1966 Copa Libertadores
The 1966 Copa Libertadores de América was the seventh edition of the competition, the premier South American club football tournament, organized by CONMEBOL. Colombia and Brazil did not send their representatives. This edition became the first club competition of the world to include the runners-up of each of its participating association. Despite the fact that Colombian and Brazilian clubs did not participate, this tournament saw a record 95 matches being played out to determine this year's champion.
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Dates | February 5 - April 15 |
| Teams | 17 (from 8 confederations) |
| Final positions | |
| Champions |  |
| Runners-up |  |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 95 |
| Goals scored | 283 (2.98 per match) |
| Top scorer(s) | |
Colombia did not send a representative due to the disagreements between CONMEBOL and the Colombian football federations. The Brazilians protested the inclusion of the runners-up of each nation and argued that the tournament should be reserved for national champions. That led them to become denatured and the powers reserved only for the champions, in addition to the priority order they gave their interstate tournaments and the many unattractive encounters-to-come against teams from the "Pacific", the Brazilian clubs opted for tours around the world instead as they were seen more economically rewarding. Not having any economic incentives, CONMEBOL was forced to allow clubs the freedom of whether they participated or not. This trend will continue for the next 5 editions.
After winning each of their home legs, Peñarol and River Plate required a playoff to break the deadlock. The match was played in the Estadio Nacional of Santiago, Chile. River Plate finished the first half 2-0 and was in cruise control towards its first title. The manyas managed to revert the disadvantage to push this match into extra time. With two more goals, the final score of 2-4 meant that Peñarol became the first three-time winners of the competition. The collapse of River Plate in the second half led the club to being known, even now, as the "gallinas".
Qualified teams
| Country | Team | Qualification method |
|---|---|---|
| CONMEBOL 1 berth |
Independiente | 1965 Copa Libertadores winners |
1 berth |
Boca Juniors | 1965 Primera División champion |
| River Plate | 1965 Primera División runner-up | |
 1 berth |
Municipal | 1965 Copa Simón Bolívar champion |
| Jorge Wilstermann | 1965 Copa Simón Bolívar runner-up | |
 1 berth |
Universidad de Chile | 1965 Primera División champion |
| Universidad Católica | 1965 Primera División runner-up | |
 1 berth |
Emelec | 1965 Campeonato Ecuatoriano champion |
| 9 de Octubre | 1965 Campeonato Ecuatoriano runner-up | |
.svg.png){kind=small} 1 berth |
Olimpia | 1965 Primera División champion |
| Guaraní | 1965 Primera División runner-up | |
 1 berth |
Alianza Lima | 1965 Primera División champion |
| Universitario | 1965 Primera División runner-up | |
1 berth |
Peñarol | 1965 Primera División champion |
| Nacional | 1965 Primera División runner-up | |
 1 berth |
Lara | 1965 Primera División champion |
| Deportivo Italia | 1965 Primera División runner-up |
Tie-breaking criteria
At each stage of the tournament teams receive 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, and no points for a loss. If two or more teams are equal on points, the following criteria will be applied to determine the ranking in the group stage:
- a one-game playoff;
- superior goal difference;
- draw of lots.
First round
Sixteen teams were drawn into two groups of six and one group of four. In each group, teams played against each other home-and-away. The top two teams in each group advanced to the Semifinals. Independiente, the title holders, had a bye to the next round.
Group 1
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
10 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 23 | 8 | +15 | 17 |
|
10 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 19 | 9 | +10 | 14 |
|
10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 13 | -3 | 11 |
|
10 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 15 | 18 | -3 | 10 |
|
10 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 9 | 16 | -7 | 4 |
|
10 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 17 | -12 | 4 |
| February 5, 1966 | Universitario | 2 – 0 | | Lima |
Chumpitaz  Challe |
| February 5, 1966 | Lara | 1 – 1 | | Barquisimeto |
| Paulinho |
Nitti |
| February 8, 1966 | Lara | 2 – 1 | | Barquisimeto |
| Paulinho Jair |
León |
| February 10, 1966 | River Plate | 2 – 1 | | Buenos Aires |
| Sarnari Bayo |
Rojas |
| February 12, 1966 | Deportivo Italia | 3 – 1 | | Caracas |
| Tacoronte Zeica Nitti |
Flores |
| February 12, 1966 | Lara | 0 – 0 | | Barquisimeto |
| February 15, 1966 | Lara | 1 – 2 | | Barquisimeto |
| Didi II |
Onega |
| February 17, 1966 | Universitario | 2 – 1 | | Lima |
| Challe Casaretto |
Zarich |
| February 17, 1966 | Deportivo Italia | 0 – 3 | | Caracas |
| Onega Solari Sarnari |
| February 19, 1966 | Alianza Lima | 0 – 1 | | Lima |
| Rojas |
| February 23, 1966 | Deportivo Italia | 1 – 2 | | Caracas |
| Vicente |
Zarich Rojas |
| February 23, 1966 | Universitario | 1 – 1 | | Lima |
| Casaretto |
Onega |
| February 25, 1966 | Lara | 0 – 3 | | Barquisimeto |
| Rojas Luna |
| February 26, 1966 | Alianza Lima | 0 – 2 | | Lima |
| Onega Matosas |
| March 1, 1966 | Alianza Lima | 1 – 2 | | Lima |
| Renato |
Zeica |
| March 2, 1966 | River Plate | 5 – 0 | | Buenos Aires |
| Onega Cubilla Loayza |
| March 2, 1966 | Boca Juniors | 2 – 1 | | Buenos Aires |
| López Rojas |
Bezerra |
| March 4, 1966 | River Plate | 3 – 0 | | Buenos Aires |
| Loayza Delem |
| March 8, 1966 | River Plate | 3 – 2 | | Buenos Aires |
| Loayza Onega Zywica |
Zegarra |
| March 8, 1966 | Boca Juniors | 5 – 2 | | Buenos Aires |
| Menéndez Aimonetti Rojas Luna |
Nitti |
| March 8, 1966 | Universitario | 1 – 0 | | Lima |
| Córdova |
| March 10, 1966 | River Plate | 2 – 1 | | Buenos Aires |
| Loayza Onega |
Nitti |
| March 10, 1966 | Boca Juniors | 0 – 1 | | Buenos Aires |
| Zegarra |
| March 13, 1966 | Alianza Lima | 3 – 0 | | Lima |
| Zegarra Reyes |
| March 17, 1966 | Deportivo Italia | 1 – 0 | | Caracas |
| Nitti |
| March 18, 1966 | Boca Juniors | 2 – 0 | | Buenos Aires |
| Marzolini Rojas |
| March 23, 1966 | Alianza Lima | 0 – 1 [A] | | Lima |
| Uribe |
| March 24, 1966 | Boca Juniors | 2 – 0 | | Buenos Aires |
| Rojas |
Group 2
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 5 | +4 | 7 |
|
6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 6 |
|
6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 10 | -3 | 6 |
|
6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 7 | -1 | 5 |
| March 2, 1966 | Universidad de Chile | 0 – 0 | | Santiago |
| March 5, 1966 | Universidad Católica | 2 – 0 | | Santiago |
| Gallardo Tobar |
| March 8, 1966 | Universidad Católica | 0 – 0 | | Santiago |
| March 11, 1966 | Olimpia | 0 – 4 | | Asunción |
| Tobar Prieto |
| March 16, 1966 | Guaraní | 3 – 1 | | Asunción |
| Patiño González Arámbulo |
Fouilloux |
| March 20, 1966 | Universidad Católica | 2 – 2 | | Santiago |
| Prieto Fouilloux |
Marcos Campos |
Group 3
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
10 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 20 | 10 | +10 | 16 |
|
10 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 22 | 10 | +12 | 15 |
|
10 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 10 |
|
10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 21 | 22 | -1 | 9 |
|
10 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 15 | 18 | -3 | 8 |
|
10 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 13 | 31 | -18 | 2 |
| January 30, 1966 | Emelec | 2 – 1 | | Guayaquil |
| Pulido Lencina |
Fernández |
| January 30, 1966 | Nacional | 4 – 0 | | Montevideo |
| Morales Techera Virgili Pérez |
| February 2, 1966 | Jorge Wilstermann | 1 – 0 | | Cochabamba |
| García |
| February 6, 1966 | 9 de Octubre | 1 – 2 | | Guayaquil |
| Grijo |
Rocha Spencer |
| February 9, 1966 | 9 de Octubre | 2 – 3 | | Guayaquil |
| Álvarez Fernández |
Morales Pérez |
| February 13, 1966 | Jorge Wilstermann | 0 – 0 | | Cochabamba |
| February 19, 1966 | Emelec | 3 – 1 | | Guayaquil |
| Lencina Calonga |
Soria |
| February 19, 1966 | 9 de Octubre | 3 – 4 | | Guayaquil |
| Bono Fernández Grijo |
Moyano Castillo |
| February 24, 1966 | 9 de Octubre | 3 – 2 | | Guayaquil |
| Fernández Bono Grijo |
García López |
| March 2, 1966 | Nacional | 4 – 1 | | Montevideo |
| Morales Virgili |
Moyano |
| March 2, 1966 | Peñarol | 2 – 0 | | Montevideo |
| Silva |
| March 5, 1966 | Nacional | 3 – 0 | | Montevideo |
| Morales Virgili Ramos |
| March 5, 1966 | Peñarol | 3 – 1 | | Montevideo |
| Silva Spencer Joya |
Moyano |
| March 8, 1966 | Nacional | 1 – 0 | | Montevideo |
| Oyarbide |
| March 8, 1966 | Peñarol | 2 – 0 | | Montevideo |
| Caetano Rocha |
| March 11, 1966 | Nacional | 3 – 1 | | Montevideo |
| Ramos Morales |
Fernández |
| March 11, 1966 | Peñarol | 4 – 1 | | Montevideo |
| Silva Alfano |
Bolaños |
| March 13, 1966 | Jorge Wilstermann | 2 – 1 | | Cochabamba |
| López Zabalaga |
Pineda |
| March 17, 1966 | Jorge Wilstermann | 4 – 1 | | Cochabamba |
| García Agreda López |
Fernández |
| March 19, 1966 | Municipal | 5 – 1 | | La Paz |
| Moyano Caínzo Castillo Espinoza Aguirre |
Fernández |
| March 19, 1966 | Peñarol | 3 – 0 | | Montevideo |
| Rocha Joya |
| March 23, 1966 | Jorge Wilstermann | 3 – 0 | | Cochabamba |
| García López |
| March 23, 1966 | 9 de Octubre | 0 – 4 | | Guayaquil |
| Lencina Fernández |
Semifinals
Seven teams were drawn into two groups, one of four and the other of three. In each group, teams played against each other home-and-away. The top team in each group advanced to the Finals.
Group A
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 8 | +5 | 8 |
|
6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 6 | +3 | 8 |
|
6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 6 | +1 | 7 |
|
6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 14 | -9 | 1 |
| March 30, 1966 | Guaraní | 1 – 3 | | Asunción |
| González |
Menéndez Rojas |
| April 6, 1966 | Guaraní | 1 – 3 | | Asunción |
| González |
Solari Onega Loayza |
| April 8, 1966 | Boca Juniors | 0 – 2 | | Buenos Aires |
| Cardoso Tarabini |
| April 12, 1966 | Independiente | 1 – 1 | | Avellaneda |
| Tarabini |
Solari |
| April 14, 1966 | River Plate | 2 – 2 | | Buenos Aires |
| Sarnari Silvero |
Madurga Rojas |
| April 14, 1966 | Guaraní | 0 – 2 | | Asunción |
| Cardoso Pastoriza |
| April 19, 1966 | River Plate | 4 – 2 | | Buenos Aires |
| Onega Sarnari |
Savoy |
| April 19, 1966 | Boca Juniors | 1 – 1 | | Buenos Aires |
| Rojas |
Melgarejo |
| April 21, 1966 | River Plate | 3 – 1 | | Buenos Aires |
| Onega Loayza |
Martínez |
| April 26, 1966 | Independiente | 2 – 1 | | Avellaneda |
| Tarabini Savoy |
Navarro |
| April 29, 1966 | Independiente | 0 – 0 | | Avellaneda |
| May 4, 1966 | Boca Juniors | 1 – 0 | | Buenos Aires |
| Rojas |
| May 20, 1966 First place playoff | River Plate | 2 – 1 | | Buenos Aires |
| Onega Cubilla |
Artime |
Group B
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 1 | +5 | 6 |
|
4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 5 | -1 | 4 |
|
4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 7 | -4 | 2 |
| March 30, 1966 | Universidad Católica | 1 – 0 | | Santiago |
| Ibañez |
| April 2, 1966 | Universidad Católica | 1 – 0 | | Santiago |
| Inostroza |
| April 10, 1966 | Peñarol | 3 – 0 | | Montevideo |
| Rocha |
| April 14, 1966 | Nacional | 3 – 2 | | Montevideo |
| Virgili Oyarbide |
Tobar Inostroza |
| April 19, 1966 | Peñarol | 2 – 0 | | Montevideo |
| Rocha Joya |
| April 23, 1966 | Nacional | 0 – 1 | | Montevideo |
| Cortés |
Finals
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | +1 | 2 |
| 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | -1 | 2 |
| Peñarol | 2–0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Abbadie Joya |
Champion
| Copa Libertadores de América 1966 Champion |
|---|
Peñarol Third Title |
Top goalscorers
| Pos | Player | Team | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | |
|
17 |
| 2 | |
|
10 |
| 3 | |
|
7 |
|
|
7 | |
|
|
7 | |
|
|
7 | |
|
|
7 | |
|
|
7 | |
|
|
7 | |
|
|
7 | |
|
|
7 |
Footnotes
- A. ^ The match finished 1-1, but Universitario were declared 0-1 winners as Alianza fielded two ineligible players: Catalá and Cruz.