Rampla Juniors Fútbol Club, commonly known as Rampla Juniors, is a Uruguayan football club based in Montevideo. The team was actively playing the 2021 season by January 2021.[1] In their home stadium, Rampla won the Uruguayan championship in 1927.[2] In 2019, the Rampla Juniors Fútbol Club had Estadio Olímpico, with 6,000 capacity, as its home stadium.[3] Fans are nicknamed "The Flintstones", as they helped build the team's home stadium in the 1960s, which resembled a quarry.[2]

Rampla Juniors
Full nameRampla Juniors Football Club
Nickname(s)Picapiedras
Friyis (until the middle of the 1960)
Ramplenses
Founded7 January 1914; 110 years ago (7 January 1914)
GroundEstadio Olímpico,
Montevideo, Uruguay
Capacity6,000
ChairmanIsabel Peña
CoachJavier Benia
LeagueSegunda División
2020Segunda División, 4th
WebsiteClub website
Current season

History edit

Origin and colours edit

 
Old logo
 
Rampla Juniors flag

Rampla Juniors were founded in the Aduana area (also the birthplace of River Plate FC), then moved first to the Aguada neighborhood, and finally, around 1920, to the Cerro neighborhood. Their colors are taken from Fortaleza, a club that existed in the early years of Rampla's stint in the Cerro area. Another story of how they chose their colors is similar to how Boca Juniors supposedly got the idea for their kit colors from a Swedish flag on a ship. It is rumored that Rampla's founders took the red and green from an Italian flag on a ship that arrived in Montevideo Bay. It is also said that the basketball team CA Aguada (founded in 1922) took their colors from Rampla Juniors.

Early championships and games edit

 
Team of Rampla Juniors that played in Buenos Aires in 1922

In their home stadium, Rampla won the Uruguayan championship in 1927.[2] Rampla in 1927 won the Uruguayan Primera División, the 1927 Squad was: Pedro Arispe (Captain), Pedro Aguirre, Enrique Ballestrero, Pedro Cabrera, Julio Nieto, José Magallanes, Juan Miguel Fermín "Ruso" Labraga, Luis Gaitán, Conrado Haeberli, Vital Ruffatti and Conrado Bidegain.

Rampla was once[when?] called[by whom?] the third "big" (meaning popular or best) of Uruguay's clubs, Nacional and Peñarol being first and second, due to the huge number of followers and positive results.[citation needed]

In its early days, Rampla Juniors had strong ties with the meat packing industries that forged the neighborhood that it represents, notably the Chicago companies Swift and Armour. From those companies' workforces came several important players to Rampla Juniors. Until the mid 1960s Ramplas' supporters were known as Friyis, as the sound resembled fridges (from the meat packing industries).

Fans are nicknamed "The Flintstones", as they helped build the team's home stadium during the 1964 and 1966 construction, which resembled a quarry. In 1966, the stadium had received its name.[2]

In the 1980s, the club replaced the stadium's old wooden stands with new ones made with concrete. Supporters helped break stones for the restoration, hence their new nickname, the Picapiedras (stone breakers).

In 2007, Rampla finished tied in 2nd place with Danubio in the Uruguayan 1st division. Their team record was (9 wins, 4 draws, and 2 losses, in 15 games).

Recent seasons edit

By 2009, the club was in political and financial difficulties. By 2015, Rampla was in debt around US $200,000. In 2016, trade unionist Juan Castillo was named the club's president, and new management was announced too. Castillo was soon replaced with Isabel Peña as president. In 2020, the club's debts were paid by businessman Edgard Parnas, in exchange for 20% of the club's ownership.[4]

In 2019, the Rampla Juniors Fútbol Club continued to use Estadio Olímpico, with 6,000 capacity, as its home stadium.[3] To play a promotion tournament, in August 2020, the team raised US$180,000 in six days, refinancing 50% of debt with players, and paying the other half to start in the Second Division (Uruguayan Segunda División).[5] By 2020 December, Rampla Juniors beat Racing Club de Montevideo 3-0, and were in the final for promotion in the second division.[6]

The team was actively playing the 2021 season by January 2021.[1] In January 2021 the first final of the Second Professional Division was played between Rampla Juniors and team Sud América.[7] Daniel Bianchi was named new president of the Rampla Juniors on Thursday, February 25, 2021.[8] In June 2021 they played the Atenas de San Carlos, ending in a draw at 1-1.[9] On June 16, 2021, they won against Villa Teresa 1-0, with a goal scored by Pablo Pereira.[10] In July 2021, rival Cerro beat the Rampla Juniors 1-0 at Charrua Stadium,[11] in the Liga de Ascenso Profesional.[12] The game was the Villa classic.[13] In August 2021, the team Peñarol won the final against Rampla 4-1.[14]

Rivalries edit

Rampla Juniors's archrivals are Cerro, and as such, the second biggest rivalry in the country.

The annual derby between teams is high-profile.[2]

Current squad edit

Updated 17 February, 2024 Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK   URU Adriano Freitas
2 DF   URU Jonathan Toledo
3 DF   ARG Lautaro Centurion
4 DF   URU Gabriel de León
6 DF   URU Matías Toma
7 FW   URU Gonzalo Barreto
8 DF   URU Germán Gabriel
9 FW   URU Agustín Navarro
12 GK   URU Andrés Samurio
13 FW   URU Emiliano Mozzone
14 MF   URU Diego Rosa
15 MF   URU Matheus Cuello
16 FW   URU Maximiliano Burruzo
17 DF   URU Federico Barrandeguy
21 MF   URU Adrián Leites
23 MF   URU Nicolás Prieto
No. Pos. Nation Player
27 MF   ARG Matías Núñez
28 MF   URU Franco Casuriaga
30 FW   URU Delis Vargas
32 FW   URU Luciano Olaizola
DF   URU Samuel Rodríguez
FW   URU Nicolás Royón
MF   URU Lucas Tamareo
FW   URU Maximiliano Añasco
DF   URU Gonzalo Camargo
FW   URU Nicolás Dibble
MF   URU Facundo Ospitaleche
DF   URU Facundo Bonifazi
DF   URU Álvaro Gracés
DF   URU Sebastián Gorga
MF   URU Andrés Madruga (on loan from Peñarol)

Out on loan edit

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player

Notable players edit

Managers edit

Titles edit

1927
1944, 1980, 1992
1921

Other official domestic honours edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Rampla Juniors 1 - Sud América 2: El Buzón se quedó con el tercer ascenso a Primera".
  2. ^ a b c d e "New stadium: Home of the Uruguayan Flintstones".
  3. ^ a b "Which football stadiums are lopsided, three-sided or just downright wonky? | the Knowledge". TheGuardian.com. 30 October 2019.
  4. ^ "La larga historia de Rampla y los gerenciamientos que se convirtieron en cuentos del tío".
  5. ^ "¡Rampla inmortal! En seis días juntó US$ 180 mil y jugará el torneo de ascenso".
  6. ^ "Segunda División: Rampla Juniors venció a Racing y está en la final por el ascenso".
  7. ^ "Primera final de la B: Rampla y Sud América juegan este sábado en el Charrúa". 22 January 2021.
  8. ^ "Daniel Bianchi es el nuevo presidente de Rampla Juniors | Diario La República". www.republica.com.uy. Archived from the original on 2021-02-26.
  9. ^ "Atenas 1-1 Rampla Juniors: El estreno de Diego Forlán en el carolino se fue con empate".
  10. ^ "Segunda División: Defensor igualó con Albion; Rampla Juniors y Central Español de triunfos". 17 June 2021.
  11. ^ "El loco festejo de Cerro en el vestuario después de ganarle el clásico a Rampla".
  12. ^ "Los clásicos de la Villa del siglo XXI". 30 July 2021.
  13. ^ "Rampla Juniors 0 - Cerro 1: El debut del "Rifle" Pandiani fue con victoria clásica".
  14. ^ "Peñarol le ganó la final a Rampla y es tricampeón uruguayo de fútbol sala femenino".

External links edit