The game was introduced to Latin America in the late 19th century by British immigrants.
In Argentina many of these immigrants had arrived to work on the construction of the Argentine Railway network.
The Creole Player had to be well versed in his own footballing "language", as Galeano explains: This was the foundation from which many great exponents of the style would emerge over the years to entertain millions.
There is a common footballing expression in the Spanish speaking world: Cuidar la pelota (which literally means "take care of the ball").
Today the expression refers to the act of maintaining possession of the ball in order to protect a lead, but in the infant years of creole football it literally meant "treat the ball gently".