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RIVER PLATE
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Club
Atlético River Plate, known also as River Plate or simply River, is a
football team of Argentina, founded in 1901. Its home base is the
neighborhood of Nuñez, in Buenos Aires, and it plays at the Estadio
"Monumental" Antonio V. Liberti.
The club's name is the traditional English name of the river next to Buenos
Aires. It is believed that, in the club's early days, one of the founders
saw sailors in the Buenos Aires port unloading boxes, and was intrigued by
the markings on them: "The River Plate".
History
River was founded 25 May 1901, close to the La Boca neighborhood (home of
rival side Boca Juniors). The team moved to Núñez on the northern side of
the city in 1923.
In the early 1930s, the transfer of Bernabé Ferreyra involved much more
money than any transfer before it, and the club became known as los
millonarios (the millionaires).
In the 1940s, Alfredo Di Stefano and Eduardo Omar Sívori played for River
before moving on to became stars in Europe. Some River players had stints in
the Colombian league when it was the world's wealthiest.
River's attractive, offensive playing style earned it the nickname la
máquina (the machine). The names of its five forwards (Muñoz, Moreno,
Pedernera, Labruna, Lusteau) are known by heart by most Argentine fans.
Between 1952 and 1957, River won five out of six league titles, and then 18-year
drought ensued. River returned to form in 1975 and had a string of
championship titles under coach Angel Labruna with players like Daniel
Passarella and Norberto Osvaldo Alonso.
In 1986, River won its first Libertadores cup. A new generation of home-grown
players led by Claudio Caniggia went on to achieve success both in River and
abroad.
River Plate has won 32 Argentine professional championships, as well as the
Intercontinental Cup in 1986, the Copa Libertadores twice (1986 and 1996),
the Copa Interamericana in 1987, and the Supercopa in 1997.
Being the two biggest and more important football clubs in Argentina, and
due to the rivalry between them, the Boca-River Superclásico is considered
one of the most thrilling derbies in the world. See: BBC news - on famous
world derbies.
River's current president and manager is José M. Aguilar and its coach is
Leonardo Astrada.
Nicknames
River fans and the press are fond of the nickname los Millonarios (the
millionaires). This name carries from the 1930s. In 1979-1981, the River
squad was reputed to be amongst the most expensive in the world.
Fans of rival clubs call River gallinas (literally hens, but more akin to
chicken) because of River players' alleged fear of physical engagement, and
also because of the perception that River supporters are fair-weather fans
who desert the team in bad times and only cheer when victory is certain.
Due to the red band in their jersey, it is also common to refer to River as
el equipo de la banda roja (the team with the red band) or simply la banda (which
also means the gang).
Some famous River teams earned nicknames, notably La Máquina (the machine),
the team that astonished Argentine football between 1941 and 1945.
Stadium
The Antonio V. Liberti stadium (known as el Monumental) is located in the
Nuñez neighborhood of Buenos Aires. It has room for approximately 57,900
people, and was renovated for the 1978 World Cup (the opening and final
matches were both held in the Monumental, which had a capacity of 78,000 at
the time because some sections were standing-room).
The stadium complex also has facilities for tennis, basketball, and other
sports, as well as living quarters for young footballers, a theatre hall,
etc. It can be accessed by several train and bus lines, as it is located
within walking distance from the Barrancas de Belgrano transportation hub.
Contrary to most other stadiums in the Buenos Aires area, there is a sizable
parking lot near the stadium.
List of famous players
Bernabé Ferreyra
Alfredo Di Stefano
Eduardo Omar Sivori
José Manuel Moreno
Zárate
Muñoz
Adolfo Pedernera
Amadeo Labruna
Félix Lusteau
Amadeo Carrizo
Ermindo Onega
Daniel Onega
Oscar Mas (Pinino)
Norberto Osvaldo Alonso (Beto)
Juan José López (Jota Jota)
Ubaldo Matildo Fillol (el Pato)
Carlos Manuel Morete (el Puma)
Alejandro Sabella
Pedro Alexis González
Reinaldo Carlos Merlo (Mostaza)
Daniel Passarella (el Káiser)
Héctor Artico
Américo Rubén Gallego (Tolo)
Juan Ramón Carrasco
Ramón Díaz (el Pelado)
Oscar Alfredo Ruggeri (el Cabezón)
Nery Alberto Pumpido
Enzo Francescoli (el Príncipe)
Antonio Alzamendi (la Hormiga)
Claudio Morressi
Juan Gilberto Funes (el Búfalo)
Héctor Enrique
Claudio Paul Caniggia (el Pájaro)
Norberto Gorosito
Pedro Troglio
Sergio Goycochea
Eduardo Berizzo
Leonardo Astrada
Roberto Ayala
Ariel Ortega (el Burrito)
Marcelo Gallardo
Hernán Crespo
Celso Ayala
Marcelo Salas (el Matador)
Juan Pablo Angel
Julio Cruz (el Jardinero)
Santiago Solari
Javier Pedro Saviola (el Pibito)
Eduardo Coudet (Chacho)
Pablo Aimar (el Payaso)
Andrés D'Alessandro
Fernando Cavenaghi
Javier Mascherano
Luis González (Lucho)
Germán Lux |
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