Millonarios, the first Ballet Azul
The term Ballet Azul (Blue Ballet) was coined by radio commentator Carlos Arturo Rueda (referring to Millonarios' blue uniforms) during the golden age of Colombian football known as El Dorado (1949–1953), a period when the national league broke away from FIFA after the DIMAYOR, the governing body of the national league, leave the Colombian Football Federation, which allowed its teams to bypass international transfer rules and offer more lucrative and flexible contracts. [4] This attracted many of South America's top players drawn by the significantly higher salaries offered by clubs, especially following the 1948 players' strike in Argentina, which exposed poor working conditions and financial instability in the local league. [5]
In 1952, Millonarios gained international fame after defeating Real Madrid 4–2 at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium (then Chamartín) during the Bodas de Oro tournament. [6] [7] The following year, Millonarios also triumphed in the Small Club World Cup in Caracas, Venezuela. With this team, Millonarios won the Colombian League championship in 1949, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1963 and 1964.
Some of the notable footballers of the time that were part of the Ballet Azul squad are:
| Player | Nationality | Position | Years at Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alfredo Di Stéfano |  Argentine | Forward | 1949–1953 |
| Adolfo Pedernera | Argentine | Attacking midfielder | 1949–1954 |
| Néstor Rossi | Argentine | Defensive midfielder | 1949–1954 |
| Julio Cozzi | Argentine | Goalkeeper | 1950–1954 |
| Raúl Pini |  Uruguayan | Defender | 1950–1953 |
| Francisco Zuluaga |  Colombian | Defender | 1949–1955 |
| Julio César Ramírez |  Paraguayan | Defender | 1950–1953 |
| Carlos Aldabe | Argentine | Manager | 1949–1950 |
| Gabriel Ochoa Uribe | Colombian | Goalkeeper | 1949–1952 |
| Ramón Villaverde | Uruguayan | Forward | 1953–1954 |
