In this post, we caught up with Julian – a Homefans tour host in Rosario, Argentina. Julian tells us why Rosario is an absolute must-visit for any football fan, and why he decided to become a Homefans host.

Julian is passionate about his city and sharing it with other football fans. If you feel the same way about your club and city, sign up here to become a host on Homefans. 

How did you become a host on Homefans? 

My background is in architecture and construction, but I always loved sports. I’m actually a former rugby player, but my real passion is football.

Listing my tour on Homefans lets me share my passion for football in my city with the world. I got in touch with the team and they made it easy to get started!

Why should football fans visit Rosario?

Rosario is a must-visit if you love football and are planning to come to Argentina. The local fans are the craziest and most loyal in the country. And the rivalry between the two biggest teams in town, Newell’s and Central, is well known around the world.

The city breathes football in every corner and everyone here has it in their DNA. Young, old, middle-aged, woman or men, it doesn’t matter. The stadiums are always full capacity when Newell’s or Central are playing at home.

It’s no accident that many football legends and stars were born or made their first steps as footballers in Rosario. Messi, Banega, Icardi, Lavezzi, Di Maria, Maxi Rodriguez, Batistuta, Kily Gonzales, Heinze, Valdano, Kempes, Bielsa, Martino, Pochettino to name just a few.

Anyone who says they’re a true football fan has to visit Rosario sometime!

Who do you support and what’s the biggest game?

I’m a fan of Newell’s Old Boys since I was a little kid. The match I always look forward to, and dare I say, every person here in Rosario looks forward to, is the derby.

The game is called “El Clásico Rosarino” and it has more than 100 years of history. For me, the derby is by far the most contested and passionate soccer match in Argentina and perhaps the world!

For the 2 weeks before and after the game, there is no other topic of conversation in any workplace, cafe, pub, school, or plaza. You can feel the tension in the air, and it really increases towards the day of the game. 

The match isn’t just for three points. But for honor and the right of fans to call themselves the owners of the city. At least until the next “Clasico”.

What’s the best thing to do in Rosario?

Rosario is a special city in every way. Our city is on the banks of the Paraná river. And most of our 1.5 million citizens live downtown. 

The city has a unique culture that stands out from other big cities like Buenos Aires or Córdoba. With a huge variety of local foods, big public parks, and a crazy nightlife with plenty of pubs and discos.

One of the best things to do here is to take a boat in the Paraná river and spend the day on one of the islands in front of the city coast. There’s no doubt that Rosario offers a lot to visitors!

What makes a Homefans trip different to the rest?

Homefans trips are created by people who love football. This means any Homefans tour host around the world knows what football fans want from a trip.

So you can be sure of an authentic, local, and football-focused experience!