Boca Juniors Fans

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Lore & Background

The club was founded on 3 April 1905 by a group of boys, sons of Italian immigrants from Genoa, meeting at Esteban Baglietto's house. Irish immigrant Patrick McCarthy taught the fundamentals of football to local youths, including future founder Baglietto, and was asked to be the club's first manager. In 1925, Boca made its first trip to Europe, playing 19 games and winning 15, for which the Argentine Football Association declared Boca 'Campeón de Honor'.

In Their Own Story

On May 25, 1940, the club's current stadium opened its doors after being built under Engineer José L. Delpini since 1938. The structure earned the nickname La Bombonera ('The Chocolate Box') in 1953 when a third level was added. Fans, known as La 12, are famous for making the stadium vibrate; specifically, the unique vertical side sways slightly when they jump in rhythm. This phenomenon gave rise to the phrase: 'La Bombonera no tiembla. Late' (The Bombonera does not tremble. It beats).

Reader's Guide

Boca Juniors has won 74 official titles, the most by any Argentine club, including 35 Primera División championships and 17 domestic cups. Internationally, it has won 22 major titles, with 18 organised by CONMEBOL. The club's home stadium is the Estadio Alberto J. Armando, known as La Bombonera. Its fierce rivalry with River Plate is called the Superclásico.

Did You Know?

• Boca Juniors was named by the IFFHS as the top South American club of the first decade of the 21st century (2001–2010).
• The club's colors, yellow and blue, are said to come from the flag of a Swedish ship that sailed into port at La Boca.
• As of January 2023, Boca Juniors ranked first among Argentine clubs with 315,879 members.