Four-legged fans of Messi.
Thirteen "fans" of the Argentina national team roam the streets of Buenos Aires, proudly displaying their team's insignia, but they are actually pet dogs who have already become social media stars.
33-year-old Nahuel Meneghini strolls the streets of the capital's center with dogs dressed in national team jerseys; the pets, leashed and wearing collars, are also rooting for Lionel Messi's team.
"I did this out of love for them and for Argentina. And for the World Cup," Meneghini said while walking the dogs.
A man, also dressed head to toe like a fan, skillfully maneuvered all the leashes as he walked the dogs along the narrow sidewalks of the capital's San Cristobal neighborhood.
As they passed, smiles beamed across people's faces, and they pulled out their phones to take photos. These fans are also known online as "La Perroneta."
"La Scaloneta" is the nickname of the national team, which is aiming to defend its World Cup title under the guidance of Lionel Scaloni. Scaloni is respected in Argentina following the team's victories at the World Cup and the 2021 Copa América.
Meneghini came up with the idea of dressing the dogs in Argentina's colors last week, after the team had advanced past the group stage.
Two dogs he regularly walks—Siri and Roberta—were wearing jerseys with Messi's number 10. Their owners had purchased them in advance to support their team.
Meneghini liked the idea and decided to dress the rest of his dogs the same way. He went to a pet store and bought jerseys in various sizes. The owners were delighted to see the idea.
