Postcards from Buenos Aires: River Plate

All words and images by Joey Corlett

Arrival in Núñez

Stepping out of the Congreso de Tucumán station, it was immediately obvious that we were in a more upper-class part of Buenos Aires.

The streets were clean, the pavements intact, and lovely kiosks lined the route, with fans hustling for drinks and snacks as we made our way to Estadio Monumental. Everyone was dressed head to toe in white, red, and black, in every combination possible.

Fernet, Fans and the Build-Up

We couldn’t even see the stadium yet, and there were already police checks in place. Unluckily for me, I’d acquired a half-litre-sized Fernet y Cola and couldn’t take it any closer—but thankfully, I wasn’t the only one making sure to fuel up before heading into the dry stadium.

Nearby, a group of fans was already in full voice. Their collection of bombo con platillo (drum with cymbal) echoed through the streets, creating a wonderful soundtrack to sip my Fernet to.

First Glimpse of El Monumental

After three security checks, we finally caught sight of the stadium, and its sheer size was impactful. We both stood in awe for several seconds.

The exterior of El Monumental features defined grey angles of staircases and tiers, where you can see fans moving around the structure, reminding me of San Siro in Milan. It was captivating—and we weren’t even inside yet.

Into the Bowels of the Beast

We made our way to our section and entered the bowels of the stadium. It was wonderfully polished, with artwork of former River Plate badges adorning the walls. Under the glow of the floodlights, we climbed the stairs, and then—there it was.

The bouncing stands and vivid green pitch unveiled themselves. I had stood in awe outside, but the overwhelming size and deafening noise had me standing with my hands on my head, mouth wide open, completely aghast at the scale of the place.

Hospitality in the Stands

Just as I was getting my bearings, my friend grabbed me as a stadium attendant showed us to our seats. It was packed, with fans moving in every direction, so the help was certainly welcome.

The gentleman gave our seats a fresh wipe with his cloth and opened them for us—a level of customer service in a football stadium I’d never encountered before. We made sure to give him a small tip for his help.

Among the Barra Brava

We reached our seats just as kick-off commenced, and realised we were sitting beside the section housing the Barra Brava groups, which turned out to be an incredible bonus.

The sea of red and white, bouncing in rhythm to drums and trumpets, was spellbinding. Surrounded by 75,000+ fans, it was almost overwhelming. I found myself distracted, scanning the stadium—spotting everything from individual banners (a personal favourite: “Cumbria, Cerveza y River”) to the names of legends, past and present, printed on the backs of shirts.

An Unforgettable Atmosphere

The match flew by, with River Plate coming back to claim a point, but to be honest, the real spectacle was the crowd. From the flailing arms of fans in the tier above to the energy of the Los Borrachos del Tablón, the atmosphere was all-consuming.

The ability to generate such a passionate environment with that many people in the biggest stadium in South America was nothing short of outstanding.

Combine the architectural brilliance of San Siro, the sheer size of Wembley, and an atmosphere unlike anything Wembley has ever produced, and you get the Estadio Monumental—an unforgettable temple of football.