News Americas, New York, NY, November 14, 2024: Argentinian football club, Deportivo Riestra, is facing backlash after starting a popular YouTuber, Ivan Buhajeruk – known as Spreen – to play briefly in a professional league match against Velez Sarsfield.
Despite lacking professional football experience, the 24-year-old was signed to a contract by Riestra and played just 50 seconds before being subbed out without touching the ball. Buhajeruk, who has over seven million YouTube subscribers, was included in the line-up as part of a marketing move backed by club owner and energy drink company sponsor, Victor Stinfale. The decision prompted strong reactions, with a Tyc Sports commentator calling it “a total disgrace,” criticizing the YouTuber’s inexperience on the field.
Riestra’s captain, Milton Celiz, confirmed the idea came from Stinfale, emphasizing Buhajeruk’s popularity as a streamer. Head coach Cristian Fabbiani also admitted informing Velez’s manager about the unusual lineup before the game, calling it a one-off promotional arrangement.
Buhajeruk, however, took the appearance in stride, humorously posting online that he was “undefeated” and joking about discussing a “Minecraft update” with teammates.
About Buhajeruk
Iván Raúl Buhajeruk Fernández, 24, was born in Santo Tomé, Santa Fe, Argentina. He is known online as Spreen and is a popular Argentine Twitch streamer and YouTuber. He began his online career in 2015 on YouTube, later expanding to Twitch, where he gained a large following through gaming content, tutorials, and vlogs, fostering a close community with his audience.
In 2023, Spreen was nominated for Content Creator of the Year, surpassing prominent streamers like ElRubius and IlloJuan. By mid-2022, his Twitch channel had over 6,700 paid subscribers, with an additional 4.4 million subscribers on YouTube.
On September 22, 2024, Spreen transitioned to the streaming platform Kick, attracted by its higher earning potential. He shared that a single livestream on Kick could generate as much income as he previously earned in a month on Twitch, offering him greater financial stability and the ability to pursue larger creative projects.
