Fernando Romero Nuñez Buenos Aires’ iconic 9 de Julio Avenue was engulfed in sky blue and white colors on Sunday as Racing Club fans celebrated the win of the 2024 Copa Sudamericana.
La Academia achieved a historic 3-1 win over Brazilian giants Cruzeiro last Saturday, ending a 36-year run without international titles. The squad celebrated in front of a massive crowd at the Obelisco on Sunday.
That same morning, Racing had alerted its fans on X about plans to gather at the Obelisco at 4 p.m. “We are bringing it. Come one and all,” was the official announcement.
Celebrations started as soon as the plane carrying the team from the Paraguayan capital of Asunción — where the final was played — landed on Ministro Pistarini International Airport in Ezeiza, in the Buenos Aires province.
An open-top bus escorted by police took the players along the Ricchieri Highway, as fans lined up along the side of the road to greet the team. People started to gather around the Obelisco, and by 6:30 p.m. traffic was jammed.
The bus arrived around 7 p.m. and players and fans joined in the celebrations. The crowd chanted, lit up flares, sprayed party foam, and seized the opportunity to take pictures with a Copa Sudamericana replica.
Gustavo Costas, a synonym for Racing
Racing’s head coach Gustavo Costas was on the bus with his children celebrating the title with fans. Had he not been the Academia boss, he would have been on the streets jumping with the crowd.
The 61-year-old coach is a lifelong Racing fan, with a long history linking him to the club. He’s been present every time the club has won top international titles.
Costas was there as a four-year-old kid when La Academia became Copa Libertadores champions in 1967 — he was a mascot when the team entered the pitch. Some 22 years later, he was a starting defender when Racing won the 1988 Supercopa Sudamericana, beating Cruzeiro 3-2 in a two-legged final.
He wasn’t only present in the celebrations, Costas has weathered through many hard moments with Racing as well. Having debuted as a player in 1981, he stood powerless from the stands due to an injury when Racing was relegated two years later.
An Academia fan through and through, he even despises the color red that is most associated with the club’s historic rival Independiente. After Sunday’s final, he wouldn’t touch the award he got for Best Coach of the Tournament, because the trophy was encased in a red frame. According to Racing icon and former teammate Claudio “El Turco” García, Costas’ passion for Racing even extends to his diet: he won’t eat tomatoes because of their red color.
On Saturday, as a coach, he led his beloved Racing to international glory again.
“I went through the final as any other fan, I celebrated the goals as if I were a player,” he said in tears after the game.
