History of Boca Juniors

Club Atlético Boca Juniors (Spanish pronunciation: [kluβ aˈðletiko ˈβoka ˈʝunjors]) is an Argentine sports club based in the La Boca neighbourhood of Buenos Aires. Although many activities are hosted by the club, Boca Juniors is mostly known for its professional football team, which since it was promoted in 1913, has always played in the Argentine Primera División.

Boca Juniors is the second most successful football team of Argentina, having won 30 league titles (only behind River Plate with 36). Overall, the club has won more than 60 official titles to date, including its most recent championship, the 2011 Copa Argentina. Domestic titles won by Boca Juniors include 30 Primera División championships, and 11 National cups.

Internationally, the team has won 18 international titles, second in the world for number of international titles won, shared with A.C. Milan and behind Al Ahly with 19 international titles. Boca Juniors is also known to be the most popular football club in Argentina, due to its fanbase being composed of approximately 46% of the total population of the country.

Italian immigration

Immigrants transported on horse-drawn wagon in Buenos Aires, c. 1899.

By 1905, Buenos Aires was a city of only 900,000 inhabitants. Many of them were Italian immigrants, that had arrived masivamente from 1870 to 1920 with a peak between 1900 and 1914. Most of the Italian immigrants came from the Southern regions of Sicilia and Campania. The majority of them established in the Buenos Aires Province, working in a large range of occupations such as agriculture, craft, commerce, among others.

By 1914 the 50% of the immigrants come to Argentina were Italian.

Italian immagrants living in La Boca tried to keep their customs and social practices. The cantinas" were the places where they used to meet and dance the typical Italian rythms. The dishes were also brought from their country of origin, such as pizza and pasta.

Italian influence is still visible in Argentina, with Lunfardo, the jargon enshrined in tango lyrics, laden with Italianisms, often also found in the mainstream colloquial dialect (Rioplatense Spanish). Common dishes with Italian names and origins (milanesa, fainá, polenta, pascualina) were adopted by Argentina and nowadays they are recognizable dishes of the local gastronomy.

Foundation

The first recorded photo of Boca Juniors taken in 1906, after winning the Copa Reformista.

On 3 April 1905, five Italian boys (more specifically from Genoa) met in order to find a club. The house where the meeting was arranged was Esteban Baglietto's and the other four people who attended were Alfredo Scarpatti, Santiago Sana and brothers Juan and Teodoro Farenga.

Baglietto, Sana and Scarpatti had received football lessons by Patrick (Paddy) McCarthy an Irish footballer and boxer who came to Argentina in 1900 and taught football techniques to immigrants' children, as an appointed member of the sports municipal committee in Buenos Aires.

After some hours of discussions Baglietto's father threw the boys out of the house and they had to continue with the project in the Plaza Solís, which is recognized today as the place where Boca Juniors was finally founded.

Other important founders members include Arturo Penney, Marcelino Vergara, Luis Cerezo, Adolfo Taggio, Giovanelli, Donato Abbatángelo, Bertolini. The use of English language in football team names was commonplace, as British railway workers had originally introduced association football into Argentina.

First years

The 1908 Boca team, still using the jersey with the diagonal stripe which remained until 1913.

In 1908, the affiliation request sent by Boca (through Juan Farenga and Bartolomé Gariboldi) to the Argentine Football Association was denied. Boca Juniors' first stadium was located in the Isla Demarchi. Juan Brichetto was one of the many fans who donated money to finish the construction.

Boca Juniors debut as part of the Association was in the Segunda de Ascenso division, playing a match against Club Belgrano that Boca won 3–1. The squad finished in first place (among eight teams) and qualified for the next stage, the semifinals, which Boca played against Racing Club: Boca was defeated 1–0 and was eliminated.

The 1908 team roster was: De Los Santos, Vergara, Cerezo, Ryan, A. Penney, Priano, Penney, Moltedo, Pratt, J. Farenga, Eloiso and Pastor. That year Boca played the Copa Bullrich and was eliminated after being defeated by Atlanta 5–0.

Boca Juniors team of 1911, when it played in the second division.

In 1910 Boca plays the semifinals against Racing Club and lost by 2–1, also losing not only the match but the promotion to Argentine Primera División. The team roster was formed by Bellocq, Cerezo, Garibaldi, Piralini, Vergara, Bonatti, Spinelli, Arturo Penney, Pastor, Taggino, Giovanelli and Moltedo. The following year, Boca is eliminated in the first round, despite having the same squad as in 1910.

The 1911 team roster was: Ramón Lamique, Miguel Valentini, Emilio Bonatti, Luis Cerezo, Agustín Angoti, Máximo Pierallini, Juan Garibaldi, Lorenzo Etchart, Amílcar Spinelli, Francisco Taggino and Anapodito García.

Promotion to Primera División

In 1913 Boca obtained the promotion to Primera División that the team had wanted for many years. This was possible when the Asociación Argentina de Fútbol decided to increase the number of teams in the league from 6 to 15. The other teams that went to Primera were Ferro Carril Oeste, Platense, Banfield, Olivos, Comercio, Ferro Carril Sud and Riachuelo. Boca Juniors' roster was: Virtú Bidone, Garibaldi, Lamelas, Martínez, Elena, Valentini, P. Calomino, González, Leal, Taggino, Abbatángelo, Bruzzan, Giraldi, Romano, Vergara and Bertolini.

First titles and success

The 1919 team posing with all the trophies won that year.

On 20 January 1920, Boca Juniors reached its first championship (which belongs to the 1919 season). after defeating Sportivo de Almagro by 4–0. The match was played in Boca stadium, located in Ministro Brin and Senquel streets. Boca Juniors line-up was: Tesoriere; Cortella, Ortega, López, Busso, Elli; Calomino, Bozzo, Garasini, Martín, Miranda. Miranda and Martín were the scorers of the match (2 goals each). The team finished a record of 7 games won over 7 played.

That same year Boca won three titles else, national Copa de Competencia Jockey Club, Copa Dr. Carlos Ibarguren and international Tie Cup (defeating Uruguayan team Nacional at the final). That was the most successful season in club's history, with 4 titles won within the year.

Boca Juniors achieved its second championship the following year (corresponding to the 1920 season but played in 1921), after a victory of 2–0 against Banfield. Boca played a total of 24 games with 20 won and only 1 lost. In 1923 Boca won its third Primera División title, in a championship where 4 matches had to be played to decide which team (Boca or Huracán) would be the champion, so Boca won the first game but was defeated in the 2nd leg; the 3rd match finished in a tie therefore a 4th game had to be played (at Sportivo Barracas stadium, on 27 April 1924), finally won by Boca 2–0 thus winning the title. Both goals were scored by Garasini. In 1923 Boca also won its second Copa Ibarguren after defeating Rosario Central by 1-0 at Sportivo Barracas stadium.

Boca was the unbeaten champion of the 1924 season, winning 18 matches out of 19. The team finished with a total of 67 goals scored (an average of 3.52 per game) and only conceded 8. That same year Boca Juniors won its third Copa Dr. Ibarguren afther thrashing Rosario Central by 5-1 in Chacarita Juniors stadium.

European tour: "Champion of Honour"

A Boca Juniors line-up during the tour on Europe, where the squad won 15 of 19 matches played.

In 1925 Boca made its first trip to Europe to play at Spain, Germany and France. The squad played a total of 19 games, winning 15 of them. Some of the rivals defeated were Real Madrid, Celta de Vigo and Deportivo La Coruña. On 28 June 1926, in a meeting held at the Association Argentina de Football, Boca Juniors was declared "Campeón de Honor" (Champion of Honour) of 1925 season, and each member of the team received a commemorative medal. The players were: Tesoriere, Bidoglio, Muttis, Tarasconi, Busso, Elli, Médici, Garasini, Antraygues, Cerroti, Pertini and Posso.

After the successful tour on Europe, Boca Juniors returned to the local competitions, winning its 5th. Primera División championship in 1926, having finished unbeaten (same as 1924 season) after 17 games played. Boca Juniors and Independiente were to play-off for the unified title following the unification of the two leagues (Asociación Argentina de Football and Asociación Amateurs de Football), but after their match (played on 20 February 1927) was halted due to a spectator invasion, and a replay on 3 March 1927, finished 0–0, no further match was played due to the start of the new season. Boca not only won the league championship but another edition of the Copa de Competencia Jockey Club, defeating Argentinos Juniors in the second match after the first game had finished drawn.

In 1926 Boca Juniors won another national cup, the Copa Estímulo (played while the Argentine national side played at the South American championship) defeating Sportivo Balcarce by 3-0 at the final.

After losing at the hands of San Lorenzo de Almagro the 1929 championship, Boca would win its 6th. title in 1930, when Boca defeated Atlanta by 4–1, just two fixtures before the end of the season. The line-up that attended the match was: Mena, Bidoglio, Mutis; Moreyras, Pedemonte, P. Suárez; Penella, Kuko, Tarasconi, Cherro, Alberino.

Boca Juniors finished the 1920s being one of the most successful teams of the decade, winning 4 league titles and 4 national cups during that period.

The 1930s

Boca Juniors was champion in 1931, achieving its 7th. league title.

With the introduction of professional football in Argentina, Boca won its 7th. league championship in 1931, defeating its main rival, River Plate by 3–0 in the last fixture. Boca scored 50 points, with a total of 22 victories, 6 draws and 6 losses.

In 1934 Boca won another title, although the team lost 7 matches and conceded 62 goals. The key was in the power of the forwards, who scored 101 goals. Boca Juniors became the first team which scored more than 100 goals in the league. Boca won the league again in 1935, becoming the first successive champions of the professional era. The team also scored 100 goals and only conceded 29.

During the decade of the 1930s, some footballers such as Juan Yustrich (nicknamed "El Pez Volador"), Pedro Arico Suárez, Delfín Benítez Cáceres, Domingo Tarasconi, Roberto Cherro and Francisco Varallo were not only big stars but Boca Juniors great idols.

The 1940s

The 1940 champions.

Boca won 3 more titles in the 1940s, the same as the last decade. The first was obtained in the 1940 league, the same year that Boca Juniors Stadium was inaugurated. The key match was against Independiente, which Boca won 5–2 and proclaimed new champion. Boca won 24 games, drew 7 and lost 3.

In 1944 Boca would be (for the second time in its history) successive champion, after winning 3–0 its last match in River Plate stadium (because the Bombonera had been temporarily closed by hooliganism incidents). The record was 19 won, 8 draws and 3 losses. The line-up is still remembered as one of the greatest Boca all-time teams: Vacca, Marante, Valussi, Sosa, Lazzatti, Pescia, Boyé, Corcuera, Sarlanga, Varela, Sánchez.

In 1944 Boca remained unbeated for 26 consecutive matches, which was a record in the professional era until Racing broke this landmark when playing 39 matches without being defeated in 1966. The last fixture Boca won over Racing 3–0, again in River Stadium and Boca was proclaimed champion again.

On the other hand, Boca was near to being relegated to Segunda División in 1949 but could keep its place in Primera with a victory over Lanús in the last fixture.

The 1950s and the Glorious 1960s

The 1954 champion.

In 1954 Boca won its first title after nine unsuccessful years. The key match was against Huracán, which Boca won 3–1 obtaining the championship. The top scorer was José "Pepino" Borello (19 goals). Another outstanding player was Julio Musimessi, nicknamed "El arquero cantor" ("The singer goalkeeper").

Boca finished 8th in 1959 although the team won the two "Superclásicos" (5–1 and 3–2 after being behind 2–0).

On 9 December 1962, Boca won a legendary match defeating River Plate 1–0, with the highlight being goalkeeper Antonio Roma stopping a penalty shot by Delem when only 6 minutes were left till the end of the match. Boca finally won its first title of the decade in the next fixture with a great victory (4–0) over Estudiantes de La Plata, becoming new champion. During the 1960s, Boca Juniors won 5 championships.

The team that won the Torneo Nacional in 1969.

The following title obtained was in 1964, with Antonio Roma not conceding a goal for 742 minutes, and conceding only one goal in 14 matches. In 1965 Boca became successive champions for the 3rd time in the professional era. The key matches were the victory over River Plate (2–1) and Atlanta in the last fixture.

In the 1968 Metropolitano championship during a Superclásico that ended 0–0, seventy-one Boca Juniors supporters died after being squashed against an exit door at River Plate Stadium, which remained closed at the moment of the fans left the stadium. This is still remembered as The Tragedy of the Door No. 12 (La Tragedia de la Puerta 12).

In 1969 an official tournament named Copa Argentina was disputed. Teams included were those playing the Metropolitano and others outside Buenos Aires. Boca Juniors proclaimed champion after defeating Atlanta by goal average (the matches ended 3–1 and 0–1). Boca Juniors played a total of 10 matches, winning 7, with 1 draw and only 1 loss.

During the same year Boca played its last match of the Nacional championship visiting River Plate at the Monumental. The match ended 2–2 (Norberto Madurga scored twice) proclaiming Boca as the new champion. The Xeneizes totalized 29 points, winning 13, with 3 draws and only 1 defeat and were coached by Alfredo Di Stéfano.

1970s: the second "Golden Age"

In 1970 Boca won another title defeating Rosario Central in the final match of the Nacional tournament. In 1976 Juan Carlos Lorenzo arrived at the club. He would became one of the most successful coaches in the history of Boca Juniors, winning 5 official titles within 3 years. First of them was the 1976 Metropolitano, which Boca obtained after defeating Unión de Santa Fe 2–0.

The following tournament (1976 Nacional) Boca played a historic final match against River Plate, winning 1–0 through a free-kick goal scored by Rubén Suñé. That championship qualified Boca Juniors to play the 1977 Copa Libertadores, having reached the final match against Cruzeiro. After a victory 1–0 in Buenos Aires and a defeat in Belo Horizonte by the same score, it was necessary to play a third game, hosted in Montevideo where Boca finally obtained the Libertadores for the first time, after a dramatic penalty shoot-out where Hugo Gatti stopped the last shot by Brazilian player Vanderley.

The next title Boca won was the Intercontinental Cup, facing Borussia Mönchengladbach: the first match played in Buenos Aires ended 2–2 but Boca won the second game 3–0 in Karlsruhe, Germany and brought the trophy back to Argentina.

Boca Juniors obtained its second Copa Libertadores after defeating Deportivo Cali (coached by Carlos Bilardo) 4–0 in the Bombonera (the first match played in Colombia had finished 0–0).

1980s and 90s

During the decade of the 1980s Boca only won one title (in 1981). The highlight was the acquisition of the prodigious Diego Maradona, who came to the club along with Miguel Brindisi, Osvaldo Escudero, Marcelo Trobbiani and former player Silvio Marzolini as coach. Boca was proclaimed champion of the 1981 Metropolitano after an 1–1 against Racing Club. The Xeneize totalized 50 points, with 20 victories, 10 draws and 4 loses.

The following year, Boca then lost the young Maradona, who moved to Europe to play for FC Barcelona, owing also to Argentina's political problems. In 1984 Boca was near to a financial collapse, almost going bankrupt. The same year the team suffered their biggest defeat at the hands of FC Barcelona, losing 1–9 in a Joan Gamper Trophy match. Antonio Alegre was elected president and under his command Boca settled 153 lawsuits early in his tenure by mortgaging his business assets for US$250,000, and by lending Boca Juniors US$800,000. These and other measures enabled Alegre to recover the club's finances. Boca also sold the land acquired earlier for US$21 million. The club's improved finances led to its revival, and Boca emerged victorious in a number of coveted tournaments in subsequent years, including the 1989 Supercopa Sudamericana, the 1990 Recopa Sudamericana, the 1992 Torneo Apertura, the Copa Master of 1992, and the Copa de Oro Nicolás Leoz in 1992.

The Bianchi era: another Golden Age

Former Vélez Sársfield coach Carlos Bianchi arrived at the club in 1998 and under his command, the squad would achieve multiple local and international titles, breaking the record obtained with Juan Carlos Lorenzo in the 1970s. With Carlos Bianchi as coach, Boca won 9 titles.

The first title obtained was the 1998 Apertura, which Boca won being undefeated for the first time. Martín Palermo was the top scorer with 20 goals in 19 matches played. Boca later won a new championship in the 1999 Clausura becoming successive champions. The team remained undefeated in 40 matches, breaking the record of 39 matches achieved by Racing Club in the 1960s. This mark is still a record in the professional era of Argentine football.

The year 2000 was the most successful for Boca Juniors. The team won the Copa Libertadores after 22 years without winning that trophy, defeating Palmeiras in the finals by penalty-shots after two matches ended in a draw (2–2 and 0–0). Goalkeeper Oscar Córdoba was the most notable player of the final disputed in São Paulo. As the new South America champion, Boca went to Tokyo to play the Intercontinental Cup final against Real Madrid, defeating the Merengue team 2–1 (goals by Palermo). The same year Boca won another local title, the Torneo Apertura, totaling 3 titles in 2000.

In 2001 Boca were Copa Libertadores champion again, defeating Cruz Azul in a penalty-shootout. Boca won 1–0 the first final match in Mexico and lost the second game in La Bombonera by the same score. Oscar Córdoba was the most notable player again.

Bianchi left the club in 2002 due to a conflict with the chairman Mauricio Macri, so Oscar Tabárez was chosen as his replacement beginning his second run as team's coach. Nevertheless, Bianchi would return the following year to take care of the team again. In 2003, Boca obtained a new title winning the Copa Libertadores for the 3rd time in 4 years. The most notable player of that tournament was Carlos Tevez while Marcelo Delgado was the top scorer with 9 goals. In the finals played against Santos FC, Boca won 2–0 in Buenos Aires and 3–1 in São Paulo. Boca Juniors completed another successful year winning the Intercontinental Cup against AC Milan by penalty-shot after a 1–1 draw. Matías Donnet, who tied the game in the 29th minute, was named the Man of the Match.

Boca reached another Copa Libertadores final in 2004, but lost to Once Caldas from Manizales, Colombia in PK's. Once the Cup was over, Bianchi resigned, finishing one of the most successful periods in the club history.

Basile's multi-champion

After Bianchi's departure from the club, Miguel Brindisi (who had played for the club in the 1980s) was chosen as coach but he soon resigned at the end of the 2004 Apertura, when Boca finished 8th. The successor of Brindisi was Jorge Chino Benítez, another player for Boca in the 1970s and 1980s. Under his coaching Boca won the 2004 Copa Sudamericana defeating Club Bolívar in the finals.

In 2005 (the year of Boca's 100th anniversary) the Xeneize contested another edition of the Copa Libertadores, being eliminated by Chivas de Guadalajara. In that match, Benítez spat at the Chiva's player Adolfo Bautista, causing a melee which resulted in the referee abandoning the match. Due to this act, Benítez was immediately dismissed by the club. After Benítez's dismissal, Boca hired Alfio Basile as its coach.

With Basile as the coach, Boca won the Recopa Sudamericana (2005 edition), defeating Once Caldas, and the 2005 Copa Sudamericana, where the Xeneize won over Pumas from México by penalty-shots after two draws. Roberto Abbondanzieri was the MVP, stopping two shots and converting the decisive penalty kick. Boca would win two titles more: the 2005 Apertura and 2006 Clausura becoming successive champion of Argentine football. The squad also obtained the 2006 Recopa Sudamericana over São Paulo FC.

After the elimination of the Argentine national team in the 2006 World Cup, Basile was called by the National Association to take over and left the club under a successful run. Under the coaching of Basile, Boca Juniors won five titles within two years (2005–06).

More international success

Ricardo Lavolpe was chosen to be the coach succeeding Basile. In the 2006 Apertura the team made a good campaign but at the end of the season finished with the same number of points as Estudiantes de La Plata, so both teams had to play a match in order to proclaim a new champion. Estudiantes defeated Boca 2–1 in Vélez Sársfield stadium and Lavolpe resigned as the coach.

The next coach was Miguel Ángel Russo and Juan Román Riquelme returned to the club. Boca Juniors won the 2007 Copa Libertadores defeating Brazilian team Gremio in the finals (3–0 in Buenos Aires and 2–0 in Porto Alegre). Riquelme (who scored 8 goals) was considered to be the best player of the tournament by journalists and fans. As the South American champion, Boca went to Tokyo to dispute the FIFA Club World Cup but was defeated by Italian AC Milan by 4–2.

Carlos Ischia was appointed as coach after Russo's departure. Under his coaching the club won the 2008 Recopa Sudamericana (against Arsenal de Sarandí). On the other hand, Boca was eliminated by Fluminense (which would be the runner up) in the 2008 Copa Libertadores semi-finals. At the end of that year Boca obtained a new title, the 2008 Apertura. That season ended with Boca, San Lorenzo and Tigre in equal 1st position so a play-off tournament had to be contested among those 3 teams in order to proclaim a new champion. Boca won that tournament and became new Argentine champion. That same season Boca's arch-rival River Plate finished the last for the first time in its history.

Boca finished 14th (over 19 teams) in the 2009 Clausura and Ischia was dismissed by the club (although the managers said he had resigned) and Basile was called to start his second run as coach. Nevertheless, after finishing 11th in the 2009 Apertura, Basile left the club.

2010-present

For the 2010 Clausura the team was coached firstly by Abel Alves and then by Roberto Pompei, who were working with the youth teams when they were appointed to coach the first division team. Boca finished 16th so the club decided to hire Claudio Borghi (who had won a title coaching Argentinos Juniors the last season) as team's new coach, but he left the club after 14 matches, due to the bad results obtained. Roberto Pompei was designated to be the coach until the end of the Apertura. Boca finished in 12th position.

In January 2011, Boca hired Julio Falcioni who had won a title coaching Banfield in 2009. The team did not have a good campaign in the Clausura, although Boca won the Superclásico (the last played before River was relegated to the second division) finishing 7th. In the last fixture (when Boca played against Gimnasia y Esgrima de La Plata) Martín Palermo, the all-time top scorer, retired.

For the 2011 Apertura, Boca acquired goalkeeper Agustín Orión and veteran centre back Rolando Schiavi, who returned after his tenure at Newell's Old Boys. After three years without any achievements, Boca was proclaimed champion after remaining unbeaten at the end of the season, with 12 victories and 7 draws. The team also conceded the fewest goals (only 6 in 19 matches disputed) which set a record for short tournaments in Argentina (after Clausura and Apertura championships were established in 1991).

In 2012, Boca reached the final of Copa Libertadores de America, but lost to Corinthians.

In 2013, it was confirmed that Carlos Bianchi, the most successful coach in Boca Juniors' history, would return to take care of the team again. On August 28, 2014, after 74 matches with only 45 percent effectiveness (26 wins and losses), having conceded 88 and scored 79 goals and without any championships, Bianchi was dismissed by the club.