Independiente Rivadavia

The Sportivo Independiente Rivadavia Club is the most popular club in Mendoza, Argentina. It was promoted to the First Division in 2023 and won its first major national title by winning the 2025 Argentine Cup.

History

The Sportivo Independiente Rivadavia Club was founded on January 24, 1913, in the city of Mendoza, in western Argentina. Known as La Lepra, it became the club with the largest supporter base in the province, playing the Mendoza classic against Godoy Cruz. For decades, the club competed in the Argentine football access divisions, being a constant presence in the Primera Nacional. In 2023, it won the Primera Nacional title and secured, for the first time in the professional era, promotion to the Argentine First Division. The club's historic moment came in 2025, when it won the Argentine Cup, defeating Argentinos Juniors in the final on penalties. It was Lepra's first title of national significance, which secured a spot in the Copa Libertadores and crowned the most successful period in its history.