In 2018, the world witnessed a remarkable football match between River Plate and Boca Juniors, two of the biggest clubs in Argentina. The match was the second leg of the Copa Libertadores final, the most prestigious club competition in South America. However, the game was not played in Buenos Aires, the home of both clubs, but in Madrid, Spain. The reason? Violence and chaos erupted outside Boca’s stadium before the first leg, and the match was postponed. The event became known as the “Superclásico de las Américas” or the “Final del Siglo” and was praised for its intensity, drama, and quality. But it also generated a wave of memes, jokes, and parodies that flooded social media, especially from River fans.
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The Birth of a Meme
The first meme that emerged after the incident was a photoshopped image of a Boca fan holding a sign that read “La Copa Libertadores se gana en la calle” (The Copa Libertadores is won in the streets). The picture was taken before the first leg, and the fan was referring to the tradition of Boca fans of intimidating and harassing visiting teams and fans outside the stadium. However, after the violence erupted and the match was suspended, River fans turned the sign into a joke, adding captions like “La Copa se gana en el Bernabéu” (The Copa is won in the Bernabéu, the stadium of Real Madrid), “La Copa se gana en el TAS” (The Copa is won in the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which later decided to award the title to River), or “La Copa se gana en el Photoshop” (The Copa is won in Photoshop, referring to the manipulation of the image).
The meme went viral, and soon other versions appeared, featuring different characters, slogans, and situations related to the event. Some mocked Boca’s players, such as Carlos Tevez, who missed a crucial penalty in the second leg, or Fernando Gago, who got injured in the warm-up. Others praised River’s heroes, such as Juan Fernando Quintero, who scored a beautiful goal in the final, or Marcelo Gallardo, the coach who led River to the title despite being suspended from the bench.
The Impact of the Meme
The memes not only entertained and amused football fans around the world but also reflected the social and cultural context of Argentina and Latin America. The rivalry between River and Boca is not only a sporting one but also a socio-economic and political one, rooted in the history of Buenos Aires and the class struggle. River is considered the team of the upper class, the intellectuals, and the foreigners, while Boca is the team of the working class, the immigrants, and the locals. The stereotypes and prejudices associated with each club and their fans are often reinforced or challenged by the media, the politicians, and the celebrities. However, the memes subverted and sublimated these tensions, creating a space of humor and creativity that transcended the boundaries of the traditional discourse.
Some people criticized the memes as disrespectful, tasteless, or violent. They argued that the humor was based on the suffering and humiliation of the Boca fans, who had to witness their team losing the final and being mocked on the internet. They also claimed that the memes encouraged the polarization and the intolerance that already existed in Argentine society, exacerbating the divisions between the rich and the poor, the north and the south, and the peronists and the anti-peronists. However, others defended the memes as harmless, harmless, or even therapeutic. They argued that the humor was a way of coping with the stress and anxiety caused by the violence and the uncertainty of the situation. They also claimed that the memes helped to reduce the tension and the hostility between the fans, by providing a common ground of humor and irony.
The Legacy of the Meme
The memes against Boca Libertadores became an iconic example of the power of humor and internet culture in the world of football. They demonstrated how a simple image or a catchy phrase could capture the essence of a complex event and generate a collective response that transcended the borders of language, geography, and ideology. They also challenged the conventional notions of what is acceptable or appropriate in the realm of football, by blurring the lines between the serious and the absurd, the real and the virtual, the local and the global. Finally, they inspired new generations of fans, artists, and activists to use humor as a weapon of resistance, of critique, and of solidarity, in the face of the challenges and the opportunities of the future.
Responses
“I think the memes were hilarious and creative. They captured the spirit of the moment and the emotions of the fans. They also showed that football is not only about winning or losing, but also about having fun and enjoying the game. I don’t think they were offensive or disrespectful, as long as they didn’t cross the line of racism or sexism.” – Juan, 28, River fan.
“I don’t like the memes at all. They are a sign of the decadence and the vulgarity of our society. They promote violence and hatred, and they insult the dignity of the fans. They are a manifestation of the worst aspects of the internet, where people hide behind anonymity and impunity to spread their toxic messages.” – Miguel, 52, Boca fan.
“I think the memes were a way of expressing our identity and our belonging. They allowed us to laugh at ourselves and at our rivals, without hurting anyone. They also showed that we are more than just football fans, that we are creative and intelligent people who can use humor to analyze and criticize reality.” – Ana, 20, River fan.
“I don’t care about the memes. I think they are a distraction from the real issues of football, such as corruption, violence, and inequality. They are a way of avoiding the real problems and focusing on the superficial aspects of the game. We need to be more serious and responsible, as fans and as citizens.” – Diego, 35, Boca fan.
