Copa Interamericana

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Copa Interamericana
Interamerican Cup
Copa Interamericana trophy.png
One of the several trophies awarded during the existence of the competitions
Organizing body CONCACAF
CONMEBOL
Founded1968
Abolished1998;26 years ago (1998)
RegionAmericas
Number of teams2
Last champion(s) Flag of the United States.svg D.C. United (1st title)
Most successful club(s) Flag of Argentina.svg Independiente (3 titles)

The Copa Interamericana (English: Interamerican Cup) was an international football competition endorsed by CONCACAF (North, Central America and Caribbean) and CONMEBOL (South America). Established in 1969, it was discontinued in 1998 after CONCACAF clubs, particularly those from Mexico, began participating in CONMEBOL competitions. The tournament is projected to return in 2024.

Contents

The competition was intended to be contested between the winners of the North American CONCACAF Champions Cup and the South American Copa Libertadores tournaments, although the participants varied at times. The competition was usually contested over a two legged tie, with a playoff or penalty kicks if necessary, but it was common for several consecutive editions to go unheld. Of the 18 competitions played out, four of them were contested over several matches in just one venue. Two others were held in a single match. Another two editions had participants that didn't outright qualify to dispute the competition. Most of the editions were held one, and sometimes two, years after the participants had qualified. This was the result of the lack of financial incentives and the low relevance of the competition.[ citation needed ]

The 18 Copa Interamericana tournaments were won by 13 different club teams. Argentine side Independiente won a record three titles. The last winner of the cup was American side D.C. United, defeating Brazilian side Vasco da Gama 2–1 on aggregate in 1998. Argentina was the most successful national league with seven titles, while Uruguayan outfit Nacional and Independiente share the record for the most appearances with three each.

History

In 1969, an agreement came between the confederations of South America (CONMEBOL) and Central and North America (CONCACAF) to play an annual competition, the Interamerican Cup, which pits the champions of those two confederations in a format similar to the Intercontinental Cup. The first edition was contested between Estudiantes and Mexican club Toluca in which each team won 2-1 in their away legs. The playoff in Montevideo proved to be the tie-breaker as Estudiantes won a violent match 2-0. This promising start did little to help the competition; due to the difference in interests between the clubs involved, the Interamerican Cup had an even more sporadic lifeline than the Intercontinental Cup; sometimes, years would go without it being played. The second edition was played four years later, in 1971, which saw Nacional edged Mexican side Cruz Azul 3-2 on aggregate. Independiente would become the only club to win the competition three times in a row, from 1972 to 1974, after seeing off Honduran club Olimpia, Guatemalan club Municipal and Mexican side Atlético Español, the last two after a penalty shoot-out. Mexico's América broke the South American hegemony after beating Boca Juniors in a play-off match in 1977. As a result of this victory, the Mexican squad argued that it had the right to participate in the Intercontinental Cup of that year; however, they were denied the opportunity. Paraguay's Olimpia returned the trophy back south in 1980 with a victory over El Salvador's FAS but Club Universidad Nacional of Mexico City defeating Uruguay's Nacional to win CONCACAF's second title.

The competition entered a state of hiatus again, this time for five years. In 1986, Argentinos Juniors would defeat Defence Force of Trinidad and Tobago in a single-match final. River Plate would keep the trophy in Argentina, for the second year running, defeating Costa Rican side Alajuelense. Uruguay's Nacional would trounce Honduras' Olimpia 5-1 on aggregate the following year. Colombia's Atlético Nacional made short work of Club Universidad Nacional; however, South America hegemony would once again be broken by América after defeating Paraguay's Olimpia. Compatriots Puebla failed to retain the trophy in Mexico after being routed by Chile's Colo-Colo. The importance of the competition decreased significantly after two Brazilian clubs, Copa Libertadores winners São Paulo (1993) and Grêmio (1995) declined to participate out of disinterest; both times, the Copa Libertadores runners-up, Chilean side Universidad Católica and Atlético Nacional took their place; each of them were pushed to the limit by Costa Rica's Saprissa. Vélez Sársfield beat Costa Rican club Cartaginés in 1994 while the last Interamerican Cup, held in 1998, saw American club D.C. United beat Vasco da Gama.

The Interamerican Cup was abolished in 1998 when Mexican clubs began to participate in the Copa Libertadores and other CONCACAF teams participated in the Copa Sudamericana. From 2005 to 2023, when FIFA adopted the Club World Championship format clash between the champions of all continental confederations, the champions of CONCACAF and CONMEBOL again had the opportunity to meet, which happened on multiple occasions throughout the history of the tournament with this format.

In January 2023, CONCACAF and CONMEBOL had signed a new strategic partnership, which would include a "Final four" style club tournament containing 2 teams from both confederations that would start in 2024. [1]

List of matches

Key to the list
a.e.t.Match was won during extra time
p.Match was won on a penalty shoot-out
List of Copa Interamericana matches
YearWinnersSco./Agg.Runners-up1st leg2nd legPlay-off
1969 Estudiantes (LP) Flag of Argentina.svg 6–3 Flag of Mexico.svg Toluca 2–11–23–0
1971 Nacional Flag of Uruguay.svg
3–2
Flag of Mexico.svg Cruz Azul 1–12–1
1973 Independiente Flag of Argentina.svg 4–1 Flag of Honduras (1949-2022).svg Olimpia 2–12–0
1974 Independiente Flag of Argentina.svg 1–1 (4–2 p) Flag of Guatemala.svg Municipal 1–00–1
1976 Independiente Flag of Argentina.svg 2–2 (4–2 p) Flag of Mexico.svg Español 2–20–0
1978 América Flag of Mexico.svg 1–3 [n 1] Flag of Argentina.svg Boca Juniors 0–31–02–1 (a.e.t.)
1979 Olimpia Flag of Paraguay.svg 8–3 Flag of El Salvador.svg FAS 3–35–0
1981 UNAM Flag of Mexico.svg 6–5 Flag of Uruguay.svg Nacional 3–11–32–1
1985 Argentinos Juniors Flag of Argentina.svg 1–0 [n 2] Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg Defence Force
1986 River Plate Flag of Argentina.svg 3–0 Flag of Costa Rica.svg Alajuelense 0–03–0
1988 Nacional Flag of Uruguay.svg 5–1 Flag of Honduras (1949-2022).svg Olimpia 1–14–0
1989 Atlético Nacional Flag of Colombia.svg 6–1 Flag of Mexico.svg UNAM 2–04–1
1990 América Flag of Mexico.svg 3–2 Flag of Paraguay.svg Olimpia 1–12–1
1991 Colo-Colo Flag of Chile.svg 7–2 Flag of Mexico.svg Puebla 4–13–1
1993 Universidad Católica Flag of Chile.svg 6–4 Flag of Costa Rica.svg Saprissa 1–35–1
1996 Vélez Sársfield Flag of Argentina.svg 2–0 Flag of Costa Rica.svg Cartaginés 0–02–0
1995 Atlético Nacional Flag of Colombia.svg 3–2 [n 2] Flag of Costa Rica.svg Saprissa
1998 D.C. United Flag of the United States.svg 2–1 Flag of Brazil.svg Vasco da Gama 0–12–0
Notes
  1. Aggregate score not taken into account. [2] [3]
  2. 1 2 Final was played under a single match format.

Records and statistics

Winners

Performance in the Copa Interamericana by club
TeamWinnersRunners-upYears wonYears runners-up
Flag of Argentina.svg Independiente 301972, 1974, 1975
Flag of Uruguay.svg Nacional 211971, 19881980
Flag of Mexico.svg América 201977, 1990
Flag of Colombia.svg Atlético Nacional 201989, 1995
Flag of Paraguay.svg Olimpia 1119791990
Flag of Mexico.svg UNAM 1119811989
Flag of Argentina.svg Estudiantes 101968
Flag of Argentina.svg Argentinos Juniors 101985
Flag of Argentina.svg River Plate 101986
Flag of Chile.svg Colo-Colo 101991
Flag of Chile.svg Universidad Católica 101993
Flag of Argentina.svg Vélez Sársfield 101994
Flag of the United States.svg D.C. United 101998
Flag of Honduras (1949-2022).svg Olimpia 021972, 1988
Flag of Costa Rica.svg Saprissa 021993, 1995
Flag of Mexico.svg Toluca 011968
Flag of Mexico.svg Cruz Azul 011971
Flag of Guatemala.svg Municipal 011974
Flag of Mexico.svg Atlético Español 011975
Flag of Argentina.svg Boca Juniors 011977
Flag of El Salvador.svg FAS 011979
Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg Defence Force 011985
Flag of Costa Rica.svg Alajuelense 011986
Flag of Mexico.svg Puebla 011991
Flag of Costa Rica.svg Cartaginés 011994
Flag of Brazil.svg Vasco da Gama 011998

By nation

Performance by nation
NationWinnersRunners-upTotal
Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina 718
Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico 358
Flag of Chile.svg  Chile 202
Flag of Colombia.svg  Colombia 202
Flag of Uruguay.svg  Uruguay 213
Flag of Paraguay.svg  Paraguay 112
Flag of the United States.svg  United States 101
Flag of Costa Rica.svg  Costa Rica 044
Flag of Honduras (1949-2022).svg  Honduras 022
Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil 011
Flag of El Salvador.svg  El Salvador 011
Flag of Guatemala.svg  Guatemala 011
Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg  Trinidad and Tobago 011

By confederation

Results by confederation
ConfederationWinnersRunners-up
CONMEBOL 144
CONCACAF 414

See also

Notes

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      References

      1. "CONMEBOL and Concacaf sign strategic collaboration agreement". Concacaf.com. January 27, 2023. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
      2. Copa Interamericana on Historia de Boca
      3. El primer triunfo de un equipo mexicano en la Copa Interamericana, 1978 by Gerardo Díaz on Relatos e Historias