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The Strongest is a Bolivian football club based in La Paz founded on April 8, 1908. Their team colours are yellow and black. Although they have a home ground, the Rafael Mendoza Castellón (capacity: 15,000), they play most of their games at the Estadio Hernando Siles, Bolivia's national ground (capacity: 42,000). The club is the only Bolivian team to have played continuously in the country's top Division for a century. The Strongest is also the oldest active soccer club in the country. Its foremost (and quite hated) rival is Bolivar football club. The Strongest vs. Bolivar is considered to be the La Paz football derby par excellence, and perhaps the national derby of Bolivia as well. Although a gross over-generalization, The Strongest was traditionally judged to be the team of the La Paz middle class, while Bolivar represented the humbler social strata. In playing style, the club has been renowned for its tenacity, or "garra" (tiger's claw). The club was well represented in the Bolivian squad at the 1994 FIFA World Cup. The World Cup players from The Strongest were Marcelo Torrico, Gustavo Quinteros, Óscar Sánchez and José Melgar.
[edit] HistoryThe Strongest were originally known as "The Strong Football Club", before later becoming "The Strongest Football Club". Its first President and founder was Jose Leon Lopez Villamil. Its first championship was in 1911, well before any of the current Bolivian teams had even been created. In 1930, The Strongest became the first and only Bolivian team to win a League championship with no goals scored against them. The same year, The Strongest inaugurated the "Hernando Siles" stadium, with a 4-1 victory against its classical rival (at the time), Universitario. In 1965, The Strongest participated in its first Copa Libertadores, at a time when only national champions were entered into the tournament. The Strongest scored Bolivia's first victory outside of the country on a club level, defeating Deportivo Quito. The team finished 2nd in its group that year, second to Boca Juniors (Argentina). The highest achievement in an international competition for The Strongest was achieved in the 2005 Copa Sudamericana, when the squad led by coach Villegas eliminated its classic rivals with two 2-1 victories in La Paz, in front of a packed stadium. Later, the team went on to defeat Liga Deportiva Universitaria de Quito (Ecuador) - including a 3-0 victory in Quito, marking the most important victory outside of the country for a Bolivian squad. The Strongest was eliminated by Pumas UNAM (Mexico), who later went on to become runners-up to cup winners Boca Juniors (Argentina). [edit] UniformsThe Strongest adopted the Yellow and Black stripes upon foundation in 1908. While looking for a proper uniform, a friend sent the founders a shirt from Germany that sported a dark green with horizontal, yellow stripes. Upon this, one of the founders commented on how a local bird, the Chayñita, had similar colors. The club adopted the idea and since 1908, the main outfit has been vertically striped yellow and black with a varying number of stripes. The supplementary uniform has commonly been white with yellow and black, though there have been several other combinations such as a full yellow top and black shorts and even full yellow outfit. More recently, an all black secondary uniform has been adopted for Cup matches. Many people say that the similarity between the Penarol Club of Montevideo, Uruguay, suggests that due to lack of originality, The Strongest imitated those colors. However, the more versed will know that Penarol did not adopt a full striped kit until the 1905 season and was an unknown team at the time (won 4 titles in its 24 year existence, up to that point). [edit] Achievements- First team to win an organized football Championship in the country (Copa Prefectural 1911, organized by the regional government), - First team to win an official title (organized by an official football entity) (Campeonato Liga 1914, organized by the LPFA), - First team to win the country's current Top Division title: Liga Profesional de Fútbol Boliviano (1977), - First undefeated champion in the country (1914 League, 6 wins and 1 tie), - First multiple champion of the Bolivian football (six straight league titles after 1916), - Only team to finish a season with no goals against (1930 LPFA Championship), - Only team to have won all the official titles in an entire decade (between 1916 and 1925), - Only Bolivian team to win a title in several categories (Champion LPFA 1914 and Champion Second Division 1914), - Only "hexacampeon" (six consecutive league tiles) in the Bolivian football, - First Bolivian team to win a game abroad in an official cup (1-0 in Ecuador against Deportivo Quito for the 1965 Copa Libertadores de América), - First team in South America to beat a Brazilian team with a difference of 3 goals in the Copa Libertadores de América (2001, 5-1 Juventude), - Only Bolivian club to achieve notoriety in other sports (Basketball, tennis, swimming and chess among others), - Oldest Bolivian team, reaching the 100 year milestone playing in the top division, - Only football team in the world to have a battle named after it. in the Chaco War (1932 - 1935) the players, staff and members of the club enlisted in the Bolivian Army to defend the country against the Paraguayan attack. A division largely composed of these "stronguistas" played a vital part in the Bolivian Army's most important victory. As a result of that, the battle is named "Batalla de Cañada Strongest" in Bolivian history books, - Oldest and one of three other teams (Oriente Petrolero and Jorge Wilstermann), to have never played in the lower divisions of Bolivian soccer. [edit] National Honors
[edit] Performance in CONMEBOL competitions
[edit] Rafael MendozaThe greatest president in The Strongest's history, he was in charge of the club from 1966 to 1978. In that time, he dealt with the Viloco Tragedy and with many economic hardships, consequent of the political instability of Bolivia and the global economic depression. One of the greatest achievements was to consolidate the Achumani Sports Complex where the Estadio Rafael Mendoza currently sits. There were many hardships to reach this goal. First, the club had to secure the lands, which were much farther than the small lot the club had in Achumani, near the more centrally located Achumani Market. "Don Rafo," in a meeting with other directors, said that now was the time to stop thinking small and start thinking in the future of the team. The stadium was built and rebuilt (after the river kept eating away at the foundations for some time) from 1974 to 1986. Along with this, the complex was finished including tennis, racquetball, volleyball, and basketball courts. It also has a swimming pool and dining facilities. It is the location for most meetings and soccer concentrations. "Don Rafo" is best remembered for his hard work in the Achumani Sports Complex. However, he was also one of the few club presidents to put money into the club. Also, in this time, The Strongest achieved great national and international success. Some events to remember in his presidency are the visit by Pele's Santos team in 1971, an amazing game against Boca Juniors led by Antonio Roma and Silvio Marzolini, and many national championships including the formation of the Liga de Futbol Profesional Boliviano. [edit] The Viloco tragedyOn September 24, 1969, a local holiday, the team was invited to participate on a special game organized by the Asociacion Cruceña de Fubol (Santa Cruz's football association). For the team, it was simply another visit to Santa Cruz. On September 14, the team had played its last official match and this game was part of a break from their local competition. On September 26, the day the team was due to return from Santa Cruz by plane, it was announced that the aircraft carrying most of the team (A Lloyd Aereo Boliviano DC-6) had disappeared. Incidentally, on the same day, a military government was being established in Bolivia. A day later, with no real information as to what had happened, the news that the plane had crashed around a rural area called Viloco (between the Tres Cruces Peaks) were received. All 69 passengers and 9 crew members were dead. The members of the team who died that day were: Eustáquio Ortuño (Coach), José Ayllón (manager), Felipe Aguilar (staff). The 16 players that died were: Armando Angelacio, Hernán Andretta, Orlando Cáceres, Juan Iriondo, Jorge Durán, Julio Díaz, Héctor Marchetti, Angel Porta, Jorge Tapia, Ernesto Villegas, Germán Alcázar], Eduardo Arrigó, Oswaldo Franco, Raúl Farfán, Oscar Flores and Diógenes Torrico. [edit] Notable Former Players[edit] Óscar Carmelo SánchezMain article: Óscar Carmelo Sánchez
[edit] Ramiro "Chocolatín" CasilloMain article: Ramiro Castillo
He was a midfielder with great vision and speed. While he did not score many goals, he made a large number of assists. He was also a part of the 1994 Bolivian National Team that went to the US World Cup 94. However, his greatest national success was with the 1997 team in the Copa America. He was the MVP, but he missed the final against Brazil due to the death of his son. In 1997, he took his own life after not being able to cope with the death of his son. Many tributes were paid to this great player such as DC United's dedication of the first MLS tournament to him (thanks, in great part, to Jaime Moreno's and Marco Antonio "Diablo" Etcheverry's involvement in the team), the national derby between The Strongest and Bolivar being cancelled, and a minute of silence in the Argentinean first division game between Platense and Gimnasia y Esgrima de Jujuy (all players wore black bands on their arms as well). See also Category:The Strongest players. [edit] Current History[edit] 2009 Squad
[edit] 2009 Season[edit] PreviewThe Strongest will play in the Apertura 2009 tournament, which is sponsored by the "Liga de Futbol Profesional Boliviano" or "La Liga." Having finished 10th in the "Clausura 2008" tournament, and having lost the 2008 "Playoff" to the Copa Libertadores 2009, The Strongest is in great need of a successful season. Argentinean coach Toresani has been hired for this purpose, and many Argentinean players have come with him. The Strongest will not participate in the Copa Libertadores 2009, but may still qualify for the Copa Sudamericana 2009. [edit] Followers[edit] Chupa RiverosHumberto Riveros Crespo, also known as "Chino Riveros" or "Chupa Riveros" was widely regarded as the number 1 fan of the team. He used to participate actively with the popular crowd of the "Curva Sur" (Southern End of Hernando Siles Stadium), but later on he took on a less active role and would sit in the "butaca" (club seating) section. He is best known for leading the team's war cry at the "Curva Sur" until the last of his days. [edit] "Huarikasaya..." ChantThe war cry made by former player, Bullain, who went to the Chaco War along with many of The Strongest's player has been immortalized through time. It is remembered to have started by Bullain crying this Aymara phrase every time he fired his gun at the Paraguayan army. The chant has been mixed with the "Hurrah, Hurrah!" at the end as a response from the fans to the cry. The late Chupa Riveros, The Strongest's number 1 fan, used to lead this cry before each match at the North face of Estadio Hernando Siles. The stadium would respond "Hurrah, Hurrah!" This chant is still used, but with a recording of Chupa Riveros' voice. "Huarikasaya Kalatakaya!...... Hurrah, Hurrah!" Translation (from Aymara): [edit] Songs[edit] La ChayñitaAdrián Patiño Gualdinegro, gualdinegro Mi chayñita, mi chayñita Oro y negro son tus chaquetas Oro y negro vive en la gente [edit] Himno AtigradoAdrián Patiño(music), Froilán Pinilla (lyrics) El laurel ciñendo está Es el sol su corazón El himno del Strongest Viva el Strongest. ¡Viva! Si el oro es tu pendón [edit] CondorcitoCondorcito, quisiera ser Desde el Illimani Negra, samba [edit] Tigre derribadorMirando está el Illimani Dale Tigre dale, de corazón [edit] External links
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