Tango Restaurant in Arlington got a special visit Sunday from Argentina’s national soccer team, who came to Tango for an authentic taste of home.
The team was in Massachusetts for the Copa America quarterfinals, where they defeated Venezuela on Saturday at Gillette Stadium. The following day, the whole team headed to Tango.
“It was pretty crazy, I was kind of surprised and shocked,” said Tango’s general manager Alissa Mermet. “I knew they were playing in Foxborough but it didn’t occur to me that there was any possibility that they would be coming here.”
Mermet said she and Tango’s staff were excited to have to the team come in and celebrate their victory. The team posed for pictures with the staff and spoke with the owner, who is originally from Argentina.
Mermet said they put aside the chair used by Lionel Messi, one of the greatest soccer players in the world. She said they are considering putting a plaque on it, saying Messi sat in it, for any diners who want to use the same chair he did.
Argentina now goes on to play the United States in the semifinals Tuesday.