Copa Interamericana

The Copa Interamericana (English: Interamerican Cup) was an annual club football competition organized by the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) and Confederación Sudamericana de Fútbol (CONMEBOL) since 1969. It was discontinued in 1998 after CONCACAF clubs, particularly those from Mexico, began participating in CONMEBOL competitions. The Interamerican Cup was founded as a result of the refusal from CONMEBOL and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) of allowing CONCACAF clubs, as well as those from other confederations, to participate in the European/South American Cup, later known as the Toyota Cup and informally called the Intercontinental Cup.

Copa Interamericana
Interamerican Cup
The Interamerican Cup trophy
Founded1968
Abolished1998
RegionNorth America (CONCACAF)
South America (CONMEBOL)
Number of teams2
Last champions D.C. United (1st title)
Most successful club(s) Independiente (3 titles)

The competition was supposed to be contested between the winners of the North American CONCACAF Champions Cup and the South American Copa Libertadores tournaments although the participants have varied at times. The format of the competition was extremely sporadic. From its formation, the competition was usually contested over a two legged tie, with a playoff if necessary until 1968, and penalty kicks later. However, it was common for several consecutive editions to go undisputed. Of the 17 competitions played out, four of them were disputed 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 disputed one, and sometimes two, years after the participants have qualified to dispute it. This was the result of the lack of financial incentives and the low relevance of the competition.

The 17 Interamerican Cup tournaments have been won by 13 different club teams. Argentine side Independiente has 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 dispute 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 disputed 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. Since 2005, when FIFA adopted the Club World Championship format clash between the champions of all continental confederations, the champions of CONCACAF and CONMEBOL again have the opportunity to meet.

Winners

Finals
Year Country Winner Runner-up Country 1st leg 2nd leg Aggr. Playoff
1968
  ARG EstudiantesToluca MEX2–11–2
3–3
3–0
1971
  URU Nacional Cruz Azul MEX1–12–1
3–2
–
1972
  ARG Independiente Olimpia HON2–12–0
4–1
–
1974
  ARG IndependienteMunicipal GUA
0–1
1–0 (4–2 p)
1–1
–
1975
  ARG IndependienteEspañol MEX2–2
0–0 (4–2 p)
2–2
–
1977
  MEX AméricaBoca Juniors ARG0–31–0
3–1 [note 1]
2–1 (a.e.t.)
1979
  PAR OlimpiaFAS SLV3–35–0
8–3
–
1980
  MEX UNAMNacional URU3–11–3
4–4
2–1
1985
  ARG Argentinos JuniorsDefence Force TRI
1–0 [note 2]
–
–
[note 2]
1986
  ARG River PlateAlajuelense CRC0–03–0
3–0
–
1988
  URUNacionalOlimpia HON1–14–0
5–1
–
1989
  COL Atlético NacionalUNAM MEX2–04–1
6–1
–
1990
  MEX AméricaOlimpia PAR1–12–1
–
3–2
1991
  CHI Colo-ColoPuebla MEX4–13–1
7–2
–
1993
  CHI Universidad CatólicaSaprissa CRC1–35–1
6–4
–
1994
  ARG Vélez SársfieldCartaginés CRC0–02–0
2–0
–
1995
  COL Atlético NacionalSaprissa CRC
–
–
3–2
–
1998
  USA D.C. UnitedVasco da Gama BRA0–12–0
2–1
–

Keys
  •   Match decided by a penalty shootout after extra time
  •   Match playoff after the series ended tied on aggregate

Notes
  1. Aggregate score not taken into account.
  2. Cup played in one only match

Statistics

By team
Team Winner Runner-up Years won Years runner-up
Independiente301972, 1974, 1975
Nacional211971, 19881980
América201977, 1990
Atlético Nacional201989, 1995
Olimpia1119791990
UNAM1119801989
Estudiantes101968
Argentinos Juniors101985
River Plate101986
Colo-Colo101991
Universidad Católica101993
Vélez Sársfield101994
D.C. United101998
Olimpia021972, 1988
Saprissa021993, 1995
Municipal011974
Boca Juniors011977
FAS011979
Defence Force011985
Alajuelense011986
Cartaginés011994
Vasco da Gama011998

By nation
Nation Winners Runners-Up Winning Clubs Runners-Up
 Argentina 7 1 Independiente (3), Argentinos Juniors (1), Estudiantes (1), River Plate (1), Vélez Sársfield (1) Boca Juniors (1)
 Mexico 3 5 América (2), UNAM (1) Español (1), Cruz Azul (1), Puebla (1), UNAM (1), Toluca (1)
 Chile 2 0 Colo-Colo (1), Universidad Católica (1)
 Colombia 2 0 Atlético Nacional (2)
 Uruguay 2 1 Nacional (2) Nacional (1)
 Paraguay 1 1 Olimpia (1) Olimpia (1)
 United States 1 0 D.C. United (1)
 Costa Rica 0 4 Alajuelense (1), Cartaginés (1), Saprissa (2)
 Honduras 0 2 Olimpia (2)
 Brazil 0 1 Vasco da Gama (1)
 El Salvador 0 1 FAS (1)
 Guatemala 0 1 Municipal (1)
 Trinidad and Tobago 0 1 Defence Force (1)

By confederation
Confederation Winners Runners-Up Winning Nations Runners-Up
CONMEBOL 14 4 Argentina (7), Chile (2), Colombia (2), Uruguay (2), Paraguay (1) Argentina (1), Brazil (1), Paraguay (1), Uruguay (1)
CONCACAF 4 14 Mexico (3), United States (1) Mexico (5), Costa Rica (4), Honduras (2), El Salvador (1), Guatemala (1), Trinidad and Tobago (1)

See also
  • International club competition records

References
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