América de Cali
América de Cali S. A., best known as América de Cali or América, is a Colombian professional football club based in Cali. It competes in the Categoría Primera A, the top-flight league of Colombian football. The team plays its home games at the Estadio Olímpico Pascual Guerrero, one of the most important stadiums in the country.
The club is one of the oldest in Colombia; its foundation dates from 1927 and has its origins in the América Football Club, which was founded in 1918. It is also one of the most successful Colombian clubs, both nationally and internationally, being considered one of the strongest and most consistent clubs in the country. América has won 15 league titles and a second division tournament title, in addition to reaching the final of four Copa Libertadores. Although it has never won the Copa Libertadores, it has won two international tournaments, the Copa Simón Bolívar in 1975 and the Copa Merconorte in 1999.
In 2011, América was relegated to Categoría Primera B, second division of Colombian football, for the first time in its history. They played there for five seasons, returning to the top flight after winning the Primera B championship in 2016.
América has a series of fierce rivalries, most notably with crosstown rivals Deportivo Cali. Matches between them are known as the "Clásico Vallecaucano". Other major rival clubs include Atlético Nacional, Millonarios and Independiente Santa Fe.
In 1996, América was ranked by IFFHS as the second-best football club in the world, only surpassed by Juventus of Italy. It placed 32nd in the world ranking of the best clubs of all time, according to the IFFHS, being the best-placed Colombian team in the list. It is also ranked as the best Colombian club of the 20th century and as the fifth best Colombian club so far in the 21st century. América is also credited as the second-best Colombian team in CONMEBOL club tournaments and ranks 36th in the official CONMEBOL club ranking as of 2023.
History
The origins of América de Cali date to 1918, when students from the Colegio Santa Librada formed a team called América FC, to compete with other schools. That club claimed one of the first championships in the history of Colombian football by winning the Copa Centenario Batalla de Boyacá in 1919. The team broke up not long afterwards.Over the ensuing years, various clubs in Cali appeared with various names. The most notable was Racing Club, named for the Argentine team of the same name. That club wore light blue jerseys with white vertical stripes, identical to the Argentine club. However, when the club disintegrated in 1925, the uniforms went with them.
On 13 February 1927, a new club was officially formed, with Hernán Zamorano Isaacs as its first president. They took América as their name and scarlet and white as their colors. There are various stories to explain the reason why, but both this name and those colors stuck, and América has been identified with scarlet ever since.
Early years
América won the 1930 Amateur Tournament, and arranged a playoff with local rivals Cali FC to determine who would enter Colombia's top league. Cali won 1–0 in controversial style, as two América goals were disallowed. This was part of the beginning of the birth of the fierce rivalry between América and what would become Deportivo Cali.Unable to compete in the national tournament owing to a one-year ban handed due to their protest for the events of that match, América did set out on a long national tour in 1931, playing matches all over the country and establishing a national reputation. They spent the next decade and a half as one of Colombia's strongest national teams. One of their stars was Benjamín Urrea, also known as Garabato for his small size and speed.
Early professional era and the Curse of Garabato
In 1948, the Colombian league was moving towards professionalism. Garabato, whose career was drawing to an end, was an opponent of such a move. When América elected to join the league anyway, legend has it that Garabato cursed the club, declaring that they would never be champions. As it would happen, América struggled badly in the Colombian tournament, although there were more practical reasons for this than Garabato's curse.Financially, the club lagged behind their league rivals. This especially showed during the El Dorado period, when Colombian clubs aggressively signed foreign players from all over South America. Unable to do the same, América fell towards the bottom of the table. During the 1950s, the club finished no higher than sixth and even sat out of the 1953 tournament due to financial reasons. They almost failed to survive the decade, and only made it because another Cali club, Boca Juniors de Cali, folded instead. In 1960, desperate to make some sort of a splash, the club signed Adolfo Pedernera as manager. Pedernera managed the club to a runner-up finish in 1961, at the time the highest position in the history of Los Diablos Rojos.
This season completely changed the dynamic of América. Although they did not contend for another championship for another six years, they were no longer in danger of folding. Towards the end of the decade, they began taking their place as one of the strongest sides in Colombia. In 1967, they enjoyed a twenty-two match unbeaten streak and finished third. In the 1968 Finalización tournament, the club finished second, and did so again in the 1969 Apertura tournament. That last season not only saw Hugo Lóndero set a Colombian record by scoring 24 goals but also qualified América for their first Copa Libertadores in history. América's first Copa Libertadores match ended in a 2–2 draw against Universidad de Chile, on 18 February 1970. Their first win came four days later, a 1–0 win at home to Chilean club Rangers.
For most of the 1970s, the club remained a solid mid-table side, with two runner-up finishes serving as the exception. The highlight came in 1976, when América won the Copa Simón Bolívar. However, they still had no Colombian championships.
1979: Aquel 19
In 1979, two historic changes took place at América. First, the club reconciled with Garabato. He agreed to come to the stadium, where he attended a mass with the club's directors and signed a document "officially" lifting the curse. More practically, they hired Gabriel Ochoa Uribe to manage the club. Ochoa Uribe was one of the most recognizable names in Colombian management; he had won six championships at Millonarios, as well as another at Santa Fe. Over the course of his long stint at América, he would transform the club into one of the dominant powers in Colombian football.Inclined towards defensive football, Ochoa built his club around a solid back line, featuring captain Aurelio Pascuttini and Luis Eduardo Reyes. Juan Manuel Battaglia and Gerardo Gonzalez Aquino played in the midfield, while Jorge Ramón Cáceres and Alfonso Cañón led the attack up front. In the 1979 Apertura, América found itself in a neck and neck race with crosstown rivals Deportivo Cali. At the end of the season, the two clubs each had 34 points. A two-legged playoff followed, but both matches ended scoreless. The Apertura title was thus determined by goal average, being won by Deportivo Cali.
The year's second tournament, the Finalización, saw América top both the first and second phases, earning a place in the final round, a four-team round robin. The round robin came down to its final match; América needed to beat Unión Magdalena to wrap up the national championship. In front of an overflow crowd, Los Escarlatas prevailed 2–0, winning their first ever title on 19 December 1979, in what would become known as "Aquel 19".
1980s: Five consecutive titles, Copa Libertadores finals
1980 and 1981 were years of consolidation as the club finished third in consecutive years. During that stretch, Ochoa was refreshing the team with new arrivals, like Argentine keeper Julio César Falcioni and strikers Roque Alfaro, Humberto Sierra and Antony de Ávila. Falcioni in particular would become an anchor of América for years to come, lasting with the team until 1991. De Ávila, meanwhile, would play with the club until 1987 and score a club record 201 goals.1982 saw all these acquisitions come together perfectly. Sierra led the league in scoring with 23 goals, while Alfaro added another 16. América won every Colombian competition that year—the Apertura, their Finalización group, and the octagonal playoff of the year's top eight teams to determine the national champion. They clinched the title in the season's final match by beating Millonarios in Bogotá.
América had won two championships with an impenetrable defense, but in the ensuing offseason, Ochoa completed an acquisition that would drastically change his side's character and strategy. Midfielder Willington Ortiz was one of the biggest stars in Colombian football, having helped Millonarios to two championships in the 1970s. By 1982, he was 30 years old, nicknamed "El Viejo Willy", and still toiling away for Deportivo Cali. Although older, he had not lost a step, and was still a crafty midfield player capable of generating a sudden attack. Ochoa wanted him for his team, and in the 1982–83 offseason signed him for an unknown transfer fee.
Ortiz's arrival transformed América's style from total defense to rapid attack. They became known as La Mechita, and in 1983 Ortiz and Juan Manuel Battaglia combined for 40 goals. Their efforts paid off; América were able to successfully defend the title and also qualified for the semi-finals of the 1983 Copa Libertadores. And the best was still yet to come.
1984 saw Ochoa strengthen his midfield by signing Peruvian César Cueto, a creative player nicknamed "The Left-Footed Poet" in his native country. Midfielder Álex Escobar also began regularly playing for the club. Originally a youth prospect with the club, Escobar would become a fixture in the club's midfield until 1996. With Cueto, Escobar, and Ortiz in the midfield, La Mechita marched to a third straight championship.
File:Gareca ischia falcioni.jpg|thumb|right|180px|Ricardo Gareca, Carlos Ischia and Julio Falcioni, notable players for América during the 1980s
In 1985, as América set its sights on another title, Ochoa strengthened the squad again, this time by adding Paraguayan forward Roberto Cabañas and Argentine striker Ricardo Gareca. The season came down to its penultimate match, but América's late victory over Deportivo Cali clinched a fourth crown in a row. Even more memorable, though, was their thrilling run through the 1985 Copa Libertadores. La Mechita won their first round group with an undefeated record of two wins and four draws, then topped their semi-final group to earn a place in the finals against Argentinos Juniors. The Argentine team won the first leg 1–0, but Willington Ortiz scored in the fourth minute of the second leg to power América to a 1–0 victory. This forced a decisive third match, played in Asunción. After a 1–1 tie, Argentinos won a penalty shootout to hoist the Copa Libertadores.
The 1986 season saw América set a Colombian record with an unprecedented fifth straight championship. It was another hard-fought race, but ultimately the club was able to hold off a late surge by Deportivo Cali and bring home the crown, clinching the title with a win over their crosstown rivals. Simultaneously, they were making another run through the 1986 Copa Libertadores. They topped their preliminary group and survived a tough semi-finals group to reach the championship round for a second year in a row. There, they met Argentine powerhouse River Plate with the South American championship on the line. River won the first leg in Cali 2–1, then clinched their first Copa Libertadores title by winning 1–0 back in Buenos Aires.
1987 saw the club's ultimate heartbreak in the Copa Libertadores. Los Diablos Rojos advanced to the final for the third time in a row, earning a shot at Uruguayan giants Peñarol. América won the first leg 2–0, and then took a 1–0 lead early in the second leg. It looked like the Copa Libertadores was at last coming to Cali. However, Peñarol rallied to win 2–1, then defeated América 1–0 in extra time in the ensuing playoff match in Santiago. It had been yet another near miss.
Back at home, América's grip on the domestic league finally slipped. Millonarios broke their string of five consecutive titles by winning the title in 1987, then repeating as champions in 1988. Early on, 1989 looked to be a titanic battle between the new champions and a revitalized América, but instead the season was interrupted by tragedy.
The 1989 league season was cancelled halfway due to the murder of referee Álvaro Ortega. The Apertura tournament had been won by América and the team was standing in third place during the second tournament. In a key match against Independiente Medellín in Medellín, they battled to a scoreless draw. Rumors that referee Álvaro Ortega had unfairly favored América spread, and later that night, Ortega was gunned down in the streets. After the match, a journalist received a call from a man claiming to be one of the murderers and blaming Ortega for the result of the game, saying "we and our patrons lost a lot of money ".