Latin America's Most Competitive Football Clubs
It's not always about the quality, it's about the competition. And, in this corner of the world, competition can be about as fierce as you are likely to encounter anywhere within footballing parameters.
Whilst the economic force of Latin American football simply cannot compete financially with its European cousin, that does not mean the talent is lacking—indeed, this continent's conveyor belt is so often a feeder for the top dining tables of UEFA competition.
Here, Bleacher Report takes a look at some of Latin America's most competitive clubs, paradigms that must take into account more than mere success within the four white lines.
Domestic and continental titles tell part of the tale, but how do clubs continue to seek success when continuously having their greatest talents plucked?
Which outfits have hosted not only Latin America's but some of the world's most famed and recognised names?
It's all here.
Santos, Brazil
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The Vila Belmiro outfit are one of the most successful in Brazilian club history, with no fewer than eight domestic titles, the last two of those coming in 2002 and 2004.
In addition, the Peixe can boast three Copa Libertadores crowns and a Copa do Brasil title, lifted in 2010 with an attacking trio of Neymar, Paulo Henrique Ganso and Robinho orchestrating onfield success.
Santos are, of course, famed for their most famous of kings—the king, in fact—Pele, winner of three World Cups and scorer of more than 1,000 professional goals. Fortunately for Santos, O Rei played the bulk of his career with his hometown club, leading them to two of those Libertadores titles, in 1962 and 1963.
Their later league success, in 2002 and 2004, did lead to a break-up of the side, with integral pieces of the team such as Renato, Elano and Robinho all moving on to pastures new, the latter joining 10-time European champions Real Madrid.
And the Vila Belmiro factory line shows no signs of slowing this decade. Already, Neymar and Rafael Cabral have departed, for Barcelona and Napoli respectively, and the next in a seemingly neverending line has already emerged—a young forward nicknamed Gabigol.
Corinthians, Brazil
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The Timao have a genuine claim to be the biggest club in Brazil, and they have the silverware to prove it.
Corinthians have five Brasileirao titles to their name and at the beginning of this decade embarked on the most successful year in their history.
Under the stewardship of quite possibly the shrewdest operator in Brazilian football, Tite, the Paulista outfit lifted the 2011 Brasileiro crown before their first-ever Libertadores title in 2012.
As if that was not enough, they topped a memorable 12 months by winning the FIFA World Club Cup at the expense of Chelsea.
Their reputation as one of Brazil’s best is underlined by some of the names to have donned the famous white shirt down the years, which includes midfield presence Socrates, who went on to play for Fiorentina, and forward Casagrande, who won the European Cup with Portuguese club FC Porto.
But in addition to selling, Corinthians may also lay claim to being able to attract the best. They lured Argentine pair Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano, as well as three-time World Player of the Year Ronaldo. Il Fenomeno ended his career with the Sao Paulo side.
River Plate, Argentina
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One of the most successful clubs in Latin America, River Plate have 36 league titles to their name, although only one of those has come in the last decade. In addition, the Buenos Aires giants can also lay claim to two Libertadores crowns.
For now, thought, River remain somewhat of a sleeping giant.
The club has also provided Europe with some players who, whilst perhaps not reaching the very pinnacle of the global footballing ladder, were nevertheless seen as brimming with potential upon leaving the Argentine club.
Ariel Ortega, Javier Saviola and, more recently, Diego Buonanotte all left River for Spanish club football, with varying degrees of success, as well as famed strikers Gabriel Batistuta and Hernan Crespo.
However, their all-time great belongs to a different era. Forward Alfredo di Stefano started his career with the club before becoming a household name at Real Madrid.
Boca Juniors, Argentina
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As clear evidence of their long, onfield rivalry, Boca Juniors have a history every bit as impressive as their near neighbours, River.
The club have 30 league titles to their name, but it is on the continent where they can claim bragging rights.
Between 2000 and 2007, the club won four Libertadores titles, and the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS) named them the best South American club of the 21st century, ahead of Sao Paulo, who won three successive Brasileirao league titles between 2006 and 2008, and River.
Their success has hardly gone unnoticed in the Old Continent and a host of names—among them Nicolas Burdisso, Carlos Tevez, Rodrigo Palacio, Juan Roman Riquelme and a certain Diego Maradona—are testament to the talent line at the Bombonera.
Just like Santos, they continue to destroy and rebuild. Boca stormed the Libertadores this year, topping their group and netting 19 goals in the progress. In the pick of the second-round ties, Boca will meet River.
Penarol, Uruguay
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Penarol are the most dominant force in Uruguayan football, having won an enormous 49 league titles, counting those won under their old name, CURCC, or the Central Uruguay Railway Cricket Club.
Their most recent league triumph came in the 2012/13 season.
They have also been big hitters on the continent, winning an impressive five Copa Libertadores titles, although none came after 1987, and finished as runners-up to Santos and Neymar as recently as 2011.
But despite that setback, Penarol will always be intrinsically linked to arguably the greatest tragedy in the history of Brazilian football.
The club was the home of forward Alcides Ghiggia, the man who netted the winner in the fateful final of the 1950 World Cup.
Rumour has it that only three men have managed to silence the gargantuan concrete bowl that is Rio de Janeiro’s iconic Maracana Stadium—the Pope, Frank Sinatra and Ghiggia.
Colo-Colo, Chile
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Thirty league titles speak to Colo-Colo’s illustrious past in their homeland, including the 2014 Clausura. In addition, the club can count 10 cup triumphs and a Libertadores crown amongst their considerable accomplishments.
However, the club also boasts a curious English connection, counting former Newcastle forward George Robledo amongst their icons.
Robledo, as reported in The Independent, went on to represent his adopted South American nation at the 1950 World Cup, playing all three group games and opening the scoring in a 5-2 win over USA in Recife.
Olimpia, Paraguay
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Another keen collector of league medals, Olimpia have managed to amass 39 Paraguayan titles to date, not to mention three Libertadores titles and a memorable, nailbiting penalty shootout defeat to Brazilian club Atletico Mineiro in the final of the 2013 edition.
In 1979, the club completed a memorable quadruple, winning that year’s Paraguayan league and Libertadores, in addition to the Copa Interamerica and the Intercontinental Cup.
Olimpia’s most famous export is Roque Santa Cruz, who left the club more than 15 years ago for German giants Bayern Munich.
There followed moves to English clubs Blackburn Rovers and Manchester City, and the 33-year-old has more than 100 caps for the national side.
Atletico Nacional, Colombia
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An explosion in recent times has seen Atletico win an incredible seven league titles in the last decade and recently safely make it through to the knockout phase of the Copa Libertadores.
But Atletico also owe their place on this list to the number of renowned characters that have pulled on club colours over the years. Among their number just in the last 20 years is legendary goalkeeper Rene Higuita, famed for that scorpion kick at Wembley in a friendly against England in 1995, and Faustino Asprilla, last seen operating a condom company.
However, the list is also tinged by tragedy. Central defender Andres Escobar—no relation to drug lord Pablo—was an Atletico player when he was murdered following the 1994 World Cup. It is believed his death was linked to the own goal he converted that saw the Colombians crash out of the tournament at the group stage.
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