Estudiantes was founded on 4 August 1905 in La Plata, Argentina. On 4 August 2027 the club turns 122. It is the team that won three Copa Libertadores in a row and in 1968 beat Manchester United to become the best club in the world.

Born in a shoe shop

It all started in a shoe shop on Calle 7 in La Plata. A group of players and fans walked out of Gimnasia y Esgrima, because its directors had neglected football. Miguel Gutiérrez became the first president, while the founding document was written by Alfredo Lartigue, member number 1.

The name means "Students". According to Spanish Wikipedia, the twenty founders were all students. So Gimnasia, the club they had left, became the city's great rival.

Red and white stripes

The colours are red and white, in vertical stripes, and were adopted on 28 February 1906. Sources disagree about their origin. In one version, the founders admired Alumni, the great team of the era, which wore the same colours.

In another, Tomás Shedden proposed them, inspired by the English High School, where several founders had studied. Because Alumni already had that shirt, the Federation rejected the design, and Estudiantes redrew it with wider stripes.

The nickname "Pincharratas", the rat-stabbers, has nothing to do with the shirt. According to the story, it came from Felipe Montedónica, who chased rats at the La Plata market. The badge, a pennant with the letter "E" and oak leaves, was introduced in 1934.

From "the Professors" to Zubeldía

The first league title came in 1913. In 1931 the team's forward line went down in history as "Los Profesores", the Professors, for the football it played.

The great era began in 1965 with coach Osvaldo Zubeldía. In 1967 Estudiantes became the first team outside the "big five" to win a professional title in Argentina.

Queen of the Americas and the world

Three straight Copa Libertadores followed, in 1968, 1969 and 1970. In 1968 came the Intercontinental Cup against Manchester United too. Estudiantes won 1-0 at La Bombonera and drew 1-1 at Old Trafford, with a goal from Juan Ramón Verón.

The Bombonera goal was credited to Marcos Conigliaro, although according to some accounts Néstor Togneri headed it in.

In the next two finals Estudiantes lost to Milan and Feyenoord. In 2009 they reached another world final, at the Club World Cup, where only Barcelona beat them.

Carlos Bilardo had four spells as coach, won the 1982 Metropolitano and in 1986 led Argentina to the World Cup. Verón's son, Juan Sebastián Verón, was MVP of the fourth Libertadores in 2009 and is now club president.

A new golden age

In recent years Estudiantes have been filling the trophy cabinet again. They won the Copa Argentina in 2023, the Copa de la Liga in 2024 and the 2025 Torneo Clausura.

Their home, the Estadio Jorge Luis Hirschi, stands on 1st Avenue in La Plata. After its renovation it holds more than 32,000 fans.

Celebrate with us

From a shoe shop in 1905 to the top of the world, the red and white stripes of La Plata have written a rare story.

Happy birthday, Estudiantes! May the Hirschi always be full.

See our collectible jerseys at sportarena.gr.

Photo: The Estadio Jorge Luis Hirschi before an Estudiantes match in 2022 – Germanramos2, Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.