Uruguayan Primera División

The Liga Profesional de Primera División [ˈliɣa pɾofesjoˈnal de pɾiˈmeɾa ðiβiˈsjon] (English: First Division Professional League) (local: [pɾiˈmeɾa ðiβiˈsjon]) (English: First Division), named "Torneo Uruguayo Copa Coca-Cola" for sponsorship reasons, is the highest professional football league in Uruguay and organized by the Uruguayan Football Association (AUF).

Torneo Uruguayo
Copa Coca-Cola
Founded1900 (1900)
CountryUruguay
ConfederationCONMEBOL
Number of teams16
Level on pyramid1
Relegation toSegunda División
Domestic cup(s)Supercopa Uruguaya
International cup(s)Copa Libertadores
Copa Sudamericana
Current championsNacional (47th title)
(2019)
Most championshipsPeñarol/CURCC (45/5 titles)
Top goalscorerFernando Morena (230)
TV partnersTenfield, Gol TV, ESPN Brasil, SporTV
WebsitePrimera División
Current: 2020 season

The first championship was held in 1900, being an amateur competition until 1932 when the league became professional. From 1900 to the 2014–15 season there have been 111 first division seasons.

In 2011, the Uruguayan Primera División was regarded as the 23rd most difficult football league in the 21st century by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS).[1]

Peñarol/CURCC is the most successful Uruguayan club with 45/5 titles. Of clubs to win titles, only Rampla Juniors did not win multiple titles. Rampla Juniors and Wanderers were the only clubs to not win titles consecutively.

History

The Uruguayan Primera División was held by the first time in 1900. Between 1923 and 1925, under the Uruguayan football schism, a dissident league, the Federación Uruguaya de Football, was established. The body operated in parallel with the official Association (AUF). After an intervention by the Uruguayan government to impose the dissolution of the FUF, in 1926 a Provisional Council ("Concejo Provisorio") organised a championship to unify the two organizations. Peñarol was the winner of the Serie A of the tournament. Nevertheless, neither the AUF nor the FIFA recognised the titles of the championships organized by FUF or CP.[2]

From 1930 to 1975, either Nacional or Peñarol won every title. This streak was finally broken when Defensor won its first title in 1976. Besides Nacional or Peñarol, no other club has won titles consecutively. Both Peñarol (1958 to 1962 and 1993 to 1997) and Nacional (from 1939 to 1943) hold the record title streaks winning five titles consecutively. The longest period of time without neither Peñarol nor Nacional winning the title was from 1987 to 1991, when Defensor, Danubio, Progreso, Bella Vista, and again Defensor won the five tournaments played during that period.[3]

After 1994, the competition was divided in two stages, called the Opening Championship (Torneo Apertura) and Closing Championship (Torneo Clausura), with an end-of-season two-legged final match between the winners of these two tournaments.

Originally, like other South American football leagues, the league was contested according to the calendar year, from austral summer to summer in the Southern Hemisphere. In 2005, the league started to play the "European season", from boreal summer to summer in Northern Hemisphere starting in August, with the aim of preventing clubs from losing many players in the middle of the season. In the first semester of 2005, a special tournament was held to decide the qualification to international competition. In the 2005–06 season, the winners of the Apertura and Clausura tournaments played a two (or three) legged play-off; the winner of that playoff played against the best team in the aggregate table to decide the 2005–06 season champion.

In the 2006–07 season, the competition was reduced to 16 clubs. The season of 2008–09 was intended to be the last one to be played in "European season", as the system appeared to be unable to prevent clubs from losing players between the Apertura (opening) tournament and the Clausura (closing). However, the transition did not take place for several years. After a regular 2015–16 season was played, a short 2016 was played in the latter half of the year, with the full calendar year system in place once again beginning with the 2017 season.

Ondino Viera With Club Atletico Cerro players and officials on a souvenir postcard printed in 1967

Participating teams

A total of 58 teams have participated in the Primera Division since its inception in 1900. Nacional has played the most seasons followed by Peñarol/CURCC. Peñarol and Nacional are also the only two teams to have never been relegated out of the Primera Division. Of the so-called 'minor' teams the record for most seasons lies with Montevideo Wanderers.

2020 season

All statistics pertain only to the Uruguayan Championships organized by the Uruguayan Football Association (AUF), not including FUF tournaments of 1923, 1924 and the 1926 Consejo Provisorio tournament in seasons counted. The founding dates of clubs are those declared by the clubs themselves involved.[note 1] The column "stadium" reflects the stadium where the team acts as home in their matches, but does not indicate that the team in question owns the stadium.[note 2]

Locations of the 2020 season teams outside Montevideo.
Club City Stadium Capacity Establ.
Boston River Florida[note 3] Campeones Olímpicos 7,0001939
Cerro Montevideo Luis Tróccoli 24,0001922
Cerro Largo Melo Antonio Ubilla 9,0002002
Danubio Montevideo Jardines del Hipódromo 14,4011932
Defensor Sporting Montevideo Luis Franzini 18,0001913
Deportivo Maldonado Maldonado Domingo Burgueño Miguel 22,0001928
Fénix Montevideo Parque Capurro 10,0001916
Liverpool Montevideo Belvedere 10,0001915
Montevideo Wanderers Montevideo Parque Alfredo Víctor Viera 7,4201902
Nacional Montevideo Gran Parque Central 34,0001899
Peñarol Montevideo Campeón del Siglo 40,0001891 / 1913[note 1]
Plaza Colonia Colonia Parque Prandi 4,5001917
Progreso Montevideo Parque Abraham Paladino 8,0001917
Rentistas Montevideo Complejo Rentistas 10,6001933
River Plate Montevideo Parque Federico Omar Saroldi 5,6241932
Torque Montevideo Centenario 60,2352007

Champions

List of champions (1900–present)

All tournaments organized by the Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) except where indicated. No records for topscorers during the period 1900–1931.

Season Champion Runner-up Third Leading goalscorer(s)[5]
1900CURCCAlbionUruguay Athletic
1901CURCCNacionalUruguay Athletic
1902NacionalCURCCDeutscher
1903NacionalCURCCDeutscher
1904(No championship held) [note 4]
1905CURCCNacionalMontevideo Wanderers
1906Montevideo WanderersCURCCNacional
1907CURCCMontevideo WanderersRiver Plate FC
1908River Plate FCMontevideo WanderersNacional
1909Montevideo WanderersCURCCRiver Plate FC
1910River Plate FCCURCCNacional
1911CURCCMontevideo WanderersNacional
1912NacionalCURCCMontevideo Wanderers
1913River Plate FCNacionalCURCC
1914River Plate FCPeñarolNacional
1915NacionalPeñarolUniversal
1916NacionalPeñarolMontevideo Wanderers
1917NacionalPeñarolUniversal
1918PeñarolNacionalUniversal
1919NacionalUniversalPeñarol
1920NacionalPeñarolCentral Español
1921PeñarolNacionalUniversal
1922NacionalMontevideo WanderersRampla Juniors
1923NacionalRampla JuniorsBella Vista
1924NacionalBella VistaRampla Juniors
1925(Not finished) [note 5]
1926(No championship held) [note 6]
1927Rampla JuniorsPeñarolNacional
1928PeñarolRampla JuniorsNacional
1929PeñarolNacionalDefensor Sporting
1930(No championship held) [note 7]
1931Montevideo WanderersNacionalRampla Juniors
1932 Peñarol Rampla Juniors Nacional Juan Labraga (Rampla Juniors; 17 goals)
1933 Nacional Peñarol Rampla Juniors Pedro Young (Peñarol; 33 goals)
1934 Nacional Peñarol Montevideo Wanderers Aníbal Ciocca (Nacional; 13 goals)
1935 Peñarol Nacional Montevideo Wanderers Antonio Castaldo (Defensor; 12 goals)
1936 Peñarol Nacional Rampla Juniors Aníbal Ciocca (Nacional; 14 goals)
1937 Peñarol Nacional Montevideo Wanderers Horacio Tellechea (Peñarol; 16 goals)
1938 Peñarol Nacional Central Español Atilio García (Nacional; 20 goals)
1939 Nacional Peñarol Montevideo Wanderers Atilio García (Nacional; 22 goals)
1940 Nacional Rampla Juniors Montevideo Wanderers Atilio García (Nacional; 18 goals)
1941 Nacional Peñarol Rampla Juniors Atilio García (Nacional; 23 goals)
1942 Nacional Peñarol Montevideo Wanderers Atilio García (Nacional; 19 goals)
1943 Nacional Peñarol Miramar Misiones Atilio García (Nacional; 18 goals)
1944 Peñarol Nacional Defensor Sporting Atilio García (Nacional; 21 goals)
1945 Peñarol Nacional Defensor Sporting Nicolás Falero (Central Español; 21 goals)
Raúl Schiaffino (Peñarol; 21 goals)
1946 Nacional Peñarol CA River Plate Atilio García (Nacional; 21 goals)
1947 Nacional Peñarol Rampla Juniors Nicolás Falero (Peñarol; 17 goals)
1948(Not finished) [note 8]
1949 Peñarol Nacional Rampla Juniors Óscar Míguez (Peñarol; 20 goals)
1950 Nacional Peñarol Rampla Juniors Juan Ramón Orlandi (Nacional; 14 goals)
1951 Peñarol Nacional Rampla Juniors Juan Hohberg (Peñarol; 17 goals)
1952 Nacional Peñarol Rampla Juniors Jorge Enrico (Nacional; 15 goals)
1953 Peñarol Nacional Rampla Juniors Juan Hohberg (Peñarol; 17 goals)
1954 Peñarol Nacional Danubio Juan Romay (Peñarol; 12 goals)
1955 Nacional Peñarol Cerro Javier Ambrois (Nacional; 17 goals)
1956 Nacional Peñarol Cerro Carlos Carranza (Cerro; 18 goals)
1957 Nacional Peñarol Defensor Sporting Walter Hernández (Defensor; 16 goals)
1958 Peñarol Nacional Rampla Juniors Manuel Pedersen (Rampla Juniors; 12 goals)
1959 Peñarol Nacional Racing Víctor Guaglianone (Wanderers; 13 goals)
1960 Peñarol Cerro Nacional Ángel Cabrera (Peñarol; 14 goals)
1961 Peñarol Nacional Defensor Sporting Alberto Spencer (Peñarol; 18 goals)
1962 Peñarol Nacional Fénix Alberto Spencer (Peñarol; 16 goals)
1963 Nacional Peñarol Montevideo Wanderers Pedro Rocha (Peñarol; 18 goals)
1964 Peñarol Rampla Juniors Nacional Héctor Salva (Rampla Juniors; 12 goals)
1965 Peñarol Nacional Cerro Pedro Rocha (Peñarol; 15 goals)
1966 Nacional Peñarol Cerro Araquem de Melo (Danubio; 12 goals)
1967 Peñarol Nacional Cerro Alberto Spencer (Peñarol; 11 goals)
1968 Peñarol Nacional Cerro Alberto Spencer (Peñarol; 8 goals)
Pedro Rocha (Peñarol; 8 goals)
Ruben Garcia (Cerro; 8 goals)
Rúben Bareño (Cerro; 8 goals)
1969 Nacional Peñarol Bella Vista Luis Artime (Nacional; 24 goals)
1970 Nacional Peñarol Huracán Buceo Luis Artime (Nacional; 21 goals)
1971 Nacional Peñarol Liverpool Luis Artime (Nacional; 16 goals)
1972 Nacional Peñarol Defensor Sporting Juan Carlos Mamelli (Nacional; 20 goals)
1973 Peñarol Nacional Danubio Fernando Morena (Peñarol; 23 goals)
1974 Peñarol Nacional Liverpool Fernando Morena (Peñarol; 27 goals)
1975 Peñarol Nacional Liverpool Fernando Morena (Peñarol; 34 goals)
1976 Defensor Sporting Peñarol Nacional Fernando Morena (Peñarol; 18 goals)
1977 Nacional Peñarol Defensor Sporting Fernando Morena (Peñarol; 19 goals)
1978 Peñarol Nacional Fénix Fernando Morena (Peñarol; 36 goals)
1979 Peñarol Nacional Fénix Waldemar Victorino (Nacional; 19 goals)
1980 Nacional Montevideo Wanderers Peñarol Jorge Luis Siviero (Rentistas; 19 goals)
1981 Peñarol Nacional Montevideo Wanderers Rubén Paz (Peñarol; 17 goals)
1982 Peñarol Nacional Defensor Sporting Fernando Morena (Peñarol; 17 goals)
1983 Nacional Danubio Defensor Sporting Arsenio Luzardo (Nacional; 13 goals)
1984 Central Español Peñarol Nacional José Villareal (Central Español; 18 goals)
1985 Peñarol Montevideo Wanderers Cerro Antonio Alzamendi (Peñarol; 13 goals)
1986 Peñarol Nacional Central Español Juan Ramón Carrasco (Nacional; 11 goals)
Gerardo Miranda (Defensor; 11 goals)
1987 Defensor Sporting Nacional Bella Vista Gerardo Miranda (Defensor; 13 goals)
1988 Danubio Peñarol Defensor Sporting Rubén da Silva (Danubio; 23 goals)
1989 Progreso Nacional Peñarol Diego Aguirre (Peñarol; 7 goals)
Johnny Miqueiro (Progreso; 7 goals)
Óscar Quagliata (Huracán Buceo; 7 goals)
1990 Bella Vista Nacional Peñarol Adolfo Barán (Peñarol; 13 goals)
1991 Defensor Sporting Nacional Montevideo Wanderers Julio Dely Valdés (Nacional; 16 goals)
1992 Nacional CA River Plate Danubio Julio Dely Valdés (Nacional; 13 goals)
1993 Peñarol Defensor Sporting Danubio Wilmar Cabrera (Huracán Buceo; 12 goals)
1994 Peñarol Defensor Sporting Nacional Darío Silva (Peñarol; 19 goals)
1995 Peñarol Nacional Liverpool Juan González (Nacional; 16 goals)
1996 Peñarol Nacional Defensor Sporting Juan González (Nacional; 13 goals)
1997 Peñarol Defensor Sporting CA River Plate Pablo Bengoechea (Peñarol; 10 goals)
1998 Nacional Peñarol Bella Vista Martín Rodríguez (CA River Plate; 13 goals)
Rubén Sosa (Nacional; 13 goals)
1999 Peñarol Nacional Defensor Sporting Gabriel Álvez (Nacional; 24 goals)
2000 Nacional Peñarol Defensor Sporting Javier Chevantón (Danubio; 33 goals)
2001 Nacional Danubio Peñarol Eliomar Marcón (Defensor Sporting; 21 goals)
2002 Nacional Danubio Peñarol Germán Hornos (Fénix; 25 goals)
2003 Peñarol Nacional Danubio Alexander Medina (Liverpool; 22 goals)
2004 Danubio Nacional Defensor Sporting Carlos Bueno (Peñarol; 26 goals)
Alexander Medina (Nacional; 26 goals)
2005 Nacional Defensor Sporting Peñarol Pablo Granoche (Miramar Misiones; 16 goals)
2005–06 Nacional Rocha Defensor Sporting Pedro Cardozo (Rocha; 17 goals)
2006–07 Danubio Peñarol Defensor Sporting Aldo Díaz (Tacuarembó; 15 goals)
2007–08 Defensor Sporting Peñarol CA River Plate Richard Porta (CA River Plate; 19 goals)
Cristhian Stuani (Danubio; 19 goals)
2008–09 Nacional Defensor Sporting Cerro Antonio Pacheco (Peñarol; 12 goals)
Liber Quiñones (Racing; 12 goals)
2009–10 Peñarol Nacional Liverpool Antonio Pacheco (Peñarol; 23 goals)
2010–11 Nacional Defensor Sporting Peñarol Santiago García (Nacional; 23 goals)
2011–12 Nacional Defensor Sporting Peñarol Richard Porta (Nacional; 17 goals)
2012–13 Peñarol Defensor Sporting Nacional Juan Manuel Olivera (Peñarol; 18 goals)
2013–14 Danubio Montevideo Wanderers Nacional Héctor Acuña (Cerro; 20 goals)
2014–15 Nacional Peñarol River Plate Iván Alonso (Nacional; 22 goals)
2015–16 Peñarol Nacional Cerro Gastón Rodríguez (M. Wanderers; 19 goals)
Junior Arias (Liverpool; 19 goals)
2016 Nacional Montevideo Wanderers Danubio Pablo Silva (Villa Española; 8 goals)
Gabriel Fernández (Racing; 8 goals)
2017 Peñarol Defensor Sporting Nacional Cristian Palacios (M. Wanderers / Peñarol; 29 goals)
2018 Peñarol Nacional Danubio Gonzalo Bergessio (Nacional; 17 goals)
2019 Nacional Peñarol Cerro Largo Juan Ignacio Ramírez (Liverpool; 24 goals)

Titles by club

Club Winners Runners-up Winning years
CURCC / Peñarol50411900, 1901, 1905, 1907, 1911,[note 9] 1918, 1921, 1928, 1929, 1932, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1944, 1945, 1949, 1951, 1953, 1954, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1985, 1986, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2003, 2009–10, 2012–13, 2015–16, 2017, 2018
Nacional47441902, 1903, 1912, 1915, 1916, 1917, 1919, 1920, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1933, 1934, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1946, 1947, 1950, 1952, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1963, 1966, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1977, 1980, 1983, 1992, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2014–15, 2016, 2019
Montevideo Wanderers[8]491906, 1909, 1923, 1931
Defensor Sporting481976, 1987, 1991, 2007–08
Danubio431988, 2004, 2006–07, 2013–14
River Plate FC41908, 1910, 1913, 1914
Rampla Juniors151927
Bella Vista111990
Central Español11984
Progreso11989

Half-year tournaments

Apertura and Clausura seasons

Apertura/Clausura seasons
SeasonChampionRunner-upThird Place
1994AperturaDefensor SportingBasáñezPeñarol
ClausuraPeñarolNacionalMontevideo Wanderers
1995AperturaPeñarolLiverpoolNacional
ClausuraNacionalPeñarolRampla Juniors
1996AperturaPeñarolDefensor SportingNacional
ClausuraNacionalRampla JuniorsHuracán Buceo
1997AperturaNacionalRiver PlatePeñarol
ClausuraDefensor SportingPeñarolRiver Plate
1998AperturaNacionalBella VistaPeñarol
ClausuraNacionalRentistasRiver Plate
1999AperturaNacionalDefensor SportingDanubio
ClausuraPeñarolNacionalDanubio
2000AperturaNacionalDanubioDefensor Sporting
ClausuraPeñarolDefensor SportingNacional
2001AperturaDanubioPeñarolNacional
ClausuraNacionalDanubioPeñarol
2002AperturaNacionalPeñarolFénix
ClausuraDanubioPeñarolFénix
2003AperturaNacionalPeñarolDanubio
ClausuraPeñarolLiverpoolFénix
2004AperturaNacionalDefensor SportingDanubio
ClausuraDanubioDefensor SportingNacional
2006–07AperturaRochaNacionalDanubio
ClausuraNacionalDefensor SportingDanubio
2006–07AperturaDanubioPeñarolDefensor Sporting
ClausuraDanubioPeñarolDefensor Sporting
2007–08AperturaDefensor SportingDanubioRampla Juniors
ClausuraPeñarolRiver PlateLiverpool
2008–09AperturaNacionalDanubioDefensor Sporting
ClausuraDefensor SportingRiver PlateCerro
2009–10AperturaNacionalLiverpoolDefensor Sporting
ClausuraPeñarolCerroFénix
2010–11AperturaDefensor SportingNacionalBella Vista
ClausuraNacionalDefensor SportingPeñarol
2011–12AperturaNacionalDanubioPeñarol
ClausuraDefensor SportingNacionalLiverpool
2012–13AperturaPeñarolDefensor SportingNacional
ClausuraDefensor SportingPeñarolRiver Plate
2013–14AperturaDanubioRiver PlateNacional
ClausuraMontevideo WanderersPeñarolNacional
2014–15AperturaNacionalRacingPeñarol
ClausuraPeñarolRiver PlateDefensor Sporting
2015–16AperturaPeñarolNacionalCerro
ClausuraPlaza ColoniaPeñarolSud América
2017AperturaDefensor SportingNacionalPeñarol
ClausuraPeñarolDefensor SportingNacional
2018AperturaNacionalPeñarolDanubio
ClausuraPeñarolNacionalMontevideo Wanderers
2019AperturaPeñarolFénixNacional
ClausuraNacionalPeñarolProgreso
2020AperturaRentistasNacionalMontevideo City Torque

Torneo Intermedio

Year Champion Score Runner-up
2017 Nacional 1–0 Defensor Sporting
2018 Nacional 3–2 Torque
2019 Liverpool 2–2 (5–4 p) River Plate
2020 Nacional 0–0 (4–1 p) Montevideo Wanderers

All-time top scorers

The chart includes championships since 1900 to present days.[9]

Pos. Player Period Goals Appear.
1 Fernando Morena1969–84230244
2 Atilio García1938–50208210
3 Héctor Scarone1916–34163191
4 Pablo Terevinto1920–31124157
5 Alberto Spencer1960–70113166
6 René Borjas1920–31109199
7 Héctor Castro1921–36107181
8 Óscar Míguez1948–60107137
9 Pedro Petrone1923–3310397
10 Juan Peregrino Anselmo1922–35102180

Sponsors

Former official sponsors

  • Supermercado Devoto

See also

Notes

  1. Controversy exists on the date of the founding of C.A. Peñarol. The club's official position assumes a change of name of CURCC (founded on December 28, 1891). On the other hand, some historians state that "C.A. Peñarol" was established on December 13, 1913.[4]
  2. Boston River and Torque present Estadio Campeones Olímpicos in Florida and Estadio Centenario in Montevideo as its exclusive stadiums, but they are owned by the Departamental Intendancies of Florida and Montevideo, respectively.
  3. Boston River is based in Montevideo, but plays its home matches in Florida.
  4. The 1904 championship was not played due to the Battle of Masoller
  5. The 1925 championship was not finished because of internal differences.
  6. As the AUF did not organise a championship, a "Concejo Provisorio" was established to hold a tournament, which was won by Peñarol
  7. No championship was played because of the 1930 FIFA World Cup.
  8. Not played due to a players strike
  9. (1901–1911): Titles won by the CURCC. With FIFA [6] and CONMEBOL[7] recognising Peñarol as CURCC's continuity, the club included those championship in their list of honours. On the other side, some historians say that football became active in CURCC until its dissolution in 1913 so Peñarol was a different institution.[4]

References

  1. The strongest Leagues of the World of the 21st Century (2001-2011) on IFFHS (Archive, 14 Jan 2013)
  2. "Hasta ahora se jugaron 109 Uruguayos" on Ovación Digital
  3. Uruguay – List of Champions at RSSSF
  4. Discusiones por el decanato on Fútbol.uy, 29 Sep 2009
  5. Tabeira, Martín (October 28, 2010). "Uruguay – League Top Scorers". RSSSF. Retrieved December 22, 2010.
  6. ¡Felicita a Peñarol! (120th anniversary) on FIFA.com, 27 Sep 2011
  7. Guía de clubes sudamericanos, p. 19 on CONMEBOL website
  8. Same logic that applies for Peñarol titles, applies for Wanderers, as winner of a tournament organized by the FUF. the team crest has the 4 stars to show their championships
  9. "Uruguay All-Time Topscorers" at RSSSF
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