Vélez Sarsfield, a club from Liniers, one of the many barrios of Buenos Aires, named after the railway station in the neighbourhood, with its beautiful white shirt and characteristic blue 'v'.
The club may well be on the eve of a new championship. And that makes this a good moment to look back at the club's history, and in particular at Vélez Sarsfield's absolute golden years, the 1990s, when the club won everything there was to win.
Raul Gámez: Hooligan, President and Visionary
Responsible for this was really just one man, Rául Gámez, a former leader of the Barra Bravas, Vélez Sarsfield's hardcore supporters' group.
Raul Gámez is, as they say, a Vélez Sarsfield supporter through and through. His father took him to the stadium from a young age. Later in life he joined one of the club's supporters' groups, gradually working his way up. Eventually he even became the leader of the club's main Barra Bravas.
In the early 1980s he was once appointed head of football at the umbrella Vélez Sarsfield association, but that was short-lived. After a year he was back among the Barra Bravas. That year it had become clear that Gámez had a vision: to bring youth players through to the first team in order to strengthen the club culture and protect its long-term interests. It was clear he could move effortlessly from the supporters' group to the boardroom, a transition few people manage.
1986 World Cup Mexico
Back among the Barra Bravas, something remarkable happened. Gámez, along with a number of members of Vélez's hardcore, was chosen to protect the Argentine team during the 1986 World Cup in Mexico from over-eager supporters. During the famous quarter-final against England, he found himself fighting English supporters in the stands, only to end up on the podium when the team was celebrated in Buenos Aires after Argentina's World Cup win.
A new chance as football president
In 1992, Gámez got a new chance in the boardroom. Ricardo Petracca became president of the umbrella association and appointed Gámez head of the football section. Gámez seized the opportunity with both hands to spread his vision for the club.
Vélez Sarsfield was meanwhile in financial trouble, and after a year of muddling through, Gámez felt it was time for change. He turned to the club's former star player, Carlos Bianchi. Bianchi favoured defensive football, and Gámez didn't mind, as long as it brought success. And it did.
The first thing Bianchi did was bring in a goalkeeper, the brilliantly eccentric Chilavert. With him between the posts, the defence became rock solid, resulting in the championship in 1993. And defensive it was, with just 23 goals scored in 19 matches.
By winning the championship, the club had also qualified for the Copa Libertadores. In these matches too, the defensive line was barely abandoned, and whenever a two-legged tie ended level, Vélez also proved formidable at taking penalties. This led to what had seemed impossible: Vélez Sarsfield reached the final and faced Sao Paolo. That club, coached by icon Tele Santana, played highly attractive football and had won the Copa Libertadores the previous two years. The final was played over two legs, and both teams won their home match 1-0.
A great deal happened in the second match. Chilavert was world class, Bianchi was sent off, and Vélez picked up plenty of yellow cards and even a red. That red card gave Gámez cause, at half-time, to kick down the referee's door to demand an explanation.
But ultimately the final would be decided on penalties. And here too Chilavert became the great hero, and the unbelievable happened: Vélez Sarsfield won the Copa Libertadores.
And that wasn't all, because later that year the club could even call itself world champion after beating the mighty AC Milan.
Honours under Raul Gámez
Two years later, Gámez even became president of the entire umbrella association, and the successes kept coming: the club became champion in 1996 (twice), 1998, 2005, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013. That brings the club's total to 10 championships, the most of any club behind the five so-called Grandes. Impressive.
Gámez remained president until 2017 and never returned to the Barra Bravas, but these days he can be found quietly watching from the stands.
Argentine football is woven together from one fantastic story after another, and this wonderful tale shouldn't be left out. At the time of writing, Vélez Sarsfield and Talleres Córdoba sit level at the top with 48 points, with El Fortín holding the better goal difference. A win against Huracán this coming weekend would deliver the club's 11th title.
