📊First-half verdict: which Argentine giant came out on top? | OneFootball

With the end of the first half of 2026, Argentine football pauses to assess the performances of its five most decorated clubs. Between early exits, footballing crises, and campaigns that fell just short of glory, the overall picture reveals very different realities among the giants of Buenos Aires and Avellaneda.

River Plate: The most consistent despite the final blow

Looking at the stats objectively, River Plate stands out as the club with the best performance in this stretch, even if the ending was bitter. Los Millonarios competed on all fronts and reached the Torneo Apertura final, where they unfortunately were defeated. Still, their international run remains alive after qualifying for the Copa Sudamericana round of 16, while also staying active domestically by reaching the Copa Argentina round of 32.

Boca Juniors and the crisis of eliminations

The other side of the coin is Boca Juniors, who close out a semester that was extremely disappointing for their ambitions. The club from La Ribera suffered an international failure by being eliminated in the Copa Libertadores group stage, which was followed by an early exit in the Torneo Apertura round of 16. The only competition they have left to salvage the year is the Copa Argentina, where they have qualified for the round of 32.

The outlook in Avellaneda and Boedo

In Avellaneda, Racing Club advanced to the Apertura quarterfinals and is still alive in the Copa Argentina, but its disappointing elimination in the Copa Sudamericana group stage overshadowed the campaign. That brought Gustavo Costas’ spell to an end after a very poor half-year in terms of results, with Diego Milito also emerging as the main target of criticism.

Meanwhile, Independiente, with no international competition on its schedule, bowed out in the round of 16 of the domestic tournament, with its only positive being qualification for the Copa Argentina round of 16. The second half of the year will bring pressure on Quinteros to improve the team’s level.

Finally, San Lorenzo rounds out a forgettable half-year: out in the Sudamericana group stage, eliminated in the Apertura round of 16, and clinging only to its place in the round of 32 of the federal competition.

And who do you think did better?

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.

📸 Marcelo Endelli - 2026 Getty Images