Recopa Sudamericana
Encyclopedia
The Recopa Sudamericana (South American Winners' Cup, Recopa, or Cup Winners' Cup lit. South American Great Cup; ) is an annual football match-up between the reigning champions of the previous year's Copa Libertadores and the Copa Sudamericana
, South America's
premier club competitions.
Previously, the Recopa Sudamericana was contested between the Copa Libertadores winner and the Supercopa Sudamericana
champion until the Supercopa was disbanded. The competition has been disputed with either a presently-used two-legged series or a single match-up at a neutral venue. Together with the aforementioned tournaments, a club has the chance to win the CONMEBOL Treble all in one year or season.
The current champion is Brazil
ian club Internacional
, who won the title for the second time. The most successful team in the competition is Argentine
side Boca Juniors
, who have won the trophy four times. The cup has been won by 12 different clubs and won consecutively by three clubs; São Paulo, Boca Juniors, and LDU Quito successfully defended the title in 1994, 2006, and 2010, respectively.
was created in 1988, a new continental Super Cup
competition in South America became viable. CONMEBOL named the new competition Recopa Sudamericana after the defunct Recopa Sudamericana de Clubes
played in 1970 and 1971. The Recopa Sudamericana, disputed between the winners of South America's two premier club competitions, is not related chronologically to the Recopa Sudamericana, created in 1968 which was contested between former South American winners of the Intercontinental Cup
, Recopa Sudamericana de Clubes, disputed among Cup winners of South America. The first edition was played in 1989
and pitted Uruguayan club Nacional
and Argentinian side Racing
. Played on two legs, Nacional managed to win the trophy after winning 4–1 on points. Due to schedule dilemmas and political issues, the 1990 edition was played in Miami between Atlético Nacional
and Boca Juniors
with the latter winning 0–1. Olimpia
of Paraguay would win the Recopa Sudamericana without the need to dispute a match as the Decano won both the Copa Libertadores and Supercopa Sudamericana. CONMEBOL declared Olimpia the automatic winners of the 1991 competition.
In 1992, and from 1994 to 1997, the competition was played in Japan
. Colo-Colo
of Chile defeated Cruzeiro
5–4 on penalties after a 0–0 tie in the 1992 final
. Staying true to the winning ways of the Paulista's golden generation
, São Paulo won the 1993 and 1994 finals to become the first team to retain the title. Due to schedule congestion, the 1993 finals
were played as part of the Campeonato Brasileiro
and it also became the first Recopa to feature two teams from the same nation. In a second, consecutive all-Brazilian final, São Paulo successfully defended the trophy against Botafogo
. Since São Paulo won both the Copa Libertadores and Supercopa Sudamericana, CONMEBOL had Copa CONMEBOL
winners Botafogo dispute the Recopa Sudamericana only to lose 3–1 to the defending champions.
Argentina managed to emulate their northern neighbors with the 1995 edition
being an all-Argentinian affair. Independiente
, led by Jorge Burruchaga
, managed to consecrate themselves winners after defeating Carlos Bianchi
's legendary Vélez Sársfield
1–0 in Tokyo
. Independiente participated in a second, consecutive final
only to lose the title to Grêmio
after being defeated 4–1. The 1997 edition
was won by a Vélez Sársfield team that bowed out from the international limelight with their last title. Having failed to win the trophy in 1992 and 1993, Cruzeiro
comfortably won the 1998
edition that was played as part of the Copa Mercosur. This final series was played two years after the participating teams won their corresponding qualifying tournaments.
At the end of the 1998 season, CONMEBOL discontinued the Supercopa Sudamericana. As a result of not having an important, secondary tournament, the Recopa Sudamericana went into a hiatus from 1999 until 2002. However, the introduction of the new Copa Sudamericana revitalized the competition with Olimpia winning the 2003 final in Los Angeles
. Played on a neutral venue for the second year in a row, Cienciano defeated Boca Juniors on penalties to win their second international title. From 2005 onwards, the Recopa Sudamericana would be played on a home-and-away basis.
In a rematch of the Copa Libertadores final of 2004, Boca Juniors avenged that defeat as they beat Once Caldas
4–3 on aggregate. A year later, Boca Juniors faced São Paulo, both two-time winners of the competition, in order to determine who would become the first tricampeon. The Xeneizes won 4–1 on points and successfully defended the title, becoming the first side since Telê Santana
's São Paulo to win consecutive Recopas. Internacional
became the first Brazilian side to lift the trophy in nine years. The 2008 competition saw Boca Juniors win their fourth title to become joint leaders for most international titles won by a club in a last hurrah on the international scene. LDU Quito won their second international title as they thumped Internacional 6–0 on points and 4–0 on goal aggregate to win their first ever title. LDU Quito then successfully defended their title in 2010
against Estudiantes
. They became the third team to successfully defend the title.
champion, and the second leg is played at the home field of the Copa Libertadores champion. The teams accumulate points as per the results of the match (3 for a win, 1 for a draw, 0 for a loss). The team with the most points after both legs wins the Recopa. Ties in points will be broken first by goal difference, then by away goals
, and lastly by a penalty shootout after regulation of the second leg.
Since the competition takes place in the mid-winter, it's disputed between the champions of the previous year's forementioned competitions. Because of this, some count the year of the championship by the qualification year rather than that of the competition itself. Thus, CONMEBOL
states that Nacional
from Uruguay
won the first Recopa of 1989, whereas the RSSSF
refers to that championship as Recopa 1988.
, is named the Total 90 Omni CSF. It is one of the many balls produced by the American sports equipment maker for CONMEBOL, replacing the Mercurial Veloci Hi-Vis in 2009. The ball, approved by FIFA and weighting approximately 422 g
, has a spherical shape that allows the ball to fly faster, farther, and more accurately. According to Nike, the ball's geometric precision distributes pressure evenly across panels and around the ball. The compressed polyethylene
layer stores energy from impact and releases it at launch, and the 6-wing carbon-latex air chamber improves acceleration. Another feature of the ball is its rubber layer; it was designed to allow a better response while retaining the impact energy
and releases it in the coup. Its support material of cross-linked nitrogen
-expanded foam
improves its retention and durability of its shape. Polyester
support fabric enhances structure and stability. The asymmetrical high-contrast
graphic around the ball creates an optimal flicker as the ball rotates for a more powerful visual signal, allowing the player to more easily identify and track the ball.
Recopa Sudamericana and from 2006 to 2008, Visa Recopa Sudamericana. Since 2009, Visa stopped being a sponsor of the competition.
Copa Sudamericana
The Copa Bridgestone Sudamericana de Clubes , known simply as the Copa Sudamericana , is an annual international club football competition organized by the CONMEBOL since 2002. It is the second most prestigious club competition in South American football. CONCACAF clubs were invited between 2004...
, South America's
CONMEBOL
The South American Football Confederation , commonly known as CONMEBOL , is the continental governing body of association football in South America and it is one of FIFA's six continental confederations...
premier club competitions.
Previously, the Recopa Sudamericana was contested between the Copa Libertadores winner and the Supercopa Sudamericana
Supercopa Sudamericana
The Supercopa Sudamericana , also known as the Supercopa Libertadores João Havelange, Supercopa Libertadores, Supercopa João Havelange or simply Supercopa, was a football club competition contested annually by the past winners of the Copa Libertadores...
champion until the Supercopa was disbanded. The competition has been disputed with either a presently-used two-legged series or a single match-up at a neutral venue. Together with the aforementioned tournaments, a club has the chance to win the CONMEBOL Treble all in one year or season.
The current champion is Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian club Internacional
Sport Club Internacional
Sport Club Internacional is a Brazilian football team and multi-sport club from Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, founded on April 4, 1909, and are one of the only five clubs to have never been relegated, along with Santos, São Paulo, Flamengo and Cruzeiro. They play in red shirts, white shorts and...
, who won the title for the second time. The most successful team in the competition is Argentine
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
side Boca Juniors
Boca Juniors
Club Atlético Boca Juniors is an Argentine sports club based in La Boca neighborhood of Buenos Aires. It is best known for its professional football team, which currently plays in the Primera División....
, who have won the trophy four times. The cup has been won by 12 different clubs and won consecutively by three clubs; São Paulo, Boca Juniors, and LDU Quito successfully defended the title in 1994, 2006, and 2010, respectively.
History
When the Supercopa SudamericanaSupercopa Sudamericana
The Supercopa Sudamericana , also known as the Supercopa Libertadores João Havelange, Supercopa Libertadores, Supercopa João Havelange or simply Supercopa, was a football club competition contested annually by the past winners of the Copa Libertadores...
was created in 1988, a new continental Super Cup
Super Cup
A Super Cup is a competition, usually but not exclusively in football, which often forms the curtain-raiser to a season. Most Super Cups are one-off fixtures between the League Champions and major Cup Winners of the previous season. Sometimes these are two-legged affairs, with a match played at...
competition in South America became viable. CONMEBOL named the new competition Recopa Sudamericana after the defunct Recopa Sudamericana de Clubes
Copa Ganadores de Copa
The Copa Ganadores de Copa, also known as Recopa Sudamericana de Clubes, was a now defunct official South American football tournament organized by CONMEBOL. Its first edition was held in 1970 and was won by Bolivian club Mariscal Santa Cruz...
played in 1970 and 1971. The Recopa Sudamericana, disputed between the winners of South America's two premier club competitions, is not related chronologically to the Recopa Sudamericana, created in 1968 which was contested between former South American winners of the Intercontinental Cup
Intercontinental Cup (football)
The European/South American Cup, commonly referred to as the World Club Championship, Intercontinental Cup or Toyota Cup, was a football competition endorsed by UEFA and CONMEBOL, contested between the winners of the European Cup and the South American Copa Libertadores...
, Recopa Sudamericana de Clubes, disputed among Cup winners of South America. The first edition was played in 1989
1989 Recopa Sudamericana
-Second leg:...
and pitted Uruguayan club Nacional
Club Nacional de Football
Club Nacional de Football is a Uruguayan sports club based in Montevideo. It is best known for its professional football team, which plays in the Uruguayan Primera División....
and Argentinian side Racing
Racing Club de Avellaneda
Racing Club is an Argentine professional football club from Avellaneda, a suburb of Greater Buenos Aires. Founded in 1903, Racing has been historically considered one of the "big five" clubs of Argentine football...
. Played on two legs, Nacional managed to win the trophy after winning 4–1 on points. Due to schedule dilemmas and political issues, the 1990 edition was played in Miami between Atlético Nacional
Atlético Nacional
Corporación Deportiva Atlético Nacional is a Colombian football team based in Medellín. They play their home games at the Estadio Atanasio Girardot stadium which also serves as home to Deportivo Independiente Medellín...
and Boca Juniors
Boca Juniors
Club Atlético Boca Juniors is an Argentine sports club based in La Boca neighborhood of Buenos Aires. It is best known for its professional football team, which currently plays in the Primera División....
with the latter winning 0–1. Olimpia
Olimpia Asunción
Club Olimpia is a Paraguayan sport club based in Asunción. It is best known for its professional football team which plays in the Paraguayan Primera División....
of Paraguay would win the Recopa Sudamericana without the need to dispute a match as the Decano won both the Copa Libertadores and Supercopa Sudamericana. CONMEBOL declared Olimpia the automatic winners of the 1991 competition.
In 1992, and from 1994 to 1997, the competition was played in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Colo-Colo
Colo-Colo
Club Social y Deportivo Colo-Colo is a Chilean football club based in the commune of Macul, Santiago. It competes in the Primera División, the top-flight football league in the country, from which they have never been relegated. Their home ground is the Estadio Monumental David Arellano.Colo-Colo...
of Chile defeated Cruzeiro
Cruzeiro Esporte Clube
Cruzeiro Esporte Clube is a Brazilian football team, from Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, and are one of the only five clubs to have never been relegated, along with Santos, São Paulo, Flamengo and Internacional. Founded on January 2, 1921, they are only one of three clubs to have participated in...
5–4 on penalties after a 0–0 tie in the 1992 final
1992 Recopa Sudamericana
The 1992 Recopa Sudamericana was the 4th Recopa Sudamericana, an annual football match between the winners of the previous season's Copa Libertadores and Supercopa Sudamericana competitions....
. Staying true to the winning ways of the Paulista's golden generation
Golden Generation
In sport, a golden generation is an exceptionally gifted group of players of similar age, whose achievements reach or are expected to reach a level of success beyond that which their team had previously achieved...
, São Paulo won the 1993 and 1994 finals to become the first team to retain the title. Due to schedule congestion, the 1993 finals
1993 Recopa Sudamericana
-Second leg:-External links:*...
were played as part of the Campeonato Brasileiro
Campeonato Brasileiro Série A
The Campeonato Brasileiro de Clubes da Série A , popularly known as the Brasileirão , is a professional football league at the top of the Brazilian football league system held annually since 1959. Contested by twenty clubs, it operates a system of promotion and relegation with the Série B...
and it also became the first Recopa to feature two teams from the same nation. In a second, consecutive all-Brazilian final, São Paulo successfully defended the trophy against Botafogo
Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas
Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas , also known as Botafogo and familiarly as Estrela Solitária, is a Brazilian sports club based in Botafogo, neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro, best known for its football team. They play in the Campeonato Carioca, Rio de Janeiro's state league, and the Campeonato...
. Since São Paulo won both the Copa Libertadores and Supercopa Sudamericana, CONMEBOL had Copa CONMEBOL
Copa CONMEBOL
The Copa CONMEBOL was an annual football cup competition organized by CONMEBOL between 1992 and 1999 for eligible South American football clubs. During its time of existence, it was the third most prestigious South American club football contest after the Copa Libertadores and Supercopa...
winners Botafogo dispute the Recopa Sudamericana only to lose 3–1 to the defending champions.
Argentina managed to emulate their northern neighbors with the 1995 edition
1995 Recopa Sudamericana
The 1995 Recopa Sudamericana was the 7th Recopa Sudamericana, an annual football match between the winners of the previous season's Copa Libertadores and Supercopa Sudamericana competitions...
being an all-Argentinian affair. Independiente
Club Atlético Independiente
Club Atlético Independiente is an Argentine athletic, sports and social club, which has its headquarters and stadium in the city of Avellaneda, Buenos Aires Province. The club is best known for its football team, that plays in the Argentine Primera División....
, led by Jorge Burruchaga
Jorge Burruchaga
Jorge Luis Burruchaga is a former Argentine professional football player, and last manager of Arsenal de Sarandí in the Primera División Argentina...
, managed to consecrate themselves winners after defeating Carlos Bianchi
Carlos Bianchi
Carlos Arcecio Bianchi , popularly known as El Virrey , is a prolific Argentine football forward turned manager...
's legendary Vélez Sársfield
Club Atlético Vélez Sársfield
Club Atlético Vélez Sársfield is a sports club based in the Liniers neighborhood of western Buenos Aires, Argentina. Vélez is best known for its football team, that plays in the Argentine Primera División, the top level of the Argentine league system...
1–0 in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
. Independiente participated in a second, consecutive final
1996 Recopa Sudamericana
-External links:*...
only to lose the title to Grêmio
Grêmio Foot-Ball Porto Alegrense
Grêmio Foot-Ball Porto Alegrense, commonly known as just Grêmio , is a Brazilian professional association football team based in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul founded by English and German immigrants on September 15, 1903. Major titles captured by Grêmio include one Intercontinental Cup, two Copa...
after being defeated 4–1. The 1997 edition
1997 Recopa Sudamericana
-External links:*...
was won by a Vélez Sársfield team that bowed out from the international limelight with their last title. Having failed to win the trophy in 1992 and 1993, Cruzeiro
Cruzeiro Esporte Clube
Cruzeiro Esporte Clube is a Brazilian football team, from Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, and are one of the only five clubs to have never been relegated, along with Santos, São Paulo, Flamengo and Internacional. Founded on January 2, 1921, they are only one of three clubs to have participated in...
comfortably won the 1998
1998 Recopa Sudamericana
-Second leg:-External links:*...
edition that was played as part of the Copa Mercosur. This final series was played two years after the participating teams won their corresponding qualifying tournaments.
At the end of the 1998 season, CONMEBOL discontinued the Supercopa Sudamericana. As a result of not having an important, secondary tournament, the Recopa Sudamericana went into a hiatus from 1999 until 2002. However, the introduction of the new Copa Sudamericana revitalized the competition with Olimpia winning the 2003 final in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. Played on a neutral venue for the second year in a row, Cienciano defeated Boca Juniors on penalties to win their second international title. From 2005 onwards, the Recopa Sudamericana would be played on a home-and-away basis.
In a rematch of the Copa Libertadores final of 2004, Boca Juniors avenged that defeat as they beat Once Caldas
Once Caldas
Corporación Deportiva Once Caldas is a Colombian association football team, based in Manizales. They were the surprise winners of Copa Libertadores de América in 2004, mainly due to the performances of Juan Carlos Henao and Jhon Viáfara...
4–3 on aggregate. A year later, Boca Juniors faced São Paulo, both two-time winners of the competition, in order to determine who would become the first tricampeon. The Xeneizes won 4–1 on points and successfully defended the title, becoming the first side since Telê Santana
Telê Santana
Telê Santana da Silva, also known as Telê Santana , was a Brazilian football manager and former player...
's São Paulo to win consecutive Recopas. Internacional
Sport Club Internacional
Sport Club Internacional is a Brazilian football team and multi-sport club from Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, founded on April 4, 1909, and are one of the only five clubs to have never been relegated, along with Santos, São Paulo, Flamengo and Cruzeiro. They play in red shirts, white shorts and...
became the first Brazilian side to lift the trophy in nine years. The 2008 competition saw Boca Juniors win their fourth title to become joint leaders for most international titles won by a club in a last hurrah on the international scene. LDU Quito won their second international title as they thumped Internacional 6–0 on points and 4–0 on goal aggregate to win their first ever title. LDU Quito then successfully defended their title in 2010
2010 Recopa Sudamericana
The 2010 Recopa Sudamericana de Clubes was a two-legged tie that determined the winner of the Recopa Sudamericana, an annual football match between the winners of the previous season's Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana competitions. It was contested between Argentine club Estudiantes de La...
against Estudiantes
Estudiantes de La Plata
Club Estudiantes de La Plata , simply referred to as Estudiantes, is an Argentine professional sports club based in La Plata. The club's football team currently competes in the Primera División, where it has spent most of its history....
. They became the third team to successfully defend the title.
Format
The Recopa is contested over a two-legged tie, usually no more than two weeks apart. The first leg is held at the home field of the Copa SudamericanaCopa Sudamericana
The Copa Bridgestone Sudamericana de Clubes , known simply as the Copa Sudamericana , is an annual international club football competition organized by the CONMEBOL since 2002. It is the second most prestigious club competition in South American football. CONCACAF clubs were invited between 2004...
champion, and the second leg is played at the home field of the Copa Libertadores champion. The teams accumulate points as per the results of the match (3 for a win, 1 for a draw, 0 for a loss). The team with the most points after both legs wins the Recopa. Ties in points will be broken first by goal difference, then by away goals
Away goals rule
The away goals rule is a method of breaking ties in association football and other sports when teams play each other twice, once at each team's home ground. By the away goals rule, the team that has scored more goals "away from home" will win if scores are otherwise equal...
, and lastly by a penalty shootout after regulation of the second leg.
Since the competition takes place in the mid-winter, it's disputed between the champions of the previous year's forementioned competitions. Because of this, some count the year of the championship by the qualification year rather than that of the competition itself. Thus, CONMEBOL
CONMEBOL
The South American Football Confederation , commonly known as CONMEBOL , is the continental governing body of association football in South America and it is one of FIFA's six continental confederations...
states that Nacional
Club Nacional de Football
Club Nacional de Football is a Uruguayan sports club based in Montevideo. It is best known for its professional football team, which plays in the Uruguayan Primera División....
from Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
won the first Recopa of 1989, whereas the RSSSF
Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation
The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation is an international amateur organization dedicated to collecting statistics about association football...
refers to that championship as Recopa 1988.
Match ball
The current match ball for the Recopa Sudamericana, manufactured by NikeNike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
, is named the Total 90 Omni CSF. It is one of the many balls produced by the American sports equipment maker for CONMEBOL, replacing the Mercurial Veloci Hi-Vis in 2009. The ball, approved by FIFA and weighting approximately 422 g
Gram
The gram is a metric system unit of mass....
, has a spherical shape that allows the ball to fly faster, farther, and more accurately. According to Nike, the ball's geometric precision distributes pressure evenly across panels and around the ball. The compressed polyethylene
Polyethylene
Polyethylene or polythene is the most widely used plastic, with an annual production of approximately 80 million metric tons...
layer stores energy from impact and releases it at launch, and the 6-wing carbon-latex air chamber improves acceleration. Another feature of the ball is its rubber layer; it was designed to allow a better response while retaining the impact energy
Energy
In physics, energy is an indirectly observed quantity. It is often understood as the ability a physical system has to do work on other physical systems...
and releases it in the coup. Its support material of cross-linked nitrogen
Nitrogen
Nitrogen is a chemical element that has the symbol N, atomic number of 7 and atomic mass 14.00674 u. Elemental nitrogen is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, and mostly inert diatomic gas at standard conditions, constituting 78.08% by volume of Earth's atmosphere...
-expanded foam
Foam
-Definition:A foam is a substance that is formed by trapping gas in a liquid or solid in a divided form, i.e. by forming gas regions inside liquid regions, leading to different kinds of dispersed media...
improves its retention and durability of its shape. Polyester
Polyester
Polyester is a category of polymers which contain the ester functional group in their main chain. Although there are many polyesters, the term "polyester" as a specific material most commonly refers to polyethylene terephthalate...
support fabric enhances structure and stability. The asymmetrical high-contrast
Contrast (vision)
Contrast is the difference in visual properties that makes an object distinguishable from other objects and the background. In visual perception of the real world, contrast is determined by the difference in the color and brightness of the object and other objects within the same field of view...
graphic around the ball creates an optimal flicker as the ball rotates for a more powerful visual signal, allowing the player to more easily identify and track the ball.
Sponsorship
For commercial reasons, the official name of the 2005 edition was Fox SportsFox Sports en Latinoamérica
Fox Sports, is a Latin American cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-recorded event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming, Fox Sports compete with the largest international sports network, ESPN.The channel broadcast...
Recopa Sudamericana and from 2006 to 2008, Visa Recopa Sudamericana. Since 2009, Visa stopped being a sponsor of the competition.
See also
- List of Recopa Sudamericana winning managers
- International club competition recordsInternational club competition recordsBelow is a list of clubs with the most confederation club competitions won in the world, and in each continent , including all the international club competitions organized by one of the six Confederations of international football, defined as "confederation club competitions", and...