Arsenal may have gone through an eleven year title drought.
But their Argentinian ‘little brother’ has enjoyed much more recent success.
(Well not really a little brother, or even a distant cousin, since the two clubs bear no relation to each other.)
Far from the Emirates, Arsenal de Sarandi play in the 18,000 capacity Estadio Julio Grondona, named after the man who founded them in 1957.
Located outside Buenos Aires, the windswept ground is so ugly and soulless that Argentinian football experts specifically tell tourists to avoid it.
In fact only around 500 locals bother to go there for the team’s home games.
Which makes their 2012 title win even more incredible.
Arsenal won the championship in front of a rare capacity crowd with a 1-0 win over Belgrano.
And the whole country would have embraced one of the most amazing football stories ever, if it wasn’t for one thing.
Julio Grondona was president of the Argentinian FA at the time.
Appointed by the military dictatorship in 1979, Grondona was dogged by corruption allegations and earned the nickname Don Julio among fans.
After Grondona’s death last year, his successor was elected with a 101% turnout.
Yes, you heard that right.
If Carlsberg did underdog stories, they certainly wouldn’t be about Arsenal de Sarandi.