In the history of Argentine football, few teams are as well known or have had as much success as River Plate, who boast that they are “el más grande” on the collar of their shirts. With 33 championship titles, it would be hard to disagree with such a statement. They have been in poor form for quite a while however, they were relegated on Sunday night after losing a playoff against Belgrano of Córdoba. Fans have reacted angrily, with some breaking the fences at last Wednesday's first leg to push and gesticulate at the players, causing the delay of the game for over twenty minutes. Others turned up at the team's hotel after the game demanding to speak to the players and coaching staff, and the board of directors themselves were attacked while trying to check into a hotel in Córdoba1, as well as rioting throughout Buenos Aires on Sunday evening. River Plate have been in the top flight of the national championship since they began, and relegation seemed almost implausible to their following. The reason for the fan's anger is the disintegration of that legacy, which reaches back to the club's founding in 1901, as long and prestigious a history as a club can hope to garner in world football, verging at times on the mythical.
It was of course, with myth that much of the histroy of the Río de la Plata region began. The basin and river are the most densely populated areas in both Uruguay and Argentina, and boast two of the world's capital cities: Montevideo and Buenos Aires. From the sixteenth century, the area attained a folkloric status as being the home to vast amounts of silver, giving it the name which it now holds, after Sebastiano Caboto was able to trade for silver trinkets with the Guaraní while he explored the basin. Eager conquistadores who heard tales of a new Eden, or mountains of pure silver and lost cities of gold saw Latin America as a place where such legends could exist, and the continent itself has juxtaposed, since its conquest, the new and the old in which the promise of a myth-turned-reality is housed. The eventual foundation of Buenos Aires in 1580 (on the second attempt), brought a real city to the “New World”, and, after the eventual unification of Argentina under Rosas, that city became the capital. By the nineteenth century, immigration rose as Europeans flocked to the great capital of Argentina, which was seen as a metropolis of such stature that only Paris was comparable. With the building of the Argentine rail network, the British influence on Argentine life began to be felt, and it is no coincidence that the games of rugby, polo, and football are popular in Argentina. The first football game took place in 1867, amongst mostly British citizens. Football went from strength to strength in Argentina, with the amateur era leading to the popularization of football, and a surge in the founding of clubs, amongst them River Plate (with their English name), in 1901.
River were founded in the neighbourhood of Boca by the workers of the Wilson coalyard, who had decided to form a football team. The name was taken from the containers which were shipped in and out of the coalyard on a daily basis, and they eventually merged with La Rosales to found the club as it is known today. The early years of amateur football in Argentina were dominated by British workers in the form of Alumni, made up of students of the Buenos Aires English High School. When they disbanded in 1911, it was Racing who took up the mantle, winning seven consecutive championship titles. It wasn't until the arrival of full professionalism in the 1930s when River began to shine, and also garnered their nickname millonarios or millionaires. With the expensive signings of Carlos Peucelle and Bernabé Ferreyra, River Plate were to change the history of Argentine football. Ferreyra's fee was around £23,000 at the time, which works out at around £6-8 million in today's money2. He turned out to be worth every penny, scoring 43 goals in 34 games in the 1932 season, and finished his career with more goals scored than games played. In that same year, they finished level on top with Independiente, and won the playoff 3-0, claiming their first professional championship. In 1938, another historic moment in River's history took place, as they moved to El Monumental stadium, which has become an iconic image in Argentine culture, even appearing in the famous graphic novel by Hector Germán Oesterheld El Eternauta.
The scenes after last night's relegation were as apocalyptic for River fans as Oesterheld's vision from 1957, and the aftermath had the air of life imitating art, as can be seen in Olé's coverage of the events3.
From its inauguration on 26th of May that year, el Monumental was to be home to a constant flow of success for River. By the 1940s, River had constructed a team of renown, still remembered to this day: La Máquina. Juan Carlos Muñoz, Adolfo Pedernera, D'Alessandro, Ángel Labruna (who still sits atop the all time goalscoring charts in the Argentine league), Félix Loustau and Aristóbulo Deambrossi were some of the players who formed that historic team, famed for their passing and movement which caused defenders nightmares, and who form a large part of the mythical history of the Buenos Aires club. The title in 1942 was claimed in La Bombonera, as sweet a victory as River could ask for, coming back from two goals down to claim the title against their arch rival. 1947 was another year which stood out, with Alfredo Di Stéfano leading an attack which scored 90 goals in a mere 30 matches, and the legendary goalkeeper Amadeo Carrizo leading a defence which helped River win another title. That level of success continued into the 1950s, even with players moving to European giants and to Columbia, where a burgeoning league was able to pay high wages. River won 6 titles in that decade, as well as winning their first tricampeonato between 1955-57. in 1958, River also had 9 players in the national team's Starting XI, a record of representatives for one club.
River's success dried up shortly afterwards, and for 18 years they went without silverware, a period which, until Sunday, would have marked their lowest ebb. In 1968 they came close, but were denied by the hand of Luis Gallo of Vélez, who blocked the ball of his line with minutes remaining. River were not to win again until the 1970s, and once again Ángel Labruna was the saviour of Los Millonarios, this time, however, as coach.
The emergence of more stars in River's illustrious history was to help them to a renewed period of success under his stewardship, with Norberto “Beto” Alonso and Ulbaldo Filiol leading the team, and players such as current manager Juan José “J. J.” López and current president Daniel Pasarella coming through the youth ranks to become titulares. Between 1975-79, River won four Metropolitanos and two Nacional tournaments, including doing the double in 1975 and again in 1979.
In 1983, the signing of Enzo Francescoli began a process of rejuvination which was to bring about arguably the greatest period in the history of River. By 1985, River were champions again, losing only three games on their way to the 1985/86 league title. The return of Alonso (who was sold to Vélez after a falling out with the legendary Alfredo Di Stéfano, who had been manager until '82) and the addition of Oscar Ruggeri, amongst others, led the team to their first Copa Libertadores glory, although Francescoli had left for France before the victory in 1986. That same year, River also won the Intercontinental Cup. It would be ten years before the club won the Libertadores again in 1996, this time, however, Francescoli was present (along with other famous names such as Hernán Crespo, Ariel Ortega and Juan Pablo Sorín) to help the club regain its place as the leader on the continent. River continued to win titles into the 2000s, yet the dip in form which has led to relegation began in 2008, when River finished last in the table. Managerial instability, debt problems left by the presidency of José María Aguilar to the tune of $140 million and overall instiutional difficulties have culminated in the relegation of one of the world's most historic and famous clubs.
As Veléz winning the title was overshadowed by Martín Palermo's retirement at Boca, so Córdoba's promotion has also been left aside somewhat in the tumult of events since the game was abandoned. They were deserved winners over two legs, and eventually analysis will turn to their performances and their newly-attained top flight status. The worry for fans of Argentine football is twofold however. Firstly, the seemingly endemic fan violence in the game which reared its ugly head yesterday has seen Argentina's reputation tarnished just before they host the Copa América. It should be noted that this violence is part of the club game, and doesn't spill into the international arena. The Copa América will take place in safe environments, and will be undisturbed by scenes anything like those witnessed at El Monumental. However for the benefit of the sport at the club level, this is something which should be addressed. Secondly, the biggest game of the Argentine calendar, the meeting of two old local rivals which has taken place since 1913, will be missing: The superclásico. Without it, the league will feel somewhat more empty (as will a few people's pockets), and although many Boca fans are probably smiling at the embarrassment of their neighbours, they will certainly miss the high and the excitement of a match which pits two giants of world football against one another. The instiutional and economic problems of the club reach back beyond this season, and unless these issues are resolved, it will be difficult for River to return to the top flight quickly.
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