The BetPlay League It has already closed its first semester, with a new champion in Colombia. Atlético Nacional was crowned in Ibagué, reaching its 17th star in the country. The championship formats have been criticized, where the best player is not always rewarded, but rather the one with the best rhythm in the final instances.
Short tournaments began to be implemented in 2002, leaving two champions per year. With the contest that culminated in the Manuel Murillo Toro, a total of 40 tournaments were completed.
These are the 40 data, from the already 20 years in Colombian professional football, disputing under this format.
1. Atlético Nacional completed its tenth title under the format of short tournaments, the first being in 2005-I
2. Since 2019-II, no team that finished the key at home, kept the title.
3. Of the 40 tournaments played, 18 teams have been crowned champions defining the decisive away game.
4. Junior is the team that has lost the most finals in short tournaments: 6 (2003-I, 2009-I, 2014-I, 2015-II, 2016-I and 2019-II).
5. 10 League finals have been decided from the penalty spot. (2003-I, 2004-II, 2008-I, 2011-I, 2011-II, 2012-II, 2014-I, 2015-II, 2018-I and 2019-I).
6. Deportivo Cali holds the record for the most goals scored in the all-against-all phase, with 44 goals in 2002-I, finishing with 55 goals in the final phases.
7. Deportivo Pasto holds the record for the most goals conceded in a round robin phase. There were 44 goals in his goal, in 2015-I.
8. Atlético Nacional holds the record for the most points achieved in short tournaments. In 2017-I he had 49 units, with 15 wins, four draws and one loss.
9. Four teams have qualified for the finals with just 25 units: Junior (2003-II), Quindío (2008-I), América (2011-II) and Pasto (2012-II).
10. Boyacá Chicó defeated Tolima 7-2, in April 2008. This was the match with the most goals in the short tournaments.
11. 19 goals have been scored in the last 10 minutes of the second leg finals.
12. Once Caldas vs. Junior and Nacional vs. Junior have been the most repeated finals in short tournaments, each one with three definitions.
13. Nacional vs Junior in 2004-II, they starred in the final with the most goals scored in both games, for a total of 10 (3-0 in the first leg and 5-2 in the second leg).
14. Only seven teams have managed to match the final series and/or come back to win the crown (Junior 2010-I, Once Caldas 2010-II, Nacional 2011-I, 2014-I, 2015-II, 2017- I and Tolima in 2018-I)
15. Of the 40 finals played, none ended tied at zero, at the end of the 180 regulation minutes.
16. In the 40 short tournaments, a total of 7912 commitments have been played.
17. A total of 18,715 goals have been scored.
18. The team that finished first only reached the final 13 times.
19. Atlético Nacional is the team with the most home run/playoff rankings, with a total of 32 appearances.
20. Santa Fe and Millonarios broke a streak of 37 years and 24 years without being champions in 2012.
21. Atlético Nacional is the only team that has managed to play three consecutive finals, being crowned three-time champion.
22. Germán Ezequiel Cano holds the record for most goals scored in a short tournament, with 21 goals in 2019-I.
23. Dayro Moreno has been crowned the golden boot seven times.
24. The 2020 championship was the tournament with the most goals, scoring a total of 563 goals.
25. The 2021-I League was the competition with the fewest goals scored, with 405 goals.
26. Juan Carlos Osorio is the most successful coach in short tournaments. Four leagues conquered. One with Once Caldas (2020-II) and three with Nacional (2013-I, 2013-II and 2014-I).
27. Nacional, Junior and América have won the two-time championship in short tournaments.
28. Atlético Nacional holds the record for the most points achieved in home runs (16 pts).
29. Junior, in 2009-I, qualified with nine units for the home run, being the lowest score to reach this phase.
30. Of the 40 tournaments, 26 championships were played under the home run format.
31. Of the 40 tournaments, 14 were played in the playoffs/round-robin bracket format.
32. Medellín is the city that has witnessed the most Olympic laps, with a total of 16.
33. Seven foreign coaches have been crowned league champions.
34. 9 coaches were crowned champions, after taking the team in the middle of the tournament (Víctor Luna 2002-II, Pedro Sarmiento 2004-I and 2005-II, José Eugenio Hernández 2011-II, Julio Comesaña 2019-I, Alexandre Guimaraes 2019 -II, Juan Cruz Real 2020, Rafael Dudamel 2021-II and Hernán Darío Herrera 2022-I.
35. Alianza Petrolera is the team that has achieved the fewest points in the all-against-all phase. Just six units in 2021-I.
36. Deportivo Cali had the worst campaign of a defending champion. In 2022-I he finished in 19th place with just 18 units.
37. Atlético Nacional has played a total of 14 finals in short tournaments.
38. Six teams have added just one point in their home run participations.
39. Nacional, Junior and Medellín have lost two consecutive finals in short tournaments.
40. Equidad, Cúcuta and Pasto are the teams that were promoted and that same year played in a League final.
Sergio Cortes
FUTBOLRED Editorial Office
@seracoca_95
