Football in the museum: 50 World Cup milestones revived at Decorative Art

The National Museum of Decorative Art in Buenos Aires is hosting an exhibition that brings to life 50 historic moments from the FIFA World Cup through the covers of the renowned Argentine sports magazine, El Gráfico. The exhibition, titled "Retrospectiva de una pasión" (Retrospective of a Passion), allows visitors to relive the emotions of Argentina's football journey from the 1930 World Cup to Lionel Messi's 2022 victory in Qatar.

Displayed along the museum's perimeter fence and within its halls, the exhibition features emblematic covers that capture key events, players, and celebrations. Iconic images include Diego Maradona lifting the trophy in 1986, Daniel Passarella in 1978, and Messi's triumphant moment in 2022. The collection extends to 25 covers from El Gráfico's print edition, which ceased publication in 2018, representing an era in Argentine journalism.

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For the National Museum of Decorative Art, this exhibition allows us to highlight a heritage that transcends sport. El Gráfico is a historical archive of Argentine football, and its covers are also an exceptional testimony to the evolution of graphic design, photography, and visual culture in the country.

Organized by the production company Torneos in collaboration with the MNAD, the exhibition is free and runs until mid-August. It is part of initiatives by the Norma and Leo Werthein Foundation to promote "coexistence through the values of sport," focusing on education, culture, and inclusion.

Hugo Pontoriero, director of the MNAD, views the exhibition as a way to highlight a heritage that transcends sport. "El Gráfico is a historical archive of Argentine football, and its covers are also an exceptional testimony to the evolution of graphic design, photography, and visual culture in the country," he stated. Arturo Puig, director of El Gráfico web, added that the magazine, founded in 1919 and later focusing on sports, became a regional benchmark due to its journalistic quality and understanding that football is more than a sport, it's a passion captured in its covers.

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It transcended the borders of Argentina and established itself as a benchmark in Latin America due to its journalistic quality and for understanding that football is much more than a sport: it is a passion. Our covers captured that feeling.