Not even Real Madrid can achieve what these South American clubs do

It’s no lie to say that Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, Liverpool, Arsenal or more recently PSG or Manchester City are recognized almost everywhere around the world. They have millions of followers given that the best soccer players are part of their rosters.

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But there’s one thing that the biggest clubs in the world will never be able to do: have the support of more than half of the country. Just in London, for the 2021-22 season, are 13 different soccer clubs, not mentioning all the other clubs in lower tier leagues. Same thing happens in Madrid, where there’s 5 clubs playing in La Liga.

But in South America, soccer is not just a hobby, is a way of life. People breathe, think, dream about soccer and that translates on the passion they feel when their club plays. And that passion is felt throughout the entire country every time the biggest club in the country plays.

Barcelona SC, in Ecuador

Barcelona Sporting Club de Guayaquil is the biggest club in Ecuador. Founded in 1925, El Ídolo de Ecuador is the most winning club in the Ecuadorian League, as they’ve won 16 titles since professional soccer was set up in 1957. They also are the only club in Ecuador to never have been relegated, as they’ve played in Ecuador’s top flight 65 years uninterrupted. According to a study made in 2008, at least 43% of the population in Ecuador were followers of Barcelona.

CA Peñarol, in Uruguay

Although Peñarol was founded by Englishmen as Central Uruguay Railway Cricket Club in 1891, they become Club Atlético Peñarol in 1914 and ever since they’ve been the most successful team in Uruguay. Los Carboneros are the most followed club in Uruguay, despite that Nacional also has an outstanding number of followers, as 46% of the population support the Aurinegros, against the 35% that follows los Albos.

Boca Juniors, in Argentina

Club Atlético Boca Juniors was founded by Italians living in La Boca, Buenos Aires, in 1905. Since then, Boca Juniors has become the most successful club in Argentina, as they are the only club that has played in Argentina’s first division every single season since it was set up in 1931. So far, they’ve won 34 league titles and it’s the third most-winning club of international titles in the world, with 22. They are the protagonist of one of the most fierceful rivalries in soccer, alongside River Plate, although Los Xeneizes are the most popular club in Argentina, as 40% of the population follows them, which is why the called themselves “the half plus one”.

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