Futbol en Argentina
Without a shadow of doubt, football is by far the most popular sport in Argentina and has been for a long time. Men, women and children love to while away the hours chatting in-depth about the state of the game and their favourite clubs.
Football arrived in Argentina back in the 1840's when English shipping crews used to play by the docksides and it was not long before local inhabitants caught on to the game, attracted by its simplicity of form and rules and the fact that anyone can play. The first official Argentine Championship came in 1891 composed of just 5 teams and from these humble beginnings, a thriving network of leagues throughout the nation now exists at all levels of competence. For further information regarding the history of football in Argentina and South America in general, an extremely good read is Tony Mason's "Passion of The People?" (Verso Publications: 1995)
National Futbol
The main source of interest to the spectator is the First Division (La Primera) in which 20 professional teams battle it out for supremacy of the national title. The current league system operates in a slightly different mode to the conventional European divisions in that there are two championships per year: the Opening (La Apertura) and the Closing (La Clausura.) The former runs between August and November and the latter between February and June. Each team plays each other once in both championships, although recently there have been talks to do away with this system and revert to the original one championship per season that had been in place until 1991.
Over the years, two clubs have emerged as traditionally more popular and more successful than the rest: Boca Juniors and River Plate (due to play next on 07/05/00), but other significant teams in recent championships include Velez Sarsfield, San Lorenzo, Independiente and Racing. There are no fewer than eleven clubs in the top flight which play within the city of Buenos Aires, thus offering a great deal of choice to those who love the game.
Despite its popularity, the Argentine footballing league is not without its problems:
*--Apart from Boca and River many clubs are suffering financially due to lack of funding. But for the insistence of the supporters, this almost led to the collapse of Racing last year, which would have been a tremendous blow to the league.
*--The wealth of footballing talent that comes through from Argentina's "escuelitas de futbol" doesn't last long in the Argentine Championship. Most of the top international stars are to be found in Italy, Spain or England, lured by the attraction of financial rewards. Although the standard of play is still high and the atmosphere in the stadiums at times breathtakingly passionate, the fact that only Boca and River can really afford to keep world-class players naturally takes its affect.
*--Over the past few years, the national sport has been marred by elements of hooliganism. It has long been standard for stadiums to have security fencing or moats preventing pitch invasions and a large police presence. Fans are segregated accordingly but incidents still occur. The AFA is currently taking measures to eradicate such violence in stadiums in order to restore soccer's traditional festive spirit and healthy entertainment. A seat in the "Platea" (side stands) is usually the safest bet and one which offers the best view of the action, costing between $10 and $30 depending on the supposed quality of the opposition.
International Futbol
Very few things have the incredible capacity to unite the people of Argentina. One such thing is an international football tournament, which brings all the pride and national sentiment to the fore. Banners galore are draped from balconies and every other person seems to be wearing the famous blue and white stripes of their beloved heroes.
Success and Diego Armando Maradona
Argentina has always had a strong footballing tradition but its two most memorable successes came in the World Cups of 1978 and 1986. The former was held in Argentina itself and the final game, which took place in the River Plate stadium (El Monumental), shall forever remain in the hearts of those old enough to remember Mario Kempes slotting home the third goal in their 3-1 victory over Holland.
The Mexico tournament of 1986 will be recalled as Maradona's tournament. Many Argentines will argue that this raging midfielder, 'el pibe de oro' (the golden boy) was the world's best ever player in his heyday. Whether that is true or not, what cannot be forgotten in the footballing world is the truly remarkable goals he scored against England and Belgium in 86 and his dominance in midfield during the final against the Germans.
Unfortunately for Diego, his career has been surrounded by incident. The other goal scored against England in Mexico (referred to as 'the hand of God' goal because video evidence clearly shows he touched it with his hand) led him to being branded as a cheat (although Argentines will defend him to the hilt.) In addition, his personal life has been plagued with controversy, mainly due to his inability to kick a drugs habit. Several times during his career, Maradona failed to meet the ethical standards required in the world of sportsmanship, most notably when he failed to pass a doping test in World Cup 94 and was subsequently banned from the tournament.
To this day, he continues to steal the limelight in the Argentine press. Having picked up the prestigious award of "Argentine Sportsman of the Century" in December 99, he came tumbling back down to earth at the start of the millenium. Following a nervous breakdown while holidaying at Uruguayan resort, Punta Del Este, cocaine was again found to be the root of the problem. Consequently, he recently entered a rehabilitation center in Cuba (Jan 2000) as the drugs were beginning to seriously affect his heart. Perhaps this time the golden boy has done it once too often and the Argentine public is beginning to see the frailty of their sporting icon.
Recent Performances
Both recent major international competitions have been relatively disappointing for Argentina (bearing in mind that anything which isn't victory is a poor showing to an Argentine football fan). Being beaten by Holland in World Cup 98 and by Brazil in Copa America 99, both at the quarterfinal stage, severely dented Argentinean pride. And worst of all it was eliminated out of the 2002 World Cup by Sweden.
The strength of the team lies in the fact that they have several world-class players such as Juan Sebastian Veron, Ariel Ortega and so much more talent like Saviola, D'Alessandro, Canevaghi, Tevez, Crespo, Ayala, Samuel, Cavallero, the list just keeps going on of pure world class players. The majority of these play in Europe and are therefore well prepared for quality opposition. Bielsa after the 2002 WC defeat has been making new lineups for him self, whatever it is, we all hope it's good for the the World Cup of 2006 or else Bianchi can be a good replacement.
History of Boca Juniors vs River Plate
Boca and River are undoubtedly the two biggest football clubs in Argentina. With the most financial backing of Argentina's most loved sport, together they have dominated the Argentine championship over the last seventy years. Over 50% of football followers within the country support one of these two Buenos Aires outfits.
After Boca and River, the top 4 teams are:
*--Independiente
*--San Lorenzo
*--Velez Sarsfield
*--Racing
Traditionally, Boca (known as Boca Juniors) is associated with the lower working class immigrant population; River (River Plate) tends to represent the wealthier middle class type but the differences are far from clear-cut. Both teams hail from the same Italian district of La Boca. The former still play there, whereas River have since moved to the more affluent neighbourhood of Nunez.
The first professional game between the two teams took place in 1931, which ended as a 1-1 draw. Since then, every game has been a battle of nerves, strength and breathtaking passion.
RIVER PLATE
Founded: May 25, 1901
Ground: Antonio Vespucio Liberti, "El Monumental" ("The Monumental")
Capacity: 76,687 people
Pitch Dimensions: 105 x 70 m
Stadium Address: Av. Pte. Figueroa Alcorta 7597 - Capital Federal
Club Address: Av. Pte. Figueroa Alcorta 7597 - Capital Federal
Shirt Colours: White with a diagonal red stripe
Nickname: Los Millonarios" ("The Millionaires")
BOCA JUNIORS
Founded: April 3, 1905
Ground: Camilo Cichero, "La Bombonera" ("The Chocolate Box")
Capacity: 60,245 people
Pitch Dimensions: 105 x 70 m
Stadium Address: Brandsen 805 - Capital Federal
Club Address: Brandsen 805 - Capital Federal
Shirt Colours: Blue with a horizontal yellow stripe
Nickname: "Los Xeneises", "Los Bosteros" ("People from Genoa", "The Manure Collectors")
Match-day November 1999
The "Superclasico" they call it here; the derby of all derbies; a soccer team rivalry that goes back to the early 1900's. The red and white of River versus the blue and yellow of Boca. Hatred. Pure hatred. The nation stops to watch.
The last derby of the century, which took place in November 1999, was the first one in 37 years which saw both teams on equal points at the top of the table. River hadn't won in nine encounters against their archrivals, who had also been the winners of the last two championships. With the majority of the Boca team composed of international stars from Argentina and other South American nations, and River still building a squad full of fresh-faced youngsters, on paper it had to be Boca. But then again, most of the paper had been ripped up and scattered into tiny pieces for the biggest ticker tape welcoming since the World Cup final between Argentina and Holland back in 1978.
That match was held in the very same stadium: the home of River - and Argentina's biggest shrine to the world's most popular game - "El Monumental." The formbook went out of the window and River won a rather mediocre footballing spectacle 2-0. What was not mediocre was the reaction of the crowd before, during and after the 90-minute match. A highly engaging social phenonomon was taking place all around, in which the colours of the flowing banners, the screams and roars, the chanting, the jumping and the never-ending fireworks all add up to a highly unforgettable day-out.
Rivalry
"The people's team" vs 'los millonarios'. The city of Buenos Aires has produced one of the world's greatest football rivalries - and a string of world class players.
Pigs vs Chickens
Argentina's best-known author, Jorge Luis Borges, once said "Football is a calamity". It was 1978 and Argentina was playing host to the World Cup. For many people, the same is true 23 years later. Just ask any self-respecting supporter of Boca Juniors or River Plate - the two soccer teams in the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires, whose rivalry is legendary not just in Argentina, but across Latin America. For a Boca supporter, the worst calamity is a River Plate fan, and vice versa.
"I don't have any friends who support River," says lawyer and Boca Juniors fan, Ariel Naserala, defiantly. "They think that they are the best and they are very snobbish, but we are the champions and they can't do anything about it".
For River fans, the reality is completely different.
"They can't even do sums. We are the real champions", says Javier Bartoli, a consultant and an expert on international affairs. "Mind you", he says, "I don't agree that you can't have friends from the other team. Personally, I do. Those kind of comments are for monkeys! That's fanaticism, that's not football".
Football or fanaticism, the truth is that the rivalry between Boca Juniors and River Plate is reflected in lots of aspects, not least nicknames. For example, followers of River Plate are known to Boca fans as 'gallinas', Spanish for chickens.
"We started calling them 'gallinas' in the 1960s because they're afraid of everything. They can't take the pressure. That's why they couldn't win the derby championship for 18 years", says Ariel Naserala, while humming one of the songs invented to taunt River after Boca won the Intercontinental cup in Tokyo. (It goes something like 'Keep going Boca, we took home the cup that the chickens lost...'.)
But River supporters have an equally insulting name for Boca supporters - they call them pigs and in Spanish they are referred to as 'bosteros', a word that comes from 'bosta', meaning horse dung.
"It's a good name. Boca play like that", says River fan Javier Bartoli. But the nickname also refers to the district in Buenos Aires where Boca has its stadium.
"They call us 'bostero' because we are from Boca, a poor neighbourhood near the river that smells bad sometimes", explains Ariel Nasarela. "But we don't mind the name. We're proud of our roots, not like them".
Divided by class and money
The rivalry between Boca Juniors and River Plate stretches far beyond mere nicknames. Supporters of the two best-known clubs of Buenos Aires are also divided by class and money.
Both clubs were formed in the Boca neighbourhood of Buenos Aires in the south of the city. But in 1938 River Plate moved to a more affluent part of the city. From then on, River fans were immortalised as 'los millonarios' (the millionaires), a team for Argentina's upper-crust. In stark contrast, Boca Juniors, with their humble roots, are seen as the 'people's team'. When the club was formed in 1905, the majority of people living in Boca were Italian immigrants who had come to Argentina to escape from a life of poverty.
"We were founded by Italian immigrants and we are proud of that. We are called the 'Xeneize' because that means from Genoa", says Ariel Naserala.
"It's true that River is more refined. Even the players are. But to my mind, both teams have supporters from every background", emphasises Javier Bartoli.
Great players bring trophies
Over the years, both teams have had their equal share of world-class players whose performances on and off the pitch have led to frequent arguments between rival supporters. And more than the occasional fistfight.
"Diego Maradona is ours", says Boca-mad Ariel Naserala. "That's why we're superior. Just like Maradona, we Boca Juniors fans believe that football is not just a game, it is love itself".
"Who cares about Maradona? We've had far better players, and we play better as a team", points out Javier Bertoli, who begins to list players… "Alfredo Di Steffano, Omar Sivori, Onega, Norberto Alonso, Enzo Francescoli...". The list goes on.
River fans have also seen Marcello Salas sporting their team's strip in recent years, and they currently have Ariel Ortega, who has returned to Argentina following bad luck in Italy's Serie A.
As for Boca followers, they have been blessed not only with Maradona, but also with Gabriel Batistuta (he also played for River), Hugo Orlando Gatti and Marcelo Tobbiano.
In fact, the statistics show that Ariel and Javier are both right. Of more than 160 bitterly-contested derbies, Boca Juniors (the pigs) have won an impressive 60 games, while River (the chickens) are just behind on 56.
Boca Juniors Acomplishments
2003 ----Libertadores Cup Champion Team
2001 ----Libertadores Cup Champion Team
2000 ----Apertura Champion Team
2000 ----Libertadores Cup Champion Team
2000 ----Intercontinental Cup Champion Team
1989 ----Southamerican Recopa Champion Team
1978 ----Libertadores Cup Champion Team
1977 ----Intercontinental Cup Champion Team
1977 ----Libertadores Cup Champion Team
1976 ----First Division Champion Team
1970 ----First Division Champion Team
1969 ----First Division Champion Team
1965 ----First Division Champion Team
1964 ----First Division Champion Team
1962 ----First Division Champion Team
1954 ----First Division Champion Team
1944 ----First Division Champion Team
1943 ----First Division Champion Team
1940 ----First Division Champion Team
1935 ----First Division Champion Team
1934 ----First Division Champion Team
1931 ----First Division Champion Team
ARGENTINA PREMIER LEAGUE
YEAR-------WINNER----------- -----------RUNNER-UP
1931----- Boca Juniors---------- -------San Lorenzo de Almagro
1932------River Plate------------------- Independiente
1933------San Lorenzo------------------Boca Juniors
1934------Boca Juniors------------------Independiente
1935------Boca Juniors----------------- Independiente
1936----- River Plate------------------- San Lorenzo
1937----- River Plate------------------- Independiente
1938----- Independiente--------------- River Plate
1939----- Independiente--------------- River Plate
1940----- Boca Juniors----------------- Independiente
1941----- River Plate------------------- San Lorenzo
1942----- River Plate------------------- San Lorenzo
1943----- Boca Juniors----------------- River Plate
1944----- Boca Juniors----------------- River Plate
1945----- River Plate------------------- Boca Juniors
1946----- San Lorenzo----------------- Boca Juniors
1947----- River Plate------------------- Boca Juniors
1948----- Independiente--------------- River Plate
1949----- Racing Club------------------ River Plate
1950----- Racing Club------------------ Boca Juniors
1951----- Racing Club------------------ Banfield
1952----- River Plate------------------- Racing Club
1953----- River Plate------------------- Velez Sarsfield
1954----- Boca Juniors----------------- Independiente
1955----- River Plate------------------- Racing Club
1956----- River Plate------------------- Lanus
1957----- River Plate------------------- San Lorenzo
1958----- Racing Club------------------ Boca Juniors
1959----- San Lorenzo----------------- Racing Club
1960----- Independiente--------------- River Plate
1961----- Racing Club-------------------San Lorenzo de Almagro
1962----- Boca Juniors----------------- -River Plate
1963----- Independiente---------------- River Plate
1964----- Boca Juniors------------------ Independiente
1965----- Boca Juniors------------------ River Plate
1966----- Racing Club------------------- River Plate
1967----- Independiente---------------- Estudiantes La Plata
1968----- Velez Sarsfield--------------- River Plate
1969----- Boca Juniors------------------ River Plate
1981----- River Plate-------------------- Argentinos Juniors
1982----- Boca Juniors------------------ Ferro Carril Oeste
1983----- Estudiantes La Plata---------- Independiente
1984----- Independiente---------------- San Lorenzo
1985----- Argentinos Juniors------------ Ferro Carril Oeste
1986----- River Plate--------------------- Newell's Old Boys
1987----- Rosario Central--------------- Newell's Old Boys
1988----- Newell's Old Boys------------- San Lorenzo
1989----- Independiente----------------- Boca Juniors
1990---- River Plate---------------------- Independiente