Estudiantes de Buenos Aires, as they are usually known, to distinguish them from
La Plata's considerably more successful bunch of students, are a third tier Agentinian team playing in the regional Primera B Metropolitana. They've spent their whole footballing life in the lower leagues, bar one golden season in 1978 when they finally made the top flight. That they finished 21st and last didn't matter, as it was their year to remember.
Formed in the August of 1898, that's a long, hard history of nothing much, you might think. But they have had a few other seasons of note. They've won the Primera B on three occasions, and the fourth level Primera División C the once. They were also winners of the national amateur league back in 1942, so there's clearly some grit behind the lack of trophies.
Notable former players include Boca Juniors' current rising star
Pablo Mouche, who they found as a teenager, the much travelled
Cristian Tavio, now at his 12th club in 14 years, and Napoli's nippy striker,
Ezequiel Lavezzi - one of many players to have been cursed with the mantle The New Maradona in his youth. The latter was a member of Argentina's gold medal winning Olympic team, so keep an eye out for him at the next couple of World Cups.
They are also notable for having graced one of the ugliest black and white strips in footballing history. White down one half and black down the other, each half had pin stripes of the opposite colour running vertically through them. Technically I suppose it can be counted as a black and white shirt, but it's pushing the boundaries pretty dang close. Thank heavens they've gone back to the more traditional format - although you have to credit them for their creativity - however ill-judged!
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