THE HISTORY OF RIVER PLATE

The club was created in a neighborhood called La Boca in the year 1901. It’s the fusion of the clubs 'Santa Rosa' and 'La Rosales', and it adopted the name River Plate. The club had its stadium in Sarandí for a short time, and then the club moved to Recoleta where it had its own stadium.

After that, the club grew and because of that it had to move to Belgrano, where it is nowadays.

The stadium's official name is 'Antonio Vespucio Liberti' but it's called 'El Monumental': it's the biggest stadium in Argentina and the sixth in America with a capacity for 61321 people and it's where the National Football Team plays its matches.

The club is one of the 'Five Giants' of Argentine football, since the AFA implemented the proportional vote in 1937 which consists in giving more power of decision to the biggest and oldest clubs.

River Plate has a strong rivalry with the club Boca Juniors; the 'Superclásico' is the name that was given to the matches in which they faced each other being these the most important sports events in the country.

The greatest achievement that River Plate obtained was when it was named the World Champion after winning the match against the club 'Steaua de Bucarest' of Rumania in the national stadium of Tokio, in the final of the Intercontinental Cup. Thanks to that, River Plate is one of the 29 teams in the world that have won the maximum football championship of clubs.

River Plate is the biggest winner in the history of Argentine football with 56 titles. In its country, the club has the record of winning 36 championships of the first division. Furthermore, the club has got the title of champion in 8 national cups and 15 international titles.

River Plate is at the top of the historical table of the first division of Argentine football, because it is the club with the biggest number of matches won and goals scored. In addition, it is the club with less matches lost and less goals received, and it is the team which has won more times a 'Tricampeonato'.

Emiliano Colombo, Franco Henríquez, Ignacio Lauzao and Facundo Paiz - 4th Year

THE BIRTH OF FOOTBALL

In the late Middle Ages and the following centuries, the British Isles and surrounding areas developed a kind of game that would be World-wide famous: two groups of people run after a ‘ball’ (made of different materials and sizes) trying to kick it into the opposite’s team scoring zone.

This practice had no rules whatsoever until the second half of the seventeenth century. At that time, a great unification of the previous ‘football codes’ was done and different types of football were born: rugby football, American football, Australian football…today just known as ‘FOOTBALL’.

But, Europe was not the only place where this game was developed. In South America, games where a ball was driven with the feet also were practiced.

The Spanish Jesuit José Manuel Peramás –who lived in San Ignacio Miní, a Jesuit reduction of Indians under Catholic care- wrote in his personal journal –later published as ´De Vita et moribus tredecim virorum paraguaycorum’ (or ‘The life and customs of the thirteen Paraguayan’)- a description of the game: 

‘They used to play with a ball which, although rubber filled, was so light and fast that every time they hit it, it continued bouncing for some time, without stopping, driven by its own weight.  They don’t throw the ball with their hands, like us, but with the top of the bare foot, passing it and receiving it with great agility and precision’.

There is a theory that suggests that football was first played in South America, especially among the Guaraní people.

However, football was first ruled in Britain. The British Codes were characterized for its few rules and extreme violence. One of the most popular carnivals was ‘soccer’ (and one of the most violent ones) which was prohibited by decree of King Edward III and remained forbidden during 500 years.

Nevertheless, the British Codes were taken in different cities and evolved towards a less violent game. One of the most popular games was the Florentine Calcium, originally from Florence, Italy. This sport influenced what we today know as football, not only with its rules, but also –and most important- with the party atmosphere in which these games were (and are) played. 

Nowadays, football is one of the most popular sports. We watch it, we play it, we argue about it, we even fight about it...but most of all, we LOVE it! 

Lautaro Romano García and Ariel Condori - 5th Year

THE HISTORY OF BOCA JUNIORS

Boca Juniors was founded in the year 1905 in Buenos Aires.

Since the beginning of Boca Juniors, football is the most important sport. From 1905 to 1930 the club was amateur, then it became professional.

Is the second institution with the most amount of international titles of the world…but, how did it all start? 

The foundation of Boca Juniors was a work of six teenagers, children of Italians and neighbors of La Boca, neighborhood of immigrant workers and strong Genoese identity –‘xeneize’ in its dialect-: Esteban Baglietto, Alfredo Scarpatti, Santiago Pedro Sana, Tomás Movio and the brothers Juan Antonio Farenga and Teodoro Farenga.

The club recognized Esteban Baglietto as its first president. Esteban was born in 1888 in Buenos Aires -though his parents were Genoese- in the bosom of a very humble family. He was the first president of the institution and also a player of the first team.

The certain thing is that it turns out to be inappropriate to speak about a president since –back then- Boca Juniors was just a boys' team joined by the only desire to play football; very distant from answering to an institutional worry or to an organization with legal status.

The first football team was formed by eleven players who, by that first participation, have a place in history. Some of them were the following: 

De los Santos (goalkeeper), Vergara and Cerezo (defenders), Priano, Antonio Farenga and Bacigaluppi (scorers).

THE SUPER-CLASSIC

The super-classic of Argentine Football is the match in which the two most popular football teams play against each other: Boca Juniors and River Plate. The first official super-classic was disputed on August 24, 1993: River won 2-1 to Boca.

The ‘Super-classic’ of Argentine football is the party that faces the most popular soccer teams of the country: River Plate and Boca Juniors. This sports’ spectacle concentrates the attention of the big masses not only in Argentina, but in many countries of the world. 

Very few international matches have the heat, the color, and the vibration of a River-Boca: the previous reunion of friends, sharing food and beer, the coffee conversations over the match, the discussions between ‘xeneizes’ and ‘hens’, everything is part of the best folklore that football has to offer to fans. 

This rivalry began at the beginning of the 20th century when the above mentioned clubs were sharing the neighborhood of La Boca.

The most important players throughout the history of Boca Juniors are:

Juan Román Riquelme

Diego Armando Maradona

Gabriel Batistuta

Carlos Tévez

Martín Palermo

Bruno Blas, Felipe Tozzini and Agustín Converso - 3rd Year

ARGENTINA AND THE WORLD CUPS - PART 1

Every four years, Argentineans feel our passion for football renewed: the World Cup begins. 

Despite being known worldwide for our fanatism for this sport, World Cups bring people together and awake a love for our country that seems to be asleep the rest of the time.

With the idea of remembering those lovely feelings, we decided to start a journey along the history of our glorious National Team. 

1930 World Cup

Argentina began its history in football with a final of the World Cup. It started with “the Battle of the Centenary”. Argentina participated like a guest together with 11 more teams. The World Cup was in Uruguay and the first match was on July 15, 1930 in the stadium “Big Central Park of Montevideo”, against France. In the first 10 minutes, the defender Luis Monti scored the only goal in the match. 

The Brazilian referee Almeida Watered, made a mistake and finished the match 6 minutes earlier. This made the audience angry, who invaded the area and Argentine players were insulted. 

After that, Argentina played against the Mexican team. Nevertheless, Argentina managed to win 6-3 and it became an easy match. We won with three goals of Guillermo Stábile, two goals of Adolfo Zumelzú and one of Francisco Varallo. 

In quarter finals it had to play against Chile, and Argentina managed to win 3-1 with goals of Guillermo Stábile and one of Mario Evaristo, while Guillermo Subiabre scored the goal of Chile. 

We can say that these teams weren´t as good as the Argentinian team, Then, the team had to play against the United States, and its game wasn´t good. Argentina won 6-1, easily. 

With players as Guillermo Stábile, Carlos Peucelle, Fransisco Varallo and Luis Monti, we couldn´t beat Uruguay and we finished in second place.

1934 World Cup

Without the best football players, Argentina went to Italy with a football team of the amateur association, formed by teams that weren´t as good as the professionals and they played in a lower level. Italy won the title with Argentina´s help, because Italy had Monti Luis, Demaria Atilio, Raimundo Orsi and Enrique Guaita. Argentina was eliminated by Sweden during the first round.

1938 World Cup

In the rotation for being host between Europe and South America, Argentina had to be such hostess of the World Cup but FIFA gave it to France. Argentina decides not to participate and received the support of American countries as Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, the United States, Dutch Guyana, Mexico and Uruguay. Brazil decided to play because it was going to be the hostess of the world cup of 1942.

1942 and 1946 World Cups

The World Cups of 1942 and 1946 were suspended due to the World War 2

1950 World Cup

Argentina wasted a marvelous generation, because of differences with the CBF. Argentina generated a big stir after announcing that it wouldn´t participate of the World cup due to existing differences between the AFA and the Brazilian Confederation of Football (CBF). The problem was born in 1949 when Brazil organized a South American Championship and Argentina didn´t participate. The CBF prohibited the Brazilian teams to dispute matches against the Argentinians. 

On the other hand, the people attribute the possibility that the decision was made by Juan Domingo Perón, when Valentín Suárez, who was deeply wishing his national team participate in the mentioned tournament, couldn´t assure its national victory.

When the World Cup finished, the Brazilian president Vargas, who in spite of the problems that existed between the Football Federations of both countries, had an excellent relation with its companion Juan Perón, he designated Bautista Luzardo as the ambassador of Brazil in Buenos Aires, and he was going to try to solve the problem.

1954 World Cup

For the same reasons like in the World Cup of 1950, the Argentinian team didn´t participate. Nevertheless, the AFA sent Guillermo Stabile as an observer, who as soon as the tournament was finished, he returned to the country, and declared: "If Argentina had gone, it would have had an out-standing performance".

1958 World Cup

After three World Cups without participating, Argentina returned to the game. Argentina, hadn’t participate in the World Cups, so the people believed that they were the best, simply because the names of the players were formals. For 10 years the Argentinians thought that the team would win easily this World Cup, for its large number of good players. But, regrettably, this didn´t happen. Argentinina lost 3-1 with Germany, and 6-1 with Checoslovaquia. It was a very hard defeat for Argentina’s team, with Guillermo Stabile as its coach. 

In this team, were figures of the "Machine" of River like Amadeo Carrizo and Ángel Labruna; high quality players as Omar Orestes Corbatta or José Manuel Ramos Delgado (Lanús football player and then Pelé's partner in the Santos´s team) and notable scorers as José Sanfilippo, who was in Boca and San Lorenzo. All of them were thinking that Argentina was going to manage its first conquer. When Argentina returned there were 10. 000 people in the Airport of Buenos Aires to insult them. This as many players admitted was a big show-off..

1962 World Cup

Argentina's football team was one of the 16 participants of the World Cup of football of 1962, which was held in Chile. Argentina classified to the World Cup of Chile, first in its group, in the South American qualifying rounds. Although Sanfillipo was in the Argentina, it could score only 2 goals Against Bulgaria and England. In the group, Argentina lost against England and couldn´t qualify.This World Cup was won by Brazil with Garrincha and Pelé.

1966 World Cup

The Selection of Argentina was one of the 16 participants of the World Cup of 1966, which was held in England. Argentina classified straight to the World Cup. They had the first place in its group for the South American classification. In the house of the inventors of football, with the team formed by Juan Carlos Lorenzo (Artime, Perfumo, Ermindo Onega, Marzolini, Albrecht, Rome, etc ) Argentina had two victories (2-1 against Spain and 2-0 against Swiss) and a douse with Germany. Argentina lost with England, and then it won the World Cup against Germany, but for many, the World Cup was arranged.

1970 World Cup

For the only time in its history, Argentina was left out during the classification stage. Things were “weak” from the beginning. The team turned with two defeats of its commitments in La Paz (1-3) and in Lima (0-1), where also it lost Alfio Basile, who was expelled and suspended for the revenges. 

Already in Buenos Aires, Argentina needed to win two games to force a triple tie. It won the Bolivians with difficulty (1-0 with Albrecht's penalty goal), but barely equalled last minute before Peru (2-2) and the defeat was completed.

                                 Tomás Bellofiore, Miguel Marca Ramos y Sebastián García Alfonzo - 5to Año

THE LIBERTADORES CUP

The Libertadores Cup was created on 1960. Before, it was known with the name of ‘Champions Cup of America’. It's called ‘The Libertadores Cup’ in honor to Jose de San Martín, Don Pedro I, Simón Bolivar, José Gervasio Artigas, José Miguel Carrera and Miguel Hidalgo Costilla. 

On 1960, Peñarol won against Olimpo and became the first champion of the cup.

The country with more wins is Argentina, with 23: Independiente is the first winner of cups with 7; Boca has 6 and Estudiantes de La Plata, 4.

San Lorenzo, Estudiantes, Boca Juniors, Racing, Huracán and River Plate have played it.

The Libertadores Cup of America is scheduled to continue in July, on semifinals with the participation of Argentinean, Paraguayan, Mexican and Brazilian teams. The quarter finals were completed last May and the tournament stopped to give place to the American Cup, a competition for national teams.

River won the match against Cruzeiro of Brazil in quarter finals and Guarani won against Racing Club. Tigre left out the Ecuadorian team Elemec and Internacional won the quarter finals against Independiente of Santa Fe.

Playing semifinals are River Plate (Argentina), Guaraní (Paraguay), Tigres (Mexico) and Internacional (Brazil). They will face each other and the winners are playing on a day to be confirmed by the South American Confederation of Football.

On July 14th, the semifinals were played. River Plate (Argentina) played against Club Guaraní (Paraguay). The ‘Millionaires’ won 2-0 with goals by Gabriel Mercado and Rodrigo Mora. 

The other semifinal was played the following day in the city of Porto Alegre, where Tigres (México) won against Internacional (Brazil). 

A week later, Guaraní was left out by River Plate; and the dream ended for Internacional when Tigres finally won the match. 

The moment everyone was expecting arrived, and Tigres had to face River Plate on the finals. 

After two matches, River Plate won 3-0 with goals by Alario, Funes Mori and Sánchez. 

When the match ended, River fans went to the Obelisk where they celebrated their victory, after 19 years of waiting for a Libertadores Cup.

Jazmín Mendoza, Tobías Zavalía, Brian Converso, Matías Bruno, Lautaro Morano, Sol Bidondo – 4th Year