Club Atlético Peñarol, who are they?

Uruguayan football has an incredibly rich history, and Club Atlético Peñarol are living proof of that. This club was originally founded by British railway workers on the 28th of September, 1891, under the name of the Central Uruguay Railway Cricket Club. While the club’s main sport was cricket, they also had a football team. This team then became known as Peñarol on the 13th of December, 1913. Their peculiar name comes from the humble Peñarol neighbourhood, located in the outskirts of Montevideo.

From the beginning, Peñarol seemed destined for greatness. There was no competition in which they didn’t stand out, and this remained true from the amateur era to the professional era of Uruguayan football. Today, they have 141 national trophies in their trophy cabinet, including 51 first division titles.

Outside of Uruguay, they are also remarkable. They are the team with the third most Copa Libertadores titles, having won the trophy five times in 1960, 1961, 1966, 1982, and 1987. Additionally, they triumphed three times in the now-defunct Intercontinental Cup, a tournament where the UEFA Champions League winners faced the CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores champions in an exciting annual final.

In 2009, the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS) recognised Peñarol as the best South American club of the 20th century.