Copa Libertadores

The clashes for the Copa Aldao between the champions of Argentina and Uruguay kindled the idea of continental competition in the 1930s.^[1] In 1948, the South American Championship of Champions (Spanish: Campeonato Sudamericano de Campeones), the most direct precursor to the Copa Libertadores, was played and organized by the Chilean club Colo-Colo after years of planning and organization.^[1] Held in Santiago, it brought together the champions of each nation's top national leagues.^[1] The tournament was won by Vasco da Gama of Brazil.^[1][4][5] The 1948 South American tournament began, in continent-wide reach, the "champions cup" model, resulting in the creation of the European Cup in 1955, as confirmed by Jacques Ferran (one of the "founding fathers" of the European Cup), in a 2015 interview with a Brazilian TV sports programme.^[6]

In 1958, the basis and format of the competition were created by Peñarol's board leaders. On October 8, 1958, João Havelange announced, at a UEFA meeting he attended as an invitee, the creation of Copa de Campeones de America (American Champions Cup, renamed in 1965 as Copa Libertadores), as a South American equivalent of the European Cup, so that the champion clubs of both continental confederations could decide "the best club team of the world" in the Intercontinental Cup.^[7][8] On March 5, 1959, at the 24th South American Congress held in Buenos Aires, the competition was ratified by the International Affairs Committee. In 1965, it was named in honor of the heroes of South American liberation, such as Simón Bolívar, José de San Martín, Pedro I, Bernardo O'Higgins, and José Gervasio Artigas, among others.^[1]

Qualification

Most teams qualify for the Copa Libertadores by winning half-year tournaments called the Apertura and Clausura tournaments or by finishing among the top teams in their championship.^[3] The countries that use this format are Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela.^[3] Peru and Ecuador have developed new formats for qualification to the Copa Libertadores involving several stages.^[3] Argentina, Brazil and Chile are the only South American leagues to use a European league format instead of the Apertura and Clausura format.^[3] However, one berth for the Copa Libertadores can be won by winning the domestic cups in these countries.^[3]

Peru, Uruguay and Mexico formerly used a second tournament to decide qualification for the Libertadores (the "Liguilla Pre-Libertadores" between 1992 and 1997, the "Liguilla Pre-Libertadores de América" from 1974 to 2009, and the InterLiga from 2004 to 2010, respectively).^[2][3] Argentina used an analogous method only once in 1992. Since 2011, the winner of the Copa Sudamericana has qualified automatically for the following Copa Libertadores.^[3][9]

For the 2019 edition, the different stages of the competition were contested by the following teams:^[3]

The winners of the previous season's Copa Libertadores are given an additional entry to the group stage if they do not qualify for the tournament through their domestic performance; however, if the title holders qualify for the tournament through their domestic performance, an additional entry is granted to the next eligible team, "replacing" the titleholder.

Rules

The Copa Libertadores logo is shown on the centre of the pitch before every game in the competition.

Unlike most other competitions around the world, the Copa Libertadores historically did not use extra time, or away goals.^[3] From 1960 to 1987, two-legged ties were decided on points (teams would be awarded 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for a loss), without considering goal differences. If both teams were level on points after two legs, a third match would be played at a neutral venue. Goal difference would only come into play if the third match was drawn. If the third match did not produce an immediate winner, a penalty shootout was used to determine a winner.^[3]

From 1988 onwards, two-legged ties were decided on points, followed by goal difference, with an immediate penalty shootout if the tie was level on aggregate after full-time in the second leg.^[3] Starting with the 2005 season, CONMEBOL began to use the away goals rule.^[3] In 2008, the finals became an exception to the away goals rule and employed extra time.^[3] From 1995 onwards, the "Three points for a win" standard, a system adopted by FIFA in 1995 that places additional value on wins, was adopted in CONMEBOL, with teams now earning 3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for a loss.

Tournament

The current tournament features 47 clubs competing over a six- to eight-month period. There are three stages: the first, the second and the knockout stage.

The first stage involves 12 clubs in a series of two-legged knockout ties.^[3] The six survivors join 26 clubs in the second stage, in which they are divided into eight groups of four.^[3] The teams in each group play in a double round-robin format, with each team playing home and away games against every other team in their group.^[3] The top two teams from each group are then drawn into the knockout stage, which consists of two-legged knockout ties.^[3] From that point, the competition proceeds with two-legged knockout ties to quarterfinals, semifinals, and the finals.^[3] Between 1960 and 1987 the previous winners did not enter the competition until the semifinal stage, making it much easier to retain the cup.^[3]

Between 1960 and 2004, the winner of the tournament participated in the now-defunct Intercontinental Cup or (after 1980) Toyota Cup, a football competition endorsed by UEFA and CONMEBOL, contested against the winners of the European Cup (since renamed the UEFA Champions League)^[3] Since 2004, the winner has played in the Club World Cup, an international competition contested by the champion clubs from all six continental confederations. It is organized by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the sport's global governing body. Because Europe and South America are considered the strongest centers of the sport, the champions of those continents enter the tournament at the semifinal stage.^[3] The winning team also qualifies to play in the Recopa Sudamericana, a two-legged final series against the winners of the Copa Sudamericana.^[3]

Trophy

The tournament shares its name with the trophy, also called the Copa Libertadores or simply la Copa, which is awarded to the Copa Libertadores winner. It was designed by goldsmith Alberto de Gasperi, an Italian-born immigrant to Peru, in Camusso Jewelry in Lima at the behest of CONMEBOL.^[10] The top of the laurel is made of sterling silver, except for the football player at the top (which is made of bronze with a silver coating).^[11]

The pedestal, which contains badges from every winner of the competition, is made of hardwood plywood. The badges show the season, the full name of the winning club, and the city and nation from which the champions hail. To the left of that information is the club logo. Any club which wins three consecutive tournaments has the right to keep the trophy. Today, the current trophy is the third in the history of the competition.

Two clubs have kept the actual trophy after three consecutive wins:^[12]

• Estudiantes after their third consecutive win in 1970. They won a fourth title in 2009.
• Independiente after their third consecutive win, and fifth overall, in 1974. They have since won two more titles, in 1975 and 1984.

Prize money

As of 2023^[update], clubs in the Copa Libertadores receive US$500,000 for advancing into the second stage and US$1,000,000 per home match in the group phase, with an additional US$300,000 awarded per match won in that stage. That amount is derived from television rights and stadium advertising. The payment per home match increases to US$1,250,000 in the round of 16. The prize money then increases as each quarterfinalist receives US$1,700,000, US$2,300,000 is given to each semifinalist, US$7,000,000 is awarded to the runner-up, and the winner earns US$18,000,000.^[13]

• Eliminated at the first stage: US$400,000
• Eliminated at the second stage: US$500,000
• Eliminated at the third stage: US$600,000
• Group stage: US$3,000,000
• Group stage win: US$300,000
• Round of 16: US$1,250,000
• Quarter-finals: US$1,700,000
• Semi-finals: US$2,300,000
• Runners-up: US$7,000,000
• Champions: US$18,000,000