Argentina captain Julian Montoya says his side are using Lionel Messi and the country’s football heroes as inspiration ahead of Rugby World Cup opener against England

Our plan to photograph Julian Montoya in an Argentinian football shirt failed. We’ve spent half the morning talking about Lionel Messi winning the World Cup in Qatar, but his jersey is out of stock at the local sports shop.

“It’s good that it’s sold out everywhere because it shows that the team is in touch with the people. We want to do the same in rugby,” said the captain of Pumas, who will lead his team against England on Saturday night.

“The way the football team connects with the country is great. When Messi plays, he inspires the rest of the team, but it wasn’t just about one player. At the awards, Argentina had the best player, the best coach, the best goalkeeper… the best audience! It’s a meritocracy. You see their process – doing things right, making an effort, trusting each other – and you think, “We want to be like them.”

“People sold their cars or re-mortgaged their homes just to watch them play. Argentina was not in a very good economic position. When five million people took to the streets in Buenos Aires to cheer together, all with smiles on their faces, it didn’t matter which political party they support. It was just luck. It’s not normal to see that. When you see it, you want to go after it.”

While sipping coffee at his local café in Market Harborough, he continues, “They inspired us. When you talk about the colors white and sky blue, we all strive for the same thing. Trust each other, have a good plan, process, commitment. We rely on our system and our coach. If you see all those values ​​reflected, the chance of victory is much greater.’

Montoya watched the final with his wife Sole in their living room in Leicestershire. He reminisces about watching Diego Maradona sing and dance in Puma’s dressing room during the 2015 World Cup before the talk turned to the job.

Patriotism and passion have always been part of Argentina’s DNA, but they now have a base layer of pragmatism. National coach Michael Cheika describes Montoya as one of the most focused players he has ever worked with. Their talisman leader is not spared.

Their error rate is low and their conversion rate in 22 was one of the highest in the world in 2023. They are no longer considered underdogs for this weekend’s game in Marseille. For Montoya, it will be a showdown with many familiar faces – including his old Leicester coaches – but it’s all about the collective. Will his team draw confidence from the victory over England at Twickenham in November?

“That was our first win in sixteen years,” he says. “It was a big win. For this group of players, we talked about doing “firsts”. For this group it was our first victory against England in Twickenham and that naturally gives us confidence. It was a great memory.

“I have very good friends in the England team who I really like, but once it starts I don’t have any friends there anymore. Ellis Genge, Ben Youngs, Freddie Stewart. During that period they are not my friend and not my teammates, they are just English players. After the game, great.

‘Steve will be there, Kev will be there, Richard Wigglesworth, Aled Walters. They are great coaches. They are smart and come up with a tactical plan. People are always talking about England’s game.

“At Leicester we played like that and we had good results. Those things are essential. I respect them as people and as coaches, but it’s not about them and it’s not about me. It’s about us playing together against England.’

The English will know all about Montoya’s individual threats. The question is whether they can stop them. He hunts, scrums, hits his lineouts and dominates collisions. He brings a level of intensity that England has not yet achieved under Borthwick.

Leicester may be Montoya’s adopted home, but his heart is in Buenos Aires. The capital has been the lifeblood of Argentine rugby over the years, but times are changing. The sport is growing and that is reflected in the fact that the Pumas are no longer the underdogs. In 2007, only four players of the Argentina squad came from outside Buenos Aires. Now there are 24.

“When you put on the jersey of the national team, you represent everyone, from north to south and from east to west,” he says. “Years ago most guys came from Buenos Aires, but now it’s all over the country. Our team consists of guys from all over the country. North to South. People from different clubs.

Our amateur clubs are everything. I would very much like to play for my amateur club again someday. My brothers still play for Newell’s. That’s where we fall in love with the sport.’

He goes out of his way to point out that he doesn’t have a farming background as we stop for an alternate photo shoot in a cattle field on the ride back to the train station.

‘Marcos Kremer is a farmer, not me! We have guys from Cordoba to Tucuman to Mendoza to Santa Fe to Mar del Plata. It is awesome. Rugby now takes place in all parts of the country and that is good for the national team. We have people from all different backgrounds, but we are all part of the same thing.

‘I don’t care who’s rich, who’s poor, who’s fat, who’s thin. I want to play for him and he wants to play for me. You represent people who know nothing about rugby. We are very passionate about what we do and we care about what we do. We don’t believe in shortcuts or excuses. We do our best so that we can put our head on the pillow and sleep peacefully.’

England is the team that has sleepless nights and is desperate for form. Argentina, meanwhile, dreams of following in the footsteps of its footballing compatriots.

Does he believe this is a possibility? “If I sat here and said, ‘No, I don’t think we can do it,’ I wouldn’t be able to do my job. I am very lucky to be able to do what I love. But we know it goes step by step. At the World Cup every game is important and the first game is important. We have our dreams and our goals, but the only way is step by step.’