Big Three (Peru)

Last updated
Big Three
Location Lima
Teams Universitario
Sporting Cristal
Alianza Lima
Stadiums Monumental (Universitario)
Alejandro Villanueva (Alianza Lima)
Alberto Gallardo (Sporting Cristal)
Trinchera norte.jpg
Universitario, Estadio Monumental
Extremo Celeste 2018 SCvsSR.jpg
Sporting Cristal, Alberto Gallardo
Alianza vs Leon de Huanuco.jpg
Alianza Lima, Alejandro Villanueva

The Big Three (Spanish : Los Tres Grandes) is the nickname of the three most successful sports clubs in Peru. The football teams of Universitario, Sporting Cristal, and Alianza Lima have a great rivalry and are usually the main contenders for the title. The most successful club is Universitario with 28 domestic titles, and combined they share a total of 73 out of 108 Peruvian Football Championships ever played and generally end up sharing the top three positions.

Contents

Map-lima.svg
Location of the three clubs in Lima. Universitario is located further east.

Several other clubs outside the big three have won the Peruvian league, with Sport Boys having the fourth most national titles behind the Big Three in Peru with 6 in total. In recent years, the chief competitors of the three are Melgar, Cienciano and Cusco. [1] [2] [3]

Titles by club

ClubTotalLiga
de Lima
(1912–21)
Amateur era
Lima & Callao
(1926–50)
Professional era (1951–)
Lima & Callao
(1951–65)
Descentralizado
(1966–2018)
Liga 1
(2019–)
Universitario [C] 2873162
Alianza Lima [D] 2526692
Sporting Cristal [E] 202171
ClubWinnersRunners-upWinning yearsRunners-up years
Universitario 2815 1929, 1934, 1939, 1941, 1945, 1946, 1949, 1959, 1960, 1964, 1966, 1967, 1969, 1971, 1974, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2009, 2013, 2023, 2024 1928, 1932, 1933, 1940, 1955, 1965, 1970, 1972, 1978, 1984, 1988, 1995, 2002, 2008, 2020
Alianza Lima 2525 1918, 1919, 1927, 1928, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1948, 1952, 1954, 1955, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1997, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2017, 2021, 2022 1914, 1917, 1926, 1930, 1934, 1935, 1937, 1943, 1953, 1956, 1961, 1964, 1971, 1982, 1986, 1987, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1999, 2009, 2011, 2018, 2019, 2023
Sporting Cristal 2015 1956, 1961, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1988, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2002, 2005, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2020 1962, 1963, 1967, 1973, 1977, 1989, 1992, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2015, 2021, 2024

Title definitions

List of finals

YearWinnerScoreRunner-upVenue
1987 Universitario 1–0 Alianza Lima Estadio Nacional
1988 Sporting Cristal 2–1 Universitario Estadio Nacional
YearWinnerAgg.Runner-up1st leg2nd leg3rd leg
1998 Universitario 3–3 (penalty shootout 4–2) Sporting Cristal 1–22–1
1999 Universitario 3–1 Alianza Lima 3–00–1
2003 Alianza Lima 21 Sporting Cristal Single match
2004 Alianza Lima 00 (penalty shootout 54) Sporting Cristal Single match
2009 Universitario 2–0 Alianza Lima 1–01–0
2018 Sporting Cristal 7–1 Alianza Lima 4–13–0
2020 Sporting Cristal 3–2 Universitario 2–11–1
2021 Alianza Lima 1–0 Sporting Cristal 1–00–0
2023 Universitario 3–1 Alianza Lima 1–12–0

    Other definitions

    These matches were played when teams were tied for first in the general league or in a specific tournament.

    YearWinnerScoreRunner-upVenueIn contention
    1928 Alianza Lima 1–1 Federación Universitaria Stadium Nacional 1928 Campeonato de Selección y Competencia
    Replay Alianza Lima 2–0 Federación Universitaria Stadium Nacional
    1935 Universitario 2–1 Alianza Lima Stadium Nacional 1934 Torneo de Primeros Equipos
    1955 Alianza Lima 2–1 Universitario Estadio Nacional 1955 Campeonato Profesional de Lima
    1961 Sporting Cristal 2–0 Alianza Lima Estadio Nacional 1961 Campeonato Profesional de Lima
    1990 Universitario 1–0 Alianza Lima Estadio Nacional 1990 Torneo Regional II
    1991 Sporting Cristal 1–1 (penalty shootout 7–6) Universitario Estadio Nacional 1991 Torneo Regional II
    1998 Sporting Cristal 1–0 Alianza Lima Estadio Nacional 1998 Torneo Clausura
    2001 Alianza Lima 2–1 Sporting Cristal Estadio Nacional 2001 Torneo Apertura
    2002 Universitario 1–0
    0–0
    Alianza Lima Estadio Monumental
    Estadio Mansiche
    2002 Torneo Apertura
    2014 Sporting Cristal 1–0 Alianza Lima Estadio UNSA 2014 Torneo Clausura

    Half-year / Short tournaments

    Apertura / Fase 1 seasons

    ClubWinnersRunners-upWinning yearsRunners-up years
    Universitario 92 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2008, 2016, 2020, 2024, 2025 1969, 2005
    Alianza Lima 65 1997, 2001, 2004, 2006, 2017, 2023 1999, 2002, 2003, 2018, 2025
    Sporting Cristal 48 2003, 2015, 2018, 2021 1997, 2001, 2006, 2008, 2016, 2019, 2023, 2024

    Clausura / Fase 2 seasons

    ClubWinnersRunners-upWinning yearsRunners-up years
    Alianza Lima 75 1997, 1999, 2003, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2022 1998, 2002, 2014, 2018, 2024
    Sporting Cristal 64 1998, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2014, 2016 2000, 2008, 2020, 2021
    Universitario 36 2000, 2023, 2024 1997, 1999, 2006, 2007, 2016, 2019

    Regional seasons (1984–1991)

    ClubWinnersRunners-upWinning yearsRunners-up years
    Universitario 43 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990–II 1989–II, 1990–I, 1991–I
    Sporting Cristal 30 1989–I, 1991–I, 1991–II
    Alianza Lima 02 1986, 1990–II

    Descentralizado seasons (1984–1988)

    ClubWinnersRunners-upWinning yearsRunners-up years
    Alianza Lima 20 1986, 1987
    Universitario 11 1985 1988
    Sporting Cristal 10 1988

    Parallel tournaments

    ClubWinnersRunners-upWinning yearsRunners-up years
    Sporting Cristal 41 1992 Liguilla Pre-Libertadores, 1994 Apertura, 1997 Liguilla Pre-Libertadores, 2018 Torneo de Verano 1993 Liguilla Pre-Libertadores
    Alianza Lima 30 1993 Liguilla Pre-Libertadores, 1994 Liguilla Pre-Libertadores, 1996 Liguilla Pre-Libertadores
    Universitario 05 1969 Apertura, 1981 Regional, 1989 Torneo Plácido Galindo, 1996 Liguilla Pre-Libertadores, 1997 Liguilla Pre-Libertadores

    Total Half-year / Short tournaments by club

    ClubTotalHalf-year tournaments
    Torneo Apertura
    (1997–)
    Torneo Clausura
    (1997–)
    Fase 1
    (2020–2021)
    Fase 2
    (2020–2021)
    Torneo Regional
    (1984–1991)
    Torneo Descentralziado
    (1984–1988)
    Torneo de Verano
    (2017–2018)
    Sporting Cristal 153610311
    Alianza Lima 156601020
    Universitario 146210410

    National Cups and Supercups

    ClubWinnersRunners-upWinning yearsRunners-up years
    Alianza Lima 21 1919 Copa de Campeones del Perú, 2014 Torneo del Inca 2015 Torneo del Inca
    Universitario 10 1970 Copa Presidente de la República
    Sporting Cristal 10 2021 Copa Bicentenario

    Total International Participations by club

    As of 30 May 2025
    ClubTotalInternational Participations
    Copa Libertadores
    (1961–)
    Copa Sudamericana
    (2003–)
    Recopa Sudamericana
    (1970–)
    Copa CONMEBOL
    (1992–1999)
    Copa Merconorte
    (1998–2001)
    Copa de Campeones
    (1948)
    Copa Ganadores de Copa
    (1970–1971)
    Sporting Cristal 49404014
    Universitario 49358024
    Alianza Lima 41315014

    Performances by club

    Performance in international cups by club
    TeamWinnersRunners-upYears wonYears lost
    Universitario 01
    1972
    Sporting Cristal 01
    1997

    See also

    References

    1. "Universitario, Alianza Lima y Cristal: ¿qué equipo llevó más público en su presentación?". Depor.com. 27 July 2014. Archived from the original on 24 June 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
    2. "Alianza, Universitario o Cristal: ¿Qué equipo llevó más hinchas a su presentación?". La10.pe. 4 February 2016. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
    3. "Alianza Lima, Universitario y Cristal: los mejores grafitis de los clubes capitalinos (FOTOS)". RPP.pe. 26 January 2016. Retrieved 20 May 2016.