Opinion – The World is a Ball: The almost impossible mission of Libertadores debutants

In a few days, on Friday (25), Libertadores, the most important interclub in South America, will define its group stage clashes.

Of the eight clubs that will represent Brazil, three are rookies. It is the largest number of rookies that the country has in an edition of the continental competition, played since 1960.

Bragantino, Fortaleza –who entered the groups directly, via the Campeonato Brasileiro– and América-MG –who advanced bravely after eliminating Guaraní (Paraguay) and Barcelona (Ecuador)– are certainly happy just to participate for the first time.

But do any of them dream of winning the Libertadores?

To be in Ecuador’s Guayaquil, at the end of the year, playing for the decision of the tournament?

Raise the coveted trophy, as São Paulo, Palmeiras, Santos, Grêmio (three times each), Cruzeiro, Flamengo, Internacional (twice), Corinthians, Vasco and Atlético-MG (once) have done?

None of these three debuting teams are favorites, far from it – the main bets on Brazilians are Palmeiras (current two-time champion), Flamengo and Atlético-MG (current Brazilian champion) –, but those who are not in the cake don’t stand a chance.

Is it difficult for a rookie, whether from Brazil or not, to win Libertadores? Much. It’s rare? Very much.

Excluding the initial edition, in which all participants played the competition for the first time, with Uruguayan Peñarol emerging victorious, only on four occasions has a rookie won the Libertadores, held this year for the 63rd time.

Two of them, Brazilians. The other two are Argentines.

Santos de Pelé and company won the championship in 1962, beating the two-time champion Peñarol in the decision. Flamengo de Zico and company took the trophy in 1981 by defeating Chile’s Cobreloa.

In 1968, Estudiantes beat Palmeiras by Ademir da Guia, Baldocchi and Servilio; in 1985, Argentinos Juniors surpassed Colombia’s América de Cali.

All these decisions, interestingly, took three games. Each team needed the so-called “black” to overcome the opponent – at the time the rules were different, providing for this tiebreaker game. Currently, the champion is defined in a single game.

It is possible to say that the difficulty today to become champion of the Libertadores, being in it, is greater than in the early days of the competition.

I mention “being in it” because before it was a Herculean task to be in Libertadores.

When Santos won, only one team from each country, the then national champion, participated. Now, vacancies abound. Brazil ranked nine clubs – eight remain because Fluminense fell early.

But in the 1960s the path to the title was shorter. Santos won in 1962 playing nine times, with six wins, two draws and one defeat.

To be champion (or vice) this year, the team that starts in the group stage (Palmeiras, Corinthians, Atlético-MG, Athletico-PR, Flamengo, Fortaleza and Bragantino are the Brazilians in this condition) will play 13 matches.

If América-MG, who played in two preliminary stages, reach the decision, they will have played 15 times by then.

A long journey, which, if successfully completed, will make Coelho the most sensational rookie champion in history.

Unlikely? Totally. But football has its surprises. Maybe América (or Bragantino, or Fortaleza) is one of them?