Boca Juniors is arguably one of the most iconic clubs in South American football, whether on the men’s or women’s side. The women’s team, based in Buenos Aires, dominated domestically in the semi-professional era and won its fourth consecutive Argentine year-end title in December.
But not everything is rosy. There are many challenges in women’s football in Argentina and this has an impact on Boca’s results internationally. “Boca has made history, especially recently,” notes Argentinian journalist Sofia Jaimez Bertazzo. “The level they have reached individually and collectively is incredible and this is reflected not only in the championships won but also in the players who have gone abroad.” An example of this is Yamila Rodríguez, who signed with Brazilian team Palmeiras after the two clubs played in the Libertadores final in 2022.
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Although Argentines are passionate about football, it has taken decades for women’s football to reach a certain level of professionalism. The country’s Football Association and players’ union did not formalize the “professionalization of women’s football” until 2019. Almost five years later, more than 40% of players in the top division are still amateurs, according to a report by Argentinian fact-checking agency Chequeado. In fact, in 2023, none of the clubs in the first division had a 100% professional squad. Boca is one of five clubs with more than 20 professional players, but the overall picture means that although the level of the league has improved, it is still below that in Brazil.
Things are slowly changing and interest in women’s games is increasing among the public and the media. “The crowds have changed in Argentina lately and we see more fans in the stadiums when there are women’s matches,” says Bertazzo. “And the last Women’s World Cup attracted a lot of media attention, with lots of journalists traveling to New Zealand and Australia to cover what was happening. “This gives a lot of people the opportunity to get closer to the game.”
It was crucial for Argentina to take part in another Women’s World Cup this year, and public TV broadcaster Televisión Pública saw record-breaking attendances for Argentina’s group stage matches at the tournament. Over the past few years, clubs in South America have increased their investment in women’s football. As Bertazzo said, for national sides to improve, the decision-making process needs to change. “Fundamentally, these are leadership decisions that will enable us to do better internationally. It’s a long process, but it’s happening,” she said.
It is clear that Boca are ahead of the rest at the moment and they hope that the recent leadership change will consolidate this success. In December, former player Juan Román Riquelme won elections to become president of the club. Xeneized. Days before the polls opened, she attended Boca Women’s 2-0 win over Belgrano, securing the club’s second title of the year. Having a legend that the men’s team supports the women’s team should bode well for the team’s future. gladiators.
“Of course he is a strong player at the club and in people’s hearts, but now we need to see how the leader Riquelme works. But the expectations are high,” says Bertazzo. However, he prefers not to predict how Riquelme’s leadership will affect the women’s side. As a Boca idol, he supports his women players and I would say he should continue to improve their conditions.”
And there’s work to be done. Boca’s dominance over Argentina is still not reflected on the international stage. An Argentinian team has never won the Copa Libertadores Felerinina, the women’s club competition in South America. In 2022, Boca reached the final against Palmeiras but lost the final 4-0. 12 of the 15 editions of the Libertadores have been won by a Brazilian club, with Colombia, Paraguay and Chile claiming the title. Boca failed to advance to the knockout stages in 2023 and finished third in their group.
“Having these international experiences gives Boca a different perspective compared to other teams in Argentina. This increased international challenge requires them to improve themselves to achieve the results they want,” says Bertazzo. “Women’s football in Argentina needs better infrastructure, more “It needs good salaries, national women’s team sponsors and more frequent camps and matches.”
The challenges are not just external. Boca has faced major changes in the past year, and in April 2023, former coach Jorge Daniel Martínez was accused of sexual harassment by a club employee. He denied the accusations but was replaced by former player Florencia Quiñones, who won two national tournaments of the year. These were the team’s 27th and 28th national titles.
“We live in a region where football is still deeply rooted in masculinity, but that is changing,” says Bertazzo. “There are clubs like Boca that have decided to invest in their women, provide them with better conditions and have more professional players in their squad. This raises the bar.”
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