Uruguay: Clubs Ranked - 1961 to 2024

There are two top clubs in Uruguay and a couple more trying to keep them honest. Virtually all the clubs hail from Montevideo as you will see later on. 

The 'Uru' column is for domestic success and 'Tot' includes South American success. The latter has benefitted the top two greatly.

So how do the points work? In the Primera División (Division 1) these are the Clausura, Apertura and briefly the Liga Mayor where the top four are rewarded with 6, 3, 2 and 1. The Copa Uruguay (Cup) 4 and 2 points for the finalists only. In South America, the Copa Libertadores gives 8, 4 and 2 points. 

The Primera División confusingly has two competitions, the one constant I've put under what is now the Clausura. It is the second to be played in the season. 

Peñarol is the most successful. It has recently won the 2017, 2018 and 2021 titles. Liverpool FC won in 2020 and 2023 (current holder) and Nacional 2019 and 2022. 

Then there is the Apertura which is played first and was first held in 1994. There was also the Liga Major which went from 1975 to 1978 which I included here. Nacional last won it in 2020, Plaza Colonia, Liverpool and Peñarol (last two occasions) winning since. 

The Copa Uruguay started in 2022, with one other attempt in 1969. Defensor Sporting has won the two recent ones.

Knock out Cup tournaments aren't historically played in South America and are reluctant new additions. This has meant they have fiddled around with league competitions to fill the season. 

The Copa Libertadores was a happy hunting ground for two Uruguayan clubs. They were the top nation in the 1960's and strong in the 1980's, then it stopped abruptly. A few recent dabbles cannot hide the fact that their glory days on the bigger stage seem to be over. 

All put together, the clubs are below. The grand total is shown for each club, divided into regions with a ranking number (Rk) which gives their place compared to all the other clubs. 

The football scene in Uruguay is a Montevideo comp with a few others added from mainly the shared south coastline. 98% of the points go to the capital city. 

Brazil: Clubs Ranked - 1961 to 2023

I have heard of a few Brazilian clubs but delving into the data confirmed my limited knowledge. One thing that stood out was the lack of a few teams dominating year after year. There are always some that excel and the way I allocate points rewards the most successful. Yet the spread is still broad. 

The 'Bra' column is points gained domestically and 'Tot' includes those accrued from South American competition.

So how do the points work? In the Serie A (Division 1) the top four are rewarded with 6, 3, 2 and 1. The Copa do Brasil (Cup) 4 and 2 points for the finalists only. In South America, the Copa Libertadores gives 8, 4 and 2 points. 

Serie A is quite close, as mentioned. There were also changes to the format and for two years two competitions were played. Early on Santos dominated but things evened out after that.

Flamenco won in 2019 and 2020, Atlético Mineiro in 2021 and Palamerira 2022 and 2023. the 2024 competition hasn't concluded yet.

The Copa do Brasil only started in 1989, which surprised me. Cruziero and Grêmio made the Cup their specialty although not lately. Grêmio last won in 2016 while Cruziero won trophies in 2017 and 2018 but since then nada. For the next five years until 2023, it's been won by a different club. 

The Copa Libertadores is a hotly contested version of Europe's Champions League. Brazil's success has been variable but lately it's been red hot. Reflecting the lack of a few clubs dominating in Brazil, the same is so here with many having success. That's to be expected as they have all had turns representing Brazil.

All put together, the clubs are below. The grand total is shown for each club, divided into regions with a ranking number (Rk) which gives their place compared to all the other clubs. 

São Paulo is the main population centre and takes 40.6% of the points. The South is a strong region along with Rio de Janeiro which both took about 20%. What I decided was Central amounted to 15.3% and the North 2.6%. Are the regions accurate? Let me know if you think otherwise by leaving a comment below. 

AFC Asia Cup Tournament: 1996 - 2023

This is an old tournament going back to 1956 with four participants. However, it really became established in 1996, with all of Asia taking part. That's why I pick up the story from there. The exception is Australia which left the Pacific region to join the 2007 event. 

Japan is the most successful country and has a handy advantage over the others. Korea is always competitive but is yet to win. Suadi Arabia was strong before this period and into it as well but has fallen away in recent tournaments. 

Australia arrived a little late for the party but have done well, including a title in 2015. Qatar may be an unlikely place to be leading the region but it has risen to win the last two tournaments. Jordan surprised many in making the most recent final. China has a large population but is struggling to impress of late. India is another large country but has much work to do. Surely the potential is there.