The 121 years of River Plate: the 5 most remembered champion teams

The River Plate from Marcelo Gallardo entered, for a long time, in the list of the best teams in the history of the Núñez institution, which celebrates 121 years since its foundation, the May 25, 1901. the champion of the Copa Libertadores 2015 and the one who defeated his classic rival, Boca Juniorson the final of Madrid 2018 They are some of the most remembered campuses of the successful Muñeco cycle, which has been going on for eight years and counting.

However, the glorious and long history of the club makes it difficult, if not impossible, to choose the best team of all time. Machine of the 1940s, the world champion 1986the undefeated from 1994 and the multi-champion Ramon Diaz they are other of the most remembered and that enter the discussion for the maximum recognition.

The 5 most remembered River Plate teams: The Machine

Machine not only considered as one of the best teams in the history of River Plate, but also Argentine football. Its innovative and offensive game system, described by many as “Total soccer”, is even taken as the predecessor of the remembered Mechanical orangea name given to the Netherlands national team who disputed the World Cup in Germany 1974.

The nickname refers especially to the forward of that squad, which several can recite by heart: Juan Carlos Munoz, Jose Manuel Moreno, Adolfo Pedernera, Angel Labruna and Felix Lousteau. The first time that the five shared the field was on June 28, 1942, in the 1-0 victory against Platense in the Monumental. It was the birth of a myth. That year, they won the First Division tournament two dates before the end and They did the Olympic lap in the Bombonera for the first time.

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Those five strikers were on the pitch together just 18 times between 1943 and 1946, during which time they recorded 11 wins, four draws and three losses. In addition, they never coincided in a Superclásico against Boca. However, his legacy was eternal and represented a revolution in Argentine football.

The 5 most remembered River Plate teams: world champion 1986

After winning the First Division tournament in the 1985-1986 season and being crowned in the Copa Libertadores de América, after winning 3-1 on aggregate against America of Cali, River Plate world champion was proclaimed and thus closed the most fruitful year in its history.

Con Hector “Bambino” Veira as technical director, Núñez’s club got its first, and until now only, Intercontinental Cup, which later mutated into the Club World Cup. He did it after winning 1-0 with a goal from Antonio Alzamendi against Bucharest Stara Romanian institution that had just won the European Cup (now Champions League) after beating FC Barcelona in the final.

That December 14, 1986, The 11 players who took the field in Tokyo were: Nery Pumpido; Jorge Gordillo, Nelson Gutierrez, Oscar Ruggeri, Alejandro Montenegro; Héctor Enrique, Américo Gallego, Norberto Alonso, Raúl Roque Alfaro; Alzamendi and Juan Gilberto Funes.

The 5 most remembered River Plate teams: undefeated champion 1994

On December 18, 1994, River equalized 1-1 against Vélez in the Monumental and obtained the Opening Tournament 1994 without losing any match. It was the first time, and so far the only time, that it was proclaimed undefeated champion in a local championship. Specifically, there were 12 wins and seven draws.

Enzo Francescoliwho had returned to Núñez in the middle of that year, was the top gunner of that championship, with 12 goals. In the team led by Americo “Fool” Gallego figures of the stature of Ariel Ortega, Germán Burgos, Roberto Ayala, Hernán Díaz, Sergio Berti and Marcelo Gallardo, among others, also stood out.

As if that were not enough, the Millionaire had the luxury of beat his greatest rival, Boca Juniors, in La Bombonera. It was on date 18, with goals from Francescoli, Ortega and Gallardo. The Xeneize coach was Cesar Luis Menotti.

The 5 most remembered River Plate teams: Ramón Díaz’s multi-champion

Like Marcelo Gallardo, Ramón Díaz got a almost immediate success on your first experience as technical director of River Plate. In his first cycle, which lasted between 1995 and 2000, he managed five local and two international titles.

From that first step through Núñez, he achieved complete control of the local and international level for two years: he was three-time Argentine soccer champion (Apertura 1996, Clausura 1997 and Apertura 1997) and won the 1996 Copa Libertadores and the 1997 Super Cup. The only thing missing was the Intercontinental Cup, which escaped him when he lost in Japan by the slightest difference against the Juventus from Zinedine Zidane and Alessandro Del Pieroauthor of the only goal of the match.

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Between the main figures River champion of America stood out Ariel Ortega, Hernán Crespo, Enzo Francescoli, Marcelo Gallardo, Juan Pablo Sorín and Germán Burgos, among others.

The 5 most remembered River Plate teams: Libertadores 2018 against Boca Juniors in Madrid

The December 9, 2018River Plate obtained what for many is the most important title in its historyeven above the 1986 Intercontinental Cup. That night, Marcelo Gallardo’s team beat Boca Juniors in the second leg of the Copa Libertadores finalwhich was played at the Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid, after the commitment at the Monumental was suspended due to the stones that Núñez fans threw against the bus in which the Xeneize players were traveling.

With goals from Lucas Pratto, Juan Ferdinand Quintero and Gonzalo MartinezRiver reversed the 1-0 that Darío Benedetto had converted and, thanks to the 2-2 draw in the first leg at La Bombonera, they were crowned champions of the highest-ranking continental competition at club level, nothing more and nothing less than against their classic rival.

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Los holders at the Real Madrid stadium they were: Franco Armani; Gonzalo Montiel, Javier Pinola, Jonatan Maidana, Milton Casco; Leonardo Ponzio, Enzo Pérez, Ignacio Fernández, Exequiel Palacios; Pity Martinez and Pratto. Camilo Mayada, Quintero, Bruno Zuculini and Julián Álvarez entered from the substitute bench.