The long wait is over, the time has come to see whether Diego Maradona’s 23-man squad can roll back the years and win Argentina’s first World Cup since 1986. Their challenge kicks off on Saturday when they take on Nigeria in Johannesburg, before embarking on a South African odyssey which they hope will see them return to the gold-rush city on 11th July for the final to lift their own pot of gold.

“We were capable, We are capable.” The slogan has repeated itself on government radio and television adverts throughout Argentina, which is celebrating 200 years since the 25th May revolution that eventually led to the country’s independence on 9th July 1816. The natural question such a slogan begs, “of what exactly?” One assumes its independence from Spain. Yet two centuries later, though nobody’s colony, many are still asking: How independent is Argentina really?

Friday 28th May we will be hosting the monthly Argentina Independent pub quiz, with quizmaster Adam direct from the UK! Teams of up to six can fight it out, with each team paying $50 (pesos). There will also be a special curry menu making the night as British as they come (although the questions suit any nationality). The new venue also means we are adding a video round, making it a veritable post-modern quiz… Bar de La Tribu, Lambaré 873 in Almagro Friday 28th May – 9pm RSVP – marketing@argentinaindependent.com

“It was the 1933 end of year assembly at the Goethe Schule. I was a student. An SS man who had recently arrived at the German embassy demanded we raise our right arms and sing the Horst-Wessel Song. I wouldn’t do it.” So says Roberto Alemann, director of Argentina’s only German language newspaper. But the same man who, as a boy, refused to raise his right arm for Hitler later went on to become a minister in Argentina’s last military dictatorship, and the family story that began with a fight for freedom and democracy descended into accusations of money laundering, murder, repression and torture.