Footy (soccer) on vacation in Argentina post.

So if you know me, then you know that I am pretty much absorbed by sports in general and soccer in particular.  Thus when we decided to go to Argentina the first thing I did was look up the soccer schedule for Argentina.
To my eternal delight I noticed that Boca Juniors were playing at home on the first Sunday of our visit.  They are reputed to have maybe the most passionate fan base in the world and Boca's stadium, La Bombonera, is on every list of the most famous stadiums in the world.  Argentina won the World Cup in 1978 here.

But unfortunately procuring tickets became a problem.  The first thing we did upon check in was talk to the concierge about tickets, he was a big football fan but informed us that he was already looking for tickets for the game for other guests and we would be ‘on the list’.

We arrived on Friday and the match was Sunday, so I made it my purpose to ask everyone we came in contact with if they knew where I could get tickets.  It turns out that this game was the game that with a win Boca Juniors would seal the title for the year.  Tickets were literally impossible.

Not to be deterred as I firmly believe that with cash in hand you can get tickets to ANYTHING.  So Sunday at around 3 PM we hopped in a cab to the Boca district with the intention of finding tickets for the 7 PM kickoff and doing some pre-game festivities with the fans.  Now realize that Boca is no really in the best part of Buenos Aires.  In fact, it is widely accepted as the most dangerous area although there are a few very famous tourist streets that are safe during the day.  The cab driver initially thought he was taking us there, no problems.  But when he heard we were trying to get out and intended on finding tickets to the game and doing the pre-game, he literally refused to let us out of the cab.  It was too dangerous.  As Paty was laughing at me and giving me the full ‘I told you so’ treatment, that is the moment the dream died.

We watched the game on TV, the atmosphere was at the stadium was impossible to describe.  Boca won the title and the streets were packed all night with revelers.

Next stop, Mendoza and Goody Cruz.  Also in Argentina’s first division.  We arrived via the 13 hour overnight bus ride to Mendoza on Wednesday and the game was that night.  Goody Cruz needed one win in the last two game to qualify for next year’s Copa Libertadores, the South American version of the Champions League.  So even though it was then end of the season, the game had some meaning.  Here’s me at halftime holding up the imaginary scarf that apparently is not part of Argentina soccer.  I did get a goofy hat though.

Halftime, fake scarf and goofy hat.

As you can see, the attendance was pretty sparse.  It was reported to be 14,000.  With the majority in the supporters section pictured below.  The TIFO stays up the entire game like that.  And while this was still a bit of a sparse crowd, the supporters were still extremely active. 

Those banners stay up the entire time, good supporters section.

Two tickets in the best part of the stadium cost 125 ARG pesos, about $29.  Why it was an odd number was a mystery, but it seemed that men and women tickets had separate pricing.  It’s too bad that the pictures were at night as the stadium is in a beautiful setting.  There is a huge urban park situated above Mendoza and the stadium is about at the top of the park.  Behind the stand pictured above are the Andes foothills.  The sight is immensely impressive.

For this game alone, we counted at least 30 police officers in full riot gear, five with police dogs.  You can see them behind the screens shielded from the fans.  While there was no violence, it was a common occurrence for fans to throw things towards the pitch.  Many times they would hit those screens, mainly with plastic Coke bottles or some type of streamer that would string out and die about 10 yards from the field.  The entire field was surrounded by a moat between the fans and the pitch.  Yes a moat, not a typo.

That ends our Argentina soccer experience.  It was definitely unique.  I am still disappointed that I missed the Boca game and particularly La Bombonera, but at times discretion is the better part of valor.