1998 Recopa Sudamericana

The 1998 Recopa Sudamericana was the tenth Recopa Sudamericana, an annual football match between the winners of the previous season's Copa Libertadores and Supercopa Sudamericana competitions. This will become the last Recopa Sudamericana on this format as the Supercopa Sudamericana was discontinued by CONMEBOL in 1998. With no existing secondary tournament, the Recopa Sudamericana became an impracticable competition until the introduction of the Copa Sudamericana in 2002.

1998 Recopa Sudamericana

Event	Recopa Sudamericana
Cruzeiro River Plate 5 0
First leg
Cruzeiro River Plate 2 0
Date	August 3, 1999
Venue	Mineirão, Belo Horizonte
Referee	Jose Luís da Rosa (Uruguay)
Attendance	18,000
Second leg
River Plate Cruzeiro 0 3
Date	September 23, 1999
Venue	Monumental, Buenos Aires
Referee	Ubaldo Aquino (Paraguay)
Attendance	11,000

The series was contested between Cruzeiro, winners of the 1997 Copa Libertadores, and River Plate, winners of the 1997 Supercopa Sudamericana, in a two-legged series. Due to schedule congestion, this edition was played as part of the 1999 Copa Mercosur (one of the two tournaments that replaced the Supercopa Sudamericana) two years after the participating clubs won their respective qualifying tournaments (instead of the regular 6–12 months).[1] Further devaluing this year's Recopa, River Plate sent a reserved squad on the first leg losing 2-0.[2][3] On the return leg, Cruzeiro thrashed River Plate 3–0 and won their first Recopa Sudamericana (after failing to do so in 1992 and 1993).[4][5]

After the home defeat, the Argentines turned off the stadium lights, turned on the lawn irrigation system and only allowed the delivery of the trophy in the locker room, preventing a "victory lap". This disgraceful act prompted CONMEBOL into revising their awarding ceremonies.