River Plate Football Formation

Lineup (4-3-1-2)

Ubaldo Fillol · Daniel Passarella (c) · Roberto Perfumo · Norberto Yácono · Eduardo Sapoletti · Mostaza Merlo · José María Minella · Américo Gallego · Alfredo Di Stéfano · Enzo Francescoli · Ángel Labruna

River Plate's Greatest XI of All Time: The Greatest Gallinas...


Club Atlético River Plate is a professional Argentine sports club based in the Belgrano neighborhood of Buenos Aires. Cesarini’s River side, la Máquina, became the most revered exponents of la nuestra. ‘You play against la Máquina with the intention of winning,’ said Ernesto Lazzatti, the Boca Juniors No. 5, ‘but as an admirer of football sometimes I’d rather stay in the stands and watch them play.’ As befits the self-conscious romanticism of the Argentinian game at the time, though, River were not relentless winners. Although they were, by general consent, the best side in the country, between 1941 and 1945 River won just three titles, twice finishing second to Boca. ‘They called us the “Knights of Anguish” because we didn’t look for the goal,’ said Muñoz. ‘We never thought we couldn’t score against our rivals. We went out on the pitch and played our way: take the ball, give it to me, a gambeta, this, that and the goal came by itself. Generally it took a long time for the goal to come and the anguish was because games were not settled quickly. Inside the box, of course, we wanted to score, but in the midfield we had fun. There was no rush. It was instinctive.’ La Máquina was a very different machine to that of Herbert Chapman’s Arsenal.
So here we go as a tribute to the River Plate Football as known as La Máquina or Los Millionairros at different times....



Ubaldo Matildo Fillol, Goalkeeper (1974-83):

Nicknamed ‘El Pato’ (the Duck), Fillol is considered, along with fellow Millo idol Amadeos Carrizo one of the greatest goalkeepers in Argentine history, and just beats out the legend of La Máquina for our number one jersey. Fillol helped end River’s 18-year wait for a title in 1975, and would add six more to the trophy cabinet in his Monumental stay as well as lifting the World Cup in 1978 as a Millonario.


Norberto Yácono, defender (1938-1953):

Yácono appeared 393 times in the River jersey, making him the fifth highest appearing player of all time in the Millo history books after spending a trophy-laden 15-year spell at the club. Part of the legendary pre-war Máquina, the defender won six national championships at the Monumental and would return to River post-retirement to coach the youth side.


Daniel Alberto Passarella, defender (1974-82, 1988-89):

‘El Kaiser’, ‘El Gran Capitan’: no praise was too high for this true River legend. Despite only standing 1.73m tall Passarella was a talisman in defence for River and Argentina, and as coach the star would add three more titles to the six he won as a player in the Monumental, the stadium he now oversees as club president.


Roberto Alfredo Perfumo, defender (1975-78):

A product of the Nunez club’s youth system, Perfumo went on to become a legend at bitter rivals Racing Club, winning the National championship, Copa Libertadores and Copa Intercontinental in 1967 as Racing became the first Argentine club to be crowned world champions. Already in his thirties when he returned to his first club, nevertheless the player who La Nacion dub “one of the best defenders in Argentine history” still had time to lead the Millo to three titles in as many years, playing over 100 games before finally retiring at the age of 36.


Eduardo Sapoletti, defender (1976-1987):

Arriving at the Monumental from Racing de Cordoba in 1976, ‘El Sapo’ (the toad) would play an impressive 321 games at right back for River, a record for a Millo right back. His time in Nunez would span one of the most successful periods in the club’s history, with six national titles and the club’s historic first Libertadores trophy adorning this battling defender’s mantelpiece.


Reinaldo Carlos Merlo, midfielder (1969-84):

The only player here to have spent his entire career in the Monumental, Reinaldo Merlo combined with Fillol and Passarella to form the backbone of that incredibly successful team of the 1970s and 80s, as he does here. The tough-tackling defensive midfielder played over 500 times for River in a 15-year career, and his ball-winning skills helped the Millo to seven titles over that period; although a lack of talent with the ball at his feet limited his international career to just three caps.


Américo Rubén "El Tolo" Gallego, midfielder (1981-88):

‘El Tolo’ first made his name in Rosario with Newell’s Old Boys, but in 1981 joined River Plate and formed a formidable midfield partnership with Merlo before succeeding him as the linchpin in the middle of the park. World Cup winner in 1978 with Argentina, the cultured passer’s biggest achievement with River was the club’s first ever Copa Libertadores trophy in 1986 against Colombia’s America.


José María Minella, midfielder (1935-42):

The oil that kept the Máquina running smoothly, Minella sat in midfield behind that famous five man attack and fed them the ammunition, becoming an integral part of the team widely regarded as the greatest in River’s, if not Argentine, football history. A winner of three championships with River, he would go on to repeat the success at international- helping Argentina to the 1937 and 1941 Copa America.


Alfredo Stéfano Di Stéfano Laulhé, enganche (1945-49):

An incredibly competitive position, with Ariel Ortega another choice for the number 10 role and club legends such as Hernán Crespo, Marcelo Salas, Omar Sívori and any of the iconic Máquina forward line giving a great argument to play three orthodox strikers. It is impossible however to ignore one of the greatest players ever to play the game; Di Stéfano’s pass through Nunez was fleeting but glittering, boasting a record of 49 goals in 65 games and two national championships before he would eventually make history at Real Madrid.


Enzo Francescoli Uriarte, striker (1983-86, 1994-97):

Quite simply one of the best players ever to play in South America, ‘El Principe’s’ two River spells coincided with two runs of brilliant success for the Millo, and players from Zinedine Zidane to Pele have recognised his grace and poise on the ball and eye for goal. Enzo missed out on River’s first Libertadores triumph in 1986 after being transferred to Racing Paris shortly before; there would be no denying him in 1996 though, and playing with the new generation of stars such as Marcelo Salas, Matias Almeyda and Crespo, the 34 year old led them to success for the second time.


Ángel Amadeo Labruna, striker (1939-59):

The top scorer in Argentine football history with 293 goals from 515 appearances, Labruna was the focal point of the legendary five man Máquina attack which swept aside almost every team in the period around the Second World War. Aided by Labruna and iconic teammates such as Moreno, Perdenera and Ferreyra, River won nine titles in his 20 -year spell at the club (in the days of one-championship seasons); and if that wasn’t enough the forward would lead the side to six more titles as manager in the 1970’s.


Coach/Manager : Ramón Díaz, Ángel Labruna and José María Minella.

Reserves include : Juan Carlos Muñoz, José Manuel Moreno, Adolfo Pedernera, Juan José López, Alberto Tarantini, Néstor Rossi, Amadeo Carrizo, Norberto Alonso, Carlos Peucelle, Bernabé Ferreyra, Walter Gómez, Santiago Vernazza, Eliseo Prado, Emilio Commisso, Félix Loustau, Ariel Ortega, Ramón Díaz, Marcelo Gallardo, Hernán Crespo, Pablo Aimar, Roberto Ayala, Germán Burgos, Oscar Más and Juan Pablo Sorín.