Copa Libertadores
The full name is the CONMEBOL Libertadores in short, Copa Libertadores is used most often. The biggest international tournament for clubs in South America.
The full name is the CONMEBOL Libertadores in short, Copa Libertadores is used most often. The biggest international tournament for clubs in South America.
It is the South American version of the UEFA Champions League. The best teams of South America face each other in a group and knock out stage. In the end, there are two teams in the Copa Libertadores final.
The Copa starts with preliminaries, after which a group stage starts. Eight groups of four teams will begin in this group stage. The number one and two of each group will go to a knock-out stage. Like the other knock-out stages, the final has two matches (home and away).
The Copa Libertadores is covered in our extensive Football API.
The first edition of the Copa Libertadores was in 1960. Club Atlético Peñarol from Uruguay won the first edition. In total, 25 teams have won the Copa Libertadores multiple times. One of which won it seven times, namely CA Independiente from Argentina. Therefore, Independiente is the current record holder. In addition to that, the club has another record: Independiente has won the Copa Libertadores four times in a row (1972-1974). In 1984 Independiente won their last Copa. Boca Juniors is in second place with six titles (last in 2007), and Peñarol won five times (last in 1987). Palmeiras won in 2020 and 2021 and is the reigning champion.
Interestingly, the Argentinian teams have won the Copa more than the Brazilian teams. Even more interesting is that the tournament’s top scorer isn’t a Brazilian or an Argentinian. It is Alberto Spencer from Ecuador. He scored 54 goals. When playing for Peñarol, he scored 48 goals, and while playing for Barcelona Guayaquil, he scored six goals.
Let’s look at the top scorer data of the Copa Libertadores in 2021.
"data": {
"id": 17961,
"name": "2021",
"league_id": 1122,
"aggregatedGoalscorers": {
"data": [
{
"position": 1,
"season_id": 17961,
"player_id": 130266,
"team_id": 1024,
"stage_id": null,
"goals": 11,
"penalty_goals": 4,
"type": "aggregated_goals",
"player": {
"data": {
"player_id": 130266,
"team_id": 1024,
"country_id": 5,
"position_id": 4,
"common_name": "G. Barbosa Almeida",
"display_name": "Gabriel Barbosa",
"fullname": "Gabriel Barbosa Almeida",
"firstname": "Gabriel",
"lastname": "Barbosa Almeida",
"nationality": "Brazil",
"birthdate": "30/08/1996",
"birthcountry": "Brazil",
"birthplace": "São Bernardo do Campo",
"height": "176 cm",
"weight": "68 kg",
}
}Are you interested in building a top scorer page? Check our how-to build a top scorers standings page guide at our documentation.
Palmeiras won against Flamengo with a score of 2-1. Gabriel Barbosa was the top scorer with eleven goals. The 2021 edition of the Copa Libertadores included 155 matches. In total, 423 goals were scored, which averages 2.73 goals per match. Barbosa scored in the final. However, his goal was not enough to get the title with Flamengo. Due to a goal of Deyverson in the 95th minute, the score became 2-1 in favour of Palmeiras.
Which countries won the Copa Libertadores most?
Argentina (25)
Independiente won the title seven times while Boca Juniors won six times. Both teams are Argentinian. Estudiantes and River Plate both won the Copa four times. Racing Club, Argentinos Juniors, Vélez Sársfield and San Lorenzo all won the CONMEBOL Libertadores once. The total of Copa Libertadores winners from Argentina is 25.
Brazil (22)
Grêmio, São Paulo, Santos and Palmeiras all won the Copa Libertadores three times. Flamengo, Curzeiro, Internacional and Vasco da Gama won the cup twice. Cornthians and Atlético Mineiro were the winners once. The total of Brazilian wins is 22.
Uruguay (8)
Peñarol won the Copa five times, and Nacional won the final three times. Therefore, Uruguay has won a total of eight Copa Libertadores finals.
Paraguay (3)
Olimpia is the only winner from Paraguay. They won the Copa Libertadores three times.
Colombia (3)
Atlético Nacional won the final twice while Once Caldas won the cup once. Therefore, Colombian teams won the CONMEBOL Libertadores three times.
Chile (1)
Chile is a one-time winner because Colo-Colo won the Copa in 1991.
Ecuador (1)
Ecuador is a one-time winner as well. With LDU Quito that won the CONMEBOL Libertadores in 2008.
The CONMEBOL Libertadores has a tournament for women as well. This is called the Copa Libertadores Feminina or CONMEBOL Libertadores Feminina. It was founded in 2019, and 16 teams from 10 associations are participating. The Brazilian teams are most successful with Corinthians and São José. Both won three titles. Santos and Ferroviára won twice, while Chile, Colombia, and Paraguay have one winner.