“My dream is to play at La Bombonera, with Boca,” said Italian football star Mario Balotelli when he joined former Albiceleste striker Sergio “Kun” Agüero during streaming platform Star+’s watch party.
Balotelli, whose contract with Turkish SuperLig team Adana Demirspor ends in June, was teammates with Agüero at Manchester City. The Argentine didn’t hesitate. Live on air, he sent a voice message to Boca president Juan Román Riquelme, telling him Balotelli dreamed of donning Boca’s blue and gold shirt, so he was “all his to sign.”
This flamboyant gesture of affection for the Xeneize drew fans’ attention. But the Italian striker is far from the only international star to have declared a desire to play for Boca. Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani and Italian midfielder Daniele De Rossi are two international stars who fulfilled their yearning to play for the Xeneize, in 2019 and 2023 respectively. Former Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos and ex-Manchester United and PSG star Ander Herrera have also spoken of their fondness for the team.
But, why are so many international stars enamored with Boca Juniors? It boils down to history, connection, and a winning legacy.
A historic name
A century ago, seeing a team from a different continent was a big event.
During its 1925 European tour, Boca was a revelation for fans in Spain, Germany and France, beating some of the top teams in the world. The Xeneize, already Argentine champions but an unknown quantity in Europe, surprised the public, beating against Spanish greats Real Madrid and Atlético de Madrid and grinding a 1-1 tie against German colossus Bayern Munich.
With 15 wins in 19 games and 40 goals scored, the Xeneize cemented itself as one of the biggest teams in the world and a name to be remembered by European fans. That memory has been passed on through generations.
The Italian connection
For players who grew up or played for a long time in Italy, there’s also a big connection with the fan culture surrounding its mythical La Bombonera stadium.
“Fans are very passionate, they make me tear up,” said De Rossi in 2017, two years before fulfilling his Boca dream. “Climbing the stairs to the pitch, walking into La Bombonera and playing for Boca, that’d be a joy.”
Boca was founded by Italian immigrants and, unlike Superclasico rivals River Plate, largely retains that identity. Its nickname, Xeneize, refers to people from Genoa.
The Argentine league’s constant exports of footballing talents means international stars are never too far from former Boca players. Qatar 2022 winner Leandro Paredes, who played with De Rossi at AS Roma and came through at Boca, was the first to reveal the Italian’s interest in playing there.
Success at the turn of the century
The final block in the puzzle for Boca’s international fame comes from its latest most dominant era. Between 2000 and 2003 Boca won three Copa Libertadores titles under head coach Carlos Bianchi.
Its most eye-catching performance came once again against Real Madrid, in the 2000 Intercontinental Cup. The Xeneize beat the European champions 2-1, with a legendary performance by current Boca president Juan Román Riquelme.
A title repeat three years later against another European giant, AC Milan, put Boca at the heart of the footballing world when the stars of today were growing up.