Racing Club de Avellaneda

Origins

On 12 May 1901, a group of students of Colegio Nacional Central founded the Football Club Barracas al Sud, with Pedro Werner becoming its first president. Less than one year after the establishment, an internal conflict about what color of jersey should be adopted caused a group of members to found Colorados Unidos, due to wanting to use a red uniform. This division did not last too long, and in March 1903, both clubs agreed to merge into a new club under the same name.

The club took its name from a French car racing magazine, brought to Argentina by Germán Vidaillac (a founding partner of French ancestry). The suggestion was well received and the name "Racing Club" was immediately approved. Racing was the first football team integrally formed by criollos.

The first shirts worn by Racing were white, until 25 July 1904, when it was decided a yellow and black vertical striped jersey would be used. Nevertheless, the new jersey only lasted a week, being replaced by a design proposed by president Luis Carbone. The jersey had four squares, two light blue and two pink. This light blue and pink design would be worn until 1908, once again replaced by a design with three horizontal bars (two blue and one white). Finally, Racing adopted the light blue and white colors in 1910, in commemoration of the May Revolution's 100th anniversary that same year.

The first years in football

Racing affiliated to the Argentine Football Association in 1905, and began playing in the lower divisions of Argentine football league system.

One year later Racing competed in a playoff for a place in the Primera División, but lost to Gimnasia y Esgrima de Buenos Aires. Racing were promoted to Primera in 1910, winning the playoff final against Boca Juniors with an attendance of 4,000. The line-up that won the promotion was: Fernández; Seminario, Allan; Winne, Juan Ohaco, Angel Betular; Oyarzábal, A. Ohaco, Firpo, Frers and Juan Perinetti. Frers and Ohaco were the scorers for Racing.

"The Academy"

In 1911 they competed in the AFA Championship Cup, finishing in fourth place.

One year later, Racing won its first domestic cup, the Copa de Honor Municipalidad de Buenos Aires.

Racing won its first Primera División title in 1913, defeating San Isidro at the final in a playoff series after finishing first place, along with that team and River Plate. Racing first eliminated River Plate 3 to 0, and then played the final against San Isidro, which it defeated 2 to 0 (two goals by Ohaco).

That same year Racing won another domestic cup, the Copa Ibarguren after beating Newell's Old Boys 3 to 1 in Avellaneda. The line-up was: Muttoni; Reyes, S. Ochoa; Pepe, Betular, Olazar; J. Viazzi, Ohaco, Marcovecchio, Hospital, Juan Perinetti.

In 1914 Racing won its second league title, having scored 42 goals and only 7 received in 12 games. The runner-up was Estudiantes (BA). That same year Racing won its second consecutive Copa Ibarguren, defeating another Rosarino team, Rosario Central, by 1–0 in Buenos Aires. The line-up for the match: Arduino; Reyes, S. Ochoa; Pepe, Olazar, Betular; Canavery, Ohaco, Marcovecchio, Hospital, Juan Perinetti.

Racing became Primera División tri-championship in 1915 when the squad won its 3rd consecutive title, defeating San Isidro 1–0 at a championship playoff as they had played two years before. The game was played at arch-rival Independiente stadium and Racing line-up was: Arduino; Presta, Reyes; Betular, Olazar, Pepe; Canavery, Ohaco, Marcovecchio (who scored the only goal), Hospital, Juan Perinetti. Racing finished unbeaten, with 22 games won and 2 drew over 24, with an outstanding record of 95 goals scored with only 5 conceded. The line-up vs. San Isidro was: Arduino; Presta, Reyes; Betular, Olazar, Pepe; Canavery, Ohaco, Marcovecchio, Hospital, J. Perinetti.

Racing won the following title, the 1916 championship, totalizing 34 points in 21 games with 39 goals converted and 10 received at the end of the tournament. Platense was the runner-up with 30 points. The 5th consecutive title was in 1917 after totalizing 35 points, being River Plate the runner-up with 30 points. The team also scored the mark of 58 goals with only 4 received in 20 fixtures. In addition, the squad achieved its third Copa Ibarguren with a smashing victory over Rosario Central by 6–0 in Avellaneda. The line-up was: Arduino; Ohaco, Reyes, Viazzi Olazar, Ricardo Pepe; Canavery, Vivaldi, Marcovecchio, Hospital, Juan Perinetti.

That same year Racing won another edition of Copa Ibarguren, defeating by 2nd. consecutive time Rosario Central by 3–2 at GEBA stadium. The line-up was: Crocce; Castagnola, Reyes; Vivaldi, Olazar, Pepe; Natalio Perinetti, Ohaco, Marcovecchio, Minondo, Juan Perinetti.

One year later, Racing won its 6th. league title, remaining unbeaten after 19 games played, with 49 goals scored and 9 received. Racing also won another edition of Copa Ibarguren (5 in total) with a large victory over Newell's Old Boys by 4–0 at GEBA. The line-up: Crocce; Castagnola, Reyes; Ohaco, Marcovecchio, Macchiavello; Natalio Perinetti, Zabaleta, Vivaldo, Hospital, Juan Perinetti.

In 1919 Racing moved to the dissident league "Asociación Amateurs de Football", winning the tournament whilst remaining unbeaten again. Racing played 23 fixtures, winning its 7th. consecutive title with 26 points, 43 goals scored. River Plate finished the extraordinary sequence of Racing's 7 titles, when winning the 1920 championship. Racing was the runner-up only 2 points to River. Racing remained in the Asociación Amateurs league, where the team won the 1921 title after playing 38 matches and totalizing 66 points. Racing also scored 73 goals receiving 16.

Racing would crown champion again in 1925, totalizing 39 points in 24 matches played, with San Lorenzo being runner-up. During its first 22 years of existence, Racing won 9 Primera División championships (seven of them consecutively, which is still a record in Argentine football). Due to those extraordinary campaigns and its style of playing, the squad was nicknamed "The Academy of Argentine football", which has been adopted by its supporters as a mark of identity, still used nowadays.

To sum-up, Racing achieved a large amount of titles during the 1910s and 1920, including 7 Primera División championships, 9 national cups and 2 international titles. Some of the most notable players of those years were Alberto Ohaco, Alberto Marcovecchio, Pedro Ochoa (known as "The King of dribbling" – "El Rey de la gambeta" in Spanish, also a close friend to Carlos Gardel, who wrote the tango "Patadura" in his honour) and Natalio Perinetti.

The 1930-1940s

During those years Racing won the Copa Beccar Varela in 1932 (defeating Boca Juniors in the final) and the Copa de Competencia (LAF) one year later, thrashing San Lorenzo de Almagro by 4–0 in the final match. Despite the national cups won, Racing could not win any domestic championship during that period; its best performances were third places in 1932, 1933 and 1936. Evaristo Barrera was the top scorer with 34 goals in 1934 and 32 in 1936.

Racing didn't any domestic title during the 1940s, their best finish was 4th place in 1946 and 1948. During the 1948 tournament Racing was leading followed by Independiente and River Plate until a strike took place. Most of the dissident players went to play outside Argentina and they had to be replaced by players from the youth divisions. Moreover, points awarded to Racing were deducted from the matches against Banfield and San Lorenzo; as a result, Racing lost the chance to be champion and arch-rival Independiente finally won the title.

In 1945 Racing won the Copa de Competencia Británica defeating Boca Juniors by 4–1 in the final.

The tri-championship

In 1949, Racing won its first Primera División championship in the professional era, with Llamil Simes as the top scorer of the tournament. Racing also won the 1950 title with Simes as scorer again with 20 goals. That same year Racing inaugurated its stadium, named "Presidente Perón", defeating Vélez Sarsfield 1–0

In 1951 Racing won its third consecutive title, playing two playoff matches against Banfield, which ended 0–0 and 1–0 (goal by Mario Boyé). With this victory Racing became the first ever three-time champion in the professional era of Argentine football. The coach was Guillermo Stábile.

In 1952 Racing finished 2nd after River Plate. The team was not able to win the title despite having the least goals scored against it during the championship. After another good performance in 1953 when the team finished 3rd, Racing placed 10th in 1954, far from champion Boca Juniors.

In 1958 Racing won the Campeonato, and they were runners-up to San Lorenzo de Almagro in 1959.

During those years Racing Club had many notable players that made their contribution to the successful campaigns. Some of them were Norberto Mendez, Rubén Bravo, Llamil Simes, Mario Boyé, Alberto Rastelli, Pedro Dellacha, Ezra Sued, Manuel Blanco, Ernesto Gutiérrez, Pedro Manfredini, Arnaldo Balay, Juan José Pizzuti, Rubén Héctor Sosa and Omar Oreste Corbatta.

International success

Racing finished 4th in 1960 with a top scoring 72 goals. During this tournament Racing also achieved its largest victory in Primera División, an 11–3 against Rosario Central.

In 1961 Racing won another championship totalizing 47 points when coached by Saúl Ongaro. The team was also the highest scoring team with 68 goals. The next year, Racing finished 9th and was also eliminated from the Copa Libertadores de América in the first stage.

Racing won the First Division A title in 1966, scoring 70 goals.

In the 1967 Torneo Metropolitano Racing reached the final where the squad lost to Estudiantes de La Plata by 3–0. That same year Racing won the 1967 Copa Libertadores after beating Uruguayan team Nacional 2–1 in the final. Norberto Raffo was the top scorer with 13 goals.

At the end of the year Racing won the Intercontinental Cup defeating Celtic in a playoff game. The first match had been played at Glasgow where Racing was beaten 1–0 while La Academia won by 2–1 the second game in Buenos Aires. The playoff was played in Montevideo where Racing achieved its second continental championship winning 1–0 with a goal scored by Juan Carlos Cárdenas.

Some notable players of that time were goalkeeper Agustín Mario Cejas, Rubén Sosa, Roberto Perfumo, Alfio Basile, Norberto Raffo, Rubén Díaz, Nelson Chabay, Jaime Martinoli, Juan Carlos Cárdenas, Juan Carlos Rulli, Juan José Rodríguez, Humberto Maschio, Federico Sacchi and Oreste Corbatta.

Relegation

During the 1970s Racing did not win any title, although the team finished 2nd to San Lorenzo in the 1972 Metropolitano, with 43 points in 34 matches. That year was the debut of Ubaldo Fillol, who some regard as the best Argentine goalkeeper ever. Fillol set a record of 6 penalty shots stopped in the same season. From 1974 and 1978 Racing made poor campaigns and was near relegation in 1976 when the team finished next to last (San Telmo was finally relegated).

In 1983 Racing was relegated to the Primera B. The first year in the second division, Racing finished second behind Deportivo Español and so had to play a promotion playoff, where Racing eliminated Deportivo Morón and Lanús but lost to Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP) in the finals (1–3 and 2–4).

One year later, after two seasons in the second division, Racing returned to the top division in 1985 after winning a playoff for the second promotion place against Atlanta; Racing won 4–0 the first game and the second match finished 1–1.

Return to international success

Racing won its third international competition in 1988, when the team won the first edition of the 1988 Supercopa Sudamericana, defeating Brazilian team Cruzeiro in the finals, with Alfio Basile still as coach. That same year Racing won the Supercopa Interamericana beating Sportivo Herediano from Costa Rica 3–0.

Racing also played another Supercopa final and was defeated by Cruzeiro 4–0 in Belo Horizonte. Racing won the 2nd match 1–0 but the cup was awarded to the Brazilian team by goal difference.

Bankruptcy and resurrection

Racing faced financial problems that erupted in 1998, when the club declared bankruptcy pursuant to the request of president Daniel Lalín. In 2000, Racing switched management to the Blanquiceleste S.A corporation. Despite the financial crisis that ruined the club, Racing won the 2001 Apertura title, 35 years after its last local championship in 1966. The team was coached by Reinaldo Merlo who became an idol due to this achievement. Maximiliano Estévez, Gabriel Loeschbor, Claudio Ubeda, Adrián Bastía, Francisco Maciel and Diego Milito were part of that team.

In 2012, Racing reached the final of the 2012 Copa Argentina Final although the squad lost to Boca Juniors by 2–1.

In June 2014, Diego Cocca was hired as head coach. Few days after Cocca signed his contract, former player and fans favorite Diego Milito left Inter Milan and returned to the club to play the 2014 Torneo de Transición.

In December 2014, Racing won its Primera División 17th. title in the last fixture of the tournament. The team defeated Godoy Cruz by 1–0 to secure the 1st place and crowned champion. Racing totalized 41 points over 19 games played, with 13 won, 3 drew and 4 lost. Racing scored 30 goals and conceded 16. Forward Gustavo Bou was also the team's topscorer with 10 goals. The line-up for that match was: Saja; Pillud, Lollo, Cabral, Grimi; G. Díaz, Videla, Aued, Centurión; Diego Milito, Bou.

Stadium

Racing Club plays its home games at "Estadio Presidente Perón" (named in honor of former President of Argentina Juan Domingo Perón), popularly known as "El Cilindro de Avellaneda" (due to its cylindrical shape) and "the Coliseum". It was opened in 1950 and restructured in 1997.

The field measures 105 x 70 m. The Racing stadium is the second largest in Argentina after the River Plate stadium. At first the venue could host a capacity of 120,000 but subsequent restructurings reduced its capacity to 64,161.

Current squad

Current squad of Racing Club de Avellaneda as of January 12, 2017 (edit)
Sources: Official website and Argentine Soccer

Manager: Diego Cocca

Most appearances

¹ This rank only consists of records from 1931 to date.

(1) This model was worn again in 1973, although just for one match.
(2) A new version of this model was the away jersey in the 2005–06 season, paying tribute to the historic kit.

League

National cups

International