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Argentine Primera División

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Primera División (first division) is the top category of Argentine football (soccer), and it's organized by the Argentine Football Association. Currently, there are 20 teams in the first division.

The Argentine league is currently ranked among the top 5 in the world by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics. It is one of the most prolific sources of players for the world's other top leagues such as La Liga (Spain), Serie A (Italy), and the Bundesliga (Germany).

The league tournament

The 20 teams play two single-round tournaments each year: the Clausura (February to June), and the Apertura (August to December). Thus, there are two champions each season. Unlike most European countries, Argentina has no official Cup competition.

The names of the tournaments (Closing and Opening, respectively) reflect Northern Hemisphere seasons. This scheme was introduced in the 1980s, and is alien to Argentines - who live in the Southern Hemisphere and are thus used to school years and sports seasons that span a single calendar year (for example 2003, as opposed to 2003/04).

Relegation and Promotion

Relegation is based on an averaging system. At the end of each season, the two teams with the worst three-year averages are relegated, and the best two teams in the second division are promoted. The teams placed 17th and 18th in the averages table play a best-of-three playoff with the 4rd and 3th placed teams in the second division, respectively. Thus, the number of teams promoted each year varies between two and four. Newly-promoted teams only average the seasons since their last promotion.

It is commonly believed that averaging was instituted in the 1980s to minimize the chance of large clubs being relegated, after San Lorenzo de Almagro was relegated in 1981, Racing Club was teetering on the brink, and Boca Juniors had a dismal 1984 season.

2004/05

Huracán de Tres Arroyos and Club Almagro were relegated to second division, whereas Gimnasia y Esgrima de Jujuy from Jujuy and Club Atlético Tiro Federal Argentino from Rosario were promoted to first division.

History

Professionalism was instituted in 1931. In the early years, only teams from Buenos Aires, Greater Buenos Aires (notably Avellaneda) and La Plata were affiliated to the national association. Teams from Rosario and Santa Fé joined in later years.

A single tournament would be played each year, and the champion would be the team with them most points. This arrangement lasted until 1966 (in 1936, the winners of Copa de Honor and the Campeonato played a match for the championship title).

Starting in 1967, two championships were played each year: the Metropolitano, with the same structure as the old tournament, and the Nacional, which was open to teams from the provinces.

This change brought about a revolution in Argentine football, as small teams (first Estudiantes, then Vélez Sársfield, Chacarita and others) broke down the hegemony of the five clubs who had won all the championships up to that date.

Originally, the Nacional was a regular one-group championship, from which the six best teams would advance to the Metropolitano. In 1970 the tournaments where separated; the Metropolitano had its own qualifying groups, and the Nacional two groups and play-offs. In 1977 the Metropolitano became a one-group, two-round league championship.

The Metropolitano was always played first, until the order of the tournaments was reversed in 1983.

Following the advice of Argentina national football team's then coach Carlos Salvador Bilardo, the structure of play was modified in 1985. That year, after the Nacional was played, the new single tournament (1985/86) was played for the first time. Five years later, it was split into two single-round tournaments, giving birth to the current arrangement. In 1991 and 1992, the two champions played winner-take-all matches, but this practice was quickly abandoned, so that two equally valid champions are crowned every season.

Even though the current structure provides provincial teams a road to promotion, the dominance of Boca Juniors and River Plate has only increased since the mid-90s. No team from outside the Buenos Aires-Rosario axis has ever won a title, and no major changes in this area are expected in the near future.

International Competition

Traditionally, two teams from Argentina have played in the Copa Libertadores each year. Since 1987, CONMEBOL sponsors other competitions (first the now-extinct Supercopa, and then the Copa CONMEBOL, and then the Copa Mercosur, all this replace by the actual Copa Sudamericana), and the number of Argentine teams playing the Libertadores has gone up to five. Thus, at least eight teams have an international schedule in addition to their league compromises.

The Copa Libertadores remains the most prestigious competition in South America; Independiente has a record seven wins, followed by Boca with five, Estudiantes with three, River Plate with two, and Racing Club, Argentinos Juniors and Vélez Sársfield with one apiece.

Champions of Argentine Football

Year First Place Second Place Third Place
1931 File:Escudo actual-bocajuniors.jpg Boca Juniors (50) File:SanLorenzoShield.GIF San Lorenzo (45) File:Estudiantes de La Plata logo.png Estudiantes LP (44)
1932 File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (50) File:CAIndependienteLogo.GIF Independiente (50) File:Racing Club de Avellaneda.GIF Racing Club (49)
1933 File:SanLorenzoShield.GIF San Lorenzo (50) File:Escudo actual-bocajuniors.jpg Boca Juniors (49) File:Racing Club de Avellaneda.GIF Racing Club (48)
1934 File:Escudo actual-bocajuniors.jpg Boca Juniors (55) File:CAIndependienteLogo.GIF Independiente (54) File:SanLorenzoShield.GIF San Lorenzo (51)
1935 File:Escudo actual-bocajuniors.jpg Boca Juniors (58) File:CAIndependienteLogo.GIF Independiente (55) File:SanLorenzoShield.GIF San Lorenzo (49)
1936 File:River Plate logo.png River Plate File:SanLorenzoShield.GIF San Lorenzo -
1937 File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (58) File:CAIndependienteLogo.GIF Independiente (52) File:Escudo actual-bocajuniors.jpg Boca Juniors (45)
1938 File:CAIndependienteLogo.GIF Independiente (53) File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (51) File:SanLorenzoShield.GIF San Lorenzo (43)
1939 File:CAIndependienteLogo.GIF Independiente (56) File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (50) File:Ca huracan.gif Huracán (50)
1940 File:Escudo actual-bocajuniors.jpg Boca Juniors (55) File:CAIndependienteLogo.GIF Independiente (47) File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (42)
1941 File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (44) File:SanLorenzoShield.GIF San Lorenzo (40) File:NewellsOldBoysShield.GIF Newell's Old Boys (38)
1942 File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (46) File:SanLorenzoShield.GIF San Lorenzo (40) File:Ca huracan.gif Huracán (37)
1943 File:Escudo actual-bocajuniors.jpg Boca Juniors (45) File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (44) File:SanLorenzoShield.GIF San Lorenzo (35)
1944 File:Escudo actual-bocajuniors.jpg Boca Juniors (46) File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (44) File:Estudiantes de La Plata logo.png Estudiantes LP (39)
1945 File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (46) File:Escudo actual-bocajuniors.jpg Boca Juniors (42) File:CAIndependienteLogo.GIF Independiente (41)
1946 File:SanLorenzoShield.GIF San Lorenzo (46) File:Escudo actual-bocajuniors.jpg Boca Juniors (42) File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (41)
1947 File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (48) File:Escudo actual-bocajuniors.jpg Boca Juniors (42) File:CAIndependienteLogo.GIF Independiente (41)
1948 File:CAIndependienteLogo.GIF Independiente (41) File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (37) File:Estudiantes de La Plata logo.png Estudiantes LP (36)
1949 File:Racing Club de Avellaneda.GIF Racing Club (49) File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (43) File:Platense.gif Platense (43)
1950 File:Racing Club de Avellaneda.GIF Racing Club (47) File:Escudo actual-bocajuniors.jpg Boca Juniors (39) File:CAIndependienteLogo.GIF Independiente (39)
1951 File:Racing Club de Avellaneda.GIF Racing Club (44) File:Banfield.gif Banfield (44) File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (43)
1952 File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (40) File:Racing Club de Avellaneda.GIF Racing Club (39) File:CAIndependienteLogo.GIF Independiente (35)
1953 File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (43) File:Sarsfield.GIF Vélez Sársfield (39) File:Racing Club de Avellaneda.GIF Racing Club (39)
1954 File:Escudo actual-bocajuniors.jpg Boca Juniors (45) File:CAIndependienteLogo.GIF Independiente (41) File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (38)
1955 File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (45) File:Racing Club de Avellaneda.GIF Racing Club (38) File:Escudo actual-bocajuniors.jpg Boca Juniors (37)
1956 File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (43) File:LanusLogo.GIF Lanús (41) File:Escudo actual-bocajuniors.jpg Boca Juniors (40)
1957 File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (46) File:SanLorenzoShield.GIF San Lorenzo (38) File:Racing Club de Avellaneda.GIF Racing Club (36)
1958 File:Racing Club de Avellaneda.GIF Racing Club (41) File:Escudo actual-bocajuniors.jpg Boca Juniors (38) File:SanLorenzoShield.GIF San Lorenzo (38)
1959 File:SanLorenzoShield.GIF San Lorenzo (45) File:Racing Club de Avellaneda.GIF Racing Club (38) File:CAIndependienteLogo.GIF Independiente (33)
1960 File:CAIndependienteLogo.GIF Independiente (41) File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (39) File:Argentinos juniors.GIF Argentinos Juniors (39)
1961 File:Racing Club de Avellaneda.GIF Racing Club (47) File:SanLorenzoShield.GIF San Lorenzo (49) File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (38)
1962 File:Escudo actual-bocajuniors.jpg Boca Juniors (43) File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (41) File:Gelp.gif Gimnasia y Esgrima LP (38)
1963 File:CAIndependienteLogo.GIF Independiente (37) File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (35) File:Racing Club de Avellaneda.GIF Racing Club (39)
1964 File:Escudo actual-bocajuniors.jpg Boca Juniors (44) File:CAIndependienteLogo.GIF Independiente (38) File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (37)
1965 File:Escudo actual-bocajuniors.jpg Boca Juniors (50) File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (49) File:Sarsfield.GIF Vélez Sársfield (40)
1966 File:Racing Club de Avellaneda.GIF Racing Club (61) File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (56) File:Escudo actual-bocajuniors.jpg Boca Juniors (48)
1967M File:Estudiantes de La Plata logo.png Estudiantes LP File:Racing Club de Avellaneda.GIF Racing Club -
1967N File:CAIndependienteLogo.GIF Independiente (26) File:Estudiantes de La Plata logo.png Estudiantes LP (24) File:Sarsfield.GIF Vélez Sársfield (20)
1968M File:SanLorenzoShield.GIF San Lorenzo File:Estudiantes de La Plata logo.png Estudiantes LP -
1968N File:Sarsfield.GIF Vélez Sársfield (22) File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (22) File:Racing Club de Avellaneda.GIF Racing Club (22)
1969M File:Chacarita2.gif Chacarita Juniors File:River Plate logo.png River Plate -
1969N File:Escudo actual-bocajuniors.jpg Boca Juniors (29) File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (27) File:SanLorenzoShield.GIF San Lorenzo (27)
1970M File:CAIndependienteLogo.GIF Independiente File:River Plate logo.png River Plate -
1970N File:Escudo actual-bocajuniors.jpg Boca Juniors File:Escudocentral.jpg Rosario Central -
1971M File:CAIndependienteLogo.GIF Independiente File:Sarsfield.GIF Vélez Sársfield -
1971N File:Escudocentral.jpg Rosario Central File:SanLorenzoShield.GIF San Lorenzo -
1972M File:SanLorenzoShield.GIF San Lorenzo File:Racing Club de Avellaneda.GIF Racing Club -
1972N File:SanLorenzoShield.GIF San Lorenzo File:River Plate logo.png River Plate -
1973M File:Ca huracan.gif Huracán File:Escudo actual-bocajuniors.jpg Boca Juniors -
1973N File:Escudocentral.jpg Rosario Central File:River Plate logo.png River Plate -
1974M File:NewellsOldBoysShield.GIF Newell's Old Boys File:Escudocentral.jpg Rosario Central -
1974N File:SanLorenzoShield.GIF San Lorenzo File:Escudocentral.jpg Rosario Central -
1975M File:River Plate logo.png River Plate File:Ca huracan.gif Huracán -
1975N File:River Plate logo.png River Plate File:Estudiantes de La Plata logo.png Estudiantes LP -
1976M File:Escudo actual-bocajuniors.jpg Boca Juniors File:Ca huracan.gif Huracán -
1976N File:Escudo actual-bocajuniors.jpg Boca Juniors File:River Plate logo.png River Plate -
1977M File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (63) File:CAIndependienteLogo.GIF Independiente (61) File:Sarsfield.GIF Vélez Sársfield (56)
1977N File:CAIndependienteLogo.GIF Independiente File:Tallares.gif Talleres (C) -
1978M File:Quilmes.gif Quilmes (54) File:Escudo actual-bocajuniors.jpg Boca Juniors (53) File:Union santa fe.gif Unión (SF) (52)
1978N File:CAIndependienteLogo.GIF Independiente File:River Plate logo.png River Plate -
1979M File:River Plate logo.png River Plate File:Sarsfield.GIF Vélez Sársfield -
1979N File:River Plate logo.png River Plate File:Union santa fe.gif Unión (SF) -
1980M File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (51) File:Argentinos juniors.GIF Argentinos Juniors (42) File:Tallares.gif Talleres (C) (41)
1980N File:Escudocentral.jpg Rosario Central Racing (C) -
1981M File:Escudo actual-bocajuniors.jpg Boca Juniors (50) File:Ferro carril oeste.gif Ferro Carril Oeste (49) File:NewellsOldBoysShield.GIF Newell's Old Boys (39)
1981N File:River Plate logo.png River Plate File:Ferro carril oeste.gif Ferro Carril Oeste -
1982M File:Estudiantes de La Plata logo.png Estudiantes LP (54) File:CAIndependienteLogo.GIF Independiente(52) File:Escudo actual-bocajuniors.jpg Boca Juniors(48)
1982N File:Ferro carril oeste.gif Ferro Carril Oeste File:Quilmes.gif Quilmes -
1983M File:CAIndependienteLogo.GIF Independiente (48) File:SanLorenzoShield.GIF San Lorenzo (47) File:Ferro carril oeste.gif Ferro Carril Oeste (46)
1983N File:Estudiantes de La Plata logo.png Estudiantes LP File:CAIndependienteLogo.GIF Independiente -
1984M File:Argentinos juniors.GIF Argentinos Juniors (51) File:Ferro carril oeste.gif Ferro Carril Oeste (50) File:Estudiantes de La Plata logo.png Estudiantes LP (48)
1984N File:Ferro carril oeste.gif Ferro Carril Oeste File:River Plate logo.png River Plate -
1985N File:Argentinos juniors.GIF Argentinos Juniors File:Sarsfield.GIF Vélez Sársfield -
85/86 File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (56) File:NewellsOldBoysShield.GIF Newell's Old Boys (46) File:Cd espanol.gif Deportivo Español (46)
86/87 File:Escudocentral.jpg Rosario Central (49) File:NewellsOldBoysShield.GIF Newell's Old Boys (48) File:CAIndependienteLogo.GIF Independiente (47)
87/88 File:NewellsOldBoysShield.GIF Newell's Old Boys (55) File:SanLorenzoShield.GIF San Lorenzo (49) File:Racing Club de Avellaneda.GIF Racing Club (48)
88/89 File:CAIndependienteLogo.GIF Independiente (84) File:Escudo actual-bocajuniors.jpg Boca Juniors (76) File:Cd espanol.gif Deportivo Español (68)
89/90 File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (53) File:CAIndependienteLogo.GIF Independiente (46) File:Escudo actual-bocajuniors.jpg Boca Juniors (43)
90/91C File:NewellsOldBoysShield.GIF Newell's Old Boys File:Escudo actual-bocajuniors.jpg Boca Juniors -
1991A File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (31) File:Escudo actual-bocajuniors.jpg Boca Juniors (24) File:SanLorenzoShield.GIF San Lorenzo (22)
1992C File:NewellsOldBoysShield.GIF Newell's Old Boys (29) File:Sarsfield.GIF Vélez Sársfield (27) File:Cd espanol.gif Deportivo Español (27)
1992A File:Escudo actual-bocajuniors.jpg Boca Juniors (27) File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (23) File:SanLorenzoShield.GIF San Lorenzo (23)
1993C File:Sarsfield.GIF Vélez Sársfield (27) File:CAIndependienteLogo.GIF Independiente (24) File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (23)
1993A File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (24) File:Sarsfield.GIF Vélez Sársfield (23) File:Racing Club de Avellaneda.GIF Racing Club (23)
1994C File:CAIndependienteLogo.GIF Independiente (26) File:Ca huracan.gif Huracán (25) File:Escudocentral.jpg Rosario Central (23)
1994A File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (31) File:SanLorenzoShield.GIF San Lorenzo (26) File:Sarsfield.GIF Vélez Sársfield (24)
1995C File:SanLorenzoShield.GIF San Lorenzo (30) File:Gelp.gif Gimnasia y Esgrima LP (29) File:Sarsfield.GIF Vélez Sársfield (28)
1995A File:Sarsfield.GIF Vélez Sársfield (41) File:Racing Club de Avellaneda.GIF Racing Club (35) File:LanusLogo.GIF Lanús (35)
1996C File:Sarsfield.GIF Vélez Sársfield (40) File:Gelp.gif Gimnasia y Esgrima LP (39) File:LanusLogo.GIF Lanús (34)
1996A File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (46) File:CAIndependienteLogo.GIF Independiente (37) File:LanusLogo.GIF Lanús (37)
1997C File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (41) Colón (SF) (35) File:NewellsOldBoysShield.GIF Newell's Old Boys (35)
1997A File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (45) File:Escudo actual-bocajuniors.jpg Boca Juniors(44) File:Escudocentral.jpg Rosario Central (35)
1998C File:Sarsfield.GIF Vélez Sársfield (46) File:LanusLogo.GIF Lanús (40) File:Gelp.gif Gimnasia y Esgrima LP (37)
1998A File:Escudo actual-bocajuniors.jpg Boca Juniors (45) File:Gelp.gif Gimnasia y Esgrima LP (36) File:Racing Club de Avellaneda.GIF Racing Club (33)
1999C File:Escudo actual-bocajuniors.jpg Boca Juniors (44) File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (37) File:SanLorenzoShield.GIF San Lorenzo (36)
1999A File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (44) File:Escudocentral.jpg Rosario Central (43) File:Escudo actual-bocajuniors.jpg Boca Juniors (41)
2000C File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (42) File:CAIndependienteLogo.GIF Independiente (36) Colón (SF) (36)
2000A File:Escudo actual-bocajuniors.jpg Boca Juniors (41) File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (37) File:Gelp.gif Gimnasia y Esgrima LP (37)
2001C File:SanLorenzoShield.GIF San Lorenzo (47) File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (41) File:Escudo actual-bocajuniors.jpg Boca Juniors (30)
2001A File:Racing Club de Avellaneda.GIF Racing Club (42) File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (41) File:Escudo actual-bocajuniors.jpg Boca Juniors (33)
2002C File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (43) File:Gelp.gif Gimnasia y Esgrima LP (37) File:Escudo actual-bocajuniors.jpg Boca Juniors (35)
2002A File:CAIndependienteLogo.GIF Independiente (43) File:Escudo actual-bocajuniors.jpg Boca Juniors (40) File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (36)
2003C File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (43) File:Escudo actual-bocajuniors.jpg Boca Juniors (39) File:Sarsfield.GIF Vélez Sársfield (38)
2003A File:Escudo actual-bocajuniors.jpg Boca Juniors (39) File:SanLorenzoShield.GIF San Lorenzo (36) File:Banfield.gif Banfield (32)
2004C File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (40) File:Escudo actual-bocajuniors.jpg Boca Juniors (36) File:Tallares.gif Talleres (C) (35)
2004A File:NewellsOldBoysShield.GIF Newell's Old Boys (36) File:Sarsfield.GIF Vélez Sársfield (34) File:River Plate logo.png River Plate (33)
2005C File:Sarsfield.GIF Vélez Sársfield (39) File:Banfield.gif Banfield (33) File:Racing Club de Avellaneda.GIF Racing Club (32)

Top-Three Finishes

Club Times Champion Times Second Times Third
River Plate 32 25 9
Boca Juniors 21 14 10
Independiente 14 14 6
San Lorenzo 9 11 9
Racing Club 7 6 10
Vélez Sársfield 6 7 6
Newell's Old Boys 5 2 3
Rosario Central 4 4 2
Estudiantes LP 3 3 4
Ferro Carril Oeste 2 3 1
Argentinos Juniors 2 1 1
Huracán 1 3 2
Quilmes 1 1 0
Chacarita Juniors 1 0 0
Gimnasia y Esgrima LP 0 4 3
Lanús 0 2 3
Banfield 0 2 1
Talleres (C) 0 1 2
Colón (SF) 0 1 1
Unión (SF) 0 1 1
Racing (C) 0 1 0
Deportivo Español 0 0 3
Platense 0 0 1

Records

See Also

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