Racing Club de Avellaneda
Argentinian football team.
Racing Club, officially known as Racing Club de Avellaneda, is a professional football club based in Avellaneda, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. The club, founded in 1903, has a rich history and is considered one of the "Big Five" clubs of Argentine football. Racing Club plays its home games at the Estadio Presidente Perón, also known as "El Cilindro de Avellaneda" due to its cylindrical shape, which has a capacity of 51,389 spectators.
The club's colors are light blue and white, typically worn in vertical stripes, earning them the nickname "La Academia" (The Academy). This nickname was given to the club in the 1920s, acknowledging their style of play and the numerous titles they had won by that time. Racing Club has been a dominant force in Argentine football, particularly in the early 20th century when they achieved the remarkable feat of winning seven consecutive league titles between 1913 and 1919, a record that still stands in South American football.
Throughout its history, Racing Club has won numerous domestic and international titles. They have claimed the Argentine Primera División championship 18 times, with their most recent title coming in 2019. In addition to their league success, Racing has also won various national cups, including five Copa Ibarguren and four Copa de Honor Municipalidad de Buenos Aires.
On the international stage, Racing Club has also left its mark. In 1967, they won the Copa Libertadores, South America's premier club competition, defeating Nacional of Uruguay in the final. This victory was followed by winning the Intercontinental Cup (now known as the FIFA Club World Cup) in the same year, defeating Celtic of Scotland. These achievements made Racing the first Argentine club to be crowned world champions.
Racing Club has produced many notable players throughout its history, including Orestes Corbatta, Alberto Ohaco, and Rubén Paz. In recent years, players like Diego Milito, who returned to the club to end his career, and Lautaro Martínez have worn the Racing shirt before moving to European football.
The club's biggest rivalry is with Independiente, another club from Avellaneda. The matches between these two teams are known as the Clásico de Avellaneda and are among the most passionate derbies in Argentine football.
In recent years, Racing Club has experienced a resurgence. After a difficult period in the early 2000s, which included relegation to the second division in 1999 (though they returned to the top flight in 2002), the club has reestablished itself as a force in Argentine football. Their 2019 league title, under the management of Eduardo Coudet, was particularly significant as it ended a 5-year drought and reinforced their status as one of Argentina's top clubs. As of the 2023-24 season, Racing Club continues to compete at the highest level of Argentine football, challenging for league titles and cup competitions.