why are argentina called the pumas

The Argentina national rugby union team is called "Los Pumas" due to a mistaken identity involving their emblem. During a 1965 tour of South Africa, a South African journalist named Carl Kohler mistakenly identified the animal on the team's badge as a puma. In reality, the emblem featured a jaguar (yaguareté), native to Argentina. However, the journalist used "The Pumas" as a catchy nickname in his article, and the name quickly stuck internationally. The Argentine team and fans embraced the nickname because it sounded fierce and memorable, even though it was based on an error. The nickname has since become a famous and enduring identity for the team, used in official and fan contexts worldwide. Interestingly, the team's emblem remained a jaguar for decades until it was updated more recently to a puma, aligning with the nickname itself.