Nacional

Nacional is a result of the fusion between Montevideo Football Club and Uruguay Athletic Club, which was done on May 14, 1899. It was decided there that the club's flag should include the three colours (red, white and blue), historically connected to José Gervasio Artigas, Uruguay's national hero. In 1900, Nacional started playing at the Estadio Gran Parque Central. That same year, four clubs governed by foreigners (Albion F.C., CURCC, Uruguay Athletic Club and Deutscher F.K.) founded the Uruguayan Primera Division. Nacional's petition to be included was dismissed on the thought that criollo clubs and their players lacked category. However, the League's clubs had to admit Nacional in 1901, after the club was invited to join the Argentinean League, due to their impressive performances in a number of friendly matches. In 1902, Nacional won their first Uruguayan league title.

In September of 1903, Nacional fully represented the Uruguay national football team and beat Argentina 3-2, winning the first international match ever. In 1905, Nacional won its first official international title, the Copa de Honor Rioplatense, organized by the AFA and AUF, by defeating the Argentine club Alumni Athletic Club 3–2 in Montevideo.

After winning the 1912 championship, they won the 1915 Triple Crown, which included the three major domestic and international tournaments of that time: Primera División, Tie Cup, and Copa de Honor Cousenier. Nacional would go on to win the first Copa Uruguaya en propiedad (the first club to win three league championships in a row), by winning the 1915, 1916 and 1917 championships. They also found success in the next two decades by also winning the 1919, 1920, 1922, 1923 and 1924 league titles.

At international level, Nacional won the Copa Aldao three times (1916, 1919, 1920), three consecutive Copa de Honor Cousenier (1915, 1916, 1917), and two Tie Cup (1913, 1915). In these tournaments, Nacional defeated Argentine clubs such as Racing Club, Boca Juniors, River Plate, Independiente, San Lorenzo de Almagro, Rosario Central, and Newell's Old Boys, among others.

After two very successful initial decades in the domestic league of Uruguay and internationally against Argentinian clubs, Nacional became the foundation of Uruguay's first international success at the world level. In 1924, Nacional contributed players (Mazzali, Urdinarán, Scarone, Romano, Zibechi and Pascual Somma) for Uruguayan national team that won the first FIFA world championship at the Summer Olympics in Paris. Nacional also made also a substantial contribution to the Uruguayan teams at the 1928 Summer Olympics and the inaugural FIFA World Cup in 1930. Moreover, Nacional is the only Uruguayan club that contributed players to every Uruguay national team that has won an international tournament.

Then, in 1925, motivated by the excellent performance of the Uruguay national team at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris, where the core of the squad was made up of Nacional players, the club traveled to Europe to begin the famous 1925 tour. This lasted 190 days, from February to August 1925, and is considered the longest in the history of world football.

It comprised nine countries — France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Czechoslovakia, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria, and Portugal — and twenty-three cities. The tour included among its most notable results a 3–0 victory over Genoa C.F.C., then champions of Italy, and wins over the national teams of Netherlands (7–0), France (6–0), Belgium (5–1), and Switzerland (5–1). In total, Nacional played thirty-eight matches, of which it won twenty-six, drew seven, and lost five, scoring 130 goals and conceding 30. Participating in the tour were Héctor Scarone, Héctor Castro, Pedro Petrone, and José Nasazzi, who joined as a guest.

In 1932, Uruguayan football became professional, and by 1933 Nacional had formed a great team that became known as “La Máquina Blanca” (“The White Machine”). They began the season with emphatic results, scoring twenty-eight goals in just four matches: four against Newell's Old Boys, seven against Flamengo, eight against Rampla Juniors, and nine against Central Español. The 1933 Uruguayan Primera División was the longest championship in the world, as Nacional were crowned champions on 18 November 1934 after several finals against Peñarol that year: the first in April was suspended — remembered as the “Clásico del gol de la valija” after a goal was scored when a briefcase kept the ball in play— and resumed in August, and finally finished in November, where Nacional won 3–2 with three goals by 1930 World Cup hero Héctor Castro, after Peñarol had been leading 1–0 at halftime.

In 1938, the Argentine Atilio García joined the club, who would go on to become the institution’s all-time top scorer. That year Nacional won the Nocturno Rioplatense title, defeating major clubs from the Río de la Plata region. Between 1939 and 1943, with former player Héctor Castro as coach, Nacional achieved the first Quinquenio de Oro (five consecutive championships) in the history of Uruguayan football.

In 1940, Atilio García scored four goals against Peñarol, all of them headers, in a 5-1 victory. That year Nacional finished thirteen points ahead of their traditional rival. To win the 1941 Uruguayan Primera División, the club won every match, including a 6–0 victory over Peñarol. Between 1938 and 1943, twenty-three clásicos were played, with eighteen victories for Nacional and only four defeats. In addition, on 21 November 1943, Nacional secured their tenth consecutive victory over Peñarol in the Uruguayan Primera División. Furthermore, between 1938 and 1943, Nacional won the Torneo de Honor, a domestic cup, a record six times in a row.

At the domestic level, the club won the Uruguayan Primera División championships of 1946, 1947, 1950, and 1952. The title achieved in 1950 was special, because Nacional were crowned champions in the same year that Uruguay became world champions. Between 1955 and 1957, under the management of Ondino Viera, Nacional secured another three consecutive league titles.

Nacional took part for the first time in the Copa Libertadores in the 1962 edition, in which they were eliminated in the semifinals by Peñarol. The following year, Zezé Moreira replaced Hugo Bagnulo as coach, implemented the Brazilian 4–2–4 system, and won the 1963 Uruguayan Primera División. Nacional later reached the continental final in 1964, but were defeated by Independiente of Avellaneda. In 1966, they once again claimed the Uruguayan championship, and the following year they again reached the Copa Libertadores final, after defeating Cruzeiro and Peñarol in the semifinals. The final, against Racing Club, was decided in a third match played in Lima, where the Argentines won 2-1.

With Miguel Restuccia as president, Nacional began building a team that would eventually bear fruit: it included Luis Ubiña, Juan Martín Mugica, Julio Montero Castillo, Víctor Espárrago, and Julio César Morales, joined by the Brazilian goalkeeper Manga and the young Atilio Ancheta. Later came Ángel Brunell, Francisco Majewski, Alberto Ferrero Silveira, and Luis Cubilla, along with the great Argentine striker Luis Artime. In the 1969 Copa Libertadores, after eliminating Peñarol in the semifinals, Nacional lost the final for the third time, this time to Estudiantes de La Plata, who won their second consecutive title.

In 1971, the notable tenure of Zezé Moreira at the club came to an end, and Washington Etchamendi arrived, beginning his glorious cycle as head coach. Nacional began its great campaign in the 1971 Copa Libertadores in a group alongside Peñarol and the Bolivian clubs Chaco Petrolero and The Strongest. They advanced by winning both clásicos. In the semifinals, they faced Universitario of Peru and Palmeiras of Brazil, highlighted by a 3-0 victory over Palmeiras at the Estádio do Pacaembu in São Paulo. In the finals, they had to face the then three-time champions Estudiantes de La Plata, as in the 1969 final. Both matches ended 1-0 for the home side. The third and decisive match was played on 9 June in Lima, where Nacional won 2-0 with goals from Víctor Espárrago and Luis Artime, securing their first Copa Libertadores.

That victory allowed the club to contest two more international trophies: the 1971 Intercontinental Cup and the 1971 Interamerican Cup. To win the Intercontinental, Nacional faced Panathinaikos, the European runners-up. The first leg was played on 15 December, finishing 1–1 at the Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus, with a goal by Luis Artime. The return leg was a 2-1 victory for Nacional, with both goals scored by Artime. On 28 December 1971, Nacional won the Intercontinental Cup for the first time, becoming club world champions. The following year, they won their first Interamerican Cup, defeating Cruz Azul of Mexico, being the only Uruguayan club to hold this trophy.

At the same time, they achieved four consecutive domestic titles — 1969, 1970, 1971, and 1972 — maintaining an unbeaten record against their clásico rival: from 2 March 1971 to 31 January 1974, 16 clásicos were played, of which Nacional did not lose a single one.

On 26 January 1980, a new era began with the election of Dante Iocco as president. The club was going through a poor sporting period, and the new board urgently appointed Juan Martín Mugica, champion of 1971, as coach and Esteban Gesto as fitness trainer to finish the 1979 Liguilla Pre-Libertadores qualifiers. Mugica made some changes to the team and its tactics, introducing man-to-man marking across the pitch.

With the new coaching staff, Nacional eliminated Peñarol 2–0 and qualified for the 1980 Copa Libertadores. In the group stage, they advanced over Defensor Sporting and the Bolivian clubs The Strongest and Oriente Petrolero; in the semifinals, they overcame O'Higgins of Chile and reigning champions Olimpia of Paraguay, earning a place in the final against Internacional of Porto Alegre. On 30 July, in Porto Alegre, the first leg was played, and more than 22,000 Uruguayans traveled the thousand kilometers in what Nacional fans called the “second exodus of the Oriental people.” The first leg finished 0-0, and the return match, on 6 August at the Estadio Centenario, was a 1–0 victory with a header goal by Waldemar Victorino.

That same year, the Intercontinental Cup was played for the first time as a single match in Japan, thanks to the efforts of Nacional’s directors, who managed to convince the European clubs that had been reluctant to participate. In February 1981, Nacional won their second club world title, defeating Nottingham Forest of England 1-0 with a goal by Waldemar Victorino.

At the end of the 1980s, the club, like all of Uruguayan football, was mired in serious financial problems. Nevertheless, Nacional assembled a squad which, despite its modesty, would bring great satisfaction. The coach was Roberto Fleitas, fresh off winning the 1987 Copa América with the Uruguay national team. During the 1988 Copa Libertadores, the club advanced past Montevideo Wanderers, América de Cali, and Millonarios of Bogotá in the group stage. They then defeated Universidad Católica and Newell's Old Boys. As they approached the decisive stages, the club brought back Hugo de León, who became the inspirational leader the team needed. Nacional once again overcame América de Cali in the semifinals, and in the final faced Newell’s, who had won the first leg 1-0. The return match at the Estadio Centenario, before 75,000 fans, was won by Nacional 3-0, with goals from Ernesto Vargas, Santiago Ostolaza, and Hugo de León.

Later, Nacional won their third world title by defeating PSV Eindhoven of the Netherlands. In what was considered one of the most thrilling finals in the history of the Intercontinental Cup, Nacional defeated the Dutch team on penalties. The match had ended 1-1 in regular time and 2=2 after extra time, with both goals scored by Ostolaza. In the penalty shootout, Jorge Seré saved four shots, and Tony Gómez converted the final, the twentieth of the series. With this victory, Nacional were crowned the first undefeated three-time world champions, a feat later matched by São Paulo FC of Brazil.

To contest the continental trophies granted by their Libertadores win, Nacional kept much of the squad in 1989, though with a change in coaching staff, former club player Héctor Núñez took charge. That year, Nacional won their second Interamerican Cup, defeating Olimpia of Honduras, and the Recopa Sudamericana, defeating Racing Club of Avellaneda. With these new successes, Nacional equaled Peñarol as one of the two Uruguayan clubs with the most official international titles organized by CONMEBOL–FIFA, with a total of nine. Adding the thirteen won in Río de la Plata competitions, the club reached a total of twenty-two international titles.

During most of the 1990s, the club had irregular campaigns. It won the Uruguayan Championship in 1992, with outstanding performances from Panamanian striker Julio Dely Valdés and Argentine Antonio Vidal González. Six years later, with the debut of Hugo De León as head coach and Rubén Sosa leading on the field, Nacional captured the 1998 Uruguayan Championship, becoming the first team to win both the Torneo Apertura and the Torneo Clausura in the same season, since the format was introduced in 1994. Since then, only Danubio F.C. has achieved the title in the same manner, during the 2006–07 season.

On May 14, 1999, Nacional celebrated its centenary under the motto “100 Años de Verdad” (“100 Years of Truth”), a reference to the controversy surrounding the foundation date of Club Atlético Peñarol. The celebration included a match against their opponent from the final of the 1988 Intercontinental Cup, PSV Eindhoven, at the Estadio Centenario. That same year, Nacional’s fans unveiled what they called “the largest flag in the world.”

With the same squad as a base, Nacional dominated the domestic scene for three consecutive years — 2000, 2001, and 2002. In 2002, under the management of Daniel Carreño, hopes for international success returned: the club reached the quarterfinals of the 2022 Copa Libertadores, being eliminated by Grêmio, and nearly advanced to the final of the inaugural Copa Sudamericana, falling in the semifinals on penalties against Atlético Nacional of Colombia. In the 2003 Copa Libertadores, the team was even stronger, and played memorable clashes against Santos FC, ending 4–4 in Montevideo and 2–2 at the Vila Belmiro.

2004 is remembered for the derby comebacks vs. Peñarol: in the Apertura they won 2-1, and in the Clausura they prevailed 3-2 after trailing 0-2. By 2005, in addition to the arrival of Martín Lasarte, the club decided to renovate the Gran Parque Central and return to its historic stadium, after 75 years of hosting home games at the Estadio Centenario. Shortly after being re-inaugurated, the Parque hosted two consecutive championship celebrations: Nacional won the 2005 Uruguayan Championship unbeaten, and in the 2005–06 season secured the bicampeonato. This last championship is remembered because Nacional finished as champion while Peñarol ended in last place — notably, the AUF had deducted 12 points from Peñarol — and a plaque at Nacional’s headquarters commemorates the event.

On April 19, 2008, during that year’s Clausura championship, fans remember the comeback against River Plate Montevideo at the Centenario: after being down 0-3, Nacional claimed a historic 6-3 victory against the side that was competing with them for the title. After three years, Nacional regained the Uruguayan Championship in the 2008–09 season, managed by Gerardo Pelusso. As a highlight, the team won all three clásicos that season: 1-0 in the Apertura, 2-1 in the summer friendly tournament, and 3-2 in the Clausura with three goals from Gustavo Biscayzacú.

In 2009, Nacional achieved its best Copa Libertadores performance in 21 years. Managed by Gerardo Pelusso, the club reached the semifinals after surpassing River Plate (Argentina), Club Nacional (Paraguay), and San Martín (Peru) in the group stage, and then eliminating Palmeiras. In that round, they faced Estudiantes de La Plata, the club that would go on to win the title.

In 2010, club president Ricardo Alarcón decided to appoint Juan Ramón Carrasco as the new head coach, following the short spell of Luis González. The change paid off, as the team quickly improved and results followed: Nacional finished second in that Apertura and went on to win the Torneo Clausura, also securing first place in the Annual Table. This gave Carrasco’s team the right to play for the Uruguayan Championship against Defensor Sporting, winner of the Apertura. Only one match was needed, as Nacional defeated Defensor and was crowned champion. Just a few days later, Carrasco resigned from his position.

For the 2011–12 Uruguayan Primera División, former Argentinian player Marcelo Gallardo, who had retired the previous season, took over as manager. In his first semester he won the Apertura, with Alvaro Recoba as the main star of the squad. In the Clausura they finished second behind Defensor Sporting but once again secured the Annual Table, five points clear of their closest rivals. On June 16, 2012, Nacional faced Defensor Sporting in the semifinal of the 2011–12 season, becoming bicampeón of Uruguayan football after a 1-0 win. It was their 44th national championship, highlighted by winning both clásicos that season thanks to decisive goals from Recoba himself: a last-minute penalty for a 2-1 Apertura win, and a free kick for a 3-2 Clausura victory.

After the championship, Gallardo decided not to renew his contract, and the board appointed Gustavo Díaz, former Defensor Sporting coach, for the following season. Due to irregular results, in March 2013 he was replaced by interim coaches Juan Carlos Blanco, a former Nacional player. By the end of that month, it was announced that Argentine Rodolfo Arruabarrena would take charge. Under his leadership, Nacional finished third in the 2012–13 Annual Table and qualified for the 2014 Copa Libertadores first stage, their 41st appearance and 18th consecutive, a tournament record. After finishing third in the Apertura 2013, Arruabarrena resigned, being replaced by Gerardo Pelusso.

By failing to win any title in 2013, Nacional ended a remarkable cycle of success: between 1995 and 2012 they had won at least one official tournament every year. Still, the club added 15,080 new members, reaching 65,738 by December 2013. Under Pelusso, Nacional endured their worst-ever Copa Libertadores campaign in 2014, taking just one point in the group stage. His successor, Álvaro Gutiérrez, won the Apertura 2014 almost perfectly (42 points out of 45), including a last-minute 2-1 clásico win, and after topping the Annual Table, Nacional were crowned champions by beating Peñarol, Clausura winners, 3-2 in the final.

After Gutiérrez left for Al-Shabab FC, Nacional appointed former goalkeeper and captain Gustavo Munúa. His team performed well in the 2016 Copa Libertadores, losing only on penalties to Boca Juniors, but won no domestic title. He left, but Nacional still qualified for the 2017 Libertadores after finishing second in the Annual Table. In the second half of the year, the 2016 Campeonato Uruguayo Especial was played to restore the calendar-year format. Nacional, led by Martín Lasarte, won their 46th Uruguayan Championship, taking all home matches at the Gran Parque Central and finishing five points ahead.

In 2017, Nacional won the first Torneo Intermedio, but, having missed out on both the Apertura and Clausura, they were left out of the championship final. Lasarte departed and was replaced by Alexander Medina, then coach of the third team. Despite a difficult start in 2018, including two clásico defeats, Medina’s side bounced back, winning the Apertura and again the Intermedio, though they were eliminated in the 2018 Copa Libertadores group stage. They dropped to the 2018 Copa Sudamericana, eliminating Sol de América and San Lorenzo, before falling in the quarterfinals to Fluminense.

For the 2019 season, José Decurnex became club president. One of his first decisions was not to renew 14 contracts expiring December 31, except for striker Bergessio, top scorer the previous year. In January, Argentine Eduardo Domínguez was appointed manager. His spell was short: despite winning the 2019 Supercopa Uruguaya against Peñarol and two 2019 Copa Libertadores victories, Nacional quickly fell behind in the Apertura. After five games and only three points, Domínguez was dismissed and replaced by a returning Alvaro Gutiérrez.

Under Gutiérrez, results improved: Nacional finished third in the Apertura, then in the Intermedio Cup of 2019 earned 14 of 21 points and won the clásico 3-0. Though they missed that final (won by Liverpool Montevideo), Nacional then tied Peñarol on points in the Clausura, forcing a playoff final which Nacional won 2-0. Having also topped the Annual Table, they gained the advantage in the Championship final, where they again faced Peñarol, Apertura winners. With a goal from Matías Zunino, Nacional won 1–0 and secured their 47th Uruguayan Championship. This title is especially remembered by fans, as Nacional won three clásico finals in the same year, including two in four days.

In 2020, Amid the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly a long suspension between March and August, Nacional successfully defended their Uruguayan championship, defeating Rentistas in the final and securing their 48th Primera División title . They also captured the 2020 Torneo Intermedio, adding another trophy to their season. In 2021, A quieter domestic campaign, as Nacional were dethroned by Peñarol, who claimed the 2021 league championship. No major titles were won this year, and Nacional were also eliminated by their rivals in the Round of 16 of the 2021 Copa Sudamericana.

2022 saw a landmark return to glory, and to the club, for Luis Suárez, who returned to his boyhood club in July and made an immediate impact. El Pistolero scored twice in the final against Liverpool Montevideo, helping Nacional lift the 2022 Uruguayan championship. His presence and performance became a defining highlight of the season; as one former teammate recalled, “He… told us that this was the most important title of his career… after that talk… I knew that it was impossible to lose that final.” In 2023, Nacional fell short domestically, losing the league title to Liverpool Montevideo. In 2024,Nacional won the 2024 Torneo Intermedio, defeating Peñarol in a dramatic final that ended in a penalty shootout. The season ultimately ended in disappointment, as Peñarol won both the Apetura and the Clausura to claim the 2024 Uruguayan league title.

2025: Remodelling of the Gran Parque Central Stadium

In August of 2025, the Board of Directors unanimously approved the preliminary Master Plan for the remodelling of the Gran Parque Central, with a comprehensive vision to transform the historic stadium into a renewed heart of both the club and the community. The plan envisions expanding the current capacity of approximately 34,000 spectators to 44,000, building new corner stands to connect all four tribunes, and partially covering them with a semi-roof, along with significant upgrades to the overall fan experience.

The project also includes flexible multi-use spaces, a supporters’ plaza, a multipurpose indoor arena, an underground parking facility for around 1,000 vehicles, and even a dedicated World Cup museum. Covering the full five hectares of the site, the initiative represents an ambitious effort to unite architectural innovation, historic identity, and community engagement.