Leandro described how the AFA went from a national football organization to a global brand powerhouse. Their success is a masterclass in strategic branding and cultural export. “Argentina’s brand is built on emotion,” he noted, “and emotion scales faster than any product.”

That line has been playing on repeat in my head ever since. Because he’s right. In business, we chase data, market share and KPIs, but it’s emotion that creates loyalty. People don’t fall in love with features; they fall in love with feeling.

Here’s what every business leader can learn from the AFA’s playbook:

• Lead with authenticity. They doubled down on what makes Argentine football unique: grit, artistry and emotion.
• Build locally, think globally. They started by engaging markets that shared their passion for Argentine football, such as Latin America and Asia, before scaling worldwide.
• Tell your story through content. They host matches while also building digital narratives, docuseries and experiences that let fans feel part of something bigger.
• Monetize the culture, not just the competition. From academies to licensing to brand collaborations, AFA turned emotion into enterprise by sharing its soul.
• Play the long game. Their global expansion is a decade-long project. True brand love takes time, patience, and faith in the mission.

Those lessons apply to any organization trying to scale without selling out. Whether you’re a startup, a legacy company, or a creative agency, the key is the same: stay true to what made you special and then share it with the world.