Sport
The greatest Boca Juniors XI in history
There are very few South American sides who can match the success that Boca Juniors have enjoyed. Throughout their illustrious existence, Boca have won every trophy they could earn including the Argentine Primera Division, Copa Libertadores and the Intercontinental Cup. This success has been repeated decade after decade with a list of exciting prodigies and established legends driving their team forward. With successes ranging from the 1920s to the present day, there are dozens of legends that have graced La Bombonera time after time. But just who has been most successful to make it into the greatest Boca Juniors XI in history?
GK: Hugo Gatti
You will be hard pressed to find a more experienced professional than Hugo Gatti. Gatti had enjoyed plenty of success with both River Plate & Gimnasia La Plata during his career but he is still best remembered for his time with Boca Juniors. Gatti was a livewire on the pitch and in all forms of play. This included pulling off unorthodox saves and pushing forward to help dictate the outfield temp. After joining Boca in 1976, Gatti enjoyed almost immediate success with the club. This included iconic consecutive wins in the 1977 & 1978 Copa Libertadores as well as the 1977 Intercontinental Cup. Gatti’s best achievement arguably came in 1982 where he was named Argentine Footballer of the Year despite Boca not winning any trophies that season. Gatti eventually retired in 1988 with Boca at the age of 44. Upon his retirement, Gatti had played 765 Primera Division games – an all-time record that stands to this very day.
RB: Hugo Ibarra
Hugo Ibarra may not be Boca’s most legendary name but he was a player who knew how to enjoy success with the club. The right-back enjoyed two spells with Boca – first from 1998-2001 before re-joining from 2005-2010. However, Ibarra was always a playing presence and a consistent performer no matter who he played against. It was why he won no less than 11 trophies with the club. This trophy haul includes 5 Primera Division titles and an impressive 4 Copa Libertadores titles. Having played considerable roles in all of these games, Ibarra can rest easy knowing he helped propel Boca into the new century with plenty of success.
LB: Silvio Marzolini
Throughout the 1960s, you would be hard-pressed to find a better left-back than Silvio Marzolini. A regular leader for both Boca Juniors and Argentina, Marzolini’s positional awareness and excellent tackling was able to shut down the very best stars of that era. He spent almost his entire career with Boca playing 387 games for the club from 1960-1972. During this time, he was part of a team that won 5 Primera Division titles including consecutive wins in 1964 and 1965. Marzolini was also named in the 1966 World Cup All-Star XI underlining his quality in all areas of the game. After retiring in 1972, he would return to the club as a manager in the 1980s where he helped them win the 1981 Metropolitano section of the Primera Division. A club legend in all aspects of his career
CB: Walter Samuel
Walter Samuel is very much known for his successful time in Europe but he had already shown this aplenty with Boca Juniors. A key part of Boca’s backline in the late 1990s, Samuel showcased that he was almost impossible for any striker to get past. His no-nonsense approach and ability to snuff out attacks helped Boca become a true force in South America. This was highlighted by Samuel winning 2 Primera Division titles as well as the 2000 Copa Libertadores title when he was at the club. Furthermore, Samuel was named in the South American Team of the Year in 1999 drawing eyes from many top European clubs. This would bring a move to Europe in 2000 when he left to join Roma and begin a successful European adventure.
CB: Roberto Mouzo
There are fewer faces more fondly remembered at La Bombanera than Roberto Mouzo. One of the iconic stars of the 1970s and 1980s, Mouzo helped turn Boca into the global juggernaut we know them as today. Much of Mouzo’s success came through to his tough demeanour and defensive awareness. It was why he was one of the key lynchpins in a Boca side that won 2 Copa Libertadores titles as well as 3 Primera Division titles. Mouzo’s consistency led to him making a total of 426 appearances for the club over a 13-year spell. This is as all-time record for appearances with the club and one that stood to this very day underlining his legendary status at the club.
CM: Ruben Sune
At the heart of Boca’s success in the 1970s, Ruben Sune was the leader to inspire his team to win as many trophies as possible. Sune was a technically gifted player on the ball able to make accurate passes and score iconic set-pieces. This included an iconic free kick against River Plate to help them win the 1976 Primera Division at the expense of their arch rivals. Sune also wore the armband when they won both Copa Libertadores finals in 1977 & 1978 and also beat Borussia Monchengladbach in the 1977 Intercontinental Cup. With 9 titles won during his time with the armband, it’s no wonder what Sune is still seen as one of the club greatest leaders to this very day.
CM: Ernesto Lazzatti
One of the original stars of Boca Juniors, Ernesto Lazzatti was a midfielder who could be relied upon to always get the job done. A tireless professional, Lazzatti’s touch and skill on the ball saw him as the heartbeat that made the side tick along for much of the 1930s and 1940s. He was a key component in a Boca side that won 5 national titles between 1934 and 1944 and was always a favourite with teammates and fans aside. Lazzatti retired in 1948 with the impeccable record of never being sent off in a professional career that spanned over 500 games. He would alter find success as a manager with Boca in the 1950s helping win the 1954 Primera Division when coaching the side. A true legend who resonates with fans to this very day.
CM: Juan Roman Riquelme
If you think of technical masters on the ball in recent years, Juan Roman Riquelme is often near the top of the list. Riquelme could strike and bend a ball so cleanly that it would leave opponents dumbfounded. This was particularly true with his free kicks that could always find the net from any angle or distance. Despite a short stint in Spanish football with Barcelona and Villarreal, Riquelme spent the majority of his career with Boca. His abilities as a playmaker made him a nightmare for defenders to deal with and he proved this both in the late 1990s as well as throughout the 2010s. It was why Riquelme won a boat load of trophies with Boca including 5 Primera Division titles and 3 Copa Libertadores trophies. His consistent skilful efforts saw Riquelme named Argentine Footballer of the Year on 4 different occasions as well as 2001 South American Footballer of the Year. His exploits with Boca also Riquelme named in the all-time Copa Libertadores XI underlining just how influential he has been throughout his career.
FW: Roberto Cherro
At a time when football was still establishing itself around the world, Roberto Cherro was making a claim as one of Argentina’s first super strikers. Cherro was a part of Boca’s early stranglehold on Argentine football helping them win several league titles throughout the 1920s and 1930s. His ability to regularly score with ease made him a class above the rest. This was reflected in Boca’s 1930 league triumph where Cherro scored a staggering 37 goals that season. This consistency over 12 years at the club saw Cherro score 221 goals in 305 games which would be a club record that stood well into the 2000s.
FW: Martin Palermo
Despite a lacklustre spell in Europe, Martin Palermo was an absolute monster when he played in Argentina. Indeed, Palermo’s form with Boca was at times as deadly as what the likes of Messi and Ronaldo achieved at their peak. Palermo’s all-around game including excellent finishing, coolness under pressure and a strong aerial presence showed why he was a star striker. During his second spell with Boca in the 2000s, Palermo averaged 25 goals a season with a best output of 32 goals in 49 games during the 2007-08 season. It was why he won 11 titles with the club and a host of individual accolades. This included two Primera Division Golden Boot awards and being listed as Argentina’s domestic player of the decade for the 2000s. Furthermore, his 236 goals for the club is an all-time record and one that looks set to stand for decades to come.
FW: Francisco Varallo
Known as “Pancho” to many in the footballing world, Francisco Varallo was one of the original superstars of football as we know it today. Most of Varallo’s success came with Boca throughout the 1930s where he was a true predator in the box. This came with outstanding success including an incredible 34 goals during the 1933 season. His scoring rate was one that no-one could match scoring 194 goals in just 222 games highlighting his innovative style at the time. It has seen Varallo earn a bunch of awards later in his life included being awarded the FIFA Order of Merit in 1994 and the CONMEBOL Order of Merit in 2006. All this goes to show just what impact Pancho made during his career and how it inspired countless generations since he hung up his boots.
