With a combined history of over 220 years of competition, there are few rivalries in any sport that match the legacy and lore of Uruguay’s two most popular teams, Peñarol and Nacional. 
These two clubs—adding to a long list of amazing things Americans don’t know about Uruguay—have been seminal figures in the global expansion of soccer’s popularity, solidifying Uruguay’s sporting legend around the planet. 
Separately--or combined when contributing their top players to the represent the nation--these famed franchises can claim dozens of national, international and world championships. 
With multiple Olympic Gold Medals and two World Cups, including the very first, played in Centenario Stadium in 1930, and a second with a comeback victory in 1950 against the highly favored Brazilians, Nacional and Peñarol are known worldwide.
Generations of Uruguayan grandfathers, grandmothers, spouses, sons, and daughters, have argued over their preference and that tradition continues. Add the fact that Nacional was spawned from Peñarol, literally making them paternally linked, you have a rivalry that runs as thick as blood.
On a beautiful cool crisp autumn afternoon in April, we went—along with every member of Montevideo’s media--to the most recent carnal incarnation of this feverish fan infatuation, this celebrated spectator debate, this black and blue, red and yellow and white fight for bragging rights, the most crucial controversial culturally culminating sporting event in Uruguay history: Peñarol versus Nacional.
Javier, with perrenial Peñarol pride, purchased our Tribuna Olympico tickets the day before and we arrived an hour early to get good seats at midfield, between the more radical sparring spectators who prefer the seats behind their home goal!
Estadio Centenario, built to hold 100,000 in 1930 for the first World Cup, has played host to hundreds of sold-out matches over the decades. Javier told us that Argentines, unable to get seats for the final match, scaled the walls with ropes! Even today, fans are chanting outside the stadium, long before the match, and will continue touting their team during and after the game…
Leandra and four horsemen ton patrol to control any apocalypse…
Javier and Leandra reach the entrance, while vendors, spectators, and security scout things out…
One of several things that fans enjoy hurling onto the field are streamers—the most affordable being a used roll of receipts…
As Nacional takes the field, the fans, known as “Bolsos”, produce a gigantic jersey, and 20 tri-colored banners running the length of the stadium. Nacional fans are playing for pride in this match—they are not in the running for the first place finish—but, unlike Peñarol, they are still alive in the international Copa Libertadores tournament. And, they’d like nothing more than to dash the national title hopes of their rival!
Peñarol’s army, the “Carboñeros”, upon the arrival of their squad, go ballistic with a barrage of flares and stares and chants and rants at their enemies in the other end of the field. Fans bring as much gusto as they can muster: bags of newspaper confetti, drums and fireworks, flags and banners, horns and streamers—anything that can how much you love your team! Because Peñarol, needing this vistory to tie for first, still has championship hopes, their black and yellow legions slightly outnumber those in red, white and blue.
Just before the teams line up for the opening kick, the entire stadium erupts in a roar of anticpation and celebration!
Two coal miner minors climb the fence for some full frontal futbol…
Peñarol takes the lead 1-0—after a corner kick is accidentally headed in by a Nacional player--setting off a series of taunts toward the shadowed tri-colored half of Centenario. Players celebrate the customary futbol way, by mobbing the scoring player, but in this case, it’s the lucky corner kicker!
Play resumes, and Nacional, attacking in the friendly direction, has several super shots stopped by the gritty goalie of Peñarol.
Peñarol pushes the pelota (ball) to their strikers, while Leandra keeps and eye on the police…
Caught in the act! Nacional’s desperate airborne keeper can’t stop Peñarol second score, as the ball bursts into the net...
And the “Carboñeros” double their indubitable displays of dominance…
Sitting under Centenarios signature tower, Javier and I join in the black and gold joy…
Just before halftime, Peñarol takes the lead to 3-0, and Javier, beside himself with glee, holds a three over an equally thrilled Leandra…
Fans from both sides chant relentlessly—everyone knows dozens of spirit raising songs. And the “Mirasoles” (sunflowers—another Peñarol nickname), bask in the glory with another unified decibel powered praise…
Leandra shows her approval and knowledge of one of Uruguay’s unspoken common colloquialisms: the “ mustache up”!
But century old rivals never stop, and neither does the Nacional enclave, a little less loud, but flags still wave with abandon…
A whopper of a 2005 windstorm that took out 200 trees in Montevideo, turned Centenarios scoreboard into a window, or for the able, a private skybox seat. Javier says, in his impeccable accented English, “Jes, I think they will fix it before the next World Cup!” We think the world of Javier—so many of our amazing experiences in Uruguay would have been half as wonderful without him, his friends, and his family.
Meanwhile, a 40,000 people wide smile is watching the sun set on the Nacional…
And, in a rivalry that ranges from the bottom of their banners to the top of the scoreboards and every street corner and dinner table between, Peñarol refuses to lose this round…
In the end, players join hands at midfield showing truly good sportsmanship, as the players push pause on the ongoing saga…
As we stretch to leave, neutral pieces of confetti and impartial bleacher seats settle together in peace to rest…
But, the fans don’t miss a beat. The proud, pernicious Peñarol people continue to tease in glee…
And the gals and pals of Nacional respond “in kind”, setting symbolic fires to the streamers that didn’t help their team to victory, a loss that will be burned into their collective memory…
And ours!
Thanks again to Javier, it was just another awesome “mustache up” day in Uruguay--at least for the Peñarol half of the population!
3 comments:
Sounds like an unforgettable experience. I was in Italy last summer when the team won the World Cup. There was partying and levels of pandemonium that I have never witnessed before. And my wife's relatives in Uruguay reported that in Montevideo, there was partying in the streets amongst the Italo-Uruguayo community. (For them, ANYONE but Argentina!!).
Great post Adam. Keep 'em coming!
Anthony P.
Powell, WY
"Add the fact that Nacional was spawned from Peñarol, literally making them paternally linked, you have a rivalry that runs as thick as blood."
Sorry, I think your Peñarol friend was trying to feel better about himself and changed things just a bit! There is no way Nacional was spawned by Peñarol. Completely false!
But hey, it's not your fault, it's just typical rivalry :)
Besides, technically, Nacional is 14 years older than Peñarol.
Great blog, keep it up!
omg im so glad you took the time to go to my native conutry! and to the comment before me...um...nacional is not 14 yrs older then peñarol...
Peñarol was founded September 28, 1891 and Nacional founded in May 14, 1899.
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