28 December 1971 - It's Artime For Nacional

On 28 December 1971, a brace from striker Luis Artime helped Nacional claim their first Intercontinental Cup, beating Panathinaikos 2-1.

Nacional qualified for the competition by winning the 1971 Copa Libertadores and were scheduled to play European Cup holders Ajax. But they Dutch declined, so Panathinaikos, who lost to Ajax in the European Cup final, took their place.

They played the first leg in Greece on 15 December, where a second-half equalizer from Artime (pictured) secured a 1-1 draw. The teams then met thirteen days later in Uruguay for the second leg.

Playing in front of a crowd of about 63,000, Artime continued to find the net for Nacional, putting them up 2-0 with goals in the 34th and 74th minutes. Antonis Antoniadis scored for Panathinaikos in the 89th minute, but it was too late for a rally and the series ended 3-1 to Nacional on aggregate.

It was the first of three Intercontinental Cups for Nacional, who won it again in 1980 and 1988.

26 October 1988 - No Trophy For Old Boys

On 26 October 1988, Nacional won their third Copa Libertadores, beating Newell's Old Boys 3-0 in extra time of the final's second leg.

Nacional were a very experienced tournament side, having finished as runners-up in 1964, 1967, and 1969 before eventually lifting the cup in 1971, then again in 1980. Old Boys, on the other hand, were in the final for the first time after their title-winning season in the 1987-88 Argentinian Premier División.

Old Boys took the first leg, winning 1-0 at home on 19 October with a 60th-minute goal from forward Jorge Luis Gabrich. The teams then reconvened in Montevideo for the second leg, with a crowd of 75,000 gathering for the occasion.

The organizers instituted a new rule for the 1988 tournament; like the previous finals, it was determined on points, but whereas earlier tournaments went to a playoff when the teams were level on points after two legs, the 1988 edition went to extra time. At the end of extra time, the winner was decided by goal differential with a penalty shootout to follow if needed. As it turned out, it wasn't.

Nacional took a 2-0 lead into the break with goals from Ernesto Vargas (13') and Santiago Ostolaza (36'), then added a third from Hugo de León in the 78th minute to all but seal the win on goal differential, though the teams still needed to play through extra time. Tempers flared in the 115th minute, with the referee ejecting a player from each side as Nacional held on for the title.

Despite their history of success, Nacional have not returned to the final since. Old Boys reached it again in 1992, but lost to São Paulo.

12 August 1964 - A Small Degree Of Separation Is Enough

On 12 August 1964, Independiente won the first of their record seven Copa Libertadores titles, beating Nacional on points.

It was the fifth edition of the tournament and the first appearance in the final for both teams. They each won their first-round group with identical records of three wins and a draw to advance to the semifinals. There, Independiente topped two-time defending champions Santos by winning both legs, while Nacional did the same to Colo-Colo.

The final was played over two legs, home and away, with the champion determined by points. The teams met at the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo for the first leg on 6 August, where they split the points by playing to a scoreless draw, then reconvened six days later at the Estadio de Independiente for the second leg.

The second leg was another close affair, with the teams separated only by a 35th-minute goal from Independiente's Mario Rodríguez, but it was enough for the hosts to claim the trophy.

Independiente repeated as champion in 1965, then proceeded to win it again in 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, and 1984. Nacional finally won it in 1971, then again in 1980 and 1988.

25 May 1934 - The Valise Derby

On 25 May 1934, a doctor's bag made a surprise appearance in a controversial derby between Peñarol and Nacional, nicknamed "the valise derby."

The Montevideo rivals were playing in the final of the Copa Uruguaya. With the match scoreless, a Peñarol player sent in a cross that carried past the box and out of bounds. But the ball struck a medical bag belonging to the Nacional physio and rebounded back onto the pitch, when Peñarol put it into the back of the net. The Nacional players immediately protested the goal, with two of them getting sent off by the referee before he eventually disallowed it.

The confusion delayed the game long enough that it could not be completed before dark, so the remainder of the match was postponed until 27 August. When they resumed, the undermanned Nacional held Peñarol to a draw, forcing a subsequent replay, which Nacional won 3-2.

11 February 1981 - No Little Victory For Victorino

On 11 February 1981, Nacional edged Nottingham Forest in the Toyota Cup to claim a 1-0 win.

Established in 1960, the Toyota Cup/Intercontinental Cup paired the reigning Copa Libertadores champions against the current European Cup winners. Originally played as a home-and-away two-legged tie, the 1980 edition (played in February 1981) was the first to decide the winner with a single match and the first to be played at the neutral location of Tokyo's National Stadium.

Forest entered the match on an unbeaten run of 42 matches and had collected international honors at a rapid pace, winning the 1979 and 1980 European Cups as well as the 1979 UEFA Super Cup. Nacional, meanwhile, had won the 1979 Uruguay Primera División along with that year's Copa Libertadores.

Playing before a crowd of 62,000, Nacional took an early lead with a 10th-minute goal from forward Waldemar Victorino (pictured at right). The attack was started near the midfield line by right back José Hermes Moreira, who passed the ball, then charged down the right side, got the ball back, and sent in a cross. Victorino received it in front of the goal, avoided a tackled, then drove the ball into the roof of the net.

It was Nacional's only real chance of the match, but it was enough. Nottingham Forest came close a couple of times, once sending the ball just wide of goal and then heading it off the post, but could not crack the Nacional defense. The day ended 1-0, with Victorino as the man of the match.

11 December 1988 - PSV's Penalty Luck Runs Out

On 11 December 1988, Nacional eventually claimed the Intercontinental Cup, beating PSV Eindhoven in a penalty shootout that reached a total of 20 kicks.

Playing before a crowd of 62,000 at the National Stadium in Tokyo, the Copa Libertadores champions went up in the 7th minute with a powerful header from Uruguayan midfielder Santiago Ostolaza off a corner kick. They held onto their lead until the 75th minute, when PSV's Brazilian striker Romário delivered an equalizer with a header of his own.

Level at 1-1 after 90 minutes, the match went to extra time, where PSV took the lead with a 110th-minute penalty kick from center back Ronald Koeman, who sent his shot straight down the middle. But nine minutes later, with PSV looking almost certain to win, Ostolaza struck again with another header to send the match into penalty kicks.

Penalty kicks had been kind to PSV earlier in the year, as they topped Benfica in the European Cup 0-0 (6-5). But after five kicks each, the two teams were still level, having converted three each. After Ostolaza converted the ninth kick for Nacional to stay level at 6-6, PSV right back Barry van Aerle missed his kick, opening the door for the Uruguayans, who won 2-2 (7-6) after Tony Gómez converted his attempt.

18 November 1934 - This Is Why We Now Have Penalty Shootouts

On 18 November 1934, Nacional and Peñarol finally decided the Uruguayan Championship for the previous season, six months after their first playoff.

The teams had finished the 1933 season tied for first in the table, so they met for a playoff on 27 May 1934 at the Estadio Centenario. In the 70th minute, with the match scoreless, a shot taken by a Peñarol player went out of bounds, but hit a medicine cabinet and rebounded back onto the pitch. The referee, Telésforo Rodríguez, failed to stop play and Nacional took possession, driving up the field and getting a goal from Héctor Castro. Peñarol immediately protested the goal and assaulted Rodríguez, resulting in his departure from the game due to injury and the ejection of three Peñarol players. The assistant referee then halted the match due to the lack of light.

Approximately a month later, the league officially disallowed Castro's goal and instructed the two teams to play the last 20 minutes of the match behind closed doors on 25 August. But despite two extra-time periods, the match finished as a scoreless draw.

They met for a second playoff on 2 September, but again neither team managed to score. That forced a third playoff, played on 18 November, when they finally managed to find the net. Peñarol were leading 1-0 at the break after a goal from Braulio Castro (42'), but Héctor Castro's second-half hat-trick (53', 61', 77') proved decisive and the match finished as a 2-3 Nacional victory (Peñarol's other goal came from Juan Pedro Arremón in the 58th minute).

29 November 1904 - Héctor, The Nacional Hero

On 29 November 1904, former Uruguayan international forward and manager Héctor Castro was born in Montevideo.

Nicknamed El Manco ("The Maimed") because he accidentally amputated his right forearm with an electric saw at the age of 13, Castro began his professional career in 1923 with Montevideo's Club Nacional, with whom he won the 1924 Uruguayan championship. In 1926, he started a successful run with the Uruguayan national team, winning the 1926 version of the international tournament that would later be known as the Copa América and the 1928 Olympics

He also earned honors in the 1930 World Cup, memorably scoring the last goal in Uruguay's 4-2 win over Argentina in the Final (pictured above).

He left Nacional in 1932 for Argentinian club Estudiantes, but returned to Nacional 1933 and won another national title before retiring as a player in 1936. In 1939, Castro returned to Nacional as manager, winning four consecutive Uruguayan championships (1940-43) before retiring in 1943. He returned for another season in 1952 and led the club to yet another Uruguayan title.

Castro passed away in Montevideo on 15 September 1960 at the age of 55.

9 June 1971 - Estudiantes Get Taken To School

On 9 June 1971, Nacional won their first Copa Libertadores, beating three-time defending champions Estudiantes in a playoff.

It was the fourth appearance in the final for both teams, but that is where the similarities in their histories ended. Nacional had lost all three of their previous appearances, including a loss to Estudiantes in the 1969 final, while Estudiantes had also won in 1968 and 1970, giving them a perfect record.

The final was played over two legs and decided on points. They met in La Plata for the first leg on 26 May, with Estudiantes taking a 1-0 win. But in the second leg, played in Montevideo on 2 June, Nacional won by the same margin, sending the teams to a playoff to decide the title.

They met at the neutral venue of the Estadio Nacional in Lima, where Nacional again set the margin at 1-0 with a 22md-minute goal from midfielder Víctor Espárrago. They then broke form by adding another from striker Luis Artime, his tournament-best tenth goal, to stretch the final margin to 2-0 and take the trophy from Estudiantes.

Nacional returned to the final twice more, winning it both times (1980, 1988), while Estudiantes made it back in 2009 and won.

22 May 1969 - A Little Easier The Second Time Around

On 22 May 1969, Estudiantes won their second Copa Libertadores, beating Nacional 2-0 in the final's second leg.

The Argentinians had won the previous year's tournament, but it had taken them sixteen matches to do it, including a three-match final against Palmeiras that Estudiantes won in a replay. But as holders, they received a bye into the 1969 semifinals, where they won both games against Universidad Católica by identical scores of 3-1 to reach the final.

There, they faced Nacional, who had reached the final twice before, but lost to Argentinian teams both times (Independiente in 1964 and Racing in 1967). They played a full thirteen-game schedule to get there a third time, giving them a distinct disadvantage against the well-rested Estudiantes side.

Nacional hosted the first leg in Montevideo on 15 May and lost 0-1 to a 66th-minute goal from Eduardo Flores. In the second leg in La Plata one week later, Flores scored again to put Estudiantes up 1-0, then Marcos Conigliaro stretched the margin to 2-0 in the 37th minute and complete the victory.

Estudiantes went on to win the competition again in 1970, becoming the first team to lift the trophy in three consecutive years.

28 December 1971 - It's Artime For Nacional

On 28 December 1971, a brace from striker Luis Artime helped Nacional claim their first Intercontinental Cup, beating Panathinaikos 2-1.

Nacional qualified for the competition by winning the 1971 Copa Libertadores and were scheduled to play European Cup holders Ajax. But they Dutch declined, so Panathinaikos, who lost to Ajax in the European Cup final, took their place.

They played the first leg in Greece on 15 December, where a second-half equalizer from Artime (pictured) secured a 1-1 draw. The teams then met thirteen days later in Uruguay for the second leg.

Playing in front of a crowd of about 63,000, Artime continued to find the net for Nacional, putting them up 2-0 with goals in the 34th and 74th minutes. Antonis Antoniadis scored for Panathinaikos in the 89th minute, but it was too late for a rally and the series ended 3-1 to Nacional on aggregate.

It was the first of three Intercontinental Cups for Nacional, who won it again in 1980 and 1988.

12 December 1973 - Atilio, The Scourge Of Uruguay's Goalkeepers

On 12 December 1973, Nacional legend Atilio García, the top scorer in the history of Uruguayan football, passed away at the age of 59.

Born in Buenos Aires in 1914, Garcia started his career with local club Platense (1936) and Boca Juniors (1937) before moving to Uruguay in 1938 to play for Nacional. He was the league's top scorer in his first season there with 20 goals and also won his first piece of silverware, the 1938 Torneo de Honor.

He repeated as top scorer for the next six seasons (1939-1944), then again in 1946 and won eight league titles before leaving the club in 1951. Overall, the club credits him with a Uruguayan record 486 goals across all competitions (though his Primera División tally of 208 goals in 210 games was later beaten by Peńarol's Fernando Morena, who scored 230 goals in 244 games between 1969 and 1985).

After leaving Nacional, García spent a season each with Racing Club de Montevideo and Miramar Misiones before retiring in 1953. He remained in Uruguay and was living in Montevideo at the time of his death. In his honor, Nacional named a stand after him in the Estadio Gran Parque Central.

26 October 1988 - No Trophy For Old Boys

On 26 October 1988, Nacional won their third Copa Libertadores, beating Newell's Old Boys 3-0 in extra time of the final's second leg.

Nacional were a very experienced tournament side, having finished as runners-up in 1964, 1967, and 1969 before eventually lifting the cup in 1971, then again in 1980. Old Boys, on the other hand, were in the final for the first time after their title-winning season in the 1987-88 Argentinian Premier División.

Old Boys took the first leg, winning 1-0 at home on 19 October with a 60th-minute goal from forward Jorge Luis Gabrich. The teams then reconvened in Montevideo for the second leg, with a crowd of 75,000 gathering for the occasion.

The organizers instituted a new rule for the 1988 tournament; like the previous finals, it was determined on points, but whereas earlier tournaments went to a playoff when the teams were level on points after two legs, the 1988 edition went to extra time. At the end of extra time, the winner was decided by goal differential with a penalty shootout to follow if needed. As it turned out, it wasn't.

Nacional took a 2-0 lead into the break with goals from Ernesto Vargas (13') and Santiago Ostolaza (36'), then added a third from Hugo de León in the 78th minute to all but seal the win on goal differential, though the teams still needed to play through extra time. Tempers flared in the 115th minute, with the referee ejecting a player from each side as Nacional held on for the title.

Despite their history of success, Nacional have not returned to the final since. Old Boys reached it again in 1992, but lost to São Paulo.

12 August 1964 - A Small Degree Of Separation Is Enough

On 12 August 1964, Independiente won the first of their record seven Copa Libertadores titles, beating Nacional on points.

It was the fifth edition of the tournament and the first appearance in the final for both teams. They each won their first-round group with identical records of three wins and a draw to advance to the semifinals. There, Independiente topped two-time defending champions Santos by winning both legs, while Nacional did the same to Colo-Colo.

The final was played over two legs, home and away, with the champion determined by points. The teams met at the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo for the first leg on 6 August, where they split the points by playing to a scoreless draw, then reconvened six days later at the Estadio de Independiente for the second leg.

The second leg was another close affair, with the teams separated only by a 35th-minute goal from Independiente's Mario Rodríguez, but it was enough for the hosts to claim the trophy.

Independiente repeated as champion in 1965, then proceeded to win it again in 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, and 1984. Nacional returned to the final in 1967 and 1969 before eventually winning it in 1971 (then again in 1980 and 1988).

25 May 1934 - The Valise Derby

On 25 May 1934, a doctor's bag made a surprise appearance in a controversial derby between Peñarol and Nacional, nicknamed "the valise derby."

The Montevideo rivals were playing in the final of the Copa Uruguaya. With the match scoreless, a Peñarol player sent in a cross that carried past the box and out of bounds. But the ball struck a medical bag belonging to the Nacional physio and rebounded back onto the pitch, when Peñarol put it into the back of the net. The Nacional players immediately protested the goal, with two of them getting sent off by the referee before he eventually disallowed it.

The confusion delayed the game long enough that it could not be completed before dark, so the remainder of the match was postponed until 27 August. When they resumed, the undermanned Nacional held Peñarol to a draw, forcing a subsequent replay, which Nacional won 3-2.

11 February 1981 - No Little Victory For Victorino

On 11 February 1981, Nacional edged Nottingham Forest in the Toyota Cup to claim a 1-0 win.

Established in 1960, the Toyota Cup/Intercontinental Cup paired the reigning Copa Libertadores champions against the current European Cup winners. Originally played as a home-and-away two-legged tie, the 1980 edition (played in February 1981) was the first to decide the winner with a single match and the first to be played at the neutral location of Tokyo's National Stadium.

Forest entered the match on an unbeaten run of 42 matches and had collected international honors at a rapid pace, winning the 1979 and 1980 European Cups as well as the 1979 UEFA Super Cup. Nacional, meanwhile, had won the 1979 Uruguay Primera División along with that year's Copa Libertadores.

Playing before a crowd of 62,000, Nacional took an early lead with a 10th-minute goal from forward Waldemar Victorino (pictured at right). The attack was started near the midfield line by right back José Hermes Moreira, who passed the ball, then charged down the right side, got the ball back, and sent in a cross. Victorino received it in front of the goal, avoided a tackled, then drove the ball into the roof of the net.

It was Nacional's only real chance of the match, but it was enough. Nottingham Forest came close a couple of times, once sending the ball just wide of goal and then heading it off the post, but could not crack the Nacional defense. The day ended 1-0, with Victorino as the man of the match.

11 December 1988 - PSV's Penalty Luck Runs Out

On 11 December 1988, Nacional eventually claimed the Intercontinental Cup, beating PSV Eindhoven in a penalty shootout that reached a total of 20 kicks.

Playing before a crowd of 62,000 at the National Stadium in Tokyo, the Copa Libertadores champions went up in the 7th minute with a powerful header from Uruguayan midfielder Santiago Ostolaza off a corner kick. They held onto their lead until the 75th minute, when PSV's Brazilian striker Romário delivered an equalizer with a header of his own.

Level at 1-1 after 90 minutes, the match went to extra time, where PSV took the lead with a 110th-minute penalty kick from center back Ronald Koeman, who sent his shot straight down the middle. But nine minutes later, with PSV looking almost certain to win, Ostolaza struck again with another header to send the match into penalty kicks.

Penalty kicks had been kind to PSV earlier in the year, as they topped Benfica in the European Cup 0-0 (6-5). But after five kicks each, the two teams were still level, having converted three each. After Ostolaza converted the ninth kick for Nacional to stay level at 6-6, PSV right back Barry van Aerle missed his kick, opening the door for the Uruguayans, who won 2-2 (7-6) after Tony Gómez converted his attempt.

18 November 1934 - This Is Why We Now Have Penalty Shootouts

On 18 November 1934, Nacional and Peñarol finally decided the Uruguayan Championship for the previous season, six months after their first playoff.

The teams had finished the 1933 season tied for first in the table, so they met for a playoff on 27 May 1934 at the Estadio Centenario. In the 70th minute, with the match scoreless, a shot taken by a Peñarol player went out of bounds, but hit a medicine cabinet and rebounded back onto the pitch. The referee, Telésforo Rodríguez, failed to stop play and Nacional took possession, driving up the field and getting a goal from Héctor Castro. Peñarol immediately protested the goal and assaulted Rodríguez, resulting in his departure from the game due to injury and the ejection of three Peñarol players. The assistant referee then halted the match due to the lack of light.

Approximately a month later, the league officially disallowed Castro's goal and instructed the two teams to play the last 20 minutes of the match behind closed doors on 25 August. But despite two extra-time periods, the match finished as a scoreless draw.

They met for a second playoff on 2 September, but again neither team managed to score. That forced a third playoff, played on 18 November, when they finally managed to find the net. Peñarol were leading 1-0 at the break after a goal from Braulio Castro (42'), but Héctor Castro's second-half hat-trick (53', 61', 77') proved decisive and the match finished as a 2-3 Nacional victory (Peñarol's other goal came from Juan Pedro Arremón in the 58th minute).

29 November 1904 - Héctor, The Nacional Hero

On 29 November 1904, future Uruguayan international forward and manager Héctor Castro was born in Montevideo.

Nicknamed El Manco ("The Maimed") because he accidentally amputated his right forearm with an electric saw at the age of 13, Castro began his professional career in 1923 with Montevideo's Club Nacional, with whom he won the 1924 Uruguayan championship. In 1926, he started a successful run with the Uruguayan national team, winning the 1926 version of the international tournament that would later be known as the Copa América and the 1928 Olympics

He also earned honors in the 1930 World Cup, memorably scoring the last goal in Uruguay's 4-2 win over Argentina in the Final (pictured above).

He left Nacional in 1932 for Argentinian club Estudiantes, but returned to Nacional 1933 and won another national title before retiring as a player in 1936. In 1939, Castro returned to Nacional as manager, winning four consecutive Uruguayan championships (1940-43) before retiring in 1943. He returned for another season in 1952 and led the club to yet another Uruguayan title.

Castro passed away in Montevideo on 15 September 1960 at the age of 55.