The Estadio Hernando Siles in La Paz holds 42,000 fans and sits at 3,637 metres (11,932 feet) above … [+] sea level.
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In Bolivia, just like every single country in South America, football is the number one sport in the country. However, you wouldn’t be mistaken for thinking that Bolivia isn’t quite as soccer crazy as the likes of Brazil, Argentina or Uruguay.
Those three nations in particular stand out amongst the rest when it comes to levels of football fanfare on the continent. In those three countries it means a little bit more, compels more people and is quite frankly a larger part of everybody’s day to day life. Whether they like it or not.
Of the 10 nations that compete in South American continental football Bolivia has the third lowest population. The likes of Brazil and Argentina of course have a lot more football clubs and a lot more players to choose from, so it is rare to see a Bolivian team competing with the Brazilians or Argentines. With that in mind, how did Bolivia beat Lionel Messi’s Argentina 6-1 in a World Cup qualifying match in 2009?
The answer is altitude, and from time to time the Bolivian national team or its top clubs are able to punch above their weight thanks to this unique home advantage that they hold over their South American companions.
La Paz in Bolivia is home to almost 2 million people. This means a high concentration of football fans and therefore a perfect setting for teams to garner support and establish themselves as the most popular in the country.
In the form of ‘Bolivar’ and ‘The Strongest’ this much is true in La Paz, they are the countries most popular clubs. They are also the most successful on the pitch with 45 league titles between them and a heap of domestic cups.
In terms of the entire continent of South America, Bolivia have always been left behind when it comes to international football prowess, but if you throw altitude into the mix, then you’ve got a fighting chance.
Bolivia have only ever made it to three of the 22 FIFA World Cup Finals that have taken place since 1930. They have also failed to win a game when they did reach the tournament. They have won just one of a possible 47 Copa America championships, and at club level Bolivia and Venezuela stand alone as the only two nations that have not had a team reach the Copa Libertadores Final.
However La Paz is home to the Estadio Hernando Siles. The stadium sits at 3,637 metres (11,932 feet) above sea level and is home to Bolvia’s national side and clubs like The Strongest and Bolivar.
Whilst the Bolivians are well acclimatised to such conditions their opponents certainly are not, and they are incapable of reaching their normal peak performance levels when they make the trip to play in Bolivia, giving the home side an advantage so unique that FIFA even banned it back in 2007.
The ban did not last very long because of a backlash to the decision but FIFA had decided that the altitude advantage was unfair and that no more World Cup qualifiers would be played in grounds 2,500 metres (8,200 feet) or more above sea level. It is true, for many visiting teams 90 minutes would be spent trying to breathe properly instead of thinking about winning a football game.
As mentioned, Bolivia’s famous victory over Argentina in 2009 is the perfect example of the adverse effect that the altitude can have on visiting teams. Between 2006 and 2018 Bolivia didn’t win a single World Cup qualifier away from home, and they could only manage two draws. Yet in the same period, at home, they managed fourteen victories in La Paz and ten draws. The contrast is mind-blowing.
Bolivar recently shocked Brazilian visitors and hot favourites Paranaense by dumping them out of the … [+] Copa Libertadores
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At club level this season alone the dramatic home advantage has been clear. Bolivar are competing in the Copa Libertadores last 8 against all of the odds. In the round of 16 they defeated the much favoured Club Athletico Paranaense over two legs, winning at home and losing away, as per usual.
Meanwhile The Strongest have now been knocked out of the tournament but their form serves as further evidence of the La Paz altitude effect. In a tough group they lost every single away game but won at home against two of the tournament favourites; River Plate of Argentina and Fluminense of Brazil.
From Neymar to Diego Maradona everybody has had their say on how fair or unfair the home advantage in La Paz might be, whether it is inhumane to allow games to take place there or discrimination to ban such events. However what is certain is that the passionate but small football nation of Bolivia has a unique weapon in their arsenal that often gives them a rare fighting chance against the big boys.
Source link : https://www.forbes.com/sites/josephosullivan/2023/08/25/bolivia-football-underdogs-with-a-secret-weapon/
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Publish date : 2023-08-25 03:00:00
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