Olimpia Asunción
Encyclopedia
Club Olimpia is a Paraguay
an sport club based in Asunción
. It is best known for its professional football team which plays in the Paraguayan Primera División.
Olimpia is by far the most successful team in the country. They have won the Primera División title a record 38 times. Internationally, they are the only Paraguayan team to have won the Copa Libertadores, which they have done so three times. They are also the only team to have played in a Copa Libertadores finals at least once every decade since the start of the competition. In addition, they have also won the Intercontinental Cup
once, the Recopa Sudamericana
twice, the Supercopa Sudamericana
once, and the Copa Interamericana
once. IFFHS named Olimpia one of the top five South American clubs of the 20th century.
Olimpia is one of eight teams to have won CONMEBOL
's treble (the others being Boca Juniors
, Independiente
, São Paulo, Vélez Sársfield
, Cruzeiro
, Internacional
and LDU Quito).
The club was founded in 1902 and is the oldest club in the country with 108 years. They have a fierce rivalry with cross-town team Cerro Porteño
. Although Cerro Porteño has never won an International title and is way behind in national titles and is allegedly always claimed to be Olimpia's son(el hijo de Olimpia). Matches between them are known as the clásico del fútbol paraguayo
. Although, once again, because of the comparison of the history of the two teams, there is no real rivalry. It is just one more match. The club's home stadium is Estadio Manuel Ferreira
or even known as the Bosque de Para Uno.
team in Paraguay. It was founded July 25, 1902 by Dutchman William Paats
, along with Paraguayans Sila Godoy, Fernando S. Pascual, José E. Torres, Gustavo M. Crovatto, Héctor Cabañas, Juan Rodi, Antonio Pedraza, Luis Marecos, Juan Mara and Genaro Gutiérrez Yegros. The act of foundation was written in the Rodi's family home, located in the streets of Azara and Independencia Nacional in downtown Asunción
, Paraguay
. That evening, three names for the club were suggested: Paraguay, Esparta and Olimpia. The final decision came to William Paats who chose Club Olimpia as the team official name, in honor of the Greek city of Olympia
where the Olympic Games
were born.
The original kit was composed of a black shirt with the word OLIMPIA written in white across the chest and white shorts. Later, white and black were adopted as the colours for the team, with a white shirt with a horizontal black stripe. The alternate jersey is black with a white stripe, though in 2008 the stripe is vertical.
. It wasn't until 1912 that Olimpia won a championship, facing Club Sol de América
in the final. In that same year, Olimpia's biggest rival, Cerro Porteño
, was founded.
After a few championships won during the 1910s, Olimpia's next big accomplishment were the three championships in a row in 1927/28/29 becoming the first Paraguayan team to win three consecutive titles. Olimpia repeated the same feat by becoming champions in 1936/37/38. The 1940s presented a rough time for Olimpia with bad results for most of the decade; but despite that Olimpia managed to win two titles (1947 and 1948).
assumed the presidency of the club in the mid 1950s. During Ferreira's presidency the football stadium, Estadio Manuel Ferreira
, was built. However, the most important accomplishment made by Ferreira was the acquisition of several key players that led Olimpia to a record five consecutive championships, from 1956 to 1960 (with an undefeated championship in 1959).
The club also had a first taste of international success in 1960 in the first edition of the Copa Libertadores de América
by reaching the finals in which they lost to Peñarol. Ironically, the winning goal for Peñarol in the finals was scored by Uruguayan Luis Alberto Cubilla, who later became a coach and led Olimpia to several national and international championships.
in 1975 is a key part in Olimpia's history. The new president hired coach Luis Alberto Cubilla, who in 1979 led Olimpia to its first international cup win when the club defeated Boca Juniors
of Argentina in the Copa Libertadores final. In the first leg game played in Asunción
Olimpia won 2–0. That result allowed Olimpia to play their effective defensive scheme in the famous La Bombonera
stadium in the second leg, ending the match in a 0–0 draw that gave the Paraguayan side its first Copa Libertadores.
In that same year, Olimpia won the Copa Interamericana
by defeating Deportivo FAS of El Salvador by an aggregate of 8–3 (first leg result: 3–3, second leg result: 5–0) and the Intercontinental Cup
by defeating the UEFA Champions League
runner-up Malmö FF
of Sweden by an aggregate win of 3–1.
Olimpia's success was not limited to the international scene: from 1978 to 1983 the team won a record six-straight Paraguayan league championships (beating their own record set in 1956–1960 of five consecutive titles).
, a Paraguayan striker that had proven his quality in the Spanish league over the years.
The signing of Oscar Amarilla was negative for Olimpia as expected, as the team reached the 1989 Copa Libertadores finals but came up short, being defeated by Atlético Nacional
. However, it did not take long for Olimpia to take revenge on Atlético Nacional, as they defeated the Colombian side in the semi-finals of the Libertadores in 1990. This allowed Olimpia to play the finals against Barcelona de Guayaquil
, beating the Ecuadorians 2–0 in the first leg played in Asunción, and tying 1–1 in Ecuador. This way Olimpia obtained its second Libertadores Cup with a formidable team that had key players such as Almeida
, Gabriel González
, Samaniego
, Amarilla
among others.
Not content with the Libertadores win itself, Olimpia went on to win the 1990 Supercopa Sudamericana
, a tournament reserved only for the best teams in South America
. They did this by defeating Nacional de Montevideo in the finals with a 6–3 aggregate score. In that same year, Olimpia played the Intercontinental Cup final in Japan
against the European champion AC Milan, losing 3–0. Because Olimpia won both the Libertadores and Supercopa in the same year, they automatically won the Recopa Sudamericana
of 1990. The achievement of all the mentioned international titles in 1979 and 1990 established Olimpia as one of the most respected and traditional teams in South American football. In 1991 Olimpia reached the Copa Libertadores final for the third time in a row but lost the finals against Colo Colo.
In the Paraguayan league, the most notable feat during this era was winning four league titles in a row, from 1997 to 2000 and the Torneo República
, won undefeated, in 1992 with Roberto Perfumo
as team manager.
On July 25, 2002 Olimpia celebrated its centenary. This was not only an historic date in Olimpia's history because of the centenary, but it marked the year where Olimpia obtained its third Copa Libertadores. Having defeated teams such as Once Caldas
(Colombia) and Universidad Catolica (Chile) in the first round, Olimpia won the series against Cobreloa
(Chile) in the second round, and then went on to overcome Boca Juniors in the quarter-finals. In the semi-finals, Olimpia overcame Gremio (Brazil). The team led by coach Nery Pumpido
defeated Brazilian side São Caetano
4–2 in a penalty shootout after an aggregate score of 2–2 in both legs and thus winning the final. Olimpia's base formation for the tournament was with Ricardo Tavarelli
in goal; Néstor Isasi, Julio César Cáceres
, Nelson Zelaya and Henrique da Silva in defense; Sergio Orteman, Victor Quintana
, Julio Enciso and Gastón Córdoba in midfield; and Miguel Benítez and Richart Báez (later Hernán Rodrigo López
) in the front. Coach Nery Alberto Pumpido was at the helm.
Olimpia also won the 2002 Recopa Sudamericana
(played in 2003) by defeating San Lorenzo de Almagro
of Argentina
2–0 in the final. As in 1990, Olimpia lost the Intercontinental Cup final, this time against the powerful Real Madrid
by a score of 0–2.
A deep slump followed the successful international period of 2002–2003. Olimpia has failed to qualify for the Copa Libertadores consistently in the last few years, and has not won the local tournament since 2000. Coaches have come and gone, most failing to lift Olimpia to any glory.
At the beginning of the 2007 Apertura season, Paraguayan legend José Cardozo took the helm as coach. His tenure did not last long, as Olimpia were unable to win the championship. For the Clausura tournament, former star player Alicio Solalinde
was back at the helm. Though his record was not bad, he was replaced by Carlos Jara Saguier
halfway through the tournament. This sparked a lot of controversy, as Saguier was a former player of Cerro Porteño
, and an admitted fan of that club. Olimpia finished third in the Clausura tournament, behind Libertad and Cerro Porteño. A fourth place finish in the global tabulation (adding both Apertura and Clausura tournaments) has allowed Olimpia to return to international play in the Copa Sudamericana
of 2008 after 4 years of absence.
At the ends of the year 2010, the Club Olimpia had their internal elections, that is usually made every two years. The two lists presented were led by the candidates for president Marcelo Recanate and Eduardo Delmás respectively. The list presided by Marcelo Recanate won the elections and they took control of the Club Olimpia from that same year.
The 2011, started very successfully for both the new directive as well as for the club. A total of twelve new players were incorporated to the first squad, and the youth team got a lot of new players as well as new trainers for each division. The first squad, started the Apertura 2011 with seven victories in a row, and ended the first round of the tournament in the first position. The alternative team, the reserve, also had a good performance in its internal tournament. They are also leading the positions. A very important fact of this new era of the Olimpia, is that number of active fan members of the club was triplicated just in three months, and that they are still increasing because of the team's great performance. But then again, in the second round of the tournament, a dispute emerged among the chairman, the coach and some of the players, as Marcelo Recanate accused them of "not giving all his finest efforts in the field". The rage remained until the final matches, when Nery Pumpido resigned. Mauro Caballero and Virginio Caceres took the lead and managed to obtain the second place in the tournament.
. For more than nine decades these two teams represented the "Super Clásico"
(derby
) of Paraguayan football. Other "clásicos" of Paraguayan football in which Olimpia takes part are the ones against Club Guaraní
(called "el clásico más añejo", which means "the oldest derby" because they were the first two teams in Paraguay
) and against Club Libertad
(Black and White derby).
Nicolás Peric
Pedro Reyes
Roberto Acuña
(El Toro)
Éver Hugo Almeida
(GK)
Raúl Vicente Amarilla
(Tacuara) Osvaldo Aquino
Celso Ayala Gustavo Benítez
(Yiyo) Miguel Ángel Benítez (El Peque) Rafael Bobadilla (Rafagol) Mauro Caballero Julio César Cáceres
(Emperador)
Denis Caniza José Saturnino Cardozo (El Pepe) Rogelio Delgado
Carlos Diarte
(Lobo) Carlos Gamarra
(El Colorado) Aurelio González (El Gran Capitán) Gabriel González
(El Loco) Jorge Guasch (El Chino) Evaristo Isasi
(La Pantera Negra) Juan Vicente Lezcano
Luis Alberto Monzón (El Beto) Osvaldo Pangrazio
Carlos Humberto Paredes
Roberto Paredes (El Pescadito) Julio César Romero (Romerito) Adriano Samaniego
Roque Santa Cruz
Alicio Solalinde
Hugo Ricardo Talavera
Ricardo Tavarelli
(GK) (El Mono) Luis Vargas Peña
(Tito) Pablo Gaglianone
Hernán Rodrigo López
Sergio Orteman
Miguel Ángel Piazza
Aurelio González Nery Pumpido
Luís Alberto Cubilla (Most successful coach in club history) Sergio Markarián
Gerardo Pelusso
Aníbal "Maňo" Ruiz
Roberto Perfumo
International
, swimming
, tennis
and handball
. Olimpia also has a successful futsal
team, currently playing in the Paraguayan futsal first division.
International
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
an sport club based in Asunción
Asunción
Asunción is the capital and largest city of Paraguay.The "Ciudad de Asunción" is an autonomous capital district not part of any department. The metropolitan area, called Gran Asunción, includes the cities of San Lorenzo, Fernando de la Mora, Lambaré, Luque, Mariano Roque Alonso, Ñemby, San...
. It is best known for its professional football team which plays in the Paraguayan Primera División.
Olimpia is by far the most successful team in the country. They have won the Primera División title a record 38 times. Internationally, they are the only Paraguayan team to have won the Copa Libertadores, which they have done so three times. They are also the only team to have played in a Copa Libertadores finals at least once every decade since the start of the competition. In addition, they have also won the Intercontinental Cup
Intercontinental Cup (football)
The European/South American Cup, commonly referred to as the World Club Championship, Intercontinental Cup or Toyota Cup, was a football competition endorsed by UEFA and CONMEBOL, contested between the winners of the European Cup and the South American Copa Libertadores...
once, the Recopa Sudamericana
Recopa Sudamericana
The Recopa Sudamericana is an annual football match-up between the reigning champions of the previous year's Copa Libertadores and the Copa Sudamericana, South America's premier club competitions....
twice, the Supercopa Sudamericana
Supercopa Sudamericana
The Supercopa Sudamericana , also known as the Supercopa Libertadores João Havelange, Supercopa Libertadores, Supercopa João Havelange or simply Supercopa, was a football club competition contested annually by the past winners of the Copa Libertadores...
once, and the Copa Interamericana
Copa Interamericana
Copa Interamericana was a football trophy contested between the champions of CONMEBOL's Copa Libertadores de América and the winners of CONCACAF's Champions' Cup...
once. IFFHS named Olimpia one of the top five South American clubs of the 20th century.
Olimpia is one of eight teams to have won CONMEBOL
CONMEBOL
The South American Football Confederation , commonly known as CONMEBOL , is the continental governing body of association football in South America and it is one of FIFA's six continental confederations...
's treble (the others being Boca Juniors
Boca Juniors
Club Atlético Boca Juniors is an Argentine sports club based in La Boca neighborhood of Buenos Aires. It is best known for its professional football team, which currently plays in the Primera División....
, Independiente
Club Atlético Independiente
Club Atlético Independiente is an Argentine athletic, sports and social club, which has its headquarters and stadium in the city of Avellaneda, Buenos Aires Province. The club is best known for its football team, that plays in the Argentine Primera División....
, São Paulo, Vélez Sársfield
Club Atlético Vélez Sársfield
Club Atlético Vélez Sársfield is a sports club based in the Liniers neighborhood of western Buenos Aires, Argentina. Vélez is best known for its football team, that plays in the Argentine Primera División, the top level of the Argentine league system...
, Cruzeiro
Cruzeiro Esporte Clube
Cruzeiro Esporte Clube is a Brazilian football team, from Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, and are one of the only five clubs to have never been relegated, along with Santos, São Paulo, Flamengo and Internacional. Founded on January 2, 1921, they are only one of three clubs to have participated in...
, Internacional
Sport Club Internacional
Sport Club Internacional is a Brazilian football team and multi-sport club from Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, founded on April 4, 1909, and are one of the only five clubs to have never been relegated, along with Santos, São Paulo, Flamengo and Cruzeiro. They play in red shirts, white shorts and...
and LDU Quito).
The club was founded in 1902 and is the oldest club in the country with 108 years. They have a fierce rivalry with cross-town team Cerro Porteño
Cerro Porteño
Club Cerro Porteño is a professional Paraguayan football club, based in the neighbourhood of Barrio Obrero in Asunción. Founded in 1912, Cerro has won 28 Primera División titles and is one of the most popular football club in Paraguay...
. Although Cerro Porteño has never won an International title and is way behind in national titles and is allegedly always claimed to be Olimpia's son(el hijo de Olimpia). Matches between them are known as the clásico del fútbol paraguayo
Paraguayan football derby
The Paraguayan football derby, also named as the Superclásico ; is a football fixture played between Cerro Porteño and Club Olimpia, the two most successful and popular teams from Paraguay.-Head to head:* Updated as of 2009-26-04...
. Although, once again, because of the comparison of the history of the two teams, there is no real rivalry. It is just one more match. The club's home stadium is Estadio Manuel Ferreira
Estadio Manuel Ferreira
The Estadio Manuel Ferreira, is a football stadium in Asunción, Paraguay. It is the home venue of Club Olimpia and is named after former club president Manuel Ferreira....
or even known as the Bosque de Para Uno.
Foundation
Club Olimpia is the oldest football (soccer)Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
team in Paraguay. It was founded July 25, 1902 by Dutchman William Paats
William Paats
William Paats was a Dutch sports instructor.Often regarded as "the father of Paraguayan football", Paats' family moved to Asunción, Paraguay in 1894...
, along with Paraguayans Sila Godoy, Fernando S. Pascual, José E. Torres, Gustavo M. Crovatto, Héctor Cabañas, Juan Rodi, Antonio Pedraza, Luis Marecos, Juan Mara and Genaro Gutiérrez Yegros. The act of foundation was written in the Rodi's family home, located in the streets of Azara and Independencia Nacional in downtown Asunción
Asunción
Asunción is the capital and largest city of Paraguay.The "Ciudad de Asunción" is an autonomous capital district not part of any department. The metropolitan area, called Gran Asunción, includes the cities of San Lorenzo, Fernando de la Mora, Lambaré, Luque, Mariano Roque Alonso, Ñemby, San...
, Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
. That evening, three names for the club were suggested: Paraguay, Esparta and Olimpia. The final decision came to William Paats who chose Club Olimpia as the team official name, in honor of the Greek city of Olympia
Olympia, Greece
Olympia , a sanctuary of ancient Greece in Elis, is known for having been the site of the Olympic Games in classical times, comparable in importance to the Pythian Games held in Delphi. Both games were held every Olympiad , the Olympic Games dating back possibly further than 776 BC...
where the Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
were born.
The original kit was composed of a black shirt with the word OLIMPIA written in white across the chest and white shorts. Later, white and black were adopted as the colours for the team, with a white shirt with a horizontal black stripe. The alternate jersey is black with a white stripe, though in 2008 the stripe is vertical.
The early years (1902–1950)
The first national championship in Paraguay was played in 1906, after the foundation of the Paraguayan Football Association (APF)Asociación Paraguaya de Fútbol
The Paraguayan Football Association is the governing body of football in Paraguay. It organizes the Paraguayan football league and the Paraguay national football team, and is based in the Paraguayan capital, Asunción...
. It wasn't until 1912 that Olimpia won a championship, facing Club Sol de América
Club Sol de América
Club Sol de América is a Paraguayan sports club, mostly known for its football team. The club is located in Barrio Obrero, Paraguay, and it was founded in 1909. The stadium Sol de America uses for most of its first division games is located in the suburb city of Villa Elisa. Sol de America have won...
in the final. In that same year, Olimpia's biggest rival, Cerro Porteño
Cerro Porteño
Club Cerro Porteño is a professional Paraguayan football club, based in the neighbourhood of Barrio Obrero in Asunción. Founded in 1912, Cerro has won 28 Primera División titles and is one of the most popular football club in Paraguay...
, was founded.
After a few championships won during the 1910s, Olimpia's next big accomplishment were the three championships in a row in 1927/28/29 becoming the first Paraguayan team to win three consecutive titles. Olimpia repeated the same feat by becoming champions in 1936/37/38. The 1940s presented a rough time for Olimpia with bad results for most of the decade; but despite that Olimpia managed to win two titles (1947 and 1948).
The start of dominance (1950–1975)
After the unpleasant times in the 1940s decade Olimpia started to establish its dominance in the Paraguayan league when Manuel FerreiraManuel Ferreira
Manuel Ferreira was an Argentine footballer who was a member of the Argentina national team....
assumed the presidency of the club in the mid 1950s. During Ferreira's presidency the football stadium, Estadio Manuel Ferreira
Estadio Manuel Ferreira
The Estadio Manuel Ferreira, is a football stadium in Asunción, Paraguay. It is the home venue of Club Olimpia and is named after former club president Manuel Ferreira....
, was built. However, the most important accomplishment made by Ferreira was the acquisition of several key players that led Olimpia to a record five consecutive championships, from 1956 to 1960 (with an undefeated championship in 1959).
The club also had a first taste of international success in 1960 in the first edition of the Copa Libertadores de América
Copa Libertadores de América
The Copa Santander Libertadores de América , known simply as the Copa Libertadores and originally known as the Copa Campeones de América , is an annual international club football competition organized by CONMEBOL since 1960...
by reaching the finals in which they lost to Peñarol. Ironically, the winning goal for Peñarol in the finals was scored by Uruguayan Luis Alberto Cubilla, who later became a coach and led Olimpia to several national and international championships.
The golden years (1975–1986)
The election of new club president Osvaldo Domínguez DibbOsvaldo Domínguez Dibb
Osvaldo Domínguez Dibb is a politician and businessperson.Dibb is mostly known for being the most successful president in the history of Paraguayan football club Olimpia. He served as president for the terms of 1976 to 1991 and from 1995 to 2004...
in 1975 is a key part in Olimpia's history. The new president hired coach Luis Alberto Cubilla, who in 1979 led Olimpia to its first international cup win when the club defeated Boca Juniors
Boca Juniors
Club Atlético Boca Juniors is an Argentine sports club based in La Boca neighborhood of Buenos Aires. It is best known for its professional football team, which currently plays in the Primera División....
of Argentina in the Copa Libertadores final. In the first leg game played in Asunción
Asunción
Asunción is the capital and largest city of Paraguay.The "Ciudad de Asunción" is an autonomous capital district not part of any department. The metropolitan area, called Gran Asunción, includes the cities of San Lorenzo, Fernando de la Mora, Lambaré, Luque, Mariano Roque Alonso, Ñemby, San...
Olimpia won 2–0. That result allowed Olimpia to play their effective defensive scheme in the famous La Bombonera
La Bombonera
La Bombonera may refer:* Estadio Alberto J. Armando, home stadium of Club Atlético Boca Juniors* Estadio Nemesio Díez, home stadium of Deportivo Toluca* Estadio "La Bombonera", Montevideo, home stadium of Club Atlético Basáñez...
stadium in the second leg, ending the match in a 0–0 draw that gave the Paraguayan side its first Copa Libertadores.
In that same year, Olimpia won the Copa Interamericana
Copa Interamericana
Copa Interamericana was a football trophy contested between the champions of CONMEBOL's Copa Libertadores de América and the winners of CONCACAF's Champions' Cup...
by defeating Deportivo FAS of El Salvador by an aggregate of 8–3 (first leg result: 3–3, second leg result: 5–0) and the Intercontinental Cup
Intercontinental Cup and FIFA Club World Championship statistics
Statistics for the Intercontinental Cup which ran from 1960 to 2004.-Finals:-By country:-By team:-By continent:-Man of the Match:Since 1980-See also:*Intercontinental Cup*Copa Libertadores*UEFA Champions League...
by defeating the UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
runner-up Malmö FF
Malmö FF
Malmö Fotbollförening, also known simply as Malmö FF, are a Swedish professional football club based in Malmö. The club is affiliated with Skånes Fotbollförbund and play their home games at Swedbank Stadion. The club colours, reflected in their crest and kit, are sky blue and white...
of Sweden by an aggregate win of 3–1.
Olimpia's success was not limited to the international scene: from 1978 to 1983 the team won a record six-straight Paraguayan league championships (beating their own record set in 1956–1960 of five consecutive titles).
Continued success (1986–2000)
After the 1979 Copa Libertadores win, fans were starving for more continental success. For that matter, the club's president, Osvaldo Dominguez Dibb, decided to make a financial effort to bring Raul Vicente AmarillaRaúl Vicente Amarilla
Raúl Vicente Amarilla is a retired Paraguayan football striker.-Career as a player:Amarilla made his debut in his hometown team, Sportivo Luqueño at the age of 17. Because of his scoring ability and great heading skills he soon moved to Spain and signed for Real Zaragoza...
, a Paraguayan striker that had proven his quality in the Spanish league over the years.
The signing of Oscar Amarilla was negative for Olimpia as expected, as the team reached the 1989 Copa Libertadores finals but came up short, being defeated by Atlético Nacional
Atlético Nacional
Corporación Deportiva Atlético Nacional is a Colombian football team based in Medellín. They play their home games at the Estadio Atanasio Girardot stadium which also serves as home to Deportivo Independiente Medellín...
. However, it did not take long for Olimpia to take revenge on Atlético Nacional, as they defeated the Colombian side in the semi-finals of the Libertadores in 1990. This allowed Olimpia to play the finals against Barcelona de Guayaquil
Barcelona Sporting Club
Barcelona Sporting Club is an Ecuadorian sports club based in Guayaquil, known best for its professional football team. They currently play in the Ecuadorian Serie A, the highest level of football in the country, and hold the distinction of being the only team to have never been relegated.With...
, beating the Ecuadorians 2–0 in the first leg played in Asunción, and tying 1–1 in Ecuador. This way Olimpia obtained its second Libertadores Cup with a formidable team that had key players such as Almeida
Ever Hugo Almeida
Ever Hugo Almeida ; naturalized Paraguayan in 1975, is a former football goalkeeper and now is the national coach of Guatemala....
, Gabriel González
Gabriel González (footballer)
Gabriel González Chaves is a former football player from Paraguay that used to play as a forward or attacking midfielder....
, Samaniego
Adriano Samaniego
Adriano Samaniego Giménez ; is a former football striker.-Club:Samaniego started his football career in the youth divisions of Club Olimpia of Paraguay. His debut in the first team squad was in 1981...
, Amarilla
Raúl Vicente Amarilla
Raúl Vicente Amarilla is a retired Paraguayan football striker.-Career as a player:Amarilla made his debut in his hometown team, Sportivo Luqueño at the age of 17. Because of his scoring ability and great heading skills he soon moved to Spain and signed for Real Zaragoza...
among others.
Not content with the Libertadores win itself, Olimpia went on to win the 1990 Supercopa Sudamericana
Supercopa Sudamericana
The Supercopa Sudamericana , also known as the Supercopa Libertadores João Havelange, Supercopa Libertadores, Supercopa João Havelange or simply Supercopa, was a football club competition contested annually by the past winners of the Copa Libertadores...
, a tournament reserved only for the best teams in South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
. They did this by defeating Nacional de Montevideo in the finals with a 6–3 aggregate score. In that same year, Olimpia played the Intercontinental Cup final in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
against the European champion AC Milan, losing 3–0. Because Olimpia won both the Libertadores and Supercopa in the same year, they automatically won the Recopa Sudamericana
Recopa Sudamericana
The Recopa Sudamericana is an annual football match-up between the reigning champions of the previous year's Copa Libertadores and the Copa Sudamericana, South America's premier club competitions....
of 1990. The achievement of all the mentioned international titles in 1979 and 1990 established Olimpia as one of the most respected and traditional teams in South American football. In 1991 Olimpia reached the Copa Libertadores final for the third time in a row but lost the finals against Colo Colo.
In the Paraguayan league, the most notable feat during this era was winning four league titles in a row, from 1997 to 2000 and the Torneo República
Torneo República
The Torneo República is a defunct football tournament from Paraguay. The competition was held at the beginning of the year and its purpose was to integrate teams from the Asunción area with teams from other departments in order to give teams from all over the country a chance to qualify for...
, won undefeated, in 1992 with Roberto Perfumo
Roberto Perfumo
Roberto Alfredo Perfumo is a former Argentine footballer.-Club career:El Mariscal won the Intercontinental Cup with Racing Club in 1967, as well as two Argentine leagues, and three with River Plate.-International career:...
as team manager.
Centenary and present (2000 – present)
Once Caldas
Corporación Deportiva Once Caldas is a Colombian association football team, based in Manizales. They were the surprise winners of Copa Libertadores de América in 2004, mainly due to the performances of Juan Carlos Henao and Jhon Viáfara...
(Colombia) and Universidad Catolica (Chile) in the first round, Olimpia won the series against Cobreloa
Cobreloa
Club de Deportes Cobreloa is a Chilean football club from the Atacama Desert mining city of Calama which has established itself as one of the country's most competitive clubs. The club was founded on January 7, 1977 and play in the Chilean top flight, the Primera División, where they have played...
(Chile) in the second round, and then went on to overcome Boca Juniors in the quarter-finals. In the semi-finals, Olimpia overcame Gremio (Brazil). The team led by coach Nery Pumpido
Nery Pumpido
Nery Alberto Pumpido is a football coach and former goalkeeper who played for the Argentine national team in two World Cups. After retirement, Pumpido moved into club management and is currently in his second spell as coach of Paraguayan side Olimpia of Asunción.-Club career:Pumpido began his...
defeated Brazilian side São Caetano
Associação Desportiva São Caetano
Associação Desportiva São Caetano, commonly known as São Caetano, is a Brazilian football team based in the city of São Caetano, Brazil, part of the São Paulo greater metropolitan area. The team is dubbed Azulão , after the shirt colour. The sponsor is Consul, a well known Brazilian producer of...
4–2 in a penalty shootout after an aggregate score of 2–2 in both legs and thus winning the final. Olimpia's base formation for the tournament was with Ricardo Tavarelli
Ricardo Tavarelli
Ricardo Javier Tavarelli Paiva is a former Paraguayan footballer, who played as a goalkeeper.-Career:...
in goal; Néstor Isasi, Julio César Cáceres
Julio César Cáceres
Julio César Cáceres López is a Paraguayan football defender who currently plays for his native country side Olimpia...
, Nelson Zelaya and Henrique da Silva in defense; Sergio Orteman, Victor Quintana
Victor Quintana
Victor Quintana is a retired Paraguayan football player, who played as a defensive midfielder.Quintana started his career by playing for Club San Miguel de Misiones and then moved to Olimpia, where he won the 1998, 1999 and 2000 Paraguayan League...
, Julio Enciso and Gastón Córdoba in midfield; and Miguel Benítez and Richart Báez (later Hernán Rodrigo López
Hernán Rodrigo López
Hernán Rodrigo López Mora is an Uruguayan football player who plays as a forward for Club Atlético Banfield of the Primera División Argentina.-Club:...
) in the front. Coach Nery Alberto Pumpido was at the helm.
Olimpia also won the 2002 Recopa Sudamericana
Recopa Sudamericana
The Recopa Sudamericana is an annual football match-up between the reigning champions of the previous year's Copa Libertadores and the Copa Sudamericana, South America's premier club competitions....
(played in 2003) by defeating San Lorenzo de Almagro
Club Atlético San Lorenzo de Almagro
Club Atlético San Lorenzo de Almagro is an Argentine sports club based in Boedo neighbourhood, Buenos Aires, mostly known because of its football team....
of Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
2–0 in the final. As in 1990, Olimpia lost the Intercontinental Cup final, this time against the powerful Real Madrid
Real Madrid
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
by a score of 0–2.
A deep slump followed the successful international period of 2002–2003. Olimpia has failed to qualify for the Copa Libertadores consistently in the last few years, and has not won the local tournament since 2000. Coaches have come and gone, most failing to lift Olimpia to any glory.
At the beginning of the 2007 Apertura season, Paraguayan legend José Cardozo took the helm as coach. His tenure did not last long, as Olimpia were unable to win the championship. For the Clausura tournament, former star player Alicio Solalinde
Alicio Solalinde
Alicio Solalinde is a former football defender that now works as a coach.In his career, Solalinde played for Paraguayan teams like River Plate and Olimpia where he became a key player by winning several national and international titles such as the Copa Libertadores and Intercontinental Cup in 1979...
was back at the helm. Though his record was not bad, he was replaced by Carlos Jara Saguier
Carlos Jara Saguier
Carlos Jara Saguier is a former football player who is currently working as a coach, born in Paraguay on 25 August 1956. Carlos is one of the seven Jara Saguier brothers that played professional football in Paraguay....
halfway through the tournament. This sparked a lot of controversy, as Saguier was a former player of Cerro Porteño
Cerro Porteño
Club Cerro Porteño is a professional Paraguayan football club, based in the neighbourhood of Barrio Obrero in Asunción. Founded in 1912, Cerro has won 28 Primera División titles and is one of the most popular football club in Paraguay...
, and an admitted fan of that club. Olimpia finished third in the Clausura tournament, behind Libertad and Cerro Porteño. A fourth place finish in the global tabulation (adding both Apertura and Clausura tournaments) has allowed Olimpia to return to international play in the Copa Sudamericana
Copa Sudamericana
The Copa Bridgestone Sudamericana de Clubes , known simply as the Copa Sudamericana , is an annual international club football competition organized by the CONMEBOL since 2002. It is the second most prestigious club competition in South American football. CONCACAF clubs were invited between 2004...
of 2008 after 4 years of absence.
At the ends of the year 2010, the Club Olimpia had their internal elections, that is usually made every two years. The two lists presented were led by the candidates for president Marcelo Recanate and Eduardo Delmás respectively. The list presided by Marcelo Recanate won the elections and they took control of the Club Olimpia from that same year.
The 2011, started very successfully for both the new directive as well as for the club. A total of twelve new players were incorporated to the first squad, and the youth team got a lot of new players as well as new trainers for each division. The first squad, started the Apertura 2011 with seven victories in a row, and ended the first round of the tournament in the first position. The alternative team, the reserve, also had a good performance in its internal tournament. They are also leading the positions. A very important fact of this new era of the Olimpia, is that number of active fan members of the club was triplicated just in three months, and that they are still increasing because of the team's great performance. But then again, in the second round of the tournament, a dispute emerged among the chairman, the coach and some of the players, as Marcelo Recanate accused them of "not giving all his finest efforts in the field". The rage remained until the final matches, when Nery Pumpido resigned. Mauro Caballero and Virginio Caceres took the lead and managed to obtain the second place in the tournament.
Rivalries
Olimpia's biggest rival is Cerro PorteñoCerro Porteño
Club Cerro Porteño is a professional Paraguayan football club, based in the neighbourhood of Barrio Obrero in Asunción. Founded in 1912, Cerro has won 28 Primera División titles and is one of the most popular football club in Paraguay...
. For more than nine decades these two teams represented the "Super Clásico"
Paraguayan football derby
The Paraguayan football derby, also named as the Superclásico ; is a football fixture played between Cerro Porteño and Club Olimpia, the two most successful and popular teams from Paraguay.-Head to head:* Updated as of 2009-26-04...
(derby
Local derby
In many countries the term local derby, or simply just derby means a sporting fixture between two, generally local, rivals, particularly in association football...
) of Paraguayan football. Other "clásicos" of Paraguayan football in which Olimpia takes part are the ones against Club Guaraní
Club Guaraní
Club Guaraní is a Paraguayan football team, based in the neighbourhood of Dos Bocas in outer Asunción, founded in 1903.-History:Club Guaraní is the second oldest Paraguayan football club. It was founded in 1903 under the name of "Football Club Guarani" and its first president was Juan Patri...
(called "el clásico más añejo", which means "the oldest derby" because they were the first two teams in Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
) and against Club Libertad
Club Libertad
Club Libertad is a sports club based in the District Tuyucuá of the city of Asuncion, capital of Paraguay. It was founded on July 30, 1905 and currently plays in the Paraguayan Primera División...
(Black and White derby).
Current squad
Notable players
Fernando Gastón CórdobaFernando Gastón Córdoba
Fernando Gastón Córdoba is a retired football midfielder from Argentina. Córdoba started his career at Estudiantes de La Plata at the age of 19 before moving to Racing Club where he helped the team reach the semifinal stage of the Copa Libertadores. He had a brief stint in Italian football by...
Nicolás Peric
Nicolás Peric
Nicolás Peric , is a Chilean goalkeeper of Croatian origin who currently plays for Cobreloa. His nickname is Loco .-Chile:...
Pedro Reyes
Pedro Reyes
See also, Pedro Reyes Pedro Antonio Reyes González is a former Chilean football defender....
Roberto Acuña
Roberto Acuña
Roberto Miguel Acuña Cabello is a Paraguayan footballer who plays for Club Rubio Ñú.Nicknamed El Toro due to his strength and dominating presence, he operated as a central midfielder...
(El Toro)
Éver Hugo AlmeidaEver Hugo Almeida
Ever Hugo Almeida ; naturalized Paraguayan in 1975, is a former football goalkeeper and now is the national coach of Guatemala....
(GK)
Raúl Vicente AmarillaRaúl Vicente Amarilla
Raúl Vicente Amarilla is a retired Paraguayan football striker.-Career as a player:Amarilla made his debut in his hometown team, Sportivo Luqueño at the age of 17. Because of his scoring ability and great heading skills he soon moved to Spain and signed for Real Zaragoza...
(Tacuara) Osvaldo Aquino
Osvaldo Aquino
Osvaldo Aquino is a former football midfielder/winger and coach.-Playing career:Aquino started his career in the youth divisions of Atlético Triunfo and went on to play for several other teams from the San Lorenzo area before signing for Guaraní of the Paraguayan 1st division in 1973...
Celso Ayala Gustavo Benítez
Gustavo Benítez
Gustavo Benítez is a retired Paraguayan football defender. He currently works as a coach.-Career:...
(Yiyo) Miguel Ángel Benítez (El Peque) Rafael Bobadilla (Rafagol) Mauro Caballero Julio César Cáceres
Julio César Cáceres
Julio César Cáceres López is a Paraguayan football defender who currently plays for his native country side Olimpia...
(Emperador)
Denis Caniza José Saturnino Cardozo (El Pepe) Rogelio Delgado
Rogelio Delgado
Rogelio Wilfrido Delgado Casco is a retired football central defender from Paraguay.-Club career:At the club level, Delgado played for Olimpia Asunción, where he won the Copa Libertadores and Intercontinental Cup in 1979, and six Paraguayan league titles.He also played for Independiente of...
Carlos Diarte
Carlos Diarte
Carlos Martínez Diarte , alias Lobo, was a Paraguayan football striker and coach.-As player:Diarte started his career in Olimpia Asunción and at the age of 16 he made his debut in the professional squad, helping Olimpia win the Paraguayan championship in 1971...
(Lobo) Carlos Gamarra
Carlos Gamarra
Carlos Alberto Gamarra Pavón is a former football player. He captained the Paraguay national team at international level, playing at Centre back, and is the most capped player in Paraguayan football history, having made 110 international appearances and scoring 12 goals.Gamarra is known for his...
(El Colorado) Aurelio González (El Gran Capitán) Gabriel González
Gabriel González (footballer)
Gabriel González Chaves is a former football player from Paraguay that used to play as a forward or attacking midfielder....
(El Loco) Jorge Guasch (El Chino) Evaristo Isasi
Evaristo Isasi
Evaristo Isasi Colmán is a former football striker from Paraguay. Isasi was characterized by his phenomenal pace, dribbling and scoring abilities.-Career:...
(La Pantera Negra) Juan Vicente Lezcano
Juan Vicente Lezcano
Juan Vicente Lezcano ; is a former football defender.Lezcano started his career at Olimpia of Asunción in 1954...
Luis Alberto Monzón (El Beto) Osvaldo Pangrazio
Osvaldo Pangrazio
Osvaldo Pangrazio Kullak is a former football striker that currently works as a traumatologist.-Football:Pangrazio started his career at Presidente Hayes and made his debut in 1977 against Olimpia...
Carlos Humberto Paredes
Carlos Humberto Paredes
Carlos Humberto Paredes Monges is a Paraguayan footballer who currently plays as a defensive midfielder for Olimpia Asunción. His style of play has led the Paraguayan media to call him the "Master of the Midfield". Paredes plays defensive midfield, though he can also play as centre-forward, being...
Roberto Paredes (El Pescadito) Julio César Romero (Romerito) Adriano Samaniego
Adriano Samaniego
Adriano Samaniego Giménez ; is a former football striker.-Club:Samaniego started his football career in the youth divisions of Club Olimpia of Paraguay. His debut in the first team squad was in 1981...
Roque Santa Cruz
Roque Santa Cruz
Roque Luis Santa Cruz Cantero is a Paraguayan footballer currently playing as a striker for La Liga club Real Betis on loan from Manchester City and the Paraguay national football team....
Alicio Solalinde
Alicio Solalinde
Alicio Solalinde is a former football defender that now works as a coach.In his career, Solalinde played for Paraguayan teams like River Plate and Olimpia where he became a key player by winning several national and international titles such as the Copa Libertadores and Intercontinental Cup in 1979...
Hugo Ricardo Talavera
Hugo Ricardo Talavera
Hugo Ricardo Talavera Valdez is a former football midfielder and forward.-Career:Talavera started his career at Nacional of Barrio Obrero before moving to Club Guaraní, where he played briefly. His career advanced in 1971, when he joined Cerro Porteño and won three national championships in a row...
Ricardo Tavarelli
Ricardo Tavarelli
Ricardo Javier Tavarelli Paiva is a former Paraguayan footballer, who played as a goalkeeper.-Career:...
(GK) (El Mono) Luis Vargas Peña
Luis Vargas Peña
Luis Vargas Peña was one of the greatest Paraguayan footballers before the Second World War. He was the first Paraguayan to score a goal for the Paraguay national football team in a FIFA World Cup, accomplishing that in a match valid for the group stage of the 1930 FIFA World Cup against Belgium,...
(Tito) Pablo Gaglianone
Pablo Gaglianone
Pablo Gaglianone is a Uruguayan footballer who plays as a Midfielder.-Club career:Gaglianone began his professional career with Defensor Sporting and has played for several clubs in Uruguay and South America. He also had brief spells abroad: with Torino F.C. in Serie B and Kavala F.C...
Hernán Rodrigo López
Hernán Rodrigo López
Hernán Rodrigo López Mora is an Uruguayan football player who plays as a forward for Club Atlético Banfield of the Primera División Argentina.-Club:...
Sergio Orteman
Sergio Orteman
Sergio Daniel Órteman Rodríguez is a Uruguayan footballer, who is currently playing for Club Olimpia.-Career:...
Miguel Ángel Piazza
- see also
Notable coaches
Gustavo BenítezGustavo Benítez
Gustavo Benítez is a retired Paraguayan football defender. He currently works as a coach.-Career:...
Aurelio González Nery Pumpido
Nery Pumpido
Nery Alberto Pumpido is a football coach and former goalkeeper who played for the Argentine national team in two World Cups. After retirement, Pumpido moved into club management and is currently in his second spell as coach of Paraguayan side Olimpia of Asunción.-Club career:Pumpido began his...
Luís Alberto Cubilla (Most successful coach in club history) Sergio Markarián
Sergio Markarián
Sergio Apraham Markarián is a Uruguayan-Armenian football coach. Currently, he is the head coach of the national football team of Peru.-Early life:...
Gerardo Pelusso
Gerardo Pelusso
Gerardo Cono Pelusso Boyrie, better known as Gerardo Pelusso , is a Uruguayan football manager. It was chosen in the season 2006 as the best coach in the country in all the sport disciplines by the Uruguayan Olympic Committee.-Clubs:-Regionals:-Nacionals:-External links:...
Aníbal "Maňo" Ruiz
Aníbal Ruiz
Aníbal "Maño" Ruiz, born 30 December 1942 in Salto, Uruguay, is a football coach. His best coaching efforts include winning the Supercopa Sudamericana with Olimpia Asunción in 1991 and leading the Paraguayan national football team to the 2006 World Cup...
Roberto Perfumo
Roberto Perfumo
Roberto Alfredo Perfumo is a former Argentine footballer.-Club career:El Mariscal won the Intercontinental Cup with Racing Club in 1967, as well as two Argentine leagues, and three with River Plate.-International career:...
- see also
Honors
National- Primera División (38): 1912, 1914, 1916, 1925, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1931, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1947, 1948, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1962, 1965, 1968, 1971, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000
- Torneo RepúblicaTorneo RepúblicaThe Torneo República is a defunct football tournament from Paraguay. The competition was held at the beginning of the year and its purpose was to integrate teams from the Asunción area with teams from other departments in order to give teams from all over the country a chance to qualify for...
(1): 1992
International
- Copa Libertadores (3): 1979, 1990, 2002
- Recopa SudamericanaRecopa SudamericanaThe Recopa Sudamericana is an annual football match-up between the reigning champions of the previous year's Copa Libertadores and the Copa Sudamericana, South America's premier club competitions....
(2): 1991, 2003 - Intercontinental CupIntercontinental Cup (football)The European/South American Cup, commonly referred to as the World Club Championship, Intercontinental Cup or Toyota Cup, was a football competition endorsed by UEFA and CONMEBOL, contested between the winners of the European Cup and the South American Copa Libertadores...
(1): 19791979 Intercontinental CupThe 1979 Intercontinental Cup was a football final played on a two-legged system. It was the last time in the history of the Cup that this format was used before Toyota became the main sponsor in 1980 and a single-game final was held each year in Japan... - Supercopa SudamericanaSupercopa SudamericanaThe Supercopa Sudamericana , also known as the Supercopa Libertadores João Havelange, Supercopa Libertadores, Supercopa João Havelange or simply Supercopa, was a football club competition contested annually by the past winners of the Copa Libertadores...
(1): 1990 - Copa InteramericanaCopa InteramericanaCopa Interamericana was a football trophy contested between the champions of CONMEBOL's Copa Libertadores de América and the winners of CONCACAF's Champions' Cup...
(1): 1979
Other sports
Olimpia is also well known for training athletes that compete in other sports such as boxingBoxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
, swimming
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
, tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
and handball
Team handball
Handball is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each pass a ball to throw it into the goal of the other team...
. Olimpia also has a successful futsal
Futsal
Futsal is a variant of association football that is played on a smaller pitch and mainly played indoors. Its name is a portmanteau of the Portuguese futebol de salão and the Spanish fútbol de salón , which can be translated as "hall football" or "indoor football"...
team, currently playing in the Paraguayan futsal first division.
Basketball
Just like in football, Olimpia is the most successful basketball team in Paraguay. Since 1937 it has won 29 national championships, with the twelve consecutive titles from 1946 to 1957 as the most amazing feat in their resume.Achievements
National- Paraguayan Basketball ChampionParaguayan Metropolitan Basketball LeagueThe Paraguayan Metropolitan Basketball League is the most important basketball league from Paraguay. As of 2006, 11 teams are participating in the league. The yearly winners of this league are considered the Paraguayan basketball champions despite the fact that only teams from Asunción compete...
- Champion (29): 1937, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1959, 1960, 1966, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1988, 1992, 1994
International
- South American Club Championship
- Champion (1): 1947