americans, we threw everything out there. Being a part of such an amazing war was an honour.”
Figueras, devastated, said to himself, “That’s just Argentine polo for you.” In the most important times, they were overly reliant. However, I’ve never been more pleased with this set of athletes for putting their all on the line. We’ll learn from this and return even more determined next year, but today wasn’t our day.”
The legendary venue can accommodate well over 50,000 spectators when you consider the expansive outside fields and amenities that compose Argentina’s revered ‘cathedral’ of polo, even if the Palermo grounds only housed over 30,000 during the event itself.
Palermo’s characteristic boisterous atmosphere was created by the devoted “field Argentinos,” who followed every angle, pawing over every action blade while bathed in coursing asado smoke and freely flowing beers.
One glorious Pampas evening, as twilight was falling, an invading flood of humans emerged from the fields in a raucous yet euphoric way, their Sunday having been spent respectfully eating the pinnacle of their cherished ‘deporte de Reyes y rey de deportes’ (sport of kings and king of sports).
In one of the sport’s finest finals, two teams of top riders showcased their mastery of polo’s unique subtleties and physical extremes for the 6.5 million viewers who tuned in globally, including a primetime TV audience in the States.
Although Argentina’s quarter deservedly garnered attention for their historic triumph, the lessons learned from this epic Anglo-Argentine match will only serve to further ignite Polo’s rapidly expanding worldwide fan base.
This was a demonstration, both on and off the Palermo grounds, of polo’s eternal ability to enthral as few other athletic events can. Prepare the horses and cue the asados—this isn’t the last time that a true polo classic’s theatre and drama will wow the globe.
