Boca Juniors

Yesterday was a day of music. It started with hymns at the Anglican Cathedral (more on that shortly) and ended with 3 hours of being serenaded by some of the most passionate fans in world football!

I’ve never before experienced an atmosphere like the one last night at La Bombonera. The ultras were already in good voice as we arrived at the stadium an hour before kick-off (rare for me!), and were still going as we descended the cavernous flights of stairs at full time.

The fixture was only announced a week ago, as it was a last-16 game for the end of season playoffs in Argentina’s rather complicated league structure. I was very excited to be able to get to a game at one of Buenos Aires’ iconic arenas while in the city, and had a great experience with the agency Homefans.

Our host, Chan, a Boca devotee, picked us up and took us for a pre-match pint, over which our group of Brits and Americans enthusiastically shared sporting anecdotes, much as you’d expect on such an occasion!

Chan then helped us navigate the crowds and entry checks to reach our vantage point high in the steeply banked stadium.

And so to the music. It was like being in a 57,000-strong choir. Some sections sang the whole time; others, like ours, just joined in when the chants reached a crescendo. And they were songs not chants really, much more so than back home, and they certainly sounded more melodious! The main anthem, which has been in my head since, had its first outing after the fireworks (I wasn’t quick enough to film these) before kick-off:

As the fans worked through their songbook, various banners appeared then disappeared, celebrating club greats and the fans themselves: “Jugador no.12”, the 12th man.

Then, after a moment’s silence (which only the players and officials seemed to be observing), the action began on the pitch. Talleres had the best of the game for the first half hour and the fans were getting a bit restless, with whistles sometimes interrupting the otherwise constant singing from the ultras. Then this happened:

The seating was a bit of a free-for-all and, as the regulars claimed their preferred spots, I’d had to move to the one place I could find a free seat. The fact Boca scored while I was filming brought me to the attention of the fans now sitting around me, and suddenly I had a bunch of new friends! They seemed genuinely excited that this stray Englishman was in their section, were entertained by my attempts at joining in the chants, and humoured me by letting me show them my Watford FC photo reel…

At half time, tunnels appeared to get the opposition and officials safely off the pitch. The Boca players could just walk directly off!

Just before half time, Boca saved a penalty, and just after they went 2-0 up, ending the game as a contest. I was perfectly content listening to the fans though, and reflecting on how much I’ve come to love the people here.

I felt a similar way at the cathedral in the morning, when our singing was directed to an even more worthy recipient! The service was in Spanish, but I more or less managed to follow it with the help of some attentive members of the congregation (one of whom kindly gave me and some Canadians a live translation of the sermon).

It was a real joy to worship with the friendly church community there – in Spanish, even though my pronunciation left a lot to be desired…

As my month in South America comes to an end, there’s a lot I’m going to miss. Presenting myself as “Felipe” and managing some level of communication with non-English speakers is certainly one of them. The genuineness and warmth of the people are what have marked me the most though, and will form my indelible memory of my time here.