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Boca Juniors vs River Plate: Why is the Superclasico so Popular?

Dan Colasimone

By | September 10, 2013

Boca Juniors vs River Plate game

*Updated June 2020*

Simply put, the Superclasico match, played between Argentina’s biggest clubs, Boca Juniors and River Plate, is a very special sports event; with emphasis on ‘event’.

The Superclasico, Boca vs River, the big dance in Argentina is one of the biggest rivalries in any sport in the world. The fanatical fans dedication to their respective teams is only contested by their hatred of the other. Now bash them together repeatedly while shouting ‘Superclasico! Superclasico!’ and you’ll have some idea of the atmosphere in Argentina in the week leading up to the big game.

River Plate fans at Superclasico match in La Bombonera

It is such a galvanizing occasion across the country that it’s impossible to ignore the hype, even if you have no interest in soccer whatsoever. We see the full gamut of hincha (team supporter) behavior – from the sublime to the ridiculous – before, during and after each Superclasico match up.

Boca and River fans taunt each other with ‘posters’ (which these days are usually online mock-ups) pointing out any perceived weaknesses before the game, or twisting the knife even further after a victory.

River’s official acronym C.A.R.P. is used to spell out ‘Permanent Candidate For Ridicule’ by the wags over at Boca. While River fans get some of their own back over here, as three piggies in Boca colors appear to have injured their butts; a reference to a) one of the derogatory nicknames for Boca (the swine) and b) the team’s disappointing finish to their 2012 Aug-Dec season, when they had been hoping to lift three trophies but ended up winning nothing.

Superclasico football match at El Monumental

Unfortunately for River fans, their rivals had plenty of ammunition to use against them for years to come, after River Plate was relegated to a lower division in 2011; a shameful fate that has never befallen the boys in blue and yellow (Boca Juniors). The most common allusion to this you will see is to misspell the club’s name thus: ‘RiBer’. The ‘B’ is a reference to the second division, called Nacional B, where River languished for a year. They are back in the top flight now though, and the banter shows no sign of abating.

The infamous rivalry reached a boiling point in May 2015 during the half time of a Copa Libertadores match in the first round. A Boca fan sprayed four River players in the face with pepper spray as they entered the stadium to play the second half. The River players were consequently taken to the hospital, and the second half of the game was cancelled. River Plate, who was leading the series 1-0, were awarded the qualification and advanced to the next round, before moving on to claim victory of the entire tournament.

In November 2018, the tables were turned. The two teams were set to square off in the Copa Libertadores championship match. They were to play two consecutive home and away games, with the winner being determined by the point totals. While normal Superclasico games are heated, this game, which doubled as the championship match for the most important international tournament in South America, was historical. River Plate and Boca Juniors tied the first match 2-2, and going into the decisive final match, both fandoms had reached a fever pitch. In the chaos outside of the stadium on game day, a River Plate fan lobbed a rock at Boca Juniors’ tour bus breaking a window and injuring a player. The game was subsequently called off, and later rescheduled to be played in December in Madrid, where River Plate claimed victory. In the words of Richard Martin, a Reuters reporter, River Plate’s win “guarantees them bragging rights over their neighbors for many years to come.”

During the games themselves, each camp within the stadium directs chants and songs back and forth to one another. The lyrics can be amusing, highly offensive, or both.

This is a sample of one little ditty from La Doce (Boca’s hooligan gang): ‘River, River, compadre, your mother’s **** **** you’re always talking rubbish, you’re always making promises, when La Doce (elite Boca Juniors fans) comes, you always end up running.’

Charming, as you can see. And that kind of thing is constant during the Superclasico. They even chant against each other when they are playing other teams, which just shows how deeply embedded their mutual dislike is.

The nicknames they regale upon each other, as you can imagine, are anything but endearing. Boca are known as the Bosteros by their adversaries. A loose translation would be ‘crap dwellers’. When the nearby river mouth floods, the neighborhood of La Boca, where the club’s stadium is located, tends to get a bit pungent; a fact that causes much mirth among River supporters. They, in turn, are called the ‘Gallinas’, or chickens. This is due to the long-held belief among the Boca faithful that River players tend to completely capitulate when put under pressure on the pitch.

All of this build up, all of the animosity – whether in seriousness or in jest – means that the match itself, when it finally rolls around, is a tremendous spectacle. The Superclasico regularly appears in lists of ‘things to see and do before you die’, not just for sports fans, but for everybody. Whether Boca are playing host in their noisy, one-of-a-kind stadium, La Bombonera, or River are at home in the colossal Monumental, the atmosphere is electric, emotive and unforgettable.

Boca Juniors fan taunting River Plate fans

As one of the most anticipated happenings in Argentina, the match is understandably difficult to get tickets to. Normally there is only one Superclasico a year and the two teams take turns hosting (sometimes the two teams may meet in continental or domestic cup matches, meaning they could play more often). Due to the smaller capacity and unique ticketing distribution at Boca’s stadium, it is all but impossible to get hold of tickets to those Superclasicos, and it is not much easier at the Monumental. The only real option in each case is to go through a tour agency. Prices can soar, in relation to regular Argentine matches at least, but are actually fairly reasonable when compared to other sports events around the globe with a similar stature; Real Madrid-Barcelona, the Manchester derby, a Lakers-Celtics playoff game or the Superbowl, to list some examples.

If you ever get a chance to see a Superclasico, don’t let it slip. You won’t regret experiencing this eternal rivalry first hand, as you watch another chapter being written into Argentine soccer folklore.

 

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