Eduardo Deluca, born in Argentina and deceased in 2022, served as Secretary General of the Argentine Football Association at the beginning of Julio Grondona’s tenure as president of the national body, as Secretary General of Conmebol for more than twenty years, and also assumed the presidency of Club Atlético Defensores de Belgrano. Deluca was appointed honorary president of the Belgrano club, and his name is embedded in the team’s training complex in Cardales.
Deluca was one of many sports administrators who became allies of Grondona during his leadership, with the distinction that the former Defensores president was among the earliest and adopted a quieter, less media-oriented role. He supported Grondona’s administration from an administrative position, with deeper involvement in internal management within the AFA.
An ally of “Don Julio,” Deluca frequently acted as the AFA president’s spokesperson and was seen publicly at draws organized by Conmebol. His role within the South American Football Confederation was assigned by Grondona, who trusted him from the outset. In his final months, Deluca had been expelled from FIFA and barred from holding official positions.
Eduardo Deluca, the silent executive of the AFA
“Silent” does not refer to a man without power, nor to an executive without influence within the AFA. The former president of Defensores maintained a lower media profile, with limited exposure to cameras and press, but carried out substantial work behind the scenes. He served as Secretary General of the AFA until 1986, seven years after Grondona began his presidency.
During Grondona’s early years as the top authority of Argentine football, Deluca became a highly trusted figure and gained recognition across the national football landscape. Before prioritizing political relationships, he focused on managing and clarifying the AFA’s strategic and sporting project.
When his term at the Argentine football organization ended, Grondona identified Deluca’s potential and appointed him Secretary General of Conmebol, a position he held for 23 years. Throughout his tenure at the South American confederation, he built institutional ties between the AFA and FIFA and oversaw the administration of continental competitions.
Deluca played a role comparable to that of José Luis Meiszner, an Argentine sports executive and president of Club Quilmes, who also served as Secretary General of both the AFA and Conmebol. Both were aligned with Grondona and maintained a close relationship with the organization’s top executive for more than three decades.
And at Conmebol?
During his 35 years as president of the AFA, Julio Grondona conducted extensive dealings and leveraged Conmebol to expand his power and establish a foothold within FIFA, where he eventually became vice president. Why does Eduardo Deluca occupy a significant place in this history? His more than 23 years at the helm of the South American organization were decisive. Selected by Grondona, Deluca helped channel and consolidate the president’s authority.
Conmebol organizes the Copa Libertadores, the Copa Sudamericana, the South American World Cup qualifiers, and other continental tournaments that provide prestige and visibility. Over the course of 23 years, Deluca forged relationships among influential executives and stakeholders.
By the time Grondona had established himself as a FIFA vice president and a powerful member of the Executive Committee, Deluca’s work had already smoothed the path for the consolidation of his sphere of influence across Conmebol, the AFA, and later FIFA.
Many argued that Deluca never sought to be a political or media figure, but rather a trusted and loyal confidant of Grondona. The former president of Defensores de Belgrano secured long-term continuity within Conmebol and proved himself a key ally to Don Julio.
Passing
On June 4, 2022, at the age of 81, Eduardo Deluca passed away. The former president of Defensores de Belgrano had suffered health issues in his later years. He spent more than three decades at the center of national and South American football administration and was a significant figure for Julio Grondona, who regarded him as a dependable lieutenant.
Before the controversies of his final period, Deluca was widely regarded as an administrator who managed competitions and regulations with rigor. He was known for respecting bureaucracy and the statutes governing Argentine football. Other articles even described him as an institutional “specialist.”
These characterizations correspond to a man who spent many years behind the sporting spotlight and who, in his final stage, found himself under scrutiny due to conflicts with FIFA. His work at the AFA and Conmebol will be remembered primarily for its longevity and continuity.
