Boca Juniors de Cali

Boca Juniors de Cali is a professional football club which represented the city of Cali since its creation in 1937 until its exit from professional football in 1957 and again from 2019 onwards competing in the Categoría Primera B, the second tier of Colombian football. Since its early years it adopted the jersey from Argentine team Boca Juniors.

Boca Juniors
Full nameClub Deportivo Atlético Boca Juniors de Cali
Nickname(s)La Ciencia Boquense
Founded25 September 1937 (1937-09-25)
12 March 2019 (2019-03-12) (Refounding)
GroundEstadio Olímpico Pascual Guerrero
Cali, Colombia
Capacity35,405[1]
ChairmanAlexander Otero
ManagerAlejandro Guerrero
LeagueCategoría Primera B
2022Primera B, 14th of 16
WebsiteClub website

History

Early years

Founded on 25 September 1937,[2] and joining the professional league in 1949, Boca Juniors de Cali was one of the most important teams of the El Dorado era, rivalling with clubs such as Millonarios from Bogotá and crosstown rivals América de Cali. Boca Juniors placed as runners-up in the 1951 and 1952 seasons, finishing behind Millonarios in both cases and third in the following season, behind Millonarios and Deportes Quindío. After those three campaigns, and although the team's performance started dwindling, it was able to stabilize in the middle of the table. During this period, the club also won the Copa Colombia in the 1950–51 and 1951–52 seasons. In the 1952–53 season, they finished as runners-up in that competition, once again behind Millonarios.

In 1958, Boca Juniors de Cali did not take part in the professional league.[3] The club suffered the economic crisis that engulfed several Colombian clubs after El Dorado, and the lack of sponsorships, fanbase, and income caused the club to withdraw, leading to its disbanding and making way for the return of Deportivo Cali, who bought their membership in the professional league and along with América went on to become the city's most representative clubs.[4]

Refounding and return to professional football

In 1987, a group of football executives led by Hernando Ángel refounded Boca Juniors as an amateur club and football academy taking part in the tournaments of the Valle del Cauca regional league. It has also participated in the youth tournaments organized by the FCF and has built an important reputation due to its success in different tournaments and the number of players it promotes to professional football. Several well-known players such as Giovanni Hernández, Wilman Conde, Hugo Rodallega and others have emerged from its ranks.[5] Owing to Ángel also owning both Deportes Quindío and Universitario Popayán, the latter clubs became a platform for the Boca Juniors players to access professional football, being first promoted to Universitario and then to Deportes Quindío.[6][7]

On 12 March 2019, the General Assembly of Dimayor approved a proposal to relocate Universitario Popayán from Popayán to Cali starting from the second half of the 2019 season, with the aforementioned club being rebranded as Boca Juniors. This move allowed the return of Boca Juniors to professional football after 61 years.[5]

Current squad

As of 18 August 2021[8]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Colombia COL Nelson Ramos (captain)
3 DF Colombia COL Jhon Mario Pájaro
8 MF Colombia COL Edwin Benítez
12 GK Colombia COL Juan Sarmiento
15 DF Colombia COL Job Sadovnik
16 DF Colombia COL Bairon Escobar
18 MF Colombia COL Gerson Díaz
22 FW Colombia COL Héctor Moreno
23 MF Colombia COL Alexis Giraldo
27 FW Colombia COL Álvaro Montaño
31 GK Colombia COL Neiron Asprilla
32 FW Colombia COL Edison Toloza
DF Colombia COL Hermes Angulo
No. Pos. Nation Player
DF Colombia COL José Carlos Cabarcas
DF Colombia COL Klisman Cabrera
DF Colombia COL Anuar Hurtado
DF Colombia COL Juan Camilo Sánchez
MF Colombia COL Ronald Angulo
MF Colombia COL Johnatan Cuéllar
MF Colombia COL Johan Mafla
MF Colombia COL Alexander Morales
MF Colombia COL Juan David Quintero
MF Colombia COL Johan Rentería
FW Colombia COL Alexander Barrios
FW Colombia COL Jan Lucumí
FW Colombia COL Juan David Sarmiento

Honours

References

  1. FIFA.com
  2. "Semblanza del Boca Junior de Cali en la década del 50". Archived from the original on 3 September 2014. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
  3. Un Poco de Historia. Periódico Nuevo Estadio Archived 3 July 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  4. "Estará de regreso en Cali" (in Spanish). El Deportivo. 13 March 2019. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
  5. "Dimayor aprobó la llegada del club Boca Juniors de Cali" (in Spanish). Futbolred. 13 March 2019. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
  6. "Los 4 equipos en Colombia que "fabrican" talentos" (in Spanish). Comutricolor.com. 7 April 2013. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
  7. "Aprobado el cambio de nombre y sede de Universitario" (in Spanish). Código Fútbol Comunicaciones. 20 April 2019. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
  8. "CLUB BOCA JUNIORS DE CALI". Dimayor. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
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