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 Vespucio 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 first to Palermo (On Today's place of Buenos Aires public TV Broadcaster ATC) and then 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

See main article Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti

The Monumental, is the team's home stadium in the Nuñez neighborhood of Buenos Aires. It has a capacity of 65,645 people.

List of famous players

Note: The Players marked '(c)' have also coached the team

Early Days and La Máquina

• Bernabé Ferreyra
• Alfredo Di Stefano (c)
• Enrique Omar Sivori
• José Manuel Moreno
• Zárate
• Muñoz
• Adolfo Pedernera
• Amadeo Labruna (c)
• Félix Lusteau
• Amadeo Carrizo

1960s and 1970s

• 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) (c)
• Daniel Passarella (el Káiser) (c)
• Héctor Artico
• Américo Rubén Gallego (Tolo) (c)
• Juan Ramón Carrasco

1980s and early 1990s

• Ramón Díaz (el Pelado) (c)
• 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 (c)
• Roberto Ayala
• Ariel Ortega (el Burrito)
• Marcelo Gallardo (el Muñeco)
• Hernán Crespo

Late 1990s to date

• 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

External link

• Official site (in Spanish and English)