Boca Juniors vs River Plate: Picking a Combined XI of Superclásico Legends

Argentina's Boca Juniors midfielder Juan
Juan Román Riquelme | AFP/Getty Images

We all know that Argentinian clubs Boca Juniors and River Plate share the most fierce rivalry that exists in football.

And both teams have had some excellent players don their respective colours. Whether they wowed La Bombonera in the blue and gold, or excited fans at El Monumental in the red and white, these individuals certainly will be remembered for all that they did to bring success to their respective corner of Buenos Aires.

So with that, here’s a combined XI comprising of some of the greatest to have played for either Boca or River (or both!).

Voted the third best Argentinian goalkeeper of the 20th century, Gatti is part of the exclusive group of players who have played for both clubs at different times in his career.

It was at River where he first played 77 games, before later finding himself at Boca years later. Here, he became a club legend, playing over 400 games for the Xeneizes and won six trophies during his time at La Bombonera.

He won the Argentinian Player of the Year award in 1982 and remains a club legend at Boca today.

An integral part of River’s highly successful team in the 1940s, Yácono was a formidable defender for his side to have at the right-back slot.

He spent 15 years at La Banda and helped them win numerous trophies, including a treble-winning year in 1941. A Copa América winner with Argentina, he was widely known for his man-marking abilities in keeping opposing wingers quiet whenever he faced them.

Yácono ended up playing over 400 games for River but remarkably never scored during his long time at the club.

Having played in 35 Superclásico games, Mouzo certainly knew the importance of this fixture – he remains the man who’s played the most games for Boca in the club’s history.

The defender won six trophies while at the club and was known to give it his all, while also being able to score at the other end too from time to time.

He’s certainly a legend in the eyes of Los Xeneizes’ fans.

Having been able to both captain and manage River Plate, Passarella has certainly made his name synonymous with the Argentinian club.

Nicknamed ‘El Gran Capitán’, the centre-back was renowned for his toughness and aerial abilities at the back. He emerged firstly as a player at Los Millonarios before moving to Italy and playing for both Fiorentina and Inter. He was also Argentina’s captain at the 1978 World Cup, where his team would end up victorious and lift the trophy at El Monumental in front of their home support.

Passarella would return to manage River and won three trophies at the club while in charge, furthering his status as a club legend.

Oh, and he scored 90 goals in 226 games for the club. That’s…that’s pretty handy.

Marzolini was so good at his position that many consider him to be the best Argentinian left-back of all-time.

Joining Boca in 1960, he went on to play 12 years at the club and lift five league titles at La Bombonera. He was also a key figure for the national team and was a mainstay of their World Cup sides of the 1960s, going on to be voted the best left-back of the tournament in 1966.

The defender ultimately returned to Boca as a manager and had the likes of Diego Maradona play under him as they won the 1981 league title.

Argentina's Boca Juniors midfielder Juan
Juan Roman Riquelme | JUAN MABROMATA/Getty Images

A maestro with the ball, few can dispute the impact Riquelme had on Boca whenever he was on the pitch in their colours.

Having won six trophies after making his debut in 1996, he earned a move to Barcelona in 2002. Returning in 2007, he continued to win major honours while showing off the South American creative flair that defined his style of play.

River fans won’t forget his virtuoso display in 2000 when he helped Los Xeneizes win 3-0 and knock their rivals out of the 2000 Copa Libertadores.

Viewed as one of the best creative midfielders of his time, Francescoli was a fantastic player who didn’t need much to produce goals and assists on the pitch.

‘El Príncipe’ or the ‘Prince’ emerged as a star at River Plate in the 1980s and went on to play in both France and Italy while continuing to star for Uruguay. Two-footed, with speed and remarkable dribbling skills, he was a playing inspiration to many, including Zinedine Zidane, who named his son after his hero.

He returned to El Monumental in the 1990s and won five trophies before retiring, and most recently worked as the club’s head for player personnel.

You know who Diego Maradona is.

While he played just one season at Boca after leaving Argentinos Juniors, it remains a highly memorable campaign. His goal in the 1981 Superclásico showed off his individual brilliance that the rest of the world would come to recognise – his fantastic dribbling abilities which could get him past numerous defenders at ease.

His performances earned him a move to Barcelona in 1982, but he found himself at Napoli after two years in Spain. After moving there, the 1986 World Cup trophy and numerous Serie A titles were there to be won the attacking genius.

The star of the renowned River teams of the 1940s, Pedernera was an exceptional player who could do it all in an attacking sense.

Nicknamed ‘El Maestro’, he became the star of the famed La Máquina side that blew away all other Argentinian clubs, scoring and creating for his teammates at every opportunity. Five Primera División titles followed, before he went on to be just as successful in Colombia at Millonarios.

Pedernera would also win three Copa América trophies and was voted the player of the tournament after the 1946 triumph.

Martin Palermo of Argentinian Boca Junio
Martin Palermo of Boca Juniors | OMAR TORRES/Getty Images

The striker Boca fans count as one of their best in history, Palermo could be relied upon to score in the big games, including against rivals River.

He would end up scoring nine goals against Los Millonarios, including his fondly-remembered goal in the 2000 victory where Los Xeneizes came back to knock out their arch-enemy in the Copa Libertadores. The forward always gave it all at La Bombonera, and was a firm fan favourite for his consistent displays.

Palermo ended up scoring 193 goals for Boca before retiring, enshrining his name in the club’s record books as one of the most prolific goalscorers who has ever played for them.

Another component of the great La Máquina team, Labruna brought so much joy for River fans through his sublime attacking displays whenever he put on the red and white.

Across a twenty-year span, the winger continued to bamboozle and terrify defenders through his goals and dribbling trickery. La Banda blew past opponents in achieving one title success after another, and he was a hugely influential figure in helping them do so.

Holding the record for the most number of goals in Superclásico history, Labruna undoubtedly belongs in this combined XI of Boca and River players.

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