Club Atlético Boca Juniors
| Full name | Club Atlético Boca Juniors | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Nickname(s) | Los Xeneizes, La Mitad Más Uno, Bosteros. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Founded | April 3, 1905 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ground | Estadio Alberto J. Armando (La Bombonera), La Boca, Buenos Aires (Capacity: 57,395) |
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| Chairman |  Jorge Amor Ameal |
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| Head Coach | Carlos Ischia |
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| League | Argentine Primera División | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Clausura 2008 | 2nd | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Current season |
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Club Atlético Boca Juniors known also as Boca Juniors or simply Boca, is 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 Estadio Alberto J. Armando (La Bombonera). They are the reigning holders of the Recopa Sudamericana title.
Boca have won a record 18 international titles,[1] equal to AC Milan. Their haul includes six Copa Libertadores[2] and three World Club crowns (Copa Intercontinental)[3] and one Copa Oro and Supercopa Masters. The club has also won 22 Argentine professional championships.[4]
The club is a permanent fixture in the International Federation of Football History & Statistics Club World Ranking top 25, Boca is currently ranked 5th[5] and has reached the top position of the monthly ranking 6 times (mostly during coach Carlos Bianchi's tenure).[6]
- See also: Intercontinental Cup and FIFA Club World Cup statistics
Contents |
History
Foundation
On a 3 April 1905, five Italian immigrants gathered in the Plaza Solís, located in the heart of the La Boca neighborhood of Buenos Aires.[7] Esteban Baglietto, Alfredo Scarpati, Santiago Sana, and brothers Juan and Teodoro Farenga founded Boca Juniors, the use of English language in team names was commonplace, as British railway workers had originally introduced football into Argentina.[8]
Boca Juniors played in local leagues and the amateur second division until being promoted to the first division in 1913, when the division was expanded from six teams to 15.[9] Boca were never relegated; they won six amateur championships (1919, 1920, 1923, 1924, 1926, and 1930).[10] With the introduction of professionalism in Argentina, Boca won the first title in 1931.[11]
- First Match: April 21, 1905. vs. Mariano Moreno.
- First international match: December 8, 1907. vs. Universal (Montevideo, Uruguay)
- First professional match: May 31, 1931 vs. Chacarita Juniors.
Team colours
The original jersey colour was pink, which was quickly abandoned for thin black-and-white vertical stripes.[12] The legend has it that in 1906 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 subsequently sail into the port at La Boca which was the 4146 ton freighter Drottning Sophia, sailing from Copenhagen.[13] As the boat was from Sweden, yellow and blue were adopted as the new team colours. The first version had a yellow diagonal band, which was later changed to a horizontal stripe.[14]
Kit Evolution and rare kits
- First kit evolution
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- Rare models and special editions
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(*)this model was worn just for 2 matches during 2005 Torneo de Verano ("Summer Tournament" in Spanish) in order to commemorate the 100th. anniversary of the institution.
Crest
The club have had five different crests in their history, the outer 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 colours were changed to match those on the team's jersey.[15]
In 1970, one star was added to the badge for each title won[16] domestically (top part, above the initials) and internationally (bottom part). A new star was added to the corresponding section whenever Boca wins a title. To the delight of fans, the crest had to be modified several times in recent years. In 2007 the club changed its crest to include only 3 stars, one for each Intercontinental Cup / Club world title .
La Bombonera
Boca Juniors used several fields before settling on the current grounds on Brandsen. Their first ground was in la Dársena Sur but it was vacated in 1907 because it failed to meet the minimum requirements of the league, they then used three pitches in the Isla Demarchi area between 1908 and 1912.[17] Between 1914 and 1915 the club moved away from La Boca for the only time in their history, moving to Wilde in the Avellaneda Partido of the Buenos Aires Province but a relatively poor season[18] and low attendances in 1915 forced them to move back to La Boca.
On May 25, 1916 Boca opened their new stadium on the intersection of Calle Ministro Brin and Calle Senguel they stayed there until 1924 when they moved to their current location on Calle Brandsen and Calle Del Crucero.
Construction work on the concrete structure of their current stadium started in 1938 under the supervision of Engineer José L.Delpini. Boca played their home matches in the Ferrocarril Oeste field in Caballito until the structure was completed in 1940.[19] A third level was added in 1953, giving the ground its nickname La Bombonera ('The Chocolate Box').[20] The side opposite the Casa Amarilla railway platforms remained mostly unbuilt until 1996, when it was upgraded with new balconies and VIP booths. Three sides of the Bombonera are made up of traditional sloping stadium stands, but the fourth side had to be built vertically, with several seating areas stacked one on top of the other, to stay within the stadium's property. La Bombonera is renowned for vibrating when fans start to jump in rhythm; in particular, the unique vertical side will sway slightly, leading to the phrase "La Bombonera no tiembla. Late" ("the Bombonera does not tremble. It beats.").
The Bombonera currently has a capacity of around 61,000, the club's popularity make tickets hard to find, especially for the Superclasico game against River Plate.[21] There are planned improvements for the stadium, including measures to ease crowd congestion, use of new technology in the stadium and improved corporate facilities.[22]
- Dársena Sud: 1908 - 1912
- Wilde: 1914 - 1915
- Brins y Sengüel: 1916 - 1924
- Brandsen: from 1924
Fans
Boca Juniors is traditionally regarded as the club of Argentina's working class, in contrast with the supposedly more upper-class base of cross-town archrival Club Atlético River Plate.[23]
Boca Juniors claims to be the club of "half plus one" ("la mitad mas uno") of Argentina's population, but a 2006 survey placed its following at 40%,[24] still the largest share.
The Boca-River Superclásico rivalry is one of the most thrilling derbies in the world.[25] Boca have won 114, River 102 and there have been 100 draws.[26] After each match (except ties), street signs cover Buenos Aires, at fans' own expense, "ribbing" the losing side with humorous posters. This has become part of Buenos Aires culture ever since a Boca winning streak in the 1990s.
In 1975 a film, La Raulito was made about the life of Mary Esher Duffau, known as La Raulito, a well known Boca Juniors fan. She died at the age of 74 on 30 April, 2008 on the same day Boca Juniors played a Copa Libertadores match against Brazilian club, Cruzeiro Esporte Clube with the players and fans observing a minutes silence in her remembrance.[27]
Nicknames
Boca fans are known as los xeneizes (the Genoese) after the Italian (especially Genoese) immigrants who founded the team and populated La Boca in the early 20th century[28]
Many rival fans in Argentina refer to the Boca Juniors' fans as Los Bosteros (Manure Handler) originating from the horse manure used in the brick factory that occupied the ground where La Bombonera stands. Originally an insult used by rivals, Boca fans have taken to wearing it with ultimate pride.[29]
Following the team colors, Boca's shirt is also called la azul y oro (the blue-and-gold).[30]
Boca's supporters are known as "Bosteros". There is a society which dedicates its entire life to the team which is known as la número 12 or La Doce (player number Doce or 12, meaning "the 12th player")[31]
International
Peñas (fan clubs) exist in a number of Argentine cities, and abroad, in countries such as Russia, Ukraine,[32] Spain, Israel[33] and Japan[34]
Boca Juniors are particularly popular in Japan because of the club's success in recent years at the Intercontinental Cup held in Japan. All over the world, fans are drawn to Boca by the club's international titles, and by the success of Boca players who went on to play in European football such as Hugo Ibarra, Rodolfo Arruabarrena, Diego Cagna, Enzo Ferrero, Roberto Abbondanzieri, Nicolás Burdisso, Fernando Gago, Diego Maradona,Claudio Caniggia, Gabriel Batistuta, Juan Román Riquelme and Carlos Tevez.
Boca have fans throughout Latin America, especially in Colombia and Peru, and also in parts of the United States where there has been Latin immigration and where in July 2007, after the club had toured pre-season, it was reported that the club were considering the possibility of creating a Boca Juniors USA team to compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) with in New York City, Miami, Los Angeles and Arizona mentioned as possible locations.[35]
Facts
- Boca Juniors was the fifth football club in the world to have its own TV channel, opened in 2003. Boca TV broadcast 24 hours a day, featuring sports programs and talk shows. The channel was closed in 2005.
- There is a line of Boca coffins available for dead fans,[36] as well as the official Boca's cemetery.[37]
- Boca has its own fleet of taxis operating in Buenos Aires.[38]
- Another of Boca Juniors' products is the Boca Wine.[39]
- Carlos Bianchi has been their most winning coach.
Superclásico
- Main article: Superclásico
Boca Juniors has had a long standing rivalry with River Plate. The Superclásico is known worldwide as one of world football's fiercest and most important rivalries.[40] It is particularly noted for the passion of the fans, the stands of both teams feature fireworks, coloured confetti, flags and rolls of paper. Both sets of supporters sing passionate songs (often based on popular Argentine rock band tunes) against their rivals, and the stadiums are known to bounce with the simultaneous jumping of the fans. Sometimes the games have been known to end in riots between the hardest supporters of both sides or against the police. The English newspaper The Observer put the Superclásico at the top of their list of 50 sporting things you must do before you die.[41]
The two clubs both have origins in the poor riverside area of Buenos Aires known as La Boca. River however moved to the more affluent district of Núñez in the north of the city in 1923.
Boca Juniors and River Plate have played 325 games all time against each other, with Boca winning 119, River 105 and 101 times the games ended in a tie. In the Professional Era the two clubs have played 183 games with Boca winning 67, River 61 and 55 ties.[42]
This intense rivalry has not stopped players from playing for both clubs, most notably Gabriel Batistuta and Claudio Caniggia.
Institutional
Executive Board 2008-2011
- President: Jorge Amor Ameal
- 1st Vice-president: *
- 2nd Vice-president: José Beraldi
- 3rd Vice-president: Juan Carlos Crespi
- Secretary: Oscar A. Vicente
(*) The former 1st Vice-president was Jorge Amor Ameal, but after the last President Pedro Pompilio passed away, he is occupating his place. On December 2008 will be elected the new 1st Vice-president.
Other sports
Basketball
The Boca Juniors basketball team has won the Argentine league three times (1996/97, 2003/04, 2006/07), five Argentine Cups (Copa Argentina 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006), the Argentine Top 4 (2004), and three South American Club Championships (2004, 2005, 2006). It also reached the 2004/2005 national finals (losing to Ben Hur). Their home arena is the Luis Conde Arena, better known as La Bombonerita (small Bombonera).
Volleyball
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 Boca player Marcelo Gigante; after playing in the second division, it returned to the A1 league in 2005.
Other
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.
Football honours
Domestic Titles
Amateurs (7)
Copa Libertadores
Professional: (23)
International Cup Titles (18)
Rubén Suñé lifting the Copa Intercontinental in 1977
FIFA Club World Cup:
Intercontinental Cup: (record)
Copa Sudamericana: (record)
Recopa Sudamericana: (record)
Records
Current squadAs of November 12, 2008 note: these squad numbers are for domestic tournaments only
Squad changes for Apertura 2008For information on squad changes for Apertura 2008 see the List of Argentine football transfers. Notable players:Note: To appear in this section players should have made at least 50 appearances for the club. Top scorers
View from the lateral side, third tier
The first recorded photo of Boca Juniors taken in 1906
Amateur Era (1905-31)
Professional Era (1931-present)1930s - 1970s
1970s - 1990s
1990s - 2000s
CoachesBoca's two most successful coaches were Juan Carlos Lorenzo (1976~79, 1987), and Carlos Bianchi, (1998-2002, 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. On 22 August, 2006, it was announced that Ricardo Lavolpe would take over the post of coach on September 15, replacing Alfio Basile, who has been selected to manage Argentina National Football Team. Lavolpe failed to continue Basile's chain of success, losing the 2006 Apertura championship in spite of a 4 points advantage with only two rounds to go. Miguel Russo was hired as Lavolpe's replacement. Boca took second place to San Lorenzo de Almagro in the 2007 Clausura tournament, but went on to win the Copa Libertadores with a 5-0 overall rout of Brazilian Grêmio. ChairmenPedro Pompilio was the club's last elected chairman, succeeding Ing. Mauricio Macri (current Head of Government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires). Pompilio died during his presidency on October 30, 2008 due to heart attack. His family asked not to send flowers to his funeral and donate money to UNICEF instead. He was 58 years old at that time.[44] He was married and had two children.[45] References
External links
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