Friday, September 2, 2011

Nation in highlight: Uruguay.

Uruguay's national league is known as the Primera Division and takes place between August and May. 16 teams take part in the league with the current Champions being Nacional. Having won 43 titles (32 since the league became professional), Nacional (or Club Nacional de Football) is based in Montevideo. Of the clubs taking part in this year's competition, all but 1 are from Montevideo! Cerro Largo are the "outsiders" from Melo. When football in Uruguay was still at an amateur level, Nacional were the most successful club amassing 11 titles. CURCC/Penarol were the 2nd most successful with 9 titles. River Plate FC collected 4 while Montevideo collected 3. Rampla Juniors won 1. In the "Professional Era" of Uruguayan football, Penarol have actually been  the most successful collecting 37 titles since 1932 (46 in total). It was 54 seasons before a team  besides Penarol or Nacional won the title. Defensor were the ones to break this trend in 1976. The longest period of time since either Peñarol or Nacional won a title was between 1987 and 1991. In this time Defensor, Danubio, Progreso, Bella Vista, and Defensor Sporting together won five titles. Penarol also hail from Montevideo while Defensor (now Defensor Sporting after merging with Sporting Club Uruguay in 1989) also come from a portion of Montevideo. Danubio are also from Montevideo despite being founded by Bulgarian-born brothers in 1932. Progresso are (as far as I am aware) also a township of the Montevideo Metropolitan Area. Club Atletico Bella Vista are also based in Montevideo where they play at the Estadio Jose Nasazzi. Of the past 5 seasons, Danubio won in 2006-07, Defensor Sporting took the title in the 2007-08 season, Nacional won in 2008-09 while the 2009-10 season was claimed by Penarol. Nacional are the defending champions after winning the 2010-11 season. Defensor Sporting have taken 4 while Danubio have 3 trophies in their cabinet. Bella Vista, Central Espanol, and Progreso have each won 1 title apiece.

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