Buenos Aires

Football in Buenos Aires

Here, I'll deal briefly with some of the main clubs as they are today. For a very brief overview of the history of Argentine football, see this post on Hasta El Gol Siempre.

If you’re looking for football in BA, it’s very hard not to find it. Greater Buenos Aires contains more football stadia than any other metropolitan area in the world, and a higher concentration of teams in its country’s top flight than almost any other (Montevideo dominates the Uruguayan football scene similarly). Argentina’s two biggest clubs are two of the world’s biggest, and if you’re in town either side of a superclásico or a title win for one of the big clubs, you’ll see the city plastered in posters from the victors mocking the losers.

Boca Juniors and River Plate were actually both founded in the southern central barrio of La Boca, the city’s docklands, at the start of the 20th century. Since then River have moved across town to the Estadio Monumental, also home to the national side, in the northern barrio of Núñez, but Boca, in spite of an idiot president who occasionally makes noises about having to move the club out, have remained close to their original location and there aren’t too many areas of any city in the world which are so visibly overshadowed by the stadium - La Bombonera. River Plate have only been crowned champions of their continent twice - winners of the 1986 and 1996 Copas Libertadores - but have the most Argentine national championships, with 32, though their most recent was six championships ago in the 2004 Clausura. Boca, ten behind River domestically, are well ahead on international titles, with sixteen – the most of any club side in the world.

'Los Borrachos del Tablón', River Plate's barra brava, letting of flares prior to the summer friendly with Racing in Mar del Plata, in January 2007. Credit: Noelia Martinez.

A little further out from La Boca, still in the Capital Federal area but not in a barrio with any obvious tourist attractions, are the confusingly named San Lorenzo de Almagro, who no longer play in Almagro but in fact in neighbouring Boedo. San Lorenzo are considered one of the country’s ‘Big Five’ and are the current league champions under the management of River legend Ramón Díaz. Completing the ‘Big Five’ are two clubs from Avellaneda, just outside the Capital Federal boundary – Racing and Independiente. The latter currently hold the record for most wins in South America’s premier club competition, the Copa Libertadores, with seven – Boca’s 2007 win means they’re closing in, now on six.

Other clubs with relatively easy access from the city centre include Vélez Sársfield, whose stadium is near the main trainline to the city’s western suburbs and is considered one of the most modern and best in South America, and Tigre, whose stadium can be found in the Victoria suburb of the town on the delta of the Río Paraná, a short day trip to the north of Buenos Aires.

For all but the very biggest matches (the superclásico, end of season games and continental ties) you’ll be able to get tickets at the stadium, and the most expensive tickets at River cost just AR$30 for most matches – around £5. If you want the atmosphere of being behind the goal at the home end, go for a popular ticket (around AR$15), but when you get onto the terrace stay away from the centre – this is where the barras bravas congregate and even most Argentines wouldn’t think of getting in their way.

As a foreigner – and particularly if you’re British – it’s not a good idea to advertise the fact. Generally it’s safe, but in a large crowd you never know where the nearest nutter is. Unless you speak enough Spanish to swear at the referee and opposing players with an Argentine accent, keep your mouth shut, and whether you’re with friends or not, it's not wise to be overheard speaking English whilst in and around the stadium. This may sound scary but don’t let it put you off – a little common sense is all that’s needed. This writer looks as obviously foreign as it’s possible to look in South America and hasn’t yet been bothered at a match.