Champions By Seasons
Fourteen clubs have been the Primera A champions. Eight of those clubs have been the champion more than once. The most successful clubs are Millonarios with fourteen titles. Deportivo Cali, Atlético Nacional, América, and Millonarios are the only clubs that have won the title consecutively. América holds the record for the longest title streak winning five titles from 1982 to 1986. Since the start of the Apertura/Clausura championships in 2002, only Atlético Nacional in 2007 has won both championships in the same season.
Los Millonarios is the most consistent team of the long tournaments, with 13 wins out of 52 tournaments disputed from 1948 to 2001, followed by America with 11 (plus two short tournaments), while Atletico Nacional is the most consistent of the short tournaments, with 5 wins out of the 19 disputed from 2002 to date (2012-I). Out of all the six teams with just one championship, four have won their first title during the short tournament period.
The club with the longest dry spell between two titles was Once Caldas with 53 years between titles (1950 to 2003), followed by Independiente Medellin with 45 (1957 to 2002) and Independiente Santa Fe with 37 (1975 to 2012). The club with the longest continuing dry spell is Deportes Quindio, which hasn't won since 1956, followed by Union Magdalena, last championship on 1968; a noteworthy fact, in spite of being notoriously successful on the local tournament, Los Millonarios only achieved their 14th title in 2012-II, after 24 years of wait.
America de Cali has been the most successful Colombian team ever ranked, being included in the top 10 South American clubs in the 20th century; on a different note, the same team is the most successful Colombian club ever to be relegated to the second division on the local tournament; only another three clubs have been relegated after winning a championship: Deportivo Pasto, Deportes Quindio and Union Magdalena.
Out of the finalists, only three teams have never won the championship, namely La Equidad, Atletico Huila and the defunct Boca Juniors de Cali; La Equidad has been in three finals, the most of a team that has never won. Likewise, Atletico Junior participated in three finals (including the 1948 inauguration championship final) and didn't win until the fourth one in 1977, 29 years later. The longest spells for a team that never won a championship before was America de Cali, who won their first title in 1982, 32 years after their inaugural championship in 1950 and having been finalists just two times in between, Cucuta Deportivo, who waited 58 years since their first participation in 1949, and Deportes Tolima with a wait of 48 years since 1955, their first participation; Tolima was also the first team in the Colombian league to have gained a championship after winning also the second division (on non-consecutive years).
Envigado is the most consistent "mid-table" club in the league that has never reached the finals or won any championships since its first promotion from the second division in 1991; as a matter of fact, Envigado was the first team from the second division ever promoted.
The only tournament that was not awarded to a champion occurred on 1989, after the assassination of referee Álvaro Ortega on October 1, 1989 in Medellín. All games, post-season games and international representation for the following year were cancelled.
Season | Champion (Title count) | Runner-up | Third place | Leading goalscorer(s) | |
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1948 | Santa Fe (1) | Junior | Once Caldas | Alfredo Castillo (Millonarios; 31 goals) | |
1949 | Millonarios (1) | Deportivo Cali | Santa Fe | Pedro Cabillón (Millonarios; 42 goals) | |
1950 | Once Caldas (1) | Millonarios | Deportivo Cali | Casimiro Ávalos (Deportivo Pereira; 27 goals) | |
1951 | Millonarios (2) | Boca Juniors de Cali | Cúcuta Deportivo | Alfredo Di Stéfano (Millonarios; 31 goals) | |
1952 | Millonarios (3) | Boca Juniors de Cali | Deportivo Pereira | Alfredo Di Stéfano (Millonarios; 19 goals) | |
1953 | Millonarios (4) | Deportes Quindío | Boca Juniors de Cali | Mario Garelli (Deportes Quindío; 20 goals) | |
1954 | Atlético Nacional (1) | Deportes Quindío | Independiente Medellín | Carlos Alberto Gambina (Atlético Nacional; 21 goals) | |
1955 | Independiente Medellín (1) | Atlético Nacional | Deportes Quindío | Felipe Marino (Independiente Medellín; 22 goals) | |
1956 | Deportes Quindío (1) | Millonarios | Boca Juniors de Cali | Jaime Gutiérrez (Deportes Quindío; 21 goals) | |
1957 | Independiente Medellín (2) | Deportes Tolima | Cúcuta Deportivo | José Vicente Grecco (Independiente Medellín; 30 goals) | |
1958 | Santa Fe (2) | Millonarios | Atlético Bucaramanga | José Américo Montanini (Atlético Bucaramanga; 36 goals) | |
1959 | Millonarios (5) | Independiente Medellín | Deportivo Cali | Felipe Marino (Cúcuta-Medellín; 35 goals) | |
1960 | Santa Fe (3) | América | Atlético Bucaramanga | Walter Marcolini (Deportivo Cali; 30 goals) | |
1961 | Millonarios (6) | Independiente Medellín | Santa Fe | Alberto Perazzo (Santa Fe; 32 goals) | |
1962 | Millonarios (7) | Deportivo Cali | Deportivo Pereira | José Omar Verdún (Cúcuta Deportivo; 36 goals) | |
1963 | Millonarios (8) | Santa Fe | Deportivo Cali | Omar Lorenzo Devanni (Atlético Bucaramanga; 36 goals) José Omar Verdún (Cúcuta Deportivo; 36 goals) |
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1964 | Millonarios (9) | Cúcuta Deportivo | Independiente Medellín | Omar Lorenzo Devanni (Magdalena-Bucaramanga; 28 goals) | |
1965 | Deportivo Cali (1) | Atlético Nacional | Millonarios | Perfecto Rodríguez (Independiente Medellín; 38 goals) | |
1966 | Santa Fe (4) | Independiente Medellín | Deportivo Pereira | Omar Lorenzo Devanni (Santa Fe; 31 goals) | |
1967 | Deportivo Cali (2) | Millonarios | América | José María Ferrero (Millonarios; 38 goals) | |
1968 | Unión Magdalena (1) | Deportivo Cali | Junior | José María Ferrero (Millonarios; 32 goals) | |
1969 | Deportivo Cali (3) | América | Millonarios | Hugo Horacio Lóndero (América; 25 goals) | |
1970 | Deportivo Cali (4) | Junior | Santa Fe | José María Ferrero (Cúcuta Deportivo; 27 goals) Walter Sossa (Santa Fe; 27 goals) |
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1971 | Santa Fe (5) | Atlético Nacional | Millonarios | Hugo Horacio Lóndero (Cúcuta Deportivo; 30 goals) Apolinar Paniagua (Deportivo Pereira; 30 goals) |
|
1972 | Millonarios (10) | Deportivo Cali | Junior | Hugo Horacio Lóndero (Cúcuta Deportivo; 27 goals) | |
1973 | Atlético Nacional (2) | Millonarios | Deportivo Cali | Nelson Silva Pacheco (Cúcuta-Júnior; 36 goals) | |
1974 | Deportivo Cali (5) | Atlético Nacional | Millonarios | Víctor Ephanor (Junior; 33 goals) | |
1975 | Santa Fe (6) | Millonarios | Deportivo Cali | Jorge Ramón Cáceres (Deportivo Pereira; 35 goals) | |
1976 | Atlético Nacional (3) | Deportivo Cali | Millonarios | Miguel Angel Converti (Millonarios; 33 goals) | |
1977 | Junior (1) | Deportivo Cali | Millonarios | Oswaldo Marcial Palavecino (Atlético Nacional; 33 goals) | |
1978 | Millonarios (11) | Deportivo Cali | Atlético Nacional | Oswaldo Marcial Palavecino (Atlético Nacional; 36 goals) | |
1979 | América (1) | Santa Fe | Unión Magdalena | Juan José Irigoyén (Millonarios; 36 goals) | |
1980 | Junior (2) | Deportivo Cali | América | Sergio Cierra (Deportivo Pereira; 26 goals) | |
1981 | Atlético Nacional (4) | Deportes Tolima | América | Víctor Hugo del Río (Deportes Tolima; 29 goals) | |
1982 | América (2) | Deportes Tolima | Millonarios | Miguel Oswaldo González (Atlético Bucaramanga; 27 goals) | |
1983 | América (3) | Junior | Atlético Nacional | Hugo Gottardi (Santa Fe; 29 goals) | |
1984 | América (4) | Millonarios | Independiente Medellín | Hugo Gottardi (Santa Fe; 23 goals) | |
1985 | América (5) | Deportivo Cali | Millonarios | Miguel Oswaldo González (Atlético Bucaramanga; 34 goals) | |
1986 | América (6) | Deportivo Cali | Millonarios | Héctor Ramón Sossa (Independiente Medellín; 23 goals) | |
1987 | Millonarios (12) | América | Santa Fe | Jorge Aravena (Deportivo Cali; 23 goals) | |
1988 | Millonarios (13) | Atlético Nacional | América | Sergio Angulo (Santa Fe; 29 goals) | |
1989 |
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1990 | América (7) | Atlético Nacional | Atlético Bucaramanga | Antony de Ávila (América; 25 goals) | |
1991 | Atlético Nacional (5) | América | Junior | Iván Valenciano (Junior; 30 goals) | |
1992 | América (8) | Atlético Nacional | Deportivo Cali | John Jairo Tréllez (Atlético Nacional; 25 goals) | |
1993 | Junior (3) | Independiente Medellín | Atlético Nacional | Miguel Guerrero (Junior; 34 goals) | |
1994 | Atlético Nacional (6) | Millonarios | América | Rubén Darío Hernández (Medellín-Pereira-América; 32 goals) | |
1995 | Junior (4) | América | Atlético Nacional | Iván Valenciano (Junior; 24 goals) | |
1995–96 | Deportivo Cali (6) | Millonarios | Atlético Nacional | Iván Valenciano (Junior; 36 goals) | |
1996–97 | América (9) | Atlético Bucaramanga | No third-place awarded | Hamilton Ricard (Deportivo Cali; 36 goals) | |
1998 | Deportivo Cali (7) | Once Caldas | No third-place awarded | Víctor Bonilla (Deportivo Cali; 37 goals) | |
1999 | Atlético Nacional (7) | América | Junior | Sergio Galván Rey (Once Caldas; 26 goals) | |
2000 | América (10) | Junior | Deportes Tolima | Carlos Alberto Castro (Millonarios; 24 goals) | |
2001 | América (11) | Independiente Medellín | No third-place awarded | Carlos Alberto Castro (Millonarios; 29 goals) Jorge Horacio Serna (Independiente Medellín; 29 goals) |
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2002 | Apertura | América (12) | Atlético Nacional | No third-place awarded | Luis Fernando Zuleta (Unión Magdalena; 13 goals) |
Finalización | Independiente Medellín (3) | Deportivo Pasto | No third-place awarded | Orlando Ballesteros (Atlético Bucaramanga; 13 goals) Milton Rodríguez (Deportivo Pereira; 13 goals) |
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2003 | Apertura | Once Caldas (2) | Junior | No third-place awarded | Arnulfo Valentierra (Once Caldas; 13 goals) |
Finalización | Deportes Tolima (1) | Deportivo Cali | No third-place awarded | Léider Preciado (Deportivo Cali; 17 goals) | |
2004 | Apertura | Independiente Medellín (4) | Atlético Nacional | No third-place awarded | Sergio Herrera (América; 13 goals) |
Finalización | Junior (5) | Atlético Nacional | No third-place awarded | Leonardo Fabio Moreno (América; 15 goals) Léider Preciado (Santa Fe; 15 goals) |
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2005 | Apertura | Atlético Nacional (8) | Santa Fe | No third-place awarded | Víctor Aristizábal (Atlético Nacional; 16 goals) |
Finalización | Deportivo Cali (8) | Real Cartagena | No third-place awarded | Jámerson Rentería (Real Cartagena; 12 goals) Hugo Rodallega (Deportivo Cali; 12 goals) |
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2006 | Apertura | Deportivo Pasto (1) | Deportivo Cali | No third-place awarded | Jorge Moreno (Cúcuta Deportivo; 15 goals) |
Finalización | Cúcuta Deportivo (1) | Deportes Tolima | No third-place awarded | Diego Álvarez (Independiente Medellín; 11 goals) Jhon Charría (Deportes Tolima; 11 goals) |
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2007 | Apertura | Atlético Nacional (9) | Atlético Huila | No third-place awarded | Fredy Montero (Atlético Huila; 13 goals) Sergio Galván Rey (Atlético Nacional; 13 goals) |
Finalización | Atlético Nacional (10) | La Equidad | No third-place awarded | Dayro Moreno (Once Caldas; 16 goals) | |
2008 | Apertura | Boyacá Chicó (1) | América | No third-place awarded | Miguel Caneo (Boyacá Chicó; 13 goals) Iván Velásquez (Deportes Quindío; 13 goals) |
Finalización | América (13) | Independiente Medellín | No third-place awarded | Fredy Montero (Deportivo Cali; 16 goals) | |
2009 | Apertura | Once Caldas (3) | Junior | No third-place awarded | Teófilo Gutiérrez (Junior; 16 goals) |
Finalización | Independiente Medellín (5) | Atlético Huila | No third-place awarded | Jackson Martínez (Independiente Medellín; 18 goals) | |
2010 | Apertura | Junior (6) | La Equidad | No third-place awarded | Carlos Bacca (Junior; 12 goals) Carlos Rentería (La Equidad; 12 goals) |
Finalización | Once Caldas (4) | Deportes Tolima | No third-place awarded | Wilder Medina (Deportes Tolima; 17 goals) | |
2011 | Apertura | Atlético Nacional (11) | La Equidad | No third-place awarded | Carlos Rentería (Atlético Nacional; 12 goals) |
Finalización | Junior (7) | Once Caldas | No third-place awarded | Carlos Bacca (Junior; 12 goals) | |
2012 | Apertura | Santa Fe (7) | Deportivo Pasto | No third-place awarded | Robin Ramírez (Deportes Tolima; 13 goals) |
Finalización | Millonarios (14) | Independiente Medellín | No third-place awarded | Henry Hernández (Cúcuta Deportivo; 9 goals) Carmelo Valencia (La Equidad; 9 goals) |
Read more about this topic: Colombian Professional Football
Famous quotes containing the words champions and/or seasons:
“Did all the lets and bars appear
To every just or larger end,
Whence should come the trust and cheer?
Youth must its ignorant impulse lend
Age finds place in the rear.
All wars are boyish, and are fought by boys,
The champions and enthusiasts of the state:”
—Herman Melville (18191891)
“And so the seasons went rolling on into summer, as one rambles into higher and higher grass.”
—Henry David Thoreau (18171862)