River Plate

River Plate

EscudoRiverPlate.png

Full name Club Atlético River Plate

Nickname(s) Los Millonarios (The Millionaires)

La Banda (The Strip)

El Campeón del Siglo XX (The Champion of the 20th Century)[1]

Founded 25 May 1901; 113 years ago

Ground Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti,

Belgrano, Buenos Aires

Capacity 66,145[2]

President Rodolfo D'Onofrio

Manager Marcelo Gallardo

League Primera División

2014 Final 1st (Champions)

Website Club home page

Home colours

Away colours

Current season

Club Atlético River Plate is a professional Argentine sports club based in the Nuñez neighborhood of Buenos Aires. Although many sports are practised at the club, River is best known for its professional football team, which has won many of the most important tournaments in the world, including Copa Libertadores, and Intercontinental Cup.

River is the most successful football team of Argentina, having won the Primera División professional title a record 36 times.[3][4][5][6] River's latest domestic title at the top division was the 2014 Final. Other domestic competitions won by River Plate were defuncts trophies Copa Dr. Carlos Ibarguren (four times)[7] and Copa Adrián C. Escobar (once).[8]

In addition, the club's international titles include two Copa Libertadores (both against the same rival, America de Cali of Colombia), one Intercontinental Cup, one Supercopa Sudamericana, one Copa Interamericana and one U-20 Copa Libertadores, apart from seven tournaments organized by AFA and AUF together: six Copa Dr. Ricardo Aldao,[9] and one Tie Cup.[10] River's success in the 1990s led IFFHS to name it ninth in its All-Time Club World Ranking (and first in the Americas).[11] In 2011, River became the most successful Argentine club to have been relegated to the second division.

In 2010, the International Federation of Football History and Statistics placed River Plate in the 9th. place in a ranking that included the best teams of the world during the 1990 and 2000 decades. River was the South American club with the best position in the table.[12]

The club was officially founded in 1901 and took its name from the common English name for the Río de la Plata. River has a fierce rivalry with Boca Juniors. Matches between them are known as Superclásico, and the two teams' rivalry is amongst the most heated in the sport, due to their local and global popularity. River's home stadium is Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti, known simply as "El Monumental", which is the largest stadium in the country.

Contents [hide]

1 History

1.1 The beginning

1.2 Amateur era

1.2.1 1908–30

1.3 Professional era

1.3.1 1931–39: "Los Millonarios"

1.3.2 1940s: "La Máquina"

1.3.3 1950s: First treble

1.3.4 The 1960s: a decade without titles

1.3.5 1970s: Return to greatness

1.3.6 1980s: First Copa Libertadores

1.3.7 Decade of 1990s: the success continues

1.3.8 Decade of 2000s: ups and downs

1.3.9 Decade of 2010s: Starting all over

2 Uniform

2.1 Evolution

2.2 Rare kits

2.3 Sponsors and manufacturers

3 Rivalry

4 Club nicknames

5 Stadium

6 Players

6.1 Current squad

6.2 Out on loan

6.3 Top goalscorers

6.4 Most appearances

6.5 Player gallery

7 Notable managers

8 Honours

8.1 Domestic

8.2 International

8.2.1 International youth

9 Other sports

10 See also

11 Notes

12 References

13 External links

History[edit]

The beginning[edit]

Leopoldo Bard, founder and first president.

River Plate was founded on 25 May 1901, close to the La Boca neighborhood (later the home of fierce rivals Boca Juniors). The institution was formed since the merge of two clubs, "Santa Rosa" and "La Rosales", with elected Leopoldo Bard being elected as its first president. The name was chosen because of an incident during the construction of Buenos Aires Port: one of the members had seen how the workers of Dique 3 left their duties for a while to play a football match. The boxes they were working with just said "The River Plate" (the name the English gave to the Río de la Plata) and that 'enigmatic' inscription was taken to name the new club.

River Plate affiliated to Argentine Football Association in 1905 and debuted in the third division against Facultad de Medicina. The team played many matches (including one of its worst defeats ever at the hands of Gimnasia y Esgrima de La Plata: 1–10) before promoting to the second division.

Amateur era[edit]

1908–30[edit]

The team that achieved the promotion to first division in 1908.

River Plate remained in the second division from 1906 to 1908. On 13 December 1908, the team promoted to first division after beating Racing Club 2–1. However, the match was declared null due to River supporters jumping onto the field to celebrate with the players, so a new match had to be played, River winning again (7–0) and achieving its promotion.

River in 1920, the only championship won in Amateur era.

River debuted in the first division on 2 May 1909, against Argentino de Quilmes. Some highlights of that season was a 1–0 victory over legendary Alumni and another big defeat 1–10 against Belgrano Athletic.

River only won 1 title during the Amateur era in Argentine football, in 1920. River still had its stadium along the Riachuelo and the jersey in red, white and black vertical stripes. In 1923 River moved to Palermo neighborhood, over Avenida Alvear.

River's best campaigns in the rest of the amateurism were in 1921 and 1922, where the squad finished 2nd.

Professional era[edit]

1931–39: "Los Millonarios"[edit]

The 1932 team that won its first title in the professional era.

With the establishment of the professionalism in 1931, River Plate acquired right wing Carlos Peucelle in 1931 for $10,000 and Bernabé Ferreyra for $35,000 (huge amounts of money in those years) in 1932. Because of that, River was nicknamed "Los Millonarios" ("The Millionaries"), which has remained since. Ferreyra was the top scorer with 43 goals. River and Independiente finished in the first position so both teams had to have a play-off match in order to declare a champion.

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