The CONMEBOL Libertadores football tournament is one of the most prestigious tournaments in South American football. With a history of formation and development of more than 60 years, this tournament has become an important playground for South American football clubs to compete and assert their position in the international arena. In this article, 2019 Southeast Asian Games will learn about the CONMEBOL Libertadores football tournament, from its history to the participation format and notable records of the tournament.
Overview of the CONMEBOL Libertadores football tournament
The CONMEBOL Libertadores (Spanish: Copa Libertadores de América) is an annual football tournament for South American clubs organized by the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL). The tournament was founded in 1960 and was originally called “Copa de Campeones de América” (South American Champions Cup). Since 1965, the tournament was renamed “Copa Libertadores de América” to honor the heroes who fought for the independence of South American countries.
The CONMEBOL Libertadores football tournament is one of the most prestigious tournaments in world football, along with the UEFA Champions League and the FIFA Club World Cup. This is where South America’s top clubs have the opportunity to compete and prove their strength against international opponents.
History of formation and development of the CONMEBOL Libertadores football tournament
Teams that won before 2000
The CONMEBOL Libertadores football tournament was founded in 1960 with the participation of 7 clubs from 7 different countries. Among them, Uruguayan club Peñarol became the tournament’s first champion. From 1960 to 2000, the tournament took place 40 seasons with the participation of 22 different clubs and a total of 10 championship teams.
Among the championship teams before 2000, Peñarol (Uruguay) and Nacional (Uruguay) are the two teams with the best achievements, both winning 5 championships. Meanwhile, Brazilian teams such as Santos, São Paulo and Cruzeiro have also contributed to the list of champions of the tournament.
Champion teams since 2000
Since 2000, the CONMEBOL Libertadores football tournament has become one of the most important tournaments in South American football and has attracted the attention of many top clubs in this region. During this period, the tournament took place for 20 seasons and had a total of 9 championship teams.
Argentina and Brazil continue to be the dominant teams, winning the championship 15 times out of 20 seasons. Among them, Boca Juniors (Argentina) and São Paulo (Brazil) are the two teams with the best achievements with 4 championships. In addition, Colombian teams such as Atlético Nacional and Once Caldas also contributed to the list of champions of the tournament.
Tournament records
With more than 60 years of history, the CONMEBOL Libertadores football tournament has witnessed remarkable records from its clubs and players. Here are some notable records of the tournament:
Most dominant team: Boca Juniors (Argentina) with 6 championships.
The team has never lost a match in a season: Estudiantes (Argentina) in 1969 and Independiente (Argentina) in 1972.
The team that won the most consecutive championships: Independiente (Argentina) with 4 consecutive times from 1972 to 1975.
Player with the most goals in a season: Daniel Onega (River Plate, Argentina) with 17 goals in the 1966 season.
The player with the most goals in tournament history: Daniel Onega (River Plate, Argentina) and José Sanfilippo (San Lorenzo, Argentina) with 29 goals.
How to participate in the CONMEBOL Libertadores football tournament
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The CONMEBOL Libertadores football tournament can be considered a version of the UEFA Champions League in South America. This tournament is held annually and involves clubs from CONMEBOL member countries. Currently, the tournament can be counted as one of the tournaments with the participation of the most countries in the world.
The format for participating in the CONMEBOL Libertadores football tournament includes two stages: qualifying round and final round. In the qualifying phase, clubs will compete in a knockout format to gain the right to participate in the final round. In the final round, clubs are divided into groups and compete in a round-robin format. The two clubs with the highest points in each group will advance to the knockout round and ultimately the final to determine the winner.
The most successful football teams
As mentioned above, the CONMEBOL Libertadores football tournament is a prestigious playground for South American football and attracts the attention of many top clubs in this region. Below are the most successful teams of this tournament:
- Boca Juniors (Argentina): 6 times champion (1977, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2007, 2018)
- Peñarol (Uruguay): 5 times champion (1960, 1961, 1966, 1982, 1987)
- Nacional (Uruguay): 5 times champion (1971, 1980, 1988, 2011, 2013)
- Independiente (Argentina): 4 times champion (1964, 1965, 1972, 1973)
- São Paulo (Brazil): 3 times champion (1992, 1993, 2005)
- River Plate (Argentina): 3 times champion (1986, 1996, 2015)
- Grêmio (Brazil): 3 times champion (1983, 1995, 2017)
- Estudiantes (Argentina): 3 times champion (1968, 1969, 2009)
- Santos (Brazil): 3 times champion (1962, 1963, 2011)
Best players
Not only is it a place for clubs to compete and prove their strength, the CONMEBOL Libertadores football tournament is also a place for South American players to show off their talent and assert their position in the international arena. Below are the players considered the best in the history of this tournament:
- Pelé (Santos, Brazil): With 17 goals in 29 matches, Pelé is the player who scored the most goals for Santos in the CONMEBOL Libertadores soccer tournament.
- Daniel Onega (River Plate, Argentina): With 29 goals in 47 matches, Daniel Onega is the player with the most goals in tournament history.
- Juan Román Riquelme (Boca Juniors, Argentina): With 25 goals and 19 assists in 77 matches, Juan Román Riquelme is the player with the highest scoring and assist records in tournament history.
- Martín Palermo (Boca Juniors, Argentina): With 16 goals in 38 matches, Martín Palermo is the top scorer for Boca Juniors in the tournament.
- Carlos Tevez (Boca Juniors, Argentina): With 25 goals in 58 matches, Carlos Tevez is the player who scored the most goals for Boca Juniors in the tournament.
Schedule of the CONMEBOL Libertadores Football Tournament
The CONMEBOL Libertadores football tournament takes place from February to November every year. The official competition time of the tournament is divided into two stages: qualifying round and final round.
The qualifying round takes place from February to April and involves clubs from CONMEBOL member nations. During this stage, clubs will compete in a knockout format to win the right to participate in the final round.
The final round takes place from April to November and involves clubs that have qualified from the qualifying round. During this stage, clubs are divided into groups and compete in a round-robin format. The two clubs with the highest points in each group will advance to the knockout round and ultimately the final to determine the winner.
Conclude
The CONMEBOL Libertadores football tournament is one of the most prestigious tournaments in South American football and attracts the attention of many fans around the world. With a history of formation and development over 60 years, this tournament has witnessed dramatic matches and notable records of clubs and players. Hopefully through this article, you will have a better understanding of the CONMEBOL Libertadores football tournament and will look forward to future exciting matches of this tournament.