1949 Campeonato Profesional
The 1949 Campeonato Profesional was the second season of Colombia's top-flight football league. The tournament started on 25 April and ended on 4 December, with 14 teams competing against one another and playing each weekend. This tournament was famous for marking the beginning of El Dorado. Millonarios won their first title in this season, defeating Deportivo Cali in a tiebreaker final series which was played as both teams ended tied for first place with 44 points. Santa Fe, the defending champion, ended in third place with 39 points.
Background
The season was notable for being the beginning of El Dorado, period during which many international football stars arrived to the Colombian league, especially from Argentina, due to the protests that were taking place in that country. The tournament began on 25 April 1949. The debutant teams were Atlético Bucaramanga, Boca Juniors de Cali, Deportivo Barranquilla, Deportivo Pereira and Huracán de Medellín. This year Universidad returned to Bogotá. Deportivo Barranquilla participated to replace Atlético Junior, who represented Colombia in the South American Championship. Deportivo Barranquilla only played 21 of the 26 league matches.League system
Every team played two games against each other team, one at home and one away. Teams received two points for a win and one point for a draw. If two or more teams were tied on points for positions other than first, places were determined by goal difference. The team with the most points was the champion of the league. In case that two teams tied for first place, a tiebreaker final series was to be played to decide the champions.Teams
The tournament was contested by 14 clubs, with Atlético Bucaramanga, Boca Juniors de Cali, Deportivo Barranquilla, Deportivo Pereira and Huracán de Medellín competing for the first time. Deportivo Barranquilla replaced the previous season's runners-up Junior, who were chosen to represent Colombia at the 1949 South American Championship.;Notes