Copa Ricardo Aldao

As we have seen , the tradition of trans Platense football dates back to 1889, and Argentine and Uruguayan teams had been playing each other since Albion crossed the river to play Retiro and Belgrano in 1896.

During the first quarter of the 20th century there was something of a mania for copas contested by leading teams from the 2 republics. 
The Copa Ricardo Aldao (also known as the Copa Rio de la Plata and the Campeonato Rioplatense) was established by Dr. Ricardo Camilo Aldao, president of Federación Argentina de Football (1912-1914) and Asociación Argentina de Football  (1918-1919). He was also the president of the Buenos Aires club Gimnasia y Esgrima.
The initial edition of the Cup was due to take place in 1913. Federación Argentina de Football champions Estudiantes took on Liga Uruguaya winners River Plate. Or did they? According to Argentinian historian Miguel Bionda (author of Historia del Fútbol Platense) Estudiantes won 4-1 (in a match played at Montevideo on 17.05.14). Contemporary newspaper reports state that  the game was either abandoned or not played at all due to torrential rainfall. It is speculated that Snr.Bionda has misattributed the result of one of three friendlies played between Estudiantes and River Plate in 1913.

The cup was definitely contested in 1916. On December 3rd at Buenos Aires Nacional defeated Racing Club de Avellaneda 2-1. Both clubs enjoyed a period of considerable dominance in domestic football. Racing won seven consecutive championships from 1913 to 1919.
In 1917 the same two sides drew 2-2 in Montevideo. The trophy was awarded to Racing Club as they were the visitors. 




In 1918 Racing Club defended the trophy successfully on home soil, defeating Peñarol 2-1.
1919 saw a home town victory for Nacional, defeating Boca Juniors 3-0. The same clubs met again on the opposite side of the River Plate in 1920. Nacional again emerged victorious, by 2-1.

The competition then became somewhat sporadic.
San Lorenzo de Almagro travelled to Montevideo and defeated Rampla Jniors (1-0) in 1927.
In 1928 Peñarol won the trophy with a 3-0 win over Huracan at Buenos Aires.

The competition was revivied in the 1930s. Club Athletico River Plate of Buenos Aires enjoying successive wins over Peñarol in 1936 and 1937.

Rampla Juniors Tour of Europe 1929

Traditionally Uruguay's 'third' club, Rampla Juniors intruded into the Nacional/Penarol dominance of the Premier League in 1927, becoming only the 4th team to win the title in its 27 year history.
In 1929 they emulated Nacional in undertaking a tour of Europe.
After stopping off in Brazil  where they defeated Cariocas 4-1 and drew 2-2 with Paulistas, Rampla sailed to Europe where they played 19 matches:

Spain		Selección Militar*	3	0	Rampla
		Atletico Madrid	0	1	Rampla
	19.03.29	Valencia	2	4	Rampla
		Deportivo Español**	1	0	Rampla
Germany		TSV Munich	2	2	Rampla
		Schalke 04	1	5	Rampla
	21.04.29	Borussia Tennis	0	1	Rampla
		SV Hamburg	4	2	Rampla
		Frankfurt SV	1	3	Rampla
France		Red Star Paris	1	3	Rampla
	05.05.29	O. Marseilles	0	3	Rampla
		Le Havre	0	4	Rampla
Netherlands	09.05.29	Ajax	1	2	Rampla
		Worwaarts (Den Haag)	2	4	Rampla
		Wilhelm II	0	1	Rampla
Spain	24.05.29	Real Betis Balompie ***	0	4	Rampla
		Sevilla	2	2	Rampla
		Sevilla	1	0	Rampla
Portugal	01.06.29	Benfica	1	3	Rampla

P	W	D	L	F	A
19	13	2	4	44	22

*Selección Militar featured a number of Spanish internationals.
** 5 minutes from time Español were awarded a controversial penalty. Not one of the outfield players had the nerve to take it, and the goalkeeper scored what proved to be the winner. The Barcelona press credited the victory to the referee.
*** Betis fielded a weakened team due to the fact that they were battling relegation. The Spanish press reacted badly, saying that the defeat  was damaging to the reputation of Spain in the eyes of South Americans.

An aeroplane flies over as Rampla take on Betis

During Uruguay's Golden Decade 2 Rampla Juniors players featured in the national team. Pedro Arispe played in the Gold Medal winning team of 1928 and Enrique Ballestrero was a World Cup winner in 1930.

The Uruguayan Association Football League- Amateur Era

The Uruguay Association Foot-ball League was founded in 1900 at the instigation of Snr.Enrique Cándido Lichtemberger of Albion FC. Note that the name of the organization was in English, and they took the Football Association as their model, going as far as to make English the official language of the League. The banner at the top left of the foundation act above shows the flag of Uruguay, the Union Flag of Great Britain and the flag of C.U.R.C.C.
The first president was Snr P.D. Chater of C.U.R.C.C.
In 1905 the organization's name changed to the Spanish- Liga Uruguaya de Football, and in 1915 to Asociación Uruguaya de Football.

In 1922 a number of teams, most notably Peñarol and Central Español seceded from the league and competed in a breakaway league (Federación Uruguaya de Foot-ball). This led to the situation whereby in 1923 both Wanderers and Nacional could claim to be national champions and in 1924 both Nacional and Penarol.

The Government intervened to resolve the schism, neither league was completed in 1925 and a reunification tournament was held in 1926.

Uruguay Association Foot-ball League
1900	C.U.R.C.C.*
1901	C.U.R.C.C.
1902	Nacional
1903	Nacional
1904	No tournament due to Civil War
1905	C.U.R.C.C.
1906	Montevideo Wanderers
1907	C.U.R.C.C.
Liga Uruguaya
1908	River Plate FC
1909	Montevideo Wanderers
1910	River Plate FC
1911	C.U.R.C.C.
1912	Nacional
1913	River Plate FC
1914	River Plate FC
Asociación Uruguaya de Foot-ball
1915	Nacional
1916	Nacional
1917	Nacional
1918	Peñarol **
1919	Nacional
1920	Nacional
1921	Peñarol
1922	Nacional	Federación Uruguaya de Foot-ball***
1923	Nacional	(Athletic) Montevideo Wanderers ****
1924	Nacional	Peñarol
1925	Neither League completed
1926	Consejo Provisorio***	Peñarol
Asociación Uruguaya de Foot-ball
1927	Rampla Juniors
1928	Peñarol
1929	Peñarol
1930	No tournament due to World Cup
1931	Montevideo Wanderers

* For more on the first season, see here.

** C.U.R.C.C.became Peñarol in 1914.

***These three titles are not recognized officially.

****  Montevideo Wanderers competed in both leagues.

Nacional 1902

Montevideo Wanderers 1906

River Plate 1914

Peñarol 1918

Rampla Juniors 1927