Definition of Barra Brava (Soccer)

In many countries, football is lived with real passion. A sector of the fans defend their team colors as if they were patriots or extreme warriors. In the set of Latin America the most radicalized fans are known as barra bravas. Many of them move to margin of the law, they act like force shock at political rallies, they remove and put coaches. They are tough and violent guys, addicted to alcohol and drugs and often turn into an urban tribe of criminals disguised in their soul team jersey.

From the sociological point of view, these fans present themselves as the "guardians" of the identity of their favorite team

In recent years, this social phenomenon has led to numerous violent acts and even murders (the Most crimes do not occur between members of rival supporters but between the fighting bars themselves for him leadership of the bands).

This underworld of the delinquency tries to be fought with police operatives who control the path of the fans when they go to the game (only in the city ​​of Buenos Aires there are more than ten historical teams of Argentine soccer and each of them has its own neighborhoods and communities). In Spain those who are part of these tribes are the ultras and in England they are known as hooligans.

Good fans disapprove of these gangs, as they have at times taken over the playing fields and intimidated other fans. For some of them, football is nothing more than an excuse to maintain their quota of street power or directly to sell drugs. In order to stop this spiral of violence, associations have been created to cleanse the world of football of this type of people (an example of this is the NGO "Salvemos al futbol" in Argentina or the laws against violence promoted in Chile over the years 90).

The origin of this expression is related to Argentine soccer

In the Argentine press of the 1920s the followers of San Lorenzo de Almagro began to be known as the bars, since during the matches in their stadium had thick wires with bicycle wheels on their ends in order to intimidate or attack the fans rival. Thus, as the bars or gangs behaved aggressively, the label "barra brava" was formed. Is expression It soon spread to the group of Argentine fans and with time it was incorporated to other Latin American countries.

It was in the 1980s when this phenomenon was definitively consolidated.

More than a sport

The Argentine people maintain an intense relationship with soccer and, in some way, have created their own worldview of this sport. There is an Almighty God (Maradona) and a Demigod (Messi).

There are cult temples: La Bombonera de Boca and El Monumental de River.

Among the heroes stand out Di Stefano, el Trinche or River's mythical forward from the 1940s, La Maquina.

There are also gurus of legend, such as Menotti, Bielsa, Basile or Bianchi.

In the history of La Albiceleste there are two feats that have not been forgotten, the 78 and 86 world championships.

In this context of intense passions, it is not surprising that subgroups of uncontrolled fans appear. Although they are a minority that does not represent Argentine soccer, they tarnish the image of this sport.

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