Whether or not you are not a soccer fan, you will have an entirely new view of the sport once you have visited Buenos Aires. In fact, often students who attend a Spanish school in Argentina end up loving the game. If you plan to learn Spanish in Argentina, it is essential to get some exposure to this unique sports culture.
Many people don't realize that the city of Buenos Aires has more pro soccer teams than any other city in the world. Of the two rivals, Boca Juniors are likely the most decorated team. The weekends, in particular, are inundated with soccer fans. Other sports are also quite popular in Argentina including tennis, volleyball, rugby and basketball. However, soccer really dominates the scene.
The atmosphere at soccer games is really a great deal of fun and needs to be experienced to truly be understood. To begin with, the fans are most passionate. In fact, the fans can be compared to that of college footfall games in the USA. The enthusiastic energy is very infectious. In case, you were wondering, the Spanish word for soccer is "Futbol" so you will hear that term referred to frequently.
Two of the most famous teams are Boca Juniors and River Plate. Between the two, the Boca Juniors are likely the most famous team. They have currently won over 41 titles! There is a biannual championship called the national league championship, which you will likely hear about when you are in Argentina. The Torneo Clausura takes place from February to July and the Torneo Apertura occurs from August to December. Some of the other soccer teams that you will hear referred to quite a bit are Independiente and Racing Club.
The River Plate team arguably has the best stadium in the whole country. The impressive Boca Juniors stadium seats around 61,000 people. However, the Boca Juniors and the River Plate both offer stadium tours, which really are an experience not to be missed. The tours include photo opportunities, locker room visits, museums and press box tours. You even will get to step onto the grass where the players compete. During the process, you will learn a great deal about the history of soccer in Buenos Aires.
Don't be surprised if you hear people referring to Diego Maradona when you learn Spanish in Argentina. He is considered to the best soccer player of all time. Diego also was the manager of an Argentine team between 2008-2010. He is also a controversial figure as he is very outspoken and was known for doing drugs. Nonetheless, despite these facts, Diego Maradona is a genuine local hero.
The truth is that you can do far more than just watch soccer games when you attend a Spanish school in Buenos Aires. You can also get in on the fun yourself. It is easy to go to parks and play in pickup games. You will quickly find that soccer is everywhere.
Author Resource:
Latin Immersion arranges Spanish immersion trips in Latin America. One of the most popular destinations is Argentina, where the school welcomes over 1,000 students each year. For more details about the Spanish language school in Buenos Aires visit the Latin Immersion homepage.
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