History of Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata (football) facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata is a famous sports club from La Plata, Argentina. It was started on June 3, 1887, as "Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima," which means "Gymnastics and Fencing Club." At first, fencing was its main sport. Later, around the early 1900s, association football (soccer) became the most popular sport for the club.

In 1915, Gimnasia y Esgrima moved up to the top football division. They became champions of the División Intermedia, which was the second division back then. That same year, the club also won the Copa Bullrich cup.

Later, in 1929, the club won its first major title in the Primera División. After football became professional, Gimnasia won the Segunda División (second division) three times: in 1944, 1947, and 1952. They also won the Copa Centenario de la AFA in 1994. The team has finished second in the Primera División five times and was runner-up in the 2017-18 Copa Argentina. Gimnasia has played in Argentina's top football league for 96 seasons, which is one of the longest times for any club!

Early Days of Football

In the early 1900s, Gimnasia played in Argentina's third football division. They also had a team for younger players (under 17).

In 1905, Gimnasia had to leave its football field. So, the club stopped playing football for a while. Many members then left to start their own club, which they called "Estudiantes de La Plata." In 1912, some football players who had issues with Estudiantes joined another club called Club Independencia. This club then joined with Gimnasia y Esgrima in 1914, and Gimnasia started playing football again.

Moving Up to the Top League

The team that moved up to the Primera División in 1915.

After not playing football for a few years, Gimnasia started again in 1912. Just three years later, in 1915, the team moved up to the first division. They won a key match against Honor y Patria by 3–1 on December 15, 1915.

Some of the players who helped the team get promoted were Emilio Fernández, Luis Basérico, Ricardo Naón, and José Torres Amaral.

In the same year, Gimnasia also won the Copa de Competencia Adolfo J. Bullrich and the División Intermedia league championship.

On April 27, 1916, Gimnasia played against Estudiantes for the very first time. Gimnasia won the match 1–0 at Estudiantes' field, the Estadio Jorge Luis Hirschi.

On April 27, 1924, the club opened its new stadium. It was later named Estadio Juan Carmelo Zerillo. Gimnasia stayed unbeaten there for a record 15 months! In 1924, they finished second in the league, just behind San Lorenzo.

First Big Title and European Tour

The 1929 team that won its only Primera División title so far. Francisco Varallo is seated second from left.

In 1929, Gimnasia y Esgrima won its first Primera División title. They won 14 matches and lost only 3. They beat Estudiantes 4–1 and River Plate 1–0. The final championship match was played on February 9, 1930. Gimnasia defeated Boca Juniors 2–1 to win the title. Key players included Francisco Varallo.

Between December 1930 and April 1931, Gimnasia went on a tour to Europe and Brazil. The team became known as "El Expreso" (The Express). Gimnasia was the first Argentine club from outside Greater Buenos Aires to play in Europe. They were also the first to play in Portugal, Czechoslovakia, Austria, and Italy.

Gimnasia and Real Madrid captains with referees before their match in January 1931.

The tour started on December 8, 1930. The team played 27 matches in four months, which was very unusual for that time.

Gimnasia played two matches in Brazil. They tied 1–1 with Vasco da Gama. Four days later, they lost to a "Carioca" combined team. An interesting fact is that Gimnasia played in stadiums with night lights, which Argentina did not have yet.

After Brazil, the team traveled to Spain. Gimnasia y Esgrima played its first match in Spain against Real Madrid. They won 3–2, becoming the first team from Argentina to beat Real Madrid in their home country. The next day, Spanish newspapers wrote that "The Argentine players seem to have been born to play football."

On January 6, Gimnasia played FC Barcelona at their stadium. They won another great victory by 2–1.

Tour match details
Date	Rival	Country toured	Score
December 13, 1930	Vasco da Gama	Brazil	1-1
December 17, 1930	Carioca Combined	Brazil	0-4
January 1, 1931	Real Madrid	Spain	3-2
January 6, 1931	Barcelona	Spain	2-1
January 11, 1931	Marino FC	Spain	3-1
January 15, 1931	Real Victoria	Spain	2-1
January 18, 1931	Real Victoria	Spain	1-1
January 23, 1931	Marino FC	Spain	4-0
January 25, 1931	Real Victoria	Spain	0-2
January 31, 1931	Red Star	France	0-2
February 2, 1931	Bermen	Germany	3-6
February 8, 1931	Sportverein 1860	Germany	1-1
February 15, 1931	Sportverein 1860	Germany	4-0
February 21, 1931	Polizer Sport	Germany	4-2
February 22, 1931	Vereim Fur Fortuna	Germany	0-0
February 28, 1931	Düsseldorf Combined	Germany	2-1
March 1, 1931	Tennis Borussia Berlin	Germany	1-2
March 4, 1931	Vereim Fur Fortuna	Germany	3-1
March 8, 1931	AC Sparta Praha	Czech Republic	3-1
March 12, 1931	WAC Rapid (Viena)	Austria	1-2
March 15, 1931	Ambrosiana	Italy	3-3
March 19, 1931	Napoli	Italy	2-2
March 25, 1931	Barcelona	Spain	0-3
March 29, 1931	Benfica	Portugal	1-0
April 14, 1931	Vasco Da Gama	Brazil	2-2
April 16, 1931	Corinthians	Brazil	0-0
April 23, 1931	Palestra (San Pablo)	Brazil	1-2

"El Expreso" Team

The team of 1933, nicknamed El Expreso.

Goalkeeper Herrera let San Lorenzo players score goals without opposing, as a protest against the referee in 1933.

During the 1933 Argentine championship, Gimnasia y Esgrima had a fantastic season. Their team, nicknamed "El Expreso" (The Express), won many games by large scores. They beat Vélez Sarsfield 4–0, Boca Juniors 5–2, and Tigre 7–1.

A newspaper called Crítica gave them the nickname "El Expreso." They said the team was like a train that "Can't be stopped by neither anything nor anyone." Gimnasia finished the first half of the season in first place.

Later in the season, Gimnasia played Boca Juniors. The referee made some unfair calls that helped Boca win. Two games later, against San Lorenzo de Almagro, the referee again seemed to favor San Lorenzo. Gimnasia players were so upset that they stopped playing. They sat on the field while San Lorenzo scored easily. The game ended 7–1.

Despite these issues, the 1933 "Expreso" team is still seen as one of Gimnasia's best ever. They finished in fourth place. Arturo "El Torito" Naón was their top scorer with 33 goals.

Ups and Downs (1934-1960)

Antonio Sastre carrying the ball in a match in 1947, when Gimnasia won the Segunda División.

In the 1940s, Gimnasia had mixed results. They were sometimes relegated to the Segunda División (second division). In 1943, they finished last and were moved down.

The next year, 1944, Gimnasia won the Segunda División championship. They won 31 games and moved back up to the top division. However, in 1945, they finished last again and were relegated for the second time in three seasons.

Gimnasia stayed in Primera B for 1946 and 1947. In 1947, they won the championship again and returned to the first division. A famous player, Antonio Sastre, returned to the team that year. In 1948, Gimnasia finished last again, but no teams were relegated that season.

In 1951, Gimnasia was relegated once more. But in 1952, they won the second division championship and returned to the first division. For the rest of the 1950s, Gimnasia usually finished in the middle of the league table.

Smaller Trophies

The team of 1960.

In 1960, Gimnasia y Esgrima played in a friendly tournament called the "Copa Gobernador de la Provincia de Buenos Aires Dr. Oscar Alende." It was organized by their rival, Estudiantes. Other teams like Uruguayan clubs Peñarol and Nacional also played.

Gimnasia won both its matches against the Uruguayan teams: 5–2 against Nacional and 1–0 against Peñarol. Estudiantes lost their games. In the final match, Gimnasia tied 2–2 with Estudiantes. This meant Gimnasia won the Gobernador Alende Cup on February 13, 1960, at their rival's stadium.

The Wolf of 1962

The team of 1962.

In 1962, Gimnasia had a very good season, finishing third in the Primera División. After a slow start, they went unbeaten for 15 games, including 9 wins in a row. They even led the championship for a while.

The team's top scorer was Alfredo "Tanque" Rojas with 17 goals. The team scored 47 goals and let in 28, which was a good record.

The main players included Carlos Minoian, Pedro Galeano, José Marinovich, Walter Davoine, Daniel Carlos Bayo, Domingo Lejona, Luis Ciaccia, Héctor Antonio, Alfredo "Tanque" Rojas, Diego Francisco Bayo, and "Huaqui" Gómez Sánchez.

Changes in the 1960s

In the mid-1960s, the way championships were organized changed in Argentina. There were now "Metropolitano" and "Nacional" tournaments. In 1967, Gimnasia y Esgrima won the "Promocional" tournament.

"La Barredora" Team (1970)

The team of 1970.

One of the most remembered teams by fans is "La Barredora" (The Sweeper).

In 1970, Gimnasia y Esgrima reached the semi-finals of the "Campeonato Nacional" against Rosario Central. However, there was a disagreement between the players and the club leaders about money. Because of this, the club's president decided to send the third-division team to play. Rosario Central won the match 3–0.

The main players of "La Barredora" included Hugo Orlando Gatti, Ricardo Rezza, José Masnik, Roberto Zywica, Delio Onnis, and José Néstor Meija. José Varacka was the coach.

Relegation Again

After a tough season in the Campeonato Metropolitano, Gimnasia had to play in a special mini-tournament to avoid being relegated. They played against Platense, Chacarita Juniors, and Atlanta. Despite winning 3 games, Gimnasia was relegated to the Second Division.

In that tournament, Carlos Dantón Seppaquercia scored the fastest goal in the Argentine league. He scored against Club Atlético Huracán after just 5 seconds on March 18, 1979.

Time in Primera B (1980-1984)

Gimnasia stayed in the Primera "B" (second division) from 1980 to 1984. In 1980, they finished fourth. In 1982, they finished first in their group and made it to the playoffs for promotion. However, they lost in the semi-finals on penalties. Gimnasia was the highest-scoring team that year with 73 goals. Jorge "Potro" Domínguez was their top scorer with 21 goals.

Back to Primera División

In 1984, Gimnasia finally made it back to the First Division! They finished third in the league, which qualified them for a special playoff tournament. In this tournament, they beat Argentino de Rosario and Defensores de Belgrano.

In the final, Gimnasia played against Racing Club. Gimnasia won both matches, 3–1 away and 4–2 at home. After these wins, Gimnasia returned to the First Division in 1985 and has been playing there ever since.

Key players for this team included Ricardo "el pulpo" Kuzemka, Carlos Carrió, and Osvaldo Ingrao. Their coach was Nito Veiga.

Copa Conmebol 1992

In 1992, Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata played in an international cup for the first time. It was the Copa Conmebol, organized by the Confederación Sudamericana de Fútbol.

In the first round, they tied 0–0 against O'Higgins in Chile. Then, in the return match in La Plata, Gimnasia won 2–0 and moved on. In the next round, they faced Peñarol from Uruguay. They tied 0–0 away and won 3–1 at home.

In the semi-final, they played against Club Olimpia from Paraguay. Both matches ended 0–0. The winner was decided by penalty kicks. The Paraguayan team won 3–0 on penalties, which meant Gimnasia was out of the tournament.

Another Title After 65 Years

The team that beat River Plate, winning the Copa Centenario de la AFA.

In 1993, the AFA organized a special cup tournament called the "Copa Centenario de la AFA" (AFA Centennial Cup). This was to celebrate their 100th anniversary.

Gimnasia y Esgrima played its rival Estudiantes and won 1–0 with a goal by Guillermo Barros Schelotto. They moved on after a 0–0 tie in the second game. Gimnasia then beat Newell's Old Boys, Argentinos Juniors, and Belgrano de Córdoba to win their side of the tournament.

River Plate won the other side, setting up a final match. Gimnasia won the final 3–1 with goals from Hugo Guerra, Pablo Fernández, and Guillermo Barros Schelotto. This was a big win for Gimnasia, bringing them a major title after 65 years!

Sanwa Bank Cup (1994)

In 1994, Gimnasia went to Japan to play in the Sanwa Bank Cup. They were invited because they had won the Copa Centenario. They played against the champion of the J-League, Verdy Kawasaki (now Tokyo Verdy).

The match was played in Tokyo. It ended in a 2–2 tie after normal time. Verdy Kawasaki won 4–2 in a penalty shootout.

From Griguol to Troglio (1994-2006)

With experienced coach Carlos Timoteo Griguol, Gimnasia finished second in the 1995, 1996, and 1998 tournaments. In 1996, they famously beat Boca Juniors 6–0 at the reopening of Boca's stadium. They also finished second in 2002.

Gimnasia also took second place in 2005 under Pedro Troglio's coaching. They played very well and fought for the championship until the very end. These strong performances allowed Gimnasia to play in top South American club competitions, like the Copa Sudamericana and Copa Libertadores.

Challenges in 2006–07

In 2006, there were some difficult times for the club. During a match against Boca Juniors, the club president had a problem with the referee, and the game was stopped.

Later, on October 15, 2006, Gimnasia lost to their rival Estudiantes by a score of 7–0. This was their biggest loss in a derby game. A few days later, Gimnasia was knocked out of the Copa Sudamericana by Chilean team Colo Colo.

The coach, Pedro Troglio, felt responsible and left his job in April 2007. Gimnasia then hired new coaches, but they had limited success.

New Management (2007–08)

In December 2007, a new club president, Walter Gisande, was elected. He hired former player Guillermo Sanguinetti as the new coach.

Sanguinetti left after some bad results. Then, Leonardo Madelón became coach, and the team's results improved a lot.

The new management also worked to bring the team back to its traditional stadium, El Bosque. After safety checks, Gimnasia was allowed to play there again in June 2008. The city mayor also said that Gimnasia might be able to buy or lease land for a new sports complex.

Gimnasia y Esgrima was promoted back to the Primera División in May 2013. They beat Instituto de Córdoba 2–0 with three games left in the season.

Renaissance (2013-2015)

After returning to the First Division, Gimnasia had a good start in the 2013 tournament with coach Pedro Troglio. They even beat River Plate 1–0 at home.

In the 2014 Final Tournament, Gimnasia improved a lot towards the end, winning 6 games in a row. They finished fifth, which allowed them to play in the Copa Sudamericana 2014. However, they were eliminated in the first round by their rival, Estudiantes de La Plata.

Recent Years (2016-Present)

In recent years, Gimnasia has had some ups and downs. Coaches changed often. Pedro Troglio returned for a time and led the team to the final of the 2017-18 Copa Argentina. They lost the final on penalties to Rosario Central.

Diego Maradona's Time (2019-2020)

In 2019, the legendary Diego Maradona became the coach of Gimnasia. The team was very close to being relegated. However, the COVID-19 pandemic caused all relegations to be stopped, which saved Gimnasia.

Sadly, Maradona passed away in late 2020. Mariano Messera and Leandro Martini then took over as coaches.

Up Hill (2021-Present)

In 2021, Gimnasia started getting better results, moving away from the relegation zone. However, due to later results, they are still in a tough spot regarding relegation, though the rules for relegation have been suspended since 2020.

Records and Fun Facts

Gimnasia was the first South American team to beat Real Madrid CF in Spain. This happened on January 1, 1931, with Gimnasia winning 3–2.
Gimnasia was the first Argentine club to hire a foreign coach in the professional era. His name was Emérico Hirschl from Hungary.
Between 1932 and 1934, Gimnasia won five derby matches against Estudiantes in a row. This is the longest winning streak in that rivalry.
Gimnasia's biggest win ever was 8–1 against Racing Club on November 22, 1961. Interestingly, Racing Club was the champion that year!

Home Stadium History

Gimnasia has not always had its own stadium. Before 1924, they played in different places. Sometimes, due to issues with the Juan Carmelo Zerillo Stadium, the team has to play big matches at the Ciudad de La Plata Stadium.

Here are the main places where Gimnasia has played its home games:

1901-1905: Plaza de Juegos Atléticos, La Plata.
1905: Belgrano's field, La Plata (for a few matches).
1906-1911: Football activities were stopped.
1912-1914: Plaza de Juegos Atléticos de los Bomberos (near the current stadium).
1915: Club Independientes field (near the current stadium).
1916-1923: 12 & 71 streets, La Plata.
1924-2005: Estadio Juan Carmelo Zerillo (named in 1974), La Plata.
2005-2008: Estadio Ciudad de La Plata, La Plata.
2008–present: Estadio Juan Carmelo Zerillo, La Plata.

The club's main stadium is still the Juan Carmelo Zerillo Stadium, which the club owns. It has been approved for matches with smaller crowds. However, Gimnasia y Esgrima can still choose to play home games at the Estadio Ciudad de La Plata if they need to.