Even when CA Boca Juniors’ clash with Auckland City FC was suspended for 40 minutes due to a thunderstorm in Nashville, the noise didn’t die down. The rain may have dampened some things but not the spirits of the Boca faithful. Amid a cacophony of drums and trumpets, thousands huddled indoors for one last roar in what would turn out to be their final moments at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™.
With the players seeking shelter inside, the Bosteros seized their moment to make one last statement as they showed their undying love to their club – a love that remains regardless of the team’s results, poor form or lack of titles.
“We always have to thank the fans. They have supported us ever since we left Argentina. I honestly didn’t know what it was like here and now I’ve been able to see it for myself. We have to thank them. We tried our best to take Boca to the top but sometimes in football these things happen,” veteran forward Edinson Cavani said after the match.
Boca Juniors needed nothing short of a miracle to qualify for the Round of 16. Miguel Angel Russo, who took over less than a month ago to replace Fernando Gago, had seen his side earn a promising 2-2 draw with Benfica in their opening fixture before then falling 2-1 to FC Bayern München, meaning that things were out of their own hands heading into the final fixture.
Despite that, the fans again showed up in numbers, just as they had for the other two fixtures. The six-time Copa Libertadores winners have not won an international title since 2007 when their now president, Juan Roman Riquelme, was the club’s big star. But the lack of titles has done little to shake the unwavering support of Boca’s twelfth man.
As Bayern head coach Vincent Kompany noted, the Boca fans bring with them a special atmosphere. “I’ve had a long career and I’m happy to be a coach, but in games like these I wish I was a player again. The atmosphere and the hostile crowd are what I love about football. I think most fans would pay a lot of money to see them,” he said.
In the end, Boca couldn’t find the result they needed against an amateur side from Auckland, where a trainee teacher scored the goal that earned them a 1-1 draw. The full-time whistle sparked emotional celebrations from the Auckland players who remained on the pitch for several minutes to take in their achievement.
“I don’t have the words, to be honest. It’s a special moment for the club. We’ve worked so hard and this is a day that we’ll never forget”, Gray told FIFA.
Amid those Navy Blue celebrations, still the Boca fans kept singing. After the final whistle, they belted out their traditional chant: “soy bostero, es un sentimiento, no puedo parar” (“I’m a bostero, it’s a feeling, I can’t stop”) – before the players moved toward the blue‑and‑gold end to show their gratitude. Cavani stayed for several minutes signing autographs and acknowledging the Bosteros, who never once stopped singing and showing their love for their team as Boca bid farewell to the Club World Cup.
