Alianza Lima is a football club based
in La Victoria
District
of Lima
, Peru
. The
team plays in the
Primera División Peruana
and are one of the most successful and popular clubs in
Peruvian football, having won twenty two
first division titles and generally topping the popularity charts
of national statistical surveys. The club was founded on 15
February 1901. The team currently plays in the top tier of Peruvian
football known as the Torneo Descentralizado. The club has won 22
official
first
division titles, two less than rivals
Universitario's record and seven
more than
Sporting Cristal.
They play
their home games at the Estadio Alejandro Villanueva
which has a capacity for 35,000
people.
History
Beginnings
The club was founded on February 15, 1901 as Sport Alianza by a
group of young workers of a horse stud called "Alianza", property
of former
President of Peru,
Augusto B. Leguía.
The stud was located
in downtown Lima at the
time.
Its first uniform consisted of vertical green and white stripes,
similar to the uniforms worn by the stud's jockeys. It later
changed to the current uniform, dark blue and white vertical
stripes. The closeness between players earned them the nickname
Los íntimos ("The intimates").
Alianza participated in the amateur era of the
Peruvian football league since the
inaugural season 1912, winning its first title in 1918.
During its
first years, it played irregularly against other teams from Lima
and the port of Callao
. Its
matches against
Atlético
Chalaco from Callao stirred interest as a clash between
limeños and
chalacos. Sport Alianza had started
to become a popular team drawing large support.
Three-peat and relegation
While the
Alianza stud changed owners and locations continuously, the team
was forced to constantly relocate in turn, until 1928, when under
the new name Alianza Lima, the club settled in the third block of
the Manco Capac avenue in the La Victoria District, where it would stay and become emotionally
attached.
That same year they played against the
Federación
Universitaria (University Federation) for the first time,
which would be later renamed
Universitario de Deportes and
become their greatest rivals in what is today the
most important Peruvian derby.
The 1930s brought great joy and frustration to the team. In 1931,
1932 and 1933, Alianza Lima won three championships in a row for
the first time in Peruvian football. But the memory of this
achievement should be tainted by the relegation in 1938. After a
year in the Second Division the team returned to the first level
and has stayed there ever since.
Titles and Cup Performances
During the 1940s, and start of the professional era in the 1950s,
1960s and 1970s, Alianza would win 10 championships; playing and
failing to get to the final in the
Copa Libertadores in 1976; with two in a
row in 1977 and 1978, when its players formed a majority of the
Peru national football
team, enabling them to play first the 1978
Copa Libertadores in which they failed to
get to the finals after losing to
Deportivo Cali 1-4; and the 1979
Copa Libertadores where they did not get a
single point.
By this time, the club already played at the
Estadio
Alejandro Villanueva in La Victoria, located in the neighborhood of
Matute where there is vast identification with the
team.
1980s decade
The 1980s were probably the most bitter years in the club's
history. During the first years of the decade, despite having very
good players, Alianza could not obtain titles, some which were
snatched by
Sporting Cristal, which
was establishing itself as one of the three big clubs.
1987 air tragedy
In 1987, Alianza Lima was first in the standings with a few matches
left, and it looked like a new title would be obtained, but tragedy
got in the way.
On 7 December of that year, Alianza made a
trip to Pucallpa
to play
against Deportivo Pucallpa for the league. The match was won
1-0, with Carlos Bustamante scoring. The team took a charter flight
for the round trip.
The return flight departed on 8 December in a
Peruvian Navy Fokker F27 airplane, which crashed into the sea
when it was a few kilometers away from the Lima-Callao
Airport
, close to the Ventanilla
district in Callao. The only survivor was the pilot, all the
players and the coaching staff died.
Alianza
finished the championship playing with youngsters and a few players
on loan from Chilean
club
Colo-Colo, which had suffered a similar
tragedy and offered to help. Friendship between both teams
has been strong since then. Alianza could not keep the first place
and its greatest rival,
Universitario de Deportes,
obtained the title.
The team had to restart from scratch and even former players who
had already retired, like
Teófilo
Cubillas, or others who were about to, like
Cesar Cueto, returned to play to help the club
get out of these bitter times.
Alianza Lima was close to relegation in 1988, but it managed to
hold on in the last matches. In the next few years, despite being
competitive, it failed to obtain a title. This drought extended
until 1997, which closed 18 sad seasons without winning a single
championship and having lost a very promising team.
The titles and the centenary
In 1997, Alianza Lima obtained its first title after 18 years,
under Colombian manager Jorge Luis Pinto. In 1999 it came in second
place, after losing to
Universitario
in the finals. In the early hours 2000, tragedy struck again, when
the young captain, Sandro Baylón died in a car accident while
driving under the influence after crashing with a post.
In 2001
the club celebrated its centenary and obtained the national title
after beating Cienciano in
Cusco
, after penalty kicks. Later on, Alianza Lima
would win the
2003 and
2004 championships, after
defeating Sporting Cristal in both finals, this time under
Argentinian manager Gustavo Costas. In 2006 Alianza Lima won again
the championship beating Cienciano del Cusco in the play-off,
enabling them to play the
Copa
Libertadores in 2007, in which they did not achieve a single
point.
Colours
Alianza Lima's traditional
uniform.
The number of stripes the jersey carries has changed over the
years.
The team's home colours consists of a shirt with navy blue and
white vertical stripes, navy blue shorts and navy blue socks. Its
away colours are not commonly used nor well established, playing
sometimes in blue or in white.
During the month of October, as a tribute to the "Señor de los
Milagros", patron saint of the team, the regular colours are
switched for an alternative purple one. The color purple is often
associated with the religious image and its procession.
Stadium
The Club's headquarters are located at the district of la Victoria,
city of Lima.
The infrastructure includes the Stadium Alejandro Villanueva with a
capacity for approximately 35,000 spectators, training facilities
and administrative offices.
Supporters
In years
2001,
2002 and
2003 was a comparative research of Apoyo
Opinión y Mercado. 76% of the respondents was a fan of some
football team and 24% reported that it had no preference. According
to the survey, Alianza Lima in 2001 had a 42% versus 35% of
Universitario and further
Sporting Cristal. In
2002, the numbers varied but preferably not. Alianza
Lima was a 43%
Universitario 37% and
Sporting Cristal with 13%. Alianza for
2003 reached nearly 50% of preferences compared
with 31% of
Universitario
and 17% of
Sporting Cristal. For
socio-economic levels, Alianza won in A, C, D and E class, while
the
Universitario was
leader in B class. The research found that Alianza’s supporters
grow when the respondents where of down living standards (in the E
class have the 63%).
In a
study of the Compañía Peruana de Estudios de Mercado y Opinión
Pública called "Profile of children and adolescents" between men
and women from 11 to 17 years in Lima, Alianza
wins with the 50% of preferences, followed by Universitario with 37%.
Sporting Cristal won the 8% and
other teams joined a 5%.
In
2004, a study of the Compañía Peruana de
Investigación de Mercados (CPI) gives them the first place in terms
of preferences at the population of Lima.
29.7% of the respondents revealed that they’re fans of Alianza. The
same study indicates that 27.8% is a fan of
Universitario de Deportes.
Meanwhile, a 9.2% indicated to be a fan of
Sporting Cristal, 3.0% of Cienciano del
Cusco, 2.7% of the Sport Boys Callao, 1.1% of the Municipal Sports
and a 24.4% did not sympathize with any team.
Despite
the continuing controversy over which team is the most swollen
(between Alianza and Universitario) a survey of Apoyo Opinión y
Mercado in 2006 revealed that 54% of Peruvians where soccer fans, and
ensures that Alianza Lima owns 35% of the preferences, followed by
Universitario, with 32%,
and bit further away, Sporting
Cristal with 17%, while the remaining teams have a combined
11%.
Also in
2006, in
Trujillo, another survey revealed that Alianza Lima
where 26% owned, 25%
Universitario, 13%
Sporting Cristal, Cienciano 7%, César
Vallejo 4% Other 2% None 20% No 4% accurate.
In
2007, a survey conducted by the Grupo de
Opinión Pública de la Universidad de Lima, allowed to ratify the
results of previous years. Alianza Lima leads the polls with 31%
followed by 22.6% of
Universitario,
Sporting Cristal 9.3%, 5.5% Cienciano,
Sport Boys Deportivo Municipal and 2.1% 1.1%. In the same survey by
socioeconomic level, Alianza won B, C, D and E classes.
Universitario, marked differences
in class A.
In
2007 too, a study conducted by Arellano
Márketing Investigación y Consultoría in 5300 Peruvians of various
ages and socioeconomic backgrounds from 16 cities, gives the first
place to Alianza with the 38.3% of preferences, followed by
Universitario (34.3%)
above appears
Sporting Cristal with
15.4% of preferences, and other teams have a combined 13.3%.
In
february 2008, the
University of Lima gives them
like previous years the first place in popularity, although this
time by very narrow margin. Alianza won with the 29.6% against
29.5% of
Universitario.
It must
be said that the survey was conducted at the Metropolitan Lima and
Callao. In 2008 also, according to a nationwide survey
conducted by ICC
Universitario won with the 38.3%
of preferences, Alianza 33.5%, and
Sporting Cristal 14.5%.
In
October of that year,
Alianza is leading again with 40% preference in Lima and Callao,
according to a study of the Grupo de Opinión Pública de la
Universidad de Lima. The survey also revealed that 4 of 10
peruvians sympathizes with Alianza. The escort teams
where
Universitario de
Deportes and
Sporting Cristal
with the 35.5% and 13.5%. The list is completed with Cienciano del
Cusco with 3.3% to 2.1% Coronel Bolognesi, Sport Boys Callao with
1.7% and 1.1% with Deportivo Municipal. The remaining teams occupy
0.5%.
A survey
of the Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru between November and December of
2008 confirmed that Alianza is the most popular
team with the 27% preference in Lima and
Callao. Universitario
de Deportes was 21%, and
Sporting
Cristal 8%. The remaining teams joined by 3%. The survey
conducted by the home study was conducted in 15 major urban
provinces of Peru. In this regard, Alianza led again with a total
24%, followed by
Universitario
de Deportes (20%),
Sporting
Cristal (9%) Cienciano (3%), FBC Melgar (2%) and Sport Boys
(1%) . 35% of those questioned claimed to have no sympathy
whatsoever. A survey conducted by Ipsos support between 17 and
December 19, 2008,
Universitario de Deportes ranked
first in popularity with 34%, one percentage point below Alianza
Lima with 33%. The survey was conducted of 515 people older than 18
years and residents of the 16 main cities.
A survey conducted by
Grupo de Opinión Pública de la
Universidad de Lima in February, 2009, said that Alianza Lima
ranked first in popularity with 27,2% below Universitario with
26,6%. The list continue with Sporting Cristal (10,3%), Sport Boys
(3,4%), Cienciano (2,4%), Deportivo Municipal (0,4%), Universidad
San Martín (0,4%).
Presidents
Managers
Managers champions of First Division
Sponsors
Uniform
| Period |
Supplier |
| 1986-1991 |
Puma |
| 1992-1994 |
Calvo Sportwear |
| 1995 |
Polmer |
| 1996 |
Adidas |
| 1997 |
Kappa |
| 1998 |
Penalty |
| 1999-2003 |
Walon Sport |
| 2004 |
Fila |
| 2005-2009 |
Marathon |
|
|
Top scorers
| Championship |
Player |
Goals |
| Campeonato Amateur 1928 |
Alejandro Villanueva |
3 |
| Campeonato Amateur 1931 |
Alejandro Villanueva |
16 |
| Campeonato Amateur 1949 |
Juan Emilio Salinas |
18 |
| Campeonato Profesional 1952 |
Juan Emilio Salinas |
22 |
| Campeonato Profesional 1955 |
Máximo Mosquera |
11 |
| Campeonato Profesional 1958 |
Juan Joya |
17 |
| Campeonato Profesional 1963 |
Pedro Pablo León |
13 |
| Campeonato Descentralizado 1966 |
Teófilo Cubillas |
19 |
| Campeonato Descentralizado 1967 |
Pedro Pablo León |
14 |
| Campeonato Descentralizado 1970 |
Teófilo Cubillas |
22 |
| Campeonato Descentralizado 1977 |
Freddy Ravello |
21 |
| Campeonato Descentralizado 1981 |
José Carranza |
15 |
| Campeonato Descentralizado 1993 |
Waldir Sáenz |
31 |
| Campeonato Descentralizado 1996 |
Waldir Sáenz |
19 |
Current Squad
As of
November 24,
2009
Out on loan
Noted players
Achievements
National Tournaments
- Peruvian First
Division
- Winner (22) : 1918, 1919, 1927, 1928, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1948, 1952, 1954, 1955, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1997, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2006.
- Runner-up (17): 1930, 1934, 1935, 1937, 1943,
1953, 1956, 1961, 1964, 1971, 1982, 1986, 1987, 1993, 1995, 1996,
1999.
- Apertura:
- Winner (4): 1997, 2001, 2004, 2006
- Runner-up (3): 1999, 2002, 2003
- Clausura:
- Winner (3): 1997, 1999, 2003
- Runner-up (2): 1998, 2002
- Torneo Descentralizado «B»:
- Peruvian
Second Division
Official Local Tournaments
- Campeonato Regional:
- Runner-up (2): 1986, 1990-II.
- Campeonato Regional - Zona Metropolitana:
- Winner (3): 1985, 1989-I, 1990-II.
- Campeonato Interregional:
- Campeonato Plácido Galindo - Zona
Metropolitana:
Friendly International Tournaments
Performance in CONMEBOL competitions
- Copa
Libertadores: 21 appearances (1963, 1964, 1966, 1972,
1976, 1978, 1979, 1983, 1987, 1988, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2000,
2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009).
- Copa
Sudamericana: 2 appearances
- :2002: Quarter-Final
- :2003: Preliminary Round
- :1996: First Round
- :1998: Group Stage
- :1999: Semi-Final
- :2000: Group Stage
- :2001: Group Stage
See also
References
External links
Notes
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