The current panorama of the glasses in South America – and also in the world – is well-off. The layout seems coherent and attractive: two main tournaments, the Liberators cup and the South American Cup; another that the winner of both play, the Recopa; and the Suruga Bank, against the champion of Japan, perhaps the most questioned of all. Nevertheless, It wasn’t always so neat.
–
–
–
–
This almost silent consensus that the cup offers of the Conmebol are balanced can contrast with the beginning of the 1990sWhen there was a flurry of new championships, continental and other regional, that could baffle the distracted viewer, Several lasted just a couple of seasons.
–
–
–
–
THE TWO MISSING CUPS
In that endless number of competitions that began and ended at that time, two stand out that may have been forgotten by many. Except for those who hold the trophy in the showcases of their headquarters, of course. It’s about the Super Cup Master Cup and of the Nicolás Leoz Gold Cup, both with very few editions but that to this day continue to generate controversy.
–
–
–
–
Step by Step. The Super Cup Master Cup was played just twice, once in 1992 and the other two years later. The format, as irregular as its constancy, was not repeated in both editions but varied: the first was a home run in Buenos Aires, more particularly on the Velez court. It brought together the teams that had previously won the Super Cup.
–
–
–
–
Boca, Racing, Olimpia and Cruzeiro participated. and the champion was Xeneize, who beat the Brazilians in the final. All the members of the tournament had previously celebrated in the cup that brought together the historic champions of the Copa Libertadores. A kind of Mamushka that, on top, would not end there.
Leoz, Blatter and Grondona. Heavy weights of that time. Reuter
–
–
–
–
–
In 1994, Boca, Racing and San Pablo – winner of the 93 Super Cup – rejected the opportunity to play the tournament, so in this case the Master Cup only had two protagonists: Cruise and Olimpia, to roundtrip with triumph for the Brazilians. In reality, that contest was played in 1995, due to logistical problems.
–
–
–
–
But, as previously mentioned, the Conmebol cup awards did not end there. Those who won the Master Cup of the Super Cup had access to another contest, which brought together the champions of all the tournaments organized by the entity in that season: the Copa Libertadores, the Super Cup, the Master itself and the Conmebol, another extinct tournament, similar to the South American.
–
–
–
–
That was the Nicolás Leoz Gold Cup, which bore the name of the historic president of Conmebol. Boca also celebrated in the first edition of 1993, after beating San Pablo in the semis and Atlético Mineiro in the final. Cruzeiro was the fourth member. In 1994 it was not played and in 95, San Pablo beat Cruzeiro in the only match that the competition had.
–
–
–
–
MacAllister celebrates the goal against Mineiro.
–
In the last edition, in 1996, Flamengo beat Tricolor, in the final, While in the semis, Rosario Central and Gremio, also participants in this Cup that was played only three times in history, had stayed on the road.
–
–
–
–
CONTINENTAL POLEMIC
The winning teams of these trophies were always targeted and even mocked for the little importance that those titles had. Anyway, the tournaments are recognized by Conmebol, which is why they are part of the record of these clubs, most of them with a vast experience in international football.
–
–
–
–
Perhaps the biggest controversy is the one between Boca and Independiente, the two most winning clubs in America. With 18 cups each, the fans of Rojo criticized the validity of the Gold Cup and the Master held by Xeneize many times. On the other side, they point to the Suruga Bank raised by Avellaneda, much more here in time, in 2017.
–
–
–
–
The truth is that the two titles were not very celebrated by the fans or by the players. There was a cup and an Olympic round, but both on the field and outside the weather was calm, with stands that were far from being filled. Over time, and with the arrival of Bianchi and the reign in America, BOca gave more value to those trophies, which helped him to momentarily reach and surpass Red.
–
–
–
–
That’s where an old and still current dispute over the nickname of the King of Cups comes from. Independent takes it with him from who won the 94 Super Cup, right against Boca, and thus won all the important trophies of the continent. Boca was encouraged to use that motto when he surpassed it in glasses, although now that they are even he prefers other terms. In Avellaneda they appropriate it in each song.
–
–
–
–
OTHER DISCONTINUED CUPS
These two are not the only extinct Conmebol competitions. In addition to the aforementioned Supercopa and Conmebol, there was also the Mercosur and Merconorte, other second-order tournaments, ´la Interamericana, between the champion of the Libertadores and the best of the Concacaf, the Intercontinental Champions Super Cup, among the world champions in South America.
