While many Argentines are gearing up for another Superclásico on Sunday between football giants Boca Juniors and River Plate, a little-known football club from Mendoza province is getting all the accolades after achieving something historic. 

Independiente Rivadavia’s 2-1 win over Fluminense on Wednesday in a Copa Libertadores group-stage matchup saw them join the exclusive list of teams that have won against Brazilian teams at the mythical Maracanã Stadium —  a rite of passage of sorts that only five Argentine teams have ever pulled off. 

The win also saw them take the lead in Group C of the Copa Libertadores.

But it goes beyond that. The Leprosos — as the club and its fans are affectionately known — are the defending Copa Argentina champions, taking their first title in a national-level official tournament in 2025 after defeating River in the semis and Argentinos Juniors in the final.

Independiente Rivadavia is also in solid command of the 2026 Torneo Apertura Group B with 29 points — more than any of the Argentine big five have tallied. They also lead the Annual Table, which sets........

© Buenos Aires Herald