Casual football fans emerge to pack out MCG for ‘Superclasico’ No.108

THE figures don’t quite add up. Melbourne A-League teams have a combined membership base of about 39,000. Yet 95,569 turned up to watch Messi and co. run around. Go figure?

Argentina observes a minute’s silence.

THE figures don’t quite add up.

Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City have a combined membership base of about 39,000.

For the third time in four years, more than 95,000 fans packed the MCG for a blockbuster football friendly.

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Sure, each of the games had mass appeal.

The Liverpool factor drew 95,446 to watch the Reds take on Victory in 2013.

Lionel Messi of Argentia runs with the ball. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty

The attendance figure is shown on the big screen.

Thiago Silva of Brazil falls over as Gonzalo Higuain of Argentina competes for the ball. Picture: Michael Dodge/Getty

Two years later Cristiano Ronaldo was the star attraction as 99,382 witnessed Real Madrid’s clash with Manchester City.

On Friday night Lionel Messi was the man the majority of the 95,569 crowd would have wanted to see most - although he had a stellar support cast.

There would have been a fair bunch of tourists in the crowd.

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Willian of Brazil says goodbye to fans. Picture: Michael Dodge/Getty

Gabriel Mercado of Argentina celebrates a goal with teammates. Picture: Michael Dodge/Getty

Lionel Messi competes for the ball against Fernando Roza. Picture: Michael Dodge/Getty

But there would have been a hell of a lot more casual local football fans who just don’t, for whatever reason, invest time or money into supporting an A-League club.

And why they don’t is the $56,000 question for Football Federation Australia, which will be keen to find out the results of data collectors roaming outside the ground pre-match, asking questions relating to fans’ football-watching habits.

With A-League expansion a hot topic, a third Victorian club is one possible solution.

Which new addition of South Melbourne, southeast Melbourne or Geelong has the greatest potential to bring in the most new fans - or convert the most casual supporters - over the next 10, 20, 30 years is another question FFA will have to consider carefully.

Friday night’s cavalcade of star power was arguably the greatest gathering of footballers ever seen on one Australian pitch.

Sure Neymar wasn’t here, but to be able to watch Messi, Gonzalo Higuain, Angel Di Maria, Paulo Dybala, Philippe Coutinho, Fernandinho, Willian, Gabriel Jesus, Paulinho and Thiago Silva go about their business was well worth the admission fee.

A packed MCG.

Fernando Roza of Brazil goes for a steal. Picture: Michael Dodge/Getty

And while in the first half the players would have been able to hear each other as if it was a training session given the amount of silence generated by a crowd awash with theatre goers, the roars when Brazil twice hit the post in the 61st minute were insane.

That said, it did only take 33 minutes for the first Mexican Wave to take flight and 35 minutes for the first “Ole, Ole, Ole, Ole” chant to break out, before the noise level rose in the second half when paper planes took flight from the top deck.

So, ‘Superclasico’ No.108 goes the way of Argentina.

And while it was played half a world away from its natural home, the 7am kick-off in Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro would have ensured that it was a happy end to the working week in Argentina - not so much in Brazil.