Greatest rivalries in football (Part 2)
Riverplate and Boca Juniors
The Buenos Aires based Argentinean giants’ rivalry is considered more than just a rivalry on a football ground; it’s a battle between two different cultures that has been raging for over 85 long years now.
The red and white of River versus the blue and yellow of Boca is a feisty battle of two different social classes and the two sets of fans seem to have no love lost between each other.
Boca faithful call River supporters as ‘gallinas’ (chickens) for being scared of everything (because of a luxurious brought-up)
Riverplate fans hit back by calling their bitter rivals ‘los puercos’ (pigs) because their stadium is located right beside the poor locality of Bocca and the place really smells mostly.
The rivalry is more about class, money and social status as the Riverplate supporters come from the high-flying Buenos Aires locality of Nunez.
The Boca fans are usually from the working class community so this class difference makes the rivalry or El Clasico as football fans in Argentina refer to rivalries, all the more interesting than any derby on earth.
The two clubs are only 7km apart from each other and almost 73% of the Argentinean population is either a Boca or a River fan.
Riverplate was founded in 1901 and Boca juniors were formed in 1905. The two sides met for the 1st time in 1913 with Riverplate winning 2-1. Over the years, the two enemies have locked horns 160 times.
Riverplate officially nicknamed themselves los Millionarios (the millionaires)
based on their upper class status.
Boca Juniors are officially nickname Los Xeneizes (Geonese in Italian)
after the Geonese Italians who founded the Buenos Aires outfit.
This historical rivalry is arguably the greatest rivalry in football because to the players and fans alike, it is a symbolic battle between the rich and the poor. Whatever position both sides are going to be in the Argentinean league, this rivalry would
always make players of both teams step up their game and turn the match into a feisty affair.
El Clasico usually gets out of hands every time the two teams meet with a group of Riverplate fans called ‘Los Borrachos Del Tablon’ (the terrace drunks)
taking everything about the match very seriously. The derby is always an unforgettable affair with a sea of banners, confetti and roaring and screaming fans along with never-ending fireworks in the stands.
The Superclasico has the distinction of posing a high security risk with policemen expecting squabbles turning dirty anytime during or after the match. Pitch invasions are a common theme of the derby.
The atmosphere is totally electrifying every time the two giants meet with both sides’ fans chanting the club songs and waving the club colours and banners madly. Getting tickets for the spectacle is very hard and are always sold-out months before the match.
Moreover, for those who are “outsiders” (neutrals) it is even harder as they have to sit in the Riverplate stand as Boca doesn’t entertain “non-members”.
Argentinean legends, Diego Maradonna and Daniel Passarella are one of those greats who have been a part of Superclasico.
Although Riverplate have dominated the domestic scene (27 titles to Bocas’ 11), it is Boca Juniors that has won 11 international titles.
The two teams take on each other when Boca Juniors come to Riverplate on the 7th November 2010. Tickets for this match might already be sold out but one thing’s for sure, the match is going to be a feisty affair between the Upper class and lower
class representatives as they battle it out not just for 3 points, but for the honour, glory and moreover, the satisfaction of defeating their enemy. The two sides hate each other on principle and this derby makes all derbies in the world look like school
boy stuff. No wonder, it is called as “the derby of derbies”.
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