Caño, enganche, chilena, Argentine football is a game of many words. And while most have some translation to English (caño, for instance, is nutmeg), club nicknames are often a different story. Epithets and monikers rooted in the history of century old clubs are hard to explain without proper context. But no need to worry, we’re here to help, offering up a quick and easy guide to some of the most popular ones you’ll encounter.

Boca Juniors — Xeneizes

One of the most popular clubs in Argentine football, Boca Juniors has many nicknames, but perhaps the most famous is Xeneizes. The name has its roots in “zenéixi”, the Ligurian dialect endonym for those born in the Italian city of Genoa.

Due to the massive Italian immigration to Argentina in the late 19th and early 20th century, their influence in Argentine lingo is very important. Xeneizes was adopted because the club founders were born in Genoa, a term deformed from its original form once it entered popular culture.

Boca fans are also sometimes referred to insultingly as bosteros (manure carriers.) The most popular theory claims it is linked to sewer inundation in La Boca, the neighborhood the club is located in and where most immigrants have historically lived, as they had to clean the streets with shovels and carry the sewage to the river.

River Plate — Millonarios

Traditional Boca rival River Plate’s nickname is Millionarios (Millionaires,) and its origin is well documented. In 1932, the club broke the world transfer fee record signing striker Bernabé Ferreyra from Tigre for AR$35,000, a fortune at the time. 

The move, which remains the only time in history an Argentine club broke a transfer record, was only one of several high flying signings for River. It proved money well spent as Ferreyra went on to score 232 goals in 228 games for River and became a club legend.

River also carries the less fanciful nickname gallinas (chickens,) given to them by Boca fans. This moniker originated in the 1966 Copa Libertadores, when River lost 4-2 against Uruguayan side Peñarol after being ahead 2-0. In its next game, rival fans threw a live chicken sporting a red sache like the River uniform onto the field.

Racing Club — La Academia

Racing Club of Avellaneda earned its nickname La Academia (The Academy,) due to its outstanding success and play over 100 years ago. Racing was the best team in Argentine football in the 1910s, winning the title seven years in a row between 1913 and 1919, the only club in Argentine football history to do so.

Their nickname was born in 1915. At the top of its powers, Racing beat River Plate 3-0 on August 1 showing incredible mastery at the game. The fans in the stands, understanding that they had “schooled” their rivals, started shouting “the Academy.”

Independiente — Diablos Rojos

Racing derby rivals Independiente also enjoy a historic nickname, Los Diablos Rojos (The Red Devils.) The name can trace its origins back to 1909, when fans talked about the team’s “mephistophelian” character due to their red jerseys.

However, the moniker was cemented in 1926 when journalist Hugo Marini referred to the team’s legendary quintet of strikers Canaveri, Lalín, Ravaschino, Seoane and Orsi as the “Red Devils”. The nickname stuck and was quickly applied to the whole team.

San Lorenzo — El Ciclón/Los Cuervos

Last but not least of the Argentine “big five” clubs, San Lorenzo has many commonly accepted nicknames, but the two most often used are El Ciclón (The Cyclone,) and Los Cuervos (The Ravens).

Journalist Hugo Marini, who made the Red Devils moniker stick for Independiente, was behind one of these names. The El Ciclón nickname was born in 1932 after the journalist said San Lorenzo’s then unstoppable attackers hit “like a cyclone.”

Los Cuervos, however, comes from the club’s origins. In Argentina, priests are informally called ravens because of their black clothing. San Lorenzo took on the nickname in honor of Lorenzo Massa, a priest who was instrumental in the founding of the club.

Huracán — El Globo/Quemero

Their derby rivals Huracán also has two accepted nicknames, El Globo (The Balloon,) and El Quemero The Burner.)

The first is simple. It came due to the fact that the club was named after famed engineer Jorge Newbery flew an air balloon called Huracán from Buenos Aires to the Brazilian city of Bagé. The club adopted the air balloon as its badge, and the nickname quickly followed.

The second one comes from the ground where Huracan’s Tomás Alfredo Ducó stadium stands. At the turn of the century, several trash burners functioned nearby, and the smoke often reached the stadium.

Vélez Sarsfield — El Fortín

Another one of Buenos Aires biggest clubs, Vélez Sarsfield’s is nickname El Fortín (The Little Fort.) The name came to be in the 1930s, when the Chaco War was being fought between Bolivia and Paraguay. The military maneuvers of each side involved the taking and recapturing of small fortresses, Fortines. The moves were reported in the news, which was how the term made its way into the popular lexicon. 

Due to the defensive nature of Vélez’ teams at the time, it was none other than Hugo Marini who said that their stadium in the Liniers neighborhood was one of the best defended fortresses. Vélez Sarsfield adopted the image of a fort, making it one of its most popular symbols.

Argentinos Juniors — Bichitos Rojos

Argentinos Juniors’ nickname of Bichitos Rojos (Red Bugs,) was also born from the imagination of a journalist. It was in 1957, after the club from La Paternal beat Boca on their own turf. 

Diego Lucero wrote in Clarín newspaper that the Xeneizes were expected to make easy pickings of the “red bugs”, a comment that became iconic after the win. With Argentinos Juniors’ all red outfit, the moniker stuck.

Estudiantes de La Plata — Pincharratas

The most successful team in Argentina outside of Buenos Aires is Estudiantes de La Plata, one of the most iconic sides in South America. However, the origin of its Pincharrata (Rat stabbers) nickname isn’t often mentioned.

The leading theory says it originated with one of the club’s most famous fans, Felipe Montedónica, who  moved to La Plata city as a teenager and became a supporter. “I worked with my younger brother in the La Plata market,” said Montedónica in an interview in 1980. “As there were lots of rats there, we hunted them, stabbing them with a long fork.”

Montedónica was nicknamed El Pincha Ratas (The Rat Stabber) because of this, and as he became more popular with Estudiantes fans, the nickname was turned into a single word and adopted by the team.

Gimnasia La Plata — El Lobo/Tripero

La Plata derby rivals Gimnasia La Plata go by two nicknames, Triperos (Animal Gutters) and El Lobo (The Wolf.)

The first name came from a certain job sector many of its fans worked in. In the early 20th century, the club enjoyed a lot of support in the outskirts of La Plata, an area full of slaughter houses. As many fans worked in these businesses gutting animals, the nickname was transferred to the team they rooted for. The El Lobo  moniker was born in 1953, when cartoonist Julio César Trouet wanted a character to represent the club in one of his strips. As the club’s Juan Carmelo Zerillo stadium is located inside the La Plata forest, Trouet drew the team as the Big Bad Wolf from the children’s story Little Red Riding Hood, and the fans adopted it.