Enzo Fernández Talks With La T y La M: ‘Music Is Life, and in Soccer It Helps You Stay Focused’
Categoria: Musica
With the World Cup around the corner, Billboard Argentina brought the three together in Madrid for a mate session driven by soccer, music, discipline and the promise of another shot at glory.
Por Billboard | 08/06/2026
This story is part of Billboard’s Global World Cup Series, a collection of 11 cover stories which pairs top soccer stars across the world competing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup with highly-touted musicians in accompanying countries. This story spans cities scattered across the world and has three Argentine protagonists, all 25 years old and hungry for glory. Florencio Varela, in the southern outskirts of Buenos Aires, is a working-class neighborhood where cumbia and soccer share the same language. That’s where Tobías Medrano and Matías Rapen are from — the two halves of La T y La M, the duo that got its start during the 2020 pandemic and rose to prominence when the Argentine national team adopted their music as the locker room soundtrack. Around that same time, Enzo Fernández arrived in Varela: born in San Martín, in the northern suburbs of Buenos Aires, he was a talented prospect with no room at River Plate. Lent to Defensa y Justicia, he took over the midfield, showcasing his versatile style — panoramic vision, tactical intelligence, precision in the tackle and the pass. He was a key piece in the Copa Sudamericana 2020 and Recopa 2021 titles, trophies that opened the door to Europe: first Benfica, then Chelsea, who paid €121 million in one of the three most expensive transfers in Premier League history. The same day Argentina kicked off Qatar 2022 with a shocking loss to Saudi Arabia, La T y La M released “Pa’ la Selección,” which would become the fans’ parallel anthem during the campaign that ended with Messi lifting the trophy. That tournament was also Enzo’s launchpad: at 21, he won the FIFA Young Player Award, honoring the best player at the event 21 years old or younger. For the duo, it was equally a turning point: they grew into regulars in the top 10 of the Billboard Argentina Hot 100 , with “Amor de Vago” as their peak — 12 consecutive weeks at No. 1 in 2025. Related Bob Dylan Plays 'You Ain't Goin' Nowhere' for First Time in 14 Years A$AP Rocky Raises a Riot to Close Out Gov Ball 2026: 'I Came to Get Disrespectful' These Are the Artists Who Will Be on the Official Album for the FIFA World Cup 2026 Now, with the 2026 World Cup just around the corner — Argentina leads Group J and will face Algeria, Austria and Jordan — all three are facing new challenges. Enzo will arrive to defend the title fresh off the FA Cup final, amid rumors linking him away from Chelsea. La T y La M, meanwhile, will release Tierra de Campeones ( Land of Champions ), an EP inspired by the national team and the passion it ignites. Billboard Argentina brought the three together in late April in Madrid. Enzo arrived with his trademark wide smile and a mate kit — the natural icebreaker for a conversation woven through music and soccer. Flipping through a print issue of the magazine, his musical tastes came to the surface: Daddy Yankee (“he came to London to see me, we hung out after