InterLiga
Encyclopedia
The InterLiga was a football
competition from 2004 to 2010 between Mexican
clubs to determine qualifying spots for that country in South America's
premier club competition, the Copa Libertadores
.
Prior to the 2004 Copa Libertadores, Mexican clubs competed in two levels of competition—first against one another, and then against clubs from Venezuela
—for spots in the main competition. In 2004, Mexico and Venezuela were granted automatic entries to the Copa Libertadores for the first time. The Mexican Football Federation
decided to create a qualifying league for its two automatic spots, and the first InterLiga was held that January, during the off-season of the Primera División de México
.
The eight qualifying teams were selected based on their combined results in the Apertura and Clausura phases of the Primera División, and divided into two groups of four, with even-numbered seeds in one group and odd-numbered seeds in the other. Each group was conducted as a single round-robin league. In order to assure a more neutral environment, and to take advantage of a large and relatively well-off pool of Mexican football fans, all matches were held in the United States
in California
and Texas
, two states
with large Mexican populations. The winners of each group then played in a final for one of the two Libertadores berths. The loser of the final had a second chance to earn the other berth, as it would compete in a play-in game against the winner of a match against the two second-place finishers from each group.
The actual league champions are currently excluded from the InterLiga as they qualify for the CONCACAF Champions League
, which is contested during the same time period as the Libertadores, and whose prize is a spot in the FIFA Club World Cup
. Mexican teams would not be eligible for the latter competition if they won the Libertadores because Mexico belongs to CONCACAF.
Note: After both finals have been played, both winners qualify to Copa Libertadores, but the winner with the best performance in the group stage becomes champion. Since 2005, when Mexico gained a third spot (dubbed "Mexico 3") to play in the pre-group stage of the Copa Libertadores, the runner-up has been "Mexico 3". "Mexico 1", who qualifies directly to the group stage of the Copa Libertadores, has been chosen in a match between the two champions of the year preceding the previous, independent from the Interliga. "Mexico 2" is the Interliga champion and also qualifies directly to the group stage.
As January 19, 2008
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
competition from 2004 to 2010 between Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
clubs to determine qualifying spots for that country in South America's
CONMEBOL
The South American Football Confederation , commonly known as CONMEBOL , is the continental governing body of association football in South America and it is one of FIFA's six continental confederations...
premier club competition, the Copa Libertadores
Copa Libertadores de América
The Copa Santander Libertadores de América , known simply as the Copa Libertadores and originally known as the Copa Campeones de América , is an annual international club football competition organized by CONMEBOL since 1960...
.
Prior to the 2004 Copa Libertadores, Mexican clubs competed in two levels of competition—first against one another, and then against clubs from Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
—for spots in the main competition. In 2004, Mexico and Venezuela were granted automatic entries to the Copa Libertadores for the first time. The Mexican Football Federation
Federación Mexicana de Fútbol Asociación
The Mexican Federation of Football is the governing body of association football in Mexico. It administers the Mexican national team, the Mexican league and all affiliated amateur sectors, and is in charge of promoting, organizing, directing, spreading, and supervising competitive football in Mexico...
decided to create a qualifying league for its two automatic spots, and the first InterLiga was held that January, during the off-season of the Primera División de México
Primera División de México
The Primera División Profesional , known simply as the Primera División, is the top level of the Mexican football league system and is administered by the Mexican Football Federation. It was established in 1943 and as of 2011 has 18 clubs. Up to June 2011, it was divided into three groups competing...
.
The eight qualifying teams were selected based on their combined results in the Apertura and Clausura phases of the Primera División, and divided into two groups of four, with even-numbered seeds in one group and odd-numbered seeds in the other. Each group was conducted as a single round-robin league. In order to assure a more neutral environment, and to take advantage of a large and relatively well-off pool of Mexican football fans, all matches were held in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, two states
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
with large Mexican populations. The winners of each group then played in a final for one of the two Libertadores berths. The loser of the final had a second chance to earn the other berth, as it would compete in a play-in game against the winner of a match against the two second-place finishers from each group.
The actual league champions are currently excluded from the InterLiga as they qualify for the CONCACAF Champions League
CONCACAF Champions League
The CONCACAF Champions League is the annual international club football championship for teams from the CONCACAF region ....
, which is contested during the same time period as the Libertadores, and whose prize is a spot in the FIFA Club World Cup
FIFA Club World Cup
The FIFA Club World Cup is a football competition between the champion clubs from all six continental confederations.The first FIFA Club World Championship took place in Brazil in January 2000...
. Mexican teams would not be eligible for the latter competition if they won the Libertadores because Mexico belongs to CONCACAF.
Tournaments
| Year | Final Venue | Champion | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 InterLiga 2004 InterLiga 2004 was the 1st edition of the tournament in which two Mexican clubs got the opportunity to represent the FMF and Mexico in 2004 Copa Libertadores.-Venues:-Qualification:Blanco |stadium=Estadio Jalisco, Guadalajara, Jalisco|attendance=... |
 CarsonCarson, California Carson is a city in Los Angeles County, California. As of the 2010 census, Carson had a total population of 91,714. Located south of downtown Los Angeles and approximately 14 miles away from the Los Angeles International Airport, it is known as a suburb of the city.... |
||
| 2005 Interliga 2005 For 2005, Mexico was granted a third berth in the Libertadores. The Mexican federation decided to grant one of its Libertadores berths based strictly on play during the league season, but retained InterLiga for the other two spots . The group phase of InterLiga remained the same as in 2004, but... |
 Houston |
||
| 2006 Interliga 2006 America was originally set to participate in the 2006 InterLiga tournament, but their 2005 clausura championship qualified the team for the 2006 CONCACAF Champions' Cup. Therefore, the club was replaced by Cruz Azul. The teams Tigres and Chivas de Guadalajara qualified to Copa Libertadores... |
Carson Carson, California Carson is a city in Los Angeles County, California. As of the 2010 census, Carson had a total population of 91,714. Located south of downtown Los Angeles and approximately 14 miles away from the Los Angeles International Airport, it is known as a suburb of the city.... |
||
| 2007 Interliga 2007 The tournament has begun the January 3rd and will give two places in the Copa Libertadores 2007. Eight teams participate in this tournament-Group A:-Group B:-Match Schedule:Matches at Robertson Stadium ... |
Carson Carson, California Carson is a city in Los Angeles County, California. As of the 2010 census, Carson had a total population of 91,714. Located south of downtown Los Angeles and approximately 14 miles away from the Los Angeles International Airport, it is known as a suburb of the city.... |
||
| 2008 InterLiga 2008 The tournament was held between January 2 and January 12, 2008. Eight teams competed for two Copa Libertadores 2008 spots in this tournament.- Venues :- Qualification :... |
Carson Carson, California Carson is a city in Los Angeles County, California. As of the 2010 census, Carson had a total population of 91,714. Located south of downtown Los Angeles and approximately 14 miles away from the Los Angeles International Airport, it is known as a suburb of the city.... |
||
| 2009 InterLiga 2009 The 2009 InterLiga is the 6th edition of the tournament that will determine the last two Mexican spots in the 2009 Copa Libertadores.- Venues :-Qualification:... |
Carson Carson, California Carson is a city in Los Angeles County, California. As of the 2010 census, Carson had a total population of 91,714. Located south of downtown Los Angeles and approximately 14 miles away from the Los Angeles International Airport, it is known as a suburb of the city.... |
||
| 2010 | Carson Carson, California Carson is a city in Los Angeles County, California. As of the 2010 census, Carson had a total population of 91,714. Located south of downtown Los Angeles and approximately 14 miles away from the Los Angeles International Airport, it is known as a suburb of the city.... |
Note: After both finals have been played, both winners qualify to Copa Libertadores, but the winner with the best performance in the group stage becomes champion. Since 2005, when Mexico gained a third spot (dubbed "Mexico 3") to play in the pre-group stage of the Copa Libertadores, the runner-up has been "Mexico 3". "Mexico 1", who qualifies directly to the group stage of the Copa Libertadores, has been chosen in a match between the two champions of the year preceding the previous, independent from the Interliga. "Mexico 2" is the Interliga champion and also qualifies directly to the group stage.
Participations
: 6(2004,2005,2006,2007,2009,2010): 6 (2004,2005,2007,2008,2009,2010): 5 (2004,2006,2007,2008,2009): 4 (2004,2005,2006,2009): 3 (2006,2007,2008):3 (2005,2006,2007): 4 (2006,2007,2008,2010): 3 (2004,2005,2009): 3 (2004,2008,2009): 3 (2004,2005,2010): 3 (2004,2005,2010): 3 (2005,2007,2010): 3 (2007,2009,2010): 2 (2006, 2009): 1 (2006): 1 (2007): 1 (2010)History Topscorers
| Pos | Player | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Reinaldo NaviaReinaldo Navia Reinaldo Marcelino Navia Amador is a Chilean footballer, who currently plays for the Chilean Primera División side Ñublense as Striker.... |
9 |
| 1 |  Salvador CabañasSalvador Cabañas Salvador Cabañas Ortega is a Paraguayan football striker who plays for the Paraguayan national team. A prolific and natural goalscorer, he is known for his array of skills on the field such as excellent heading, accurate shooting with either foot, receptions in tight spaces, and a combination of... |
9 |
| 2 |  Bruno MarioniBruno Marioni Bruno Marioni is a retired Argentine striker.- Career :Marioni made his debut under the last name Giménez for Newell's Old Boys in 1995 before moving to Estudiantes in 1997. After 2 seasons in Argentina, Marioni went to Portugal joining Sporting in 1998... |
7 |
| 3 |  Cuauhtemoc BlancoCuauhtémoc Blanco Cuauhtémoc Blanco Bravo is a Mexican professional footballer currently signed for Irapuato in the Mexican Liga de Ascenso.Known for his aggressive yet charismatic personality on the field, playing most of his career as a deep-lying forward and his last years as an attacking midfielder... |
6 |
| 3 | Aldo de Nigris Aldo de Nigris Jesús Aldo de Nigris Guajardo is a Mexican footballer of Italian descent who currently plays for Monterrey in the Primera Division and the Mexico national football team.-Early career:... |
6 |
| 4 | Omar Bravo Omar Bravo Omar Bravo Tordecillas is a Mexican footballer who currently plays for Sporting Kansas City in Major League Soccer.-Club Deportivo Guadalajara:... |
5 |
| 4 | Walter Gaitán Walter Gaitán Walter Nicolás Gaitán Sayavedra is an Argentine footballer who currently plays for Atlético de Rafaela.-Argentina and Spain:... |
5 |
| 4 |  Kléber BoasKléber Boas Kléber João Boas Pereira is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Moto Club de São Luís... |
5 |
| 4 | Alfredo Moreno Alfredo Moreno Alfredo David Moreno is an Argentine-born Mexican football forward, who currently plays for San Luis Potosí of the Primera División de México.... |
5 |
| 5 | Manuel Perez |
4 |
| 5 | Jared Borgetti Jared Borgetti Jared Francisco Borgetti Echavarría is a retired Mexican footballer. Borgetti is the all-time leading goal scorer for the Mexican national team, with 46 goals. A prolific goal scorer at both club and national level, Borgetti was renowned for his heading ability... |
4 |
| 5 | Sebastian Gonzalez Sebastián González Sebastián Ignacio González Valdés , is a Chilean football striker who currently plays for The Strongest. His nickname is "Chamagol".- Career :... |
4 |
| 5 | Carlos Ochoa Carlos Ochoa Carlos Augusto Ochoa Mendoza is a Mexican footballer striker who currently plays for Santos Laguna.-Career:... |
4 |
| 5 | Ramon Morales Ramón Morales Ramón Morales Higuera is a retired Mexican international footballer who last played for Estudiantes Tecos as a midfielder.Biography=... |
4 |
| 5 | Edgar Benitez Edgar Benítez Édgar Milciades Benítez Santander , nicknamed Pájaro is a Paraguayan football forward. He currently plays for Cerro Porteño in the Paraguayan Primera División.-Club:... |
4 |
| 5 | Adolfo Bautista Adolfo Bautista Adolfo "El Bofo" Bautista Herrera is an Attacking Midfielder/Forward who currently plays for Querétaro F.C. of Mexico.-Beginnings:... |
4 |
| 5 | Jorge Achucarro Jorge Achucarro Jorge Daniel Achucarro is a Paraguayan footballer. He has played for the Paraguay national football team and currently plays at the club level for Banfield.... |
4 |
As January 19, 2008
External links
- Official site (in SpanishSpanish languageSpanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
and EnglishEnglish languageEnglish is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
)