The 1906 Alumni v South Africa was a friendly football match played between Argentine club Alumni and the South Africa national team (then affiliated with English "The Football Association"). The match was part of the South Africa tour to South America in 1906.British Clubs in Argentina and Uruguay (1904–1929) by Sergio Hernández on RSSSF

The match, won by Alumni 1–0 with a goal by Alfredo Brown, is notable for having been the first victory of an Argentine football team over a British-related side.La primera hazaña on La Nación, 20 Jul 2020A cien años de un triunfazo on Clarín, 2006 Alumni was also the only South American team that could defeat the British side, which won 11 out of 12 matches played.

Venue

The match was held in the Sociedad Sportiva Argentina venue, sited in the Palermo neighborhood, next to Hipódromo Argentino. Apart from football, the venue held a large variety of sport events in several disciplines, such as athletics, auto racing, aviation, aerostatics, aeronautics, boxing, bicycle racing, motorcycle racing, polo, rugby union, trot, sulky races, show jumping, among others."La Sportiva" on Viejos Estadios website

Sociedad Sportiva had also hosted football matches in 1905 when another English team, Nottingham Forest, toured Argentina to play a series of friendly matches. On August 15, 1905, the Argentina and Uruguay national teams played the first edition of Copa Lipton at SSA.

In 1924 the Ministry of War led by Agustín P. Justo expropriated the lands and transferred them to the National Army.La Sociedad Sportiva Argentina y su terreno, historia de una disputa by Rodrigo Daskal on Historia Política On those lands, it would be built Campo Argentino de Polo, the main polo stadium of Argentina.

Background

British teams were considered the best in the world by then, and some of them served as inspiration to establish football clubs in Argentina and Uruguay, helped by the immigration of British citizens that had arrived to work for British companies (mostly in railway construction). Belgrano A.C., Rosario A.C., Alumni, and Quilmes (in Argentina) were some examples of clubs established by British immigrants to South America.Plaza Jewell, el club donde nació el deporte rosarino, cumple hoy 145 años, La Capital, 27 Mar 2012

In some cases, the influence of British clubs on Argentine football extended to the colours adopted by some clubs. Arístides Langone, president of Club Atlético Independiente, was so impressed by the Nottingham Forest squad that beat local Alumni by 6–0 that he suggested to change the jersey colours from white and blue to red. The request was approved and Independiente adopted the colour that would later become an identity mark for the club, being known as El Rojo (The Red).Independiente y Nottingham Forest unidos para siempre on Olé, 27 Aug 2010

Southampton F.C. had been the first foreign club to tour South America, followed by Nottingham Forest F.C. in 1905. One of its games, against Alumni in Buenos Aires, was attended by 10,000 spectators, what proves the interest of Argentine fans to see the local forces facing British sides, considered technically superior by them.The World's Game: A History of Soccer, by Bill Murray, William J. Murray

The South Africa national team had reaffiliated to The Football Association and was formed exclusively by white players, with seven of them born in South Africa and eight originated from England and Scotland.Before The 'D'...Association Football around the world, 1863-1937, page 4

Match details

GK José Buruca LaforiaDF Carlos Carr BrownDF Jorge BrownMF Andrés MackMF Carlos BuchananMF Patricio BrowneFW Guillermo WeissFW Alfredo BrownFW Ernesto Brown FW Carlos LettFW Eliseo BrownSubstitutes:DF Juan D. Brown

GK W.G. Brown DF H. HeeleyDF J. RobisonMF W. SchmidtMF J. B. BinckesMF T. ChalmersFW J. Mc IntyreFW R. TylerFW R. P. ThorneFW W. Mason FW Gerald Hartigan

Aftermath

The victory over South Africa, considered the first significative win of an Argentine team, was largely celebrated by fans and media in Argentina and helped local football to increase interest for a sport which was still under development."El match de foot ball – triunfo de Alumni" on Caras y Caretas num. 404, 30 Jun 1906

At the moment of the match, Alumni was the most successful team in Argentina, with a total of 8 titles won by then. The club had consolidated as a natural successor to Lomas A.C. (the most winning team in the XIX century with 5 championships won within 6 seasonsA 130 años del primer partido oficial del fútbol argentino: Lomas Athletic, el legendario campeón del siglo 19 on TN.com.ar and considered the first big of Argentine football),Lomas marcó el rumbo on Clarín, 14 Jul 2001El club (historia) on lomasac.com.ar and would keep their status until the team retired from competitions in 1911.Alumni A.C., El Eterno Campeón by Jorge Gallego at the CIHF"Alumni: en el nombre del fútbol" on Clarín, 21 April 2003EL ALUMNI ATHLETIC CLUB at the BAEHS (archived)La historia de Belgrano y Alumni, los finalistas del torneo de rugby by Hernando De Cillia and Jorge Ciccodicola on Página/12, 26 Oct 2024Alumni, Cuna de Campeones y Escuela de Hidalguía by Ernesto Escobar Bavio – Editorial Difusión, Buenos Aires (Published 1953)

The Alumni's win gained more relevance for the fact that South Africa played a total of 12 matches in South America, winning 11 with 60 goals scored and only 7 conceded.Gira Sudamericana de Sudáfrica 1906 on Fútbol Nostalgia website being Alumni the only team that could beat them. Nevertheless, the South Africans would take revenge on 22 July, defeating Alumni 2–0.

References