In a hidden corner of Madrid, near the city of journalists, there is a sanctuary dedicated to two of the greatest legends of FC Barcelona: Diego Armando Maradona and Lionel Messi. The place, an Argentine restaurant run by the second generation of the family after the opening of the first location in 1971 in Asturias. With a Polish father and Asturian mother, César Ruda, the owner of El Viejo Almacén, was born 51 years ago in Oviedo, after his parents emigrated as children to Argentina, met there and upon return settled in the Sama area of Langreo. His passion for Maradona was instilled in him by his uncle when he was eight years old. “From then until today, for me Maradona had a halo of magic, of a football that no longer exists, that I long for, because I don’t like it that much anymore. Back in the day I joined Barça for Maradona and then Messi. He made me love football again as an adult of a few years thanks to his genius,” explains César.Your restaurant is more than just a place to eat and enjoy good meat and Argentine cuisine. From the facade of the warehouse, with a giant image of Maradona, through the entrance, the dining rooms and even the bathroom, in every corner you can breathe football and admiration for Maradona and Leo Messi. Both are present with a life-size replica dressed in the albiceleste, with which they were world champions.T-shirts, newspaper covers, including that of Mundo Deportivo with Leo crowned with the World Cup, photographs, trophies, autographs.. endless details, all of them related to the two great ’10’ that Argentina has given. The summum comes when one enters the bathroom and listens to the speech of the legendary Víctor Hugo Morales narrating the second of the two anthological goals – the first was the one from the hand of God – that Maradona scored against England in the quarterfinals of the World Cup. Mexico 1986. 20 years later, Messi remembered it in a Copa del Rey match against Getafe at the Camp Nou. Despite being in Madrid territory, César recognizes that customers from all teams come to his restaurant, since both Maradona and Messi are football heritage, beyond being icons of Barça and the Argentine team. “Whoever likes football, white and in a bottle. Who likes football and doesn’t see Diego, Maradona and Messi as 1 or 2, or 2 and 1 in the history of modern football, thanks to God we have had the two best in Barça,” he highlights.The restaurant owner confesses that he’s lost track of how many t-shirts he has on display. Even with all the valuable items spread around the dining rooms, César doesn’t think twice about picking one. “Out of all of them, my favorite is the signature that Maradona gave me during one of his visits to Madrid with the Argentine team.”
In a hidden corner of Madrid, near the city of journalists, there is a sanctuary dedicated to two of the greatest legends of FC Barcelona: Diego Armando Maradona and Lionel Messi. The place, an Argentine restaurant run by the second generation of the family after the opening of the first location in 1971 in Asturias. With a Polish father and Asturian mother, César Ruda, the owner of El Viejo Almacén, was born 51 years ago in Oviedo, after his parents emigrated as children to Argentina, met there and upon return settled in the Sama area of Langreo. His passion for Maradona was instilled in him by his uncle when he was eight years old. “From then until today, for me Maradona had a halo of magic, of a football that no longer exists, that I long for, because I don’t like it that much anymore. Back in the day I joined Barça for Maradona and then Messi. He made me love football again as an adult of a few years thanks to his genius,” explains César.
Your restaurant is more than just a place to eat and enjoy good meat and Argentine cuisine. From the facade of the warehouse, with a giant image of Maradona, through the entrance, the dining rooms and even the bathroom, in every corner you can breathe football and admiration for Maradona and Leo Messi. Both are present with a life-size replica dressed in the albiceleste, with which they were world champions.
T-shirts, newspaper covers, including that of Mundo Deportivo with Leo crowned with the World Cup, photographs, trophies, autographs.. endless details, all of them related to the two great ’10’ that Argentina has given. The summum comes when one enters the bathroom and listens to the speech of the legendary Víctor Hugo Morales narrating the second of the two anthological goals – the first was the one from the hand of God – that Maradona scored against England in the quarterfinals of the World Cup. Mexico 1986. 20 years later, Messi remembered it in a Copa del Rey match against Getafe at the Camp Nou.
Despite being in Madrid territory, César recognizes that customers from all teams come to his restaurant, since both Maradona and Messi are football heritage, beyond being icons of Barça and the Argentine team. “Whoever likes football, white and in a bottle. Who likes football and doesn’t see Diego, Maradona and Messi as 1 or 2, or 2 and 1 in the history of modern football, thanks to God we have had the two best in Barça,” he highlights.
The restaurant owner confesses that he’s lost track of how many t-shirts he has on display. Even with all the valuable items spread around the dining rooms, César doesn’t think twice about picking one. “Out of all of them, my favorite is the signature that Maradona gave me during one of his visits to Madrid with the Argentine team.”
