Still Boca: The sweet sound of silence at La Bombonera

Words: Dom Tancock

Images: Dom Tancock

La Bombonera “The stadium doesn’t shake, it beats”.

Welcome to the Estadio Alberto Jose Armando in the heart of La Boca district and home to Club Atlético Boca Juniors.

The reason I had travelled to Argentina, to watch the team play in this iconic stadium - La Bombonera - “The Chocolate Box”.

Like the stadium, my heart was beating, climbing the steps and walking out to this iconic, for me, the most iconic, stadium in the world.

I stood on the terrace taking in the three steep tiers of terracing before me, hearing the drums and songs of the La Boca.

But there were no sticks hitting skins.

Along the unique box side of the stadium, I sat looking across the immaculately cut pitch, imagining Maradona, Riquelme, Palermo, Tevez and Rattin doing what they do, indeed I could almost see a mirage of Riquelme knocking the ball home from the edge of the box such was the atmosphere of this wonderful stadium.

But there were no players.

Next La Doce terracing and the flags, smoke, drums, blue and yellow ribbons of the barra brava streaming down the terrace - the intense wild chanting for their heroes rolling around my head as I stood like a little captivated boy on this vast terrace.

But the stands were silent.

An empty stadium before me but it felt like it was packed to rafters, that was to follow a few days later.

A dream come true to stand in La Bombonera. Still.