U-20 Copa Libertadores

CONMEBOL U-20 Libertadores
Organizing bodyCONMEBOL
Founded2011 (2011)
RegionSouth America
Number of teams12
Qualifier forUnder-20 Intercontinental Cup
Related competitionsCopa Libertadores
Current champion(s)Brazil Flamengo
(2nd title)
Most successful club(s)Brazil Flamengo (2 titles)
Websiteconmebol.com/libsub20
2025 U-20 Copa Libertadores

The CONMEBOL Under-20 Libertadores (Portuguese and Spanish: CONMEBOL Libertadores Sub 20) is the international association football club competition for teams that play in CONMEBOL leagues. It was created by Manuel Burga Seoane and the Peruvian Football Federation.[1][2] The competition started in the 2011 season in response to the increased interest in youth football.

History

The tournament had only two editions from 2011 to 2012. The first edition of this U-20 club competition was played in Lima, Peru. Players born on or after 1 January 1990 were eligible to compete in the first tournament, technically making it an under-21 competition. The tournament was originally going to be hosted in November 2010, however, because of the postponement, the player age eligibility was changed.[3][4][5]

The tournament was temporarily discontinued after 2012.[2] CONMEBOL was targeting to restart the competition in 2015.[6] In March 2015, the CONMEBOL Executive Committee approved Paraguay as host of the next U-20 Copa Libertadores in January 2016.[7]

Format

The cup is played by twelve teams, one from each CONMEBOL country, divided in three groups of four clubs each. The group winners and the best second-placed team qualify to play the semifinals and the winners then play the final, while the losers play the third-place game.

Winners

Ed. Year Host Final Third place match Num.
teams
1st place, gold medalist(s) Champions Score 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runners-up 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Third place Score Fourth place
1
2011 Peru Peru Universitario
1–1
(4–2 p)
Argentina Boca Juniors Mexico América
1–0
Peru Alianza Lima 12
2
2012 Peru Argentina River Plate
1–0
Uruguay Defensor Sporting Brazil Corinthians
2–1
Chile Unión Española 16
3
2016 Paraguay Brazil São Paulo
1–0
Uruguay Liverpool Colombia Cortuluá
1–0
Argentina Lanús 12
4
2018 Uruguay Uruguay Nacional
2–1
Ecuador Independiente del Valle Uruguay River Plate
1–1
(5–4 p)
Brazil São Paulo 12
5
2020 Paraguay Ecuador Independiente del Valle
2–1
Argentina River Plate Brazil Flamengo
5–2
Paraguay Libertad 12
6
2022 Ecuador Uruguay Peñarol
1–1
(4–3 p)
Ecuador Independiente del Valle Paraguay Guaraní
3–2
Venezuela Caracas 12
7
2023 Chile Argentina Boca Juniors Ecuador Independiente del Valle Paraguay Cerro Porteño
2–2
(4–2 p)
Uruguay Peñarol 12
8
2024 Uruguay Brazil Flamengo Argentina Boca Juniors Argentina Rosario Central
2–1
Ecuador Aucas 12
9
2025 Paraguay Brazil Flamengo
1–1
(3–2 p)
Brazil Palmeiras Argentina Belgrano
5–1
Uruguay Danubio 12

Performances by club

Performance in the U-20 Copa Libertadores by club
Club Titles Runners-up Seasons won Seasons runner-up
Brazil Flamengo 2 0 2024, 2025 —
Ecuador Independiente del Valle 1 3 2020 2018, 2022, 2023
Argentina Boca Juniors 1 2 2023 2011, 2024
Argentina River Plate 1 1 2012 2020
Peru Universitario 1 0 2011 —
Brazil São Paulo 1 0 2016 —
Uruguay Nacional 1 0 2018 —
Uruguay Peñarol 1 0 2022 —
Uruguay Defensor Sporting 0 1 — 2012
Uruguay Liverpool 0 1 — 2016
Brazil Palmeiras 0 1 — 2025

Performances by nation

Performances in finals by nation
Nation Titles Runners-up Total
 Brazil 3 1 4
 Argentina 2 3 5
 Uruguay 2 2 4
 Ecuador 1 3 4
 Peru 1 0 1

Honors

Year Best Player Award Top Goalscorer Best Goalkeeper Award Fair Play Award
2011 Peru Edison Flores Argentina Sergio Unrein (4)
Peru Cristofer Soto (4)
Argentina Ramiro Martínez Argentina Boca Juniors
2012 Ecuador Juan Cazares Chile Rodrigo Gattas (6) Argentina Gaspar Servio Uruguay Defensor Sporting
Argentina River Plate
(ex aequo)
2016 Not awarded Brazil Luiz Araújo (5) Not awarded Colombia Cortuluá

Performance by club

Legend
  • 1st — Champions
  • 2nd — Runners-up
  • 3rd — Third place
  • 4th — Fourth place
  • QF — Quarterfinals
  • GS — Group stage
  •  •  — Did not qualify
Team 2011
Peru
2012
Peru
2016
Paraguay
2018
Uruguay
2020
Paraguay
2022
Ecuador
2023
Chile
2024
Uruguay
2025
Paraguay
Total
Venezuela Academia Puerto Cabello • • • • GS • • GS • 2
Colombia Águilas Doradas • • • • • • • GS • 1
Peru Alianza Lima 4th QF • • • • GS • • 3
Bolivia Always Ready • • • • • • GS GS • 2
Brazil América (MG) • QF • • • • • • • 1
Mexico América 3rd GS • • • • • • • 2
Spain Atletico Madrid • GS • • • • • • • 1
Venezuela Atlético Venezuela • • • GS • • • • • 1
Ecuador Aucas • • • • • • • 4th • 1
Argentina Belgrano • • • • • • • • 3rd 1
Bolivia Blooming • GS • • • GS • • GS 3
Argentina Boca Juniors 2nd GS • • • • 1st 2nd • 4
Bolivia Bolívar • • GS • • • • • • 1
Venezuela Caracas GS • • • • 4th GS • • 3
Paraguay Cerro Porteño • QF GS • GS • 3rd • GS 5
Brazil Corinthians • 3rd • • • • • • • 1
Chile Colo-Colo • • • GS GS • • GS • 3
Colombia Cortuluá • • 3rd • • • • • • 1
Brazil Cruzeiro • • • GS • • • • • 1
Uruguay Danubio • • • • GS • • • 4th 2
Uruguay Defensor Sporting • 2nd • • • • GS GS • 3
Venezuela Deportivo La Guaira[8] • GS GS • • • • • • 2
Colombia Envigado • • • • • • GS • • 1
Brazil Flamengo QF • • • 3rd • • 1st 1st 4
Colombia Fortaleza • • • • • • • • GS 1
Paraguay Guaraní • • • • • 3rd • • • 1
Chile Huachipato • • GS • • • GS • • 2
Ecuador Independiente del Valle QF GS GS 2nd 1st 2nd 2nd • GS 8
Brazil Internacional • • • • • GS • • • 1
Bolivia Jorge Wilstermann GS • • • GS • • • • 2
Colombia Junior • GS • • • • • • • 1
Argentina Lanús • • 4th • • • • • • 1
Colombia La Equidad • • • GS • • • • • 1
Ecuador LDU Quito • • • • • GS • • • 1
Paraguay Libertad QF • GS GS 4th • • • • 4
Uruguay Liverpool • • 2nd • • • • • • 1
Peru Melgar • • GS • • • • • • 1
Venezuela Metropolitanos • • • • • • • • GS 1
Colombia Millonarios GS • • • GS GS • • • 3
Uruguay Montevideo City Torque • • • • • • • GS • 1
Uruguay Nacional QF • • 1st GS • • • • 3
Argentina Newell's Old Boys • • • • • GS • • • 1
Chile O'Higgins • • • • • • GS • GS 2
Paraguay Olimpia • • • • • • • GS GS 2
Ecuador Orense • • • • • GS • • • 1
Brazil Palmeiras • • • • • • GS • 2nd 2
Uruguay Peñarol • • • • • 1st 4th • • 2
Bolivia Quebracho • • • GS • • • • • 1
Argentina River Plate • 1st GS • 2nd • • • • 3
Uruguay River Plate • • • 3rd • • • • • 1
Argentina Rosario Central • • • • • • • 3rd • 1
Peru Sport Huancayo • • • GS • • • • • 1
Peru Sporting Cristal • GS • • GS GS • GS • 4
Brazil São Paulo • • 1st 4th • • • • • 2
Argentina Talleres • • • GS • • • • • 1
Chile Universidad Católica GS • • • • • • • • 1
Chile Universidad de Concepción • • • • • GS • • • 1
Peru Universitario 1st QF • • • • • • GS 3
Chile Unión Española • 4th • • • • • • • 1

References

  1. ^ "Llegó para quedarse la Libertadores Sub 20". www.futbolecuador.com (in Spanish). 2012-04-27. Archived from the original on April 28, 2012. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  2. ^ a b "No habrá Copa Libertadores Sub-20". todosport.pe. Archived from the original on 2014-01-18.
  3. ^ "Confirman grupos de 'U' y AL en Libertadores Sub 20" [Groups confirmed of U and AL in U-20 Libertadores] (in Spanish). peru.com. 20 May 2011. Retrieved 21 May 2011.
  4. ^ "'U' y Alianza van por la Copa Libertadores sub 20" [U and Alianza target U-20 Copa Libertadores] (in Spanish). depor.pe. 20 May 2011. Retrieved 21 May 2011.
  5. ^ "Se viene la Libertadores Sub-20" [U-20 Libertadores is coming] (in Spanish). Conmebol.com. 23 May 2011. Retrieved 24 May 2011.
  6. ^ "La Copa Libertadores Sub-20 a nivel de clubes es el próximo objetivo de la CONMEBOL". CONMEBOL.com. October 24, 2014.
  7. ^ "En la sede de la CONMEBOL, se reunió el Comité Ejecutivo". CONMEBOL.com. March 3, 2015.
  8. ^ Includes Real Esppor.