Boca Juniors legend Juan Roman Riquelme was elected club president on Sunday after a fierce campaign between him and Andres Ibarra, whose candidacy was supported by former Argentine president Mauricio Macri.
According to Boca, 43,637 ballots were cast in Sunday’s vote Bombonera – A new record for an Argentine club, with a participation rate of 46%.
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Riquelme, who campaigned alongside Jorge Amor Amiel, received 64.4% of the vote compared to 35.3% for Ibarra with less than half the votes counted, according to the Associated Press. Riquelme served as Ameal’s vice president for four years.
Riquelme (45 years old) enjoyed a brilliant career as a player at Boca, winning 11 titles with the club, including five league titles and three trophies. Copa Libertadores.
Boca last won the Copa Libertadores when Riquelme was a player in 2007, although they lost in this year’s final in November to Fluminense. The bad season in the league means that the Buenos Aires-based club will not compete in the most important continental tournament in South America next year, and will instead play in the continental championship. Cuba Sudamericana.
Riquelme also spent time in Europe with Barcelona and Villarreal during his playing career. He helped the latter reach Champions League Semi-finals for the first time in the club’s history in the 2005-2006 season after finishing third La Liga In 2004-5.
Riquelme played 51 international matches with Argentina, most notably his appearance in the 2006 World Cup, where Albiceleste Host Germany was eliminated on penalties in the quarter-finals.
The elections were postponed for two weeks due to a dispute over the ability of 13,000 new members to vote. Ibarra had maintained that new members should not be allowed to vote and demanded a judicial investigation into the number of members who joined in 2021. In the end, the members in question were allowed to vote.
Ibarra admitted defeat on Sunday night, saying: “Everything we did was to defend the club.” Puka comes before everything and everyone. Boca needs to restore peace and unity.”
Riquelme has not yet commented publicly on his win.
Newly elected Argentine President Javier Miley was seen arriving at the hotel Bombonera To cast your vote in the club elections.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
