1961 Intercontinental Cup vs Peñarol

Lore & Background

The club's origin dates back to 28 September 1891 as the Central Uruguay Railway Cricket Club (CURCC), founded by mostly British railway workers. It was renamed Peñarol on 13 December 1913. The Uruguayan Football Association has recognized Peñarol as the continuity of CURCC since 1914. Peñarol has won the Copa Libertadores five times (1960, 1961, 1966, 1982, and 1987) and the Intercontinental Cup three times (1961, 1966, and 1982).

In Their Own Story

The air in Montevideo hung heavy and still, thick with the humidity of the Riachuelo and the weight of expectation. The players from Turin stood on the sideline, their white kits stark against the green of the Estadio Centenario, but they did not step onto the pitch. A hush fell over the crowd as the referee waited, whistle poised, while the Juventus captain conferred with his manager. The decision had been made before the team even left the hotel; the conditions were deemed unsafe, the turf too treacherous. As the Peñarol players warmed up in a frenzy of noise and color, the Bianconeri turned their backs on history, walking away from the goal that would have crowned them kings of the world.

Reader's Guide

Peñarol currently host their matches at the 40,000-capacity Estadio Campeón del Siglo since 2016, having previously played at Estadio Centenario since 1933. The club has 80,000 associates. Its main focus is men's football, but it also participates in athletics, basketball, cycling, futsal, rugby union, and women's football.

Did You Know?

• Peñarol was recognized as the best South American club of the 20th century by the IFFHS in September 2009.
• The club's name comes from the Peñarol neighborhood, which itself takes its name from Pinerolo, a town in the metropolitan area of Turin, Italy.
• Peñarol has never been relegated.
• The club's colors are yellow and black, inspired by the Stephenson's Rocket and the railway workers' union.