Copa Interamericana 1971. This was the second issue of the ill-fated competition – the first was in 1969, then nothing… until 1972, when the 1971 Copa Interamericana was played. The idea was similar to the Intercontinental Cup – to be played in two legs between the current winners of Copa Libertadores and the CONCACAF Champions Cup: the best of Northern America vs the best of South America. No wonder the South American clubs were not very interested…
Played in 1972.
First Leg [Cd. de México, Jul 15, 1972] Cruz Azul 1-1 Nacional [Héctor Pulido 1; Juan Carlos Mamelli 29]
Second Leg [Montevideo, Nov 7, 1972] Nacional 2-1 Cruz Azul [Juan Carlos Mamelli 35, Braulio Castro 39; Fernando Bustos 22]
Match Details
First Leg
Estadio Azteca, México DF.
Saturday July 15, 1972
Referee: Marco Antonio Regalado (GUA)
CDSC Cruz Azul 1 Club Nacional de Football 1 [Héctor Pulido 1; Juan Carlos Mamelli 29]
Line ups: Cruz Azul: Miguel Marín, Marco Antonio Rodríguez, Javier Guzmán, Alberto Quintano, Javier Sánchez Galindo, Juan Manuel Alejandrez, (Juan de Jesús Prado), Cesareo Victorino, Héctor Pulido, Fernando Bustos, Octavio Muciño, Horacio López Salgado Nacional: Airton Correa de Arruda “Manga”, Ángel Brunnel, Juan Masnik, (Gerolani), Luis Ubina, Julio Montero Castillo, Canepa, Luis Cubilla, Walter Mantegazza, Aba, Juan Carlos Mamelli, Víctor Espárrago
Sent off: Víctor Espárrago (NAL) 85′
Second Leg Estadio Centenario, Montevideo Tuesday, November 7, 1972
Referee: Mario Camom (CHI)
Club Nacional de Football 2 CDSC Cruz Azul 1 [Juan Carlos Mamelli 35, Braulio Castro 39; Fernando Bustos 22]
Line ups: Nacional: Airton Correa de Arruda “Manga”, Luis Ubiña, Ángel Brunnel, Juan Masnik, Juan Carlos Blanco, Ildo Enrique Maneiro, Walter Mantegazza, Suárez, Braulio Castro, Juan Carlos Mamelli, Julio César Morales
Cruz Azul: Miguel Marín, Marco Antonio Rodríguez, Javier Guzmán, Alberto Quintano, Javier Sánchez Galindo, Héctor Pulido, Juan Manuel Alejandrez, Cesareo Victorino, Fernando Bustos, Horacio López Salgado, Eladio Vera
Cruz Azul (Mexico City) lost the trophy by single goal. The photo is not from the contest, but at least is from 1971-72 season.
Nacional (Montevideo) prevailed with difficulty and won the trophy. Thus, 1971 was a great international success and in the same time not so great, for Copa Interamericana was played in 1972 – counting for 1971, but already the squad was slightly different than the one from the previous year. By default, Nacional was the 1971 king of South America, both Americas, and the world.
Tostao got 24 points.
Eduardo Goncalves de Andrade, forward/attacking midfielder, was 24 years old, but already had almost 10 years of professional football – he debuted in 1962, 15-years old, for his original club America Mineiro (Belo Horizonte) and his 16 goals in 26 games immediately propelled him to bigger club – Cruzeiro – where he not only continued to score goals as a centre midfielder, becoming the biggest star of the club and one of the best Brazilian players.
In 1970 he won the World Cup with Brazil and one of the greatest players at the world finals in Mexico, where he played as a centre-forward, because Brazil had too many midfielders, starting with Pele. He was able to play as a left winger, as a playmaker, as second striker, as attacking midfielder, even as defensive midfielder on occasion – his techinical skills made him versatile and flexible player with great work rate and discipline. Given his age – only 24 in 1971 – he was rightly awarded: not only the present, but the future belonged to him, seen as new Pele. Unfortunately, he got eye injury in 1969, from which he never recovered and his career was cut prematurely in 1973. From the time distance, it was only right Tostao got the award – unlike most world-class stars, he had no chance to play long enough, but his talent deserved recognition.
1.Estudiantes de Mérida 6 5 1 0 18- 9 11 Qualified
4.Valencia FC 6 1 2 3 4- 5 4
1.Estudiantes de Mérida 6 4 1 1 7- 5 9 Winners
4.Tiquire Aragua 6 0 2 4 1- 5 2 
Historic success for Estudiantes (Merida) – they won their first trophy: Copa de Venezuela. Didn’t even play in the top league – and rightly so, for they were founded in this very year! So young and already a winner.
1.Valencia FC 28 17 7 4 46-19 41
2.Deportivo Italia 28 14 9 5 46-23 37
3.Tiquire Aragua 28 12 9 7 39-37 33 [Maracay]
4.Deportivo Galicia 28 12 7 9 42-34 31
5.UD Canarias 28 9 12 7 37-26 30
6.Anzoategui FC 28 8 9 11 32-37 25 [Puerto La Cruz]
7.Deportivo Portugués 28 5 6 17 26-46 16
Valencia FC won their first – and last – title. Standing from left: Tarcicio (BRA), Omar Colmenarez, José Carlos De Oliveira “Zezinho” (BRA), Alfredo Glassman (ARG), Roberto Pérez (ARG), Segundo Martínez (ARG), Raúl Stanich (ARG), George (BRA), Candelario Pacheco (MAS). Crouching: Reinaldo Lovizutto (BRA), Rubén Salles (ARG), Aurelio Dos Santos “Lelo” (BRA), Humberto Tenías, Darío Castillo, José “Tito” Pasternak (ARG).
1. The Strongest La Paz 6 4 1 1 (20- 9) 9
4. Ingenieros Oruro 6 1 0 5 (11-19) 2 
3. Petrolero Cochabamba 6 3 1 2 ( 5- 5) 7
2. Oriente Petrolero Sta.Cruz 6 3 2 1 (13- 5) 8
3. Universitario Potosí 6 3 0 3 ( 8-11) 6
4. Wilsterman Unificada Potosí 6 0 0 6 ( 2-19) 0
1. Oriente Petrolero Sta.Cruz 12 8 1 3 (21-12) 17
2. Chaco Petrolero La Paz 12 6 4 2 (27-16) 16
Standing from left: 
4. La Belgica Santa Cruz 12 5 2 5 (19-15) 12
5. Municipal La Paz 12 5 1 6 (16-21) 11
6. Aurora Cochabamba 12 1 4 7 (12-24) 6
1.Macará 14 7 4 3 23-12 18 [Ambato]
2.Olmedo 14 6 5 3 24-17 17 [Riobamba]
Standing: 
4.Deportivo Quito 14 6 4 4 25-16 16 Relegated
6.Juventud Italiana 14 4 5 5 18-26 13 [Ambato] Relegated
7.Norte América 14 5 2 7 14-22 12 [Guayaquil] Relegated
8.Brasil 14 1 4 9 10-28 6 [Riobamba] Relegated
1.Barcelona 14 6 6 2 20-13 18 [Guayaquil] Champions
2.América 14 4 9 1 18-11 17 [Quito] Runners-up
3.Emelec 14 4 7 3 12- 9 15 [Guayaquil]
4.El Nacional 14 5 5 4 18-17 15 [Quito]
5.Universidad Católica 14 4 5 5 17-17 13 [Quito]
7.Deportivo Cuenca 14 2 9 3 8-12 13 Relegated
8.LDU de Portoviejo 14 2 4 8 14-27 8 Relegated
Barcelona (Guayaquill) won the championship. Their 5th title.
1. Nacional 26 16 8 2 43-23 40 [Medellín]
2. Deportivo Cali 26 16 7 3 48-28 39
3. Santa Fe 26 12 10 4 42-27 34 [Bogotá]
Standing from left: Jesús “El Toto” Rubio, Gabriel Hernández, José Ignacio Díaz Granados, Otoniel Quintana, Hermenegildo Segrera, Óscar Villano.
3. Nacional 26 14 5 7 42-31 33 [Medellín]
4. Deportivo Cali 26 12 6 8 44-33 30
5. Quindío 26 10 8 8 39-35 28 [Armenia]
Standing from left: Beracochea, Zapata, Torres, “Pele” González, Ortega, Gomez, Fabio Cadavid. Crouching: Rezza, Santamaría, Lobaton, Prospitti, Quiñónez.
Top row from left:Director Técnico Pancho Villegas, Cristobal Valencia, Joaquín Sánchez, Armando Valencia, De la Hoz, Absalón Oviedo, Heriberto Rigi, Claudio Norberto Bautista, Henri Valencia, Gullo preparador físico.
Standing from left: Morales, Paniagua, Monsalve, Rivarola, Gomez.
9. Unión Magdalena 26 7 9 10 36-43 23 [Santa Marta]
10. América 26 6 10 10 26-38 22 [Cali]
11. Real Cartagena 26 7 7 12 27-35 21
12. Atlético Junior 26 2 15 9 21-38 19 [Barranquilla]
13. Oro Negro 26 5 8 13 34-44 18 [Barrancabermeja]
14. Tolima 26 1 12 13 23-44 14 [Ibagué]
1. Santa Fe 6 2 3 1 8- 6 7 Libertadores 1972
2. Nacional 6 2 3 1 7- 6 7 Libertadores 1972
3. Millonarios 6 2 2 2 6- 5 6
4. Deportivo Cali 6 1 2 3 7-11 4
Atletico Nacional finished with silver.
Independiente Santa Fe [Bogotá] champions of Colombia 1971. This was their 5th title.
Olimpia.
Second: Cerro Porteño. Standing from left: Artemio Villanueva, Luis Bordón, Carlos Jara Saguier, César Ortiz Aquino, Justiniano Enciso, Valentín Mendoza.
Guarani. Standing from left: Raimundo Aguilera, Vicente Bobadilla, Ricardo Tavarelli, Flaminio Sosa, José L. Ivaldi, Juan Martínez.
Libertad. Standing from left: Secundino Arévalo, Benjamín Shupp, Pedro Jaquet, Ignacio Achucarro, César Caballero, Alcides Báez.
River Plate. Standing from left: Alicio Solalinde, Néstor Sanguinetti (argentinian), Juan V. Lezcano, Francisco Riveros, Miguel A. Alvarenga, José D. Insfrán.
Sol de America. Standing from left: Pablo De Jesús Garay, Gumercindo Yudis, Secundino Aifuch, Cirilo Bogado, Ricardo Meyer, Silverio Troche.
Nacional. Standing from left: Aldame, Battaglia, Díaz, Jaquet, García Ciani, Quiñonez.
Champion, promoted to First Division: Presidente Hayes.
Second: Rubio Nu.
Resistencia
Tacuary
Club Sportivo Ameliano
Ñublense winners Campeonato de Apertura
Standing from left: René Hormazabal, Edmundo Pérez, Julio Aliaga, Haroldo Peña, Juan Valdivia, Alfredo Petinelli.
2.Ñublense 26 14 10 2 44-23 38 (Chillán)
3.Palestino 26 13 10 3 42-21 36 (Santiago)
Back row from left: Gardella,Gerbier, Prieto, Carlos Cortés, Adolfo Cortés, Alfonso Rodríguez, Gómez ( masseur); Front: J.C Gamboa, Gabriel Gallardo, Ferid Hatibovich, Raúl Quiroz, Santiago Quintanilla.
Standing from left: Carlos Vargas, Germán Rojas, Huamalata Espinoza, Ambler , Pato Bermudes, Caliche Maluenda. Crouching: Neira, Rubén Latallada, Jorge Helo, Javier Mendez, Wilson Puebla.
9.Independiente 26 9 6 11 28-36 24 (Cauquenes)
14.Bádminton 26 5 3 18 39-54 13 (Curicó) – Relegated
Naval (Talcahuano) won the championship and earned promotion to First Division.
1. UNIÓN SAN FELIPE 34 18 10 6 61 40 46
2. Universidad de Chile 34 17 10 7 73 42 44
3. Unión Española 34 14 14 6 52 40 42
4. Colo Colo 34 16 9 9 62 42 41
5. Deportes Concepción 34 15 7 12 40 41 37
6. Unión La Calera 34 12 12 10 51 47 36
7. Santiago Wanderers 34 12 10 12 43 47 34
8. Deportes La Serena 34 11 12 11 45 50 34
9. Rangers 34 11 10 13 40 43 32
10. Antofagasta 34 10 12 12 42 51 32
11. O’Higgins 34 12 8 14 36 47 32
Standing from left: Mario Lara, Roberto Hernández, Franklin Hernández, Oscar Posenatto, Enrique Arias, Hugo Pantoja.
Back row from left: Juan Barrales, Arnoldo Magna, Esaú Bravo, Luis Anabalón, Waldo Barrera, Óscar Navarro;
17. Lota Schwager 34 9 8 17 42 52 26
18. Audax Italiano 34 7 12 15 33 54 26
CHAMPION: UNIÓN SAN FELIPE. Amazing season for the champions – not only a provincial club won the title, but they were and are the only team to win back-to-back the Second Division and the First Division. Union San Felipe was promoted for the first time in 1970, won the title in their first top-league season and were the first champion not from Santiago de Chile since 1957. Historic success, alas only one.