Boca Juniors

Club Atlético Boca Juniors is the one of the most popular Argentine sports clubs, best known for its football team. Its home base is the neighbourhood of La Boca, in Buenos Aires, and it hosts its home games at the Bombonera (chocolate box) stadium at 805 Brandsen Street.

Boca holds the international record, shared with Real Madrid, A.C. Milan and Club Atlético Independiente, of 15 international titles, including five Copa Libertadores and three Intercontinental Cups. The club has also won 22 Argentine professional championships.

Boca Juniors was positioned in a shared 12th position in the election of the FIFA Clubs of the 20th Century. It's also a fixture in the top 30 of the Club World Ranking maintained by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics and has reached the top position of the monthly ranking 6 times (mostly during coach Carlos Bianchi's tenure). As of the latest ranking (May 1, 2005 to April 30, 2006) they occupied the eighteenth position.

History

The team

On 3 April 1905, five Italian immigrants gathered in the Plaza Solís, located in the heart of the La Boca neighborhood of Buenos Aires. Esteban Baglietto, Alfredo Scarpatti, Santiago Sana, and brothers Juan and Teodoro Farenga founded Boca Juniors (the use of English language in team names was commonplace, as English railroad workers introduced football into Argentina).

The original jersey color was pink, which was quickly abandoned for thin black-and-white vertical stripes. The legend has it that in 1907 Boca played another team that used these colors, to decide who would get to keep them. Boca lost, and decided to adopt the colors of the flag of the first boat to arrive to the La Boca port. As the boat was from Sweden, the blue-and-gold was adopted. The first version had a yellow diagonal band, which was later changed to a horizontal stripe.

Boca Juniors played in local leagues and the amateur second division until it was promoted to the top division in 1913, when it was expanded from six teams to 15. Boca was never relegated; it won six amateur championships (1919, 1920, 1923, 1924, 1926, and 1930). With the introduction of professionalism in Argentina, Boca won the first title in 1931.

First Match: May 6, 1905. vs. Mariano Moreno.
First international match: December 8, 1907. vs. Universal (Montevideo, Uruguay)
First professional match: May 31, 1931 vs. Chacarita Juniors.

The Crest

The shape of the crest has remained unchanged throughout Boca's history. In 1955, laurel leaves were added to celebrate the club's 50th anniversary, and the colors were changed in order to resemble the jersey colors.

In 1970, it was changed to have a star for each Argentine title (top part, above the initials) and for each international title (bottom part). A new star is added to the corresponding section whenever Boca obtains a title. To the delight of fans, the crest has had to be modified several times in recent years, most recently after Boca's victory in the 2006 Clausura.

The stadium

Boca Juniors used several fields before it settled on the current grounds on Brandsen Street. Construction work on the concrete structure started in 1938; during the erection of the stands, Boca played its home matches in the Ferrocarril Oeste field in Caballito until 1940. A third level was added in 1953, and the La Bombonera name was born. The side opposite the Casa Amarilla railway platforms remained mostly unbuilt until 1996, when it was upgraded with new balconies and VIP booths. La Bombonera is renowned for its vibrating when fans start to jump in rhythm.

Dársena Sud: 1908 - 1912
Wilde: 1914 - 1915
Brins y Sengüel: 1916 - 1924
Brandsen: from 1924

The Fans

Boca Juniors is traditionally regarded as the club of Argentina's working class, in contrast with the more upscale support base of cross-town rivals River Plate. Fans are known for valuing sacrifice, and to root for the team in good times and bad. (River Plate fans claim they are known for demanding attractive play from their team.)

As of August 2005, the club has about 61,000 card-carrying members. Registrations are currently halted because of the limited stadium capacity. Boca claims to be the club of half plus one of Argentina's population but a 2006 survey placed its following at 40% ^*, a very impressive figure anyway .

El Superclásico

Being the two biggest football clubs in Argentina, and due to the rivalry between them, the Boca-River Superclásico is considered one of the most thrilling derbies in the world. See: BBC news - on famous world derbies.

The derby's statistics show Boca ahead with 113 victories, 90 ties, and 93 losses against River (As of March 27, 2006). A few hours after each Boca win, street signs cover Buenos Aires, at fans' own expense, "ribbing" the losing side with humorous remarks. This has become part of Buenos Aires lore ever since a Boca winning streak in the 1990s.

Nicknames

Boca fans are known as los xeneizes (the Genoese) after the large number of Italian (especially Genoese) immigrants who lived in La Boca in the early 20th century. The word "xeneize" is Genoese dialect for the standard-Italian word "genovesi," which means "Genoese."

The name bosteros (horse-shitters) originates from the horse manure used in the brick factory that occupied the ground where the Bombonera stands. Originally an insult used by rivals, Boca fans have taken to wearing it with pride.

Following the team colors, Boca's shirt is also called la azul y oro (the blue-and-gold).

Boca's supporters are known as la número 12 or la 12 (player number 12, "the 12th man") because of the influence they have on rival teams -- especially in home games -- where their cheering is loudly heard on the pitch.

International

Peñas (fan clubs) exist in many Argentine cities, and abroad, in countries such as Spain, Israel and Japan.

Boca has fans throughout Latin America, especially in Colombia and Peru, which are the home country of many top players, parts of the USA due to Latin inmigration, and also in Japan because of the club's success in recent years at the Intercontinental Cup held in Japan. All over the world, fans were drawn to Boca by its international titles, and by the successes of Boca players who went on to play in European football such as Diego Maradona, Gabriel Batistuta and Juan Román Riquelme.

Others

There is a line of Boca coffins available for dead fans^*.

Institutional

Executive Board 2004-2007

President: Mauricio Macri
1st Vice-president: Pedro Pompilio
2nd Vice-president: Gregorio Diego Zidar
3rd Vice-president: José Anunciado Cirillo
Secretary: Luis Bartolomé Buzio

Other Sports

The Boca Juniors basketball team has won the Argentine league twice (1996~97, 2003~04), the Argentine Cup (2002, 2003, 2004, 2005), the Argentine Top 4 (2004), and the South American Club Championship (2004, 2005). It also reached the 2005 finals (losing to Ben Hur).

Boca Juniors has a professional volleyball team that won the Metropolitan championship in 1991, 1992 and 1996, and achieved the second place in the 1996/97 A1 season. Because of a lack of sponsors, the team was disbanded, but later it was reincorporated through the coaching of former player Marcelo Gigante; after playing in the second division, it returned to the A1 league in 2005.

Starting 2005, the Argentine Turismo Carretera stock-car competition league spun off the Top Race V6 category, in which teams are sponsored by football teams. Veteran race pilots Ortelli and Bessone and former Boca player Vicente Pernía drive for the Boca team; Ortelli finally won the first Top Race V6 championship for Boca Juniors.

Women Football Titles 8: 1992, 1998, 1999, 2000 (unbeaten), 2001 Apertura, 2002 Clausura, 2003 Apertura, and 2004 Apertura.

In Futsal, Boca has won 4 Championships: 1991, 1992, Clausura 1997, and Apertura 1998.

Boca representatives also compete in other disciplines such as judo, karate, taekwondo, and weight lifting.

Boca TV

Boca Juniors was the fifth football club in the world to have its own TV channel. Boca TV broadcasts 24 hours a day, featuring sports programs and talk shows.

Boca TV was closed in 2005.

Football Titles

Amateur

First Division: 7

1919, 1920, 1923, 1924, Copa de Honor 1925, 1926, 1930

Professional

Local (23)

First Division: 22

1931, 1934, 1935, 1940, 1943, 1944, 1954, 1962, 1964, 1965, Nacional 1969, Nacional 1970, Metropolitano 1976, Nacional 1976, Metropolitano 1981, Apertura 1992, Apertura 1998, Clausura 1999, Apertura 2000, Apertura 2003, Apertura 2005, Clausura 2006.

Copa Argentina: 1

1969

International (15)

Copa Libertadores: 5

1977, 1978 (Undefeated), 2000, 2001, 2003

Intercontinental Cup: 3

1977, 2000, 2003

Other International Cups: 7

Supercopa 1989, Recopa 1990, Copa Masters 1992, Copa de Oro 1993, Copa Sudamericana 2004, Recopa 2005, Copa Sudamericana 2005

Records

40 consecutive Argentine-league matches unbeaten. (Argentine record) From 5 May 1998 to 2 June 1999, with 29 victories and 11 ties. detail at RSSSF

Famous players

Legend:

(GK) goalkeeper
(br) Brazilian
(co) Colombian
(mx) Mexican
(pr) Peruvian

Before 1970

Américo Tesorieri (GK) (1916~27)
Roberto Cherro (1926~35)
Francisco Varallo (1931~39) (Boca's top scorer ever with 181 goals)
Natalio Agustín Pescia (1933~42)
Ernesto Lazzatti (1934~47)
Jaime Sarlanga (1940~48)
Mario Emilio Heriberto Boyé (1941~49)
Antonio Rattín (1956~70)
Paulo Valentim (br) (1960~64)
José Sanfilippo (1963)
Silvio Marzolini (1960~72)
Antonio Roma (1960~72) (GK)
Alfredo El Tanque Rojas (1964~68)
Angel Clemente Rojitas Rojas (1963~71)
Norberto Rubén Madurga (1965~71)
Julio Guillermo Meléndez Calderón (pr) (1968~72)
Ramón Héctor Ponce (1966~74)

1970s and 1980s

Enzo Ferrero (1971~75)
Rubén Suñé (1969~72, 1976~80)
Alberto César Tarantini (1973~77)
Darío Luis Felman (1975~78)
Mario Nicasio Zanabria (1976~80)
Osvaldo Potente (1971~75, 1979~80)
Marcelo Antonio Trobbiani (1973~76, 1981~82)
Vicente Tano Pernía (1973~81)
Jorge José Chino Benítez (1973~83)
Roberto Mouzo (1972~84)
Ernesto Enrique Héber Mastrángelo (1976~81)
Ricardo Alberto Gareca (1978~80, 1982~84.)
Diego Armando Maradona (1981~82, 1995~97)
Miguel Ángel Brindisi (1981~82)
Hugo Orlando Gatti (1976~89) (GK) (Argentine records: 26 penalties stopped, oldest player at age 44)
Claudio Oscar Marangoni (1988~90)

1990s

Juan Ernesto Simón (1988~94)
Carlos Fernando Navarro Montoya (1988~96) (GK) (co) (record of 180 straight matches played)
Gabriel Omar Batistuta (1990)
Alberto José Márcico (1992~95)
Blas Armando Giunta (1989~94)
Cristian (Kily) González (1995~96)
Nelson David Vivas (1994~97)
Juan Sebastián Verón (1996)
Claudio Paul Caniggia (1995~98)
Nolberto Solano (pr) (1997~98)
Walter Adrián Samuel (1997~2000)
Óscar Eduardo Córdoba Arce (1997~2001) (GK) (co)
Juan Román Riquelme (1996~2002)
Mauricio Alberto Chicho Serna Valencia (co) (1998~2002)
Nicolás Andrés Burdisso (1999~2003)

2000s

Carlos Alberto "Carlitos" Tévez (2001~04)

Current Stars

Martín Palermo (1997~2000, 2004~) (Over 100 goals with Boca in first division)
Guillermo Barros Schelotto (1997~) (Boca records: 14 titles, 21 international goals)
Roberto "El Pato" Abbondanzieri (1997~) (GK) (Boca records: 14 titles)
Rodrigo Palacio (2004~)
Sebastián Battaglia (1998~2003, 2005~)
Fernando Rubén Gago (2004~)
Federico Insúa (2005~)
Daniel Bilos (2005~)
Hugo Benjamín Ibarra ( 1998~2001, 2002~2003, 2005~) (Current team captain)

Coaches

Boca's two most successful coaches were Juan Carlos Lorenzo (1976~79, 1987), and Carlos Bianchi (1998-2001, 2003~04). Toto Lorenzo won five titles with the team, including the Libertadores Cup in 1977 and 1978, the Intercontinental Cup in 1977, and the Metropolitano and Nacional in 1976. Bianchi won nine, including Aperturas in 1998, 2000 and 2003, the 1999 Clausura, the Libertadores Cup in 2000, 2001, and 2003, and the Intercontinental Cup in 2000 and 2003.

Current squad

As of February 6, 2006

Boca Juniors | 1905 establishments | Argentine basketball clubs | Argentine football clubs | Sport in Buenos Aires

Gourt Home::Gourt :: Boca Juniors