Spain Players Relish Argentine Experience

It's always refreshing in this day and age of big money and scandalous off-the-field activities to see professional footballers genuinely excited about their craft. 

That is exactly what we have seen from the World Cup Champions Spain during their trip to Argentina. 

After flying 14 hours across the Atlantic, the Spanish National Team arrived in Buenos Aires Saturday night before taking part in two training sessions at two of the sport's most famous and iconic stadia. 

Sunday afternoon, Spanish players practiced in front of 4,000 fans at Boca Juniors' La Bombonera stadium in the famous La Boca neighborhood by the port of Buenos Aires. 

The players took many pictures and posted them on Twitter and other social networking sites. Midfielder Cesc Fabergas called the session session a "great experience" after taking a picture with Andres Iniesta. 

The genuine excitement shown by the Spain players tells a lot about the world champions. For one, it is clear that they are fans of the sport and admire the experience of playing before the fans in Argentina. 

Joan Capdevila also noted that "For history, Argentina is a greater side." 

Clearly, it is worth acknowledging that were it not for economic issues, Argentine clubs would still be amongst the best in the world, but the crisis that hurts the whole country also affects football. 

For decades, the top Argentine players have been going across the Atlantic, and it is worth noting that of the biggest clubs in Spain, the best players have been Argentine. 

At Real Madrid, the unquestioned icon is Alfredo Di Stefano who came through the ranks at River Plate and had a loan spell at Huracan and later helped Real Madrid claim five European Cups. 

At Valencia, Mario Kempes won the Pichichi trophy twice and was the only World Cup winner to play at the club until Juan Mata lifted the trophy with Spain this season. 

Now of course, Barcelona has Lionel Messi who won the Pichichi in 2010, won a fan vote as the best player in the history of the club, and at 23 he still has much to give to the Catalan outfit. 

Now, the eyes of the world are concentrated on the top European leagues, but Spain's players clearly know the quality of the likes of Boca, River, seven-time Copa Libertadores-winners Independiente, and four-time Copa Libertadores winners Estudiantes, who came within two minutes of knocking off Barcelona in the Final of the 2009 Club World Cup. 

On Monday, Spain continued their tour through the history of Argentine soccer by visiting the home of River Plate, El Monumental, where the Real Madrid players such as captain Iker Casillas, defender Sergio Ramos, and midfielder Xabi Alonso will get to see where Di Stefano, and club teammate Gonzalo Higuain, amongst many legends, began their careers. 

El Monumental is also of course the home of the Argentine National Team and was the location where Kempes carved through the Dutch defense to hand Argentina its first World Cup in 1978. 

The players again took pictures and enjoyed themselves, not only training that displaying the camaraderie that makes the Spain players so likable. 

Tomorrow, Spain will make its own history by playing in Argentina for the first time since 1974. No doubt they will again take in the experience.