This Saturday, in Buenos Aires, Atlético Mineiro and Botafogo define the new champion of America. For the sixth consecutive year, the monarch will come from the South American giant. What factors explain this overwhelming hegemony?
There is something that does not change in the Libertadores Cup for some time: the country of the champion. Whatever happens in the clash of albinegros between Atletico Mineiro and Botafogo which will be played this Saturday at the Monumental in Buenos Aires (5 p.m. in Chile), the winner of the trophy will be Brazilian. For the sixth consecutive year, the South American giant will have the champion of the continent’s biggest club tournament. A trend that has become chronic. An unstoppable domain.
Beyond the fact that the most powerful league in South America has more places compared to the rest of the Conmebol countries (with Argentina), the concrete fact is that it was able to take advantage of this to position itself and stand out from its neighbors in the region.
Of the last five finals, four took place between Brazilians: Palmeiras against. Saints, in 2020; Palmeiras vs. Flamengo, in 2021; Flamengo vs. Athletico Paranaense, in 2022; and Atlético Mineiro Vs. Botafogo, in 2024. The only one who managed to interfere in the hegemony Yellowgreen It was Boca Juniors last year. The team led by Jorge Almirón fell to Fluminense at the Maracaná.
The last non-Brazilian champion was River, in 2018, when they beat Xeneizes, in Madrid. To find a final without teams from Brazil and/or Argentina, we have to go back to 2016, when Reinaldo Rueda’s Nacional de Medellín beat Independiente del Valle.
The sixth consecutive star is assured for Brazilian football, which establishes a new mark among the Libertadores. Only Argentina has come close with two series of four consecutive years: between 1967 and 1970, and from 1972 to 1975. Brazil itself has also won four consecutive editions: between 2010 and 2013.
The reasons for domination
Several factors explain the phenomenon. The first is the level of national competition. If we take the 2023 ranking of the International Federation of History and Statistics (IFFHS) as a reference, The Brasileirao occupies fourth place, behind the strongest tournaments in Europe (Italy, England and Spain). In the 2022 rankings, it occupies first place, ahead of all UEFA powers.
This is a highly competitive format, in which everyone is fighting for something: 20 teams, 38 dates, two wheels and four descents. Quite the opposite is happening in Argentina, where relegations have been eliminated and by 2025 there will be 30 clubs in the First Division.
“It’s the most competitive tournament in all of America, because there aren’t two, three, four strong teams. There are 10, 12 very good teams. This makes the league very competitive, which doesn’t happen anywhere else. I would say almost in the world. Because you go to England and there are five or six strong teams, if you go to Spain, there are three or four, but in Brazil, there are 10 or 12 teams, with a lot of history, with bigger budgets than Argentine football,” said Mineiro DT Gabriel Milito.
Another reason has to do with the economy. . The figures managed by local competition stand out from the rest of South America. An example: the Brazilian Cup awards higher prizes than the league. The champion receives $14 million, while the winner of the Brasileirao takes home $10 million. Big advertising deals on T-shirts and TV rights also help clubs have expensive wallets to hire personalities. Botafogo itself paid Betis almost $17 million for the transfer of Luiz Henrique.
Fogao has a historic option, because he is the only one of Brazil’s greats who has not won the Libertadores. While Eduardo Vargas’ Galo (who fought with Deyverson in the last trials) aspires to his second crown. The red striker only has 126 minutes in the Cup. Brazil will add its 24th title to the Cup, behind Argentina in number of continental crowns.
Source: Latercera
I’m Scott Moore, a professional writer and journalist based in the US. I’ve been writing for various publications for over 8 years now, and have been working as an author at athletistic for the past five years. My work has been featured by some of the leading sports websites and magazines across Europe.
