2 December 1997 - Dortmund Cruises Over Cruzeiro

On 2 December 1997, Borussia Dortmund won the Intercontinental Cup, beating Cruzeiro 2-0 in Tokyo.

It was the first appearance in the competition for Dortmund, but the second for Cruzeiro, who lost to Bayern Munich in 1976. That final had been played over two legs, home and away, with the Brazilians losing 2-0 in Germany, then playing to a scoreless draw in Brazil. In 1980, the cup switched to a single-game format, hosted by Japan, and Cruzeiro were hoping for a better result.

But, playing before a crowd of over 51,000 at Tokyo's National Stadium, it was Dortmund who took the lead with a short-range shot from midfielder Michael Zorc in the 34th minute. The ball fell to him just a few feet outside the goal and he beat keeper Dida with a stinging left-footed blast.

Dida had an otherwise strong game, denying several Dortmund chances. But in the 84th minute, he was beaten by another close-range shot, this time from striker Heiko Herrlich, to end the game at 2-0.

It was the last trip to the competition for either club, though Dida went on to win its successor tournament, the FIFA Club World Cup, in 2007 with AC Milan.

19 February 2009 - They Were Just Saving Their Strength For Later

On 19 February 2009, Estudiantes got their Copa Libertadores campaign off to an inauspicious beginning, losing 3-0 to Cruzeiro in the group stage. They later rallied, however, and ended up getting their revenge in the final.

The Argentinians nearly missed out on the tournament altogether after losing to Sporting Cristal 2-1 in the first leg of their qualification round. But they won the second leg 1-0 and advanced thanks to their away goal.

Their first match of the group stage was away to Cruzeiro, played before a crowd of almost 34,000 at the Mineirão. There, after holding the hosts to a scoreless draw in the first half, they conceded a 63rd-minute penalty which was converted by Cruzeiro left back Fernandinho. That goal opened the floodgates, as substitute striker Kleber scored twice more in the next ten minutes, first beating the keeper from a tight angle with a low ball to the far post (69'), then getting the ball past him in a one-on-one (72') to finish the match at 3-0.

Estudiantes won the rematch 4-0 in La Plata and advanced to the knockout rounds as group runners-up behind Cruzeiro. They beat Libertad, Defensor Sporting, and Nacional to reach the final, where they again faced Cruzeiro and won 2-1 on aggregate to claim their fourth Copa Libertadores title (their first since 1970).

15 July 2009 - The Students Become The Masters

On 15 July 2009, Estudiantes won the Copa Libertadores, beating Cruzeiro over two legs. The title was their fourth, coming 39 years after their third.

The Argentinian club had dominated the competition in the late 1960s and early 1970s, winning three straight titles in 1968, 1969, and 1970. They also made it the Final in 1971, but lost to Nacional. Cruzeiro, meanwhile, had also done well, winning the tournament in 1976 and 1977, as well as finishing as runners-up in 1977.

The two teams met at the start of the 2009 tournament in the group stage. They split their two meetings, with Cruzeiro winning the first 3-0, then Estudiantes winning the second 4-0. The Brazilians went on to top the group, with Estudiantes close behind in second place.

Estudiantes hosted the first leg of the final on 8 July, resulting in a scoreless draw. For the second leg, they played at the Mineirão in Belo Horizonte before a crowd of 65,000. The first half was another close--and physical--contest, as the teams again failed to score while accumulating a total of three yellow cards (one for Cruzeiro and two for Estudiantes). Cruzeiro took a second-half lead with a 52nd-minute goal from midfielder Henrique, but Estudiantes quickly equalized when forward Gastón Fernández found the net five minutes later.

The visitors started to dominate the midfield, with Juan Sebastián Verón orchestrating the attack. It paid off in the 72nd minute, as Estudiantes forward Mauro Boselli provided the winning score. Verón was named man of the match for his efforts.

The win placed Estudiantes fourth in the list of most Copa Libertadores titles, behind fellow Argentinian clubs Independiente (7) and Boca Juniors (6), as well as Uruguayan club Peñarol (5).

2 January 1921 - The Launch Of Cruzeiro

On 2 January 1921, a group of Italian immigrants founded the Sociedade Esportiva Palestra Itália in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Now known as Cruzeiro, it has since become one of the country's most successful clubs.

The club identified strongly with Italy, originally open only to Italians and even adopting their colors from the Italian flag. But after Brazil entered World War II in 1942, the government prohibited club names from including references to the Axis nations. So, after a couple of interim iterations, Palestra Itália became Cruzeiro Esporte Clube, using the Spanish name for the Southern Cross constellation. They also abandoned the Italian tricolor for blue and white.

They won their first regional title, the Campeonato Mineiro, in 1926 and have since won it a total of 36 times, including 5 straight from 1965 to 1969, when they were led by Tostão, their all-time leading goalscorer. In 2003, they became the first club to win the Brazilian domestic treble of the top flight, the Copa do Brasil, and Campeonato Mineiro. They have also enjoyed international success, including twice winning the Copa Libertadores (1976, 1997).

Cruzeiro has maintained their success, winning the Brazilian Série A title in 2013 and 2014.

18 September 1976 - Looking For A Birthday Present? Try A Silverware Case.

On 18 September 1976, future Galactico and Brazilian star striker Ronaldo Luis Nazário de Lima, more commonly known simply as "Ronaldo," was born in Rio de Janeiro.

In 1993, Ronaldo signed his first professional contract with Brazilian club Cruzeiro, but made only 14 appearances for them (and scoring 12 goals) before transferring to PSV Eindhoven in 1994 for a fee of $6 million. He rose to prominence with Eindhoven, scoring 54 goals in 57 appearances. He was the Eredivisie's top scorer in his first season and helped propel Eindhoven to the Dutch Cup trophy in his second season.

Ronaldo hasn't stayed particularly long with any club, leaving PSV after two seasons for Barcelona. He stayed at Barça for the 1996-97 season, then moved to Inter (1997-2002), Real Madrid (2002-07), and Milan (2007-08 ). Along the way, he earned numerous team honors, including the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup (1997, with Barça), UEFA Cup (1998, with Inter), and La Liga title (2003 and 2007, with Real). He also led Brazil to the World Cup title in 1994 and 2002.

Ronaldo claimed an ample supply of individual awards as well, including the European Golden Boot (1996-97), UEFA Most Valuable Player (1997-98), World Cup Golden Ball (1998), and the Ballon d'Or (1997, 2002). He is one of only two people (the other being Zinedine Zidane) to be named the FIFA World Player of the Year three times (1996, 1997, 2002).

In February 2008, Ronaldo suffered a potentially career-ending knee injury while playing for Milan. Released at the end of the season, Ronaldo trained with Brazilian side Flamengo during his recovery before controversially signing with rivals Corinthians in 2009, where he remained until his retirement in 2011.

13 August 1997 - It's All About Being In The Right Place At The Right Time

On 13 August 1997, Cruzeiro won their second Copa Libertadores, despite starting the tournament in unimpressive fashion.

Winners of the competition in 1976, Cruzeiro opened the 1997 edition with three straight losses in the group stage, including a 1-0 loss to Sporting Cristal on 28 February. They rallied to win their remaining three group-stage matches, however, with a 2-1 win over Sporting on 11 April to pip the Peruvian club to the group's second place (though Sporting still advanced by finishing third).

The two teams met at the Estadio Nacional in Lima for the final's first leg on 6 August and played to a scoreless draw. Cruzeiro hosted the second leg one week later in Belo Horizonte where the crowd reached an official count of just over 95,000 (and an unofficial count of almost 107,000).

The second leg remained scoreless deep into the second half, when, in the 75th minute, midfielder Elivélton scored the final's only goal. Cruzeiro had taken a corner kick which a Sporting defender headed away. It landed just outside the 18-yard box at the feet of Elivélton, who blasted it into the far bottom corner. The Sporting keeper managed to get a hand to it, but could not keep the ball out of the net.

It was just Elivélton's second goal of the tournament, but was enough to deliver the cup to Cruzeiro.

30 July 1976 - That's Giving The Fans Their Moneys' Worth

On 30 July 1976, Cruzeiro became just the second Brazilian team to win the Copa Libertadores, beating River Plate 3-2 in a playoff.

Since the tournament started in 1960, teams from Brazil had reached the final five times, but only one—Santos—emerged as winners (though they did it twice, in 1962 and 1963). Palmeiras lost in 1961 and 1968 and São Paulo lost in 1974 before Cruzeiro had their opportunity. Their opponents were River Plate, who had been to the final once before, finishing as runners-up in 1966.

Cruzeiro hosted the first leg on 21 July and won 4-1, but River Plate won the second leg 2-1 a week later. Because the title was decided on points, not aggregate score, the results required a playoff at a neutral ground.

They met at the Estadio Nacional de Chile in Santiago, where Cruzeiro took a two-goal lead with goals from Nelinho (24') and Eduardo (55'). River Plate fought back with goals from Oscar Más (59') and Urquiza (64'). The Brazilians would not be denied, however, and got a late match-winner from Joãozinho (88').

Since then, Cruzeiro has returned to the final three more times, most recently in 2009, and won it again in 1997. River Plate, meanwhile, made it back to the final twice more, in 1986 and 1996, winning it both times.

2 December 1997 - Dortmund Cruises Over Cruzeiro

On 2 December 1997, Borussia Dortmund won the Intercontinental Cup, beating Cruzeiro 2-0 in Tokyo.

It was the first appearance in the competition for Dortmund, but the second for Cruzeiro, who lost to Bayern Munich in 1976. That final had been played over two legs, home and away, with the Brazilians losing 2-0 in Germany, then playing to a scoreless draw in Brazil. In 1980, the cup switched to a single-game format, hosted by Japan, and Cruzeiro were hoping for a better result.

But, playing before a crowd of over 51,000 at Tokyo's National Stadium, it was Dortmund who took the lead with a short-range shot from midfielder Michael Zorc in the 34th minute. The ball fell to him just a few feet outside the goal and he beat keeper Dida with a stinging left-footed blast.

Dida had an otherwise strong game, denying several Dortmund chances. But in the 84th minute, he was beaten by another close-range shot, this time from striker Heiko Herrlich, to end the game at 2-0.

It was the last trip to the competition for either club, though Dida went on to win its successor tournament, the FIFA Club World Cup, in 2007 with AC Milan.

14 September 1977 - Boca Juniors Send Cruzeiro Packing

On 14 September 1977, Boca Juniors beat Cruzeiro in a penalty shootout to claim their first Copa Libertadores title.

It was the second time in the final for both teams. Cruzeiro were the defending champions, having won the tournament over River Plate the previous year, while Boca Juniors finished as runners-up to Santos in 1963.

Scheduled to be played over two legs (and decided on points), each team won their home leg 1-0 to force a decisive third match at the neutral Estadio Centenario in Montevideo. There, 60,000 people filled the stands to watch the two teams play to a scoreless draw to the end of regulation, sending the match to penalties.

Boca defender Roberto Mouzo took the first kick and struck the post, but the referee instructed him to retake the kick because Cruzeiro goalkeeper Raul Plassman had come off his line too early. Mouzo made his second attempt, then each team converted their shots up to Cruzeiro's last kick. With Boca leading 5-4, Cruzeiro defender Vanderley Lázaro sent his shot to the right, where Boca keeper Hugo Gatti swatted it away for the win, 0-0 (5-4).

Cruzeiro returned to the final three more times, winning it in 1997, while Boca have gone on to lift the trophy five more times.

13 May 1976 - The Death Of Roberto Batata

On 13 May 1976, Cruzeiro forward Roberto Monteiro died in a car accident. He was 26 years old.

The Belo Horizonte-born Monteiro, nicknamed Roberto Batata after his love of french fries (called batata frita in Portuguese), joined Cruzeiro in 1969 at the age of 20. While there, he helped the club take five regional  titles, winning the Campeonato Mineiro in 1969, 1972, 1973, 1974, and 1975. He made a total of 281 appearances for Os Celestes, scoring a total of 110 goals in all competitions.

His played his last match on 12 May 1976, scoring a goal in Cruzeiro's 4-0 win over Alianza Lima in the Copa Libertadores semifinals. Afterward, he was traveling by car to visit his wife Denize and their eleven-month old son, Leonardo, but was involved in an accident and died as a result of his injuries.

Cruzeiro proceeded to win the Copa Libertadores the next month and dedicated their victory to his memory.

19 February 2009 - They Were Just Saving Their Strength For Later

On 19 February 2009, Estudiantes got their Copa Libertadores campaign off to an inauspicious beginning, losing 3-0 to Cruzeiro in the group stage. They later rallied, however, and ended up getting their revenge in the final.

The Argentinians nearly missed out on the tournament altogether after losing to Sporting Cristal 2-1 in the first leg of their qualification round. But they won the second leg 1-0 and advanced thanks to their away goal.

Their first match of the group stage was away to Cruzeiro, played before a crowd of almost 34,000 at the Mineirão. There, after holding the hosts to a scoreless draw in the first half, they conceded a 63rd-minute penalty which was converted by Cruzeiro left back Fernandinho. That goal opened the floodgates, as substitute striker Kleber scored twice more in the next ten minutes, first beating the keeper from a tight angle with a low ball to the far post (69'), then getting the ball past him in a one-on-one (72') to finish the match at 3-0.

Estudiantes won the rematch 4-0 in La Plata and advanced to the knockout rounds as group runners-up behind Cruzeiro. They beat Libertad, Defensor Sporting, and Nacional to reach the final, where they again faced Cruzeiro and won 2-1 on aggregate to claim their fourth Copa Libertadores title (their first since 1970).

15 July 2009 - The Students Become The Masters

On 15 July 2009, Estudiantes won the Copa Libertadores, beating Cruzeiro over two legs. The title was their fourth, coming 39 years after their third.

The Argentinian club had dominated the competition in the late 1960s and early 1970s, winning three straight titles in 1968, 1969, and 1970. They also made it the Final in 1971, but lost to Nacional. Cruzeiro, meanwhile, had also done well, winning the tournament in 1976 and 1977, as well as finishing as runners-up in 1977.

The two teams met at the start of the 2009 tournament in the group stage. They split their two meetings, with Cruzeiro winning the first 3-0, then Estudiantes winning the second 4-0. The Brazilians went on to top the group, with Estudiantes close behind in second place.

Estudiantes hosted the first leg of the final on 8 July, resulting in a scoreless draw. For the second leg, they played at the Mineirão in Belo Horizonte before a crowd of 65,000. The first half was another close--and physical--contest, as the teams again failed to score while accumulating a total of three yellow cards (one for Cruzeiro and two for Estudiantes). Cruzeiro took a second-half lead with a 52nd-minute goal from midfielder Henrique, but Estudiantes quickly equalized when forward Gastón Fernández found the net five minutes later.

The visitors started to dominate the midfield, with Juan Sebastián Verón orchestrating the attack. It paid off in the 72nd minute, as Estudiantes forward Mauro Boselli provided the winning score. Verón was named man of the match for his efforts.

The win placed Estudiantes fourth in the list of most Cope Libertadores titles, behind fellow Argentinian clubs Independiente (7) and Boca Juniors (6), as well as Uruguayan club Peñarol (5).

2 January 1921 - The Launch Of Cruzeiro

On 2 January 1921, a group of Italian immigrants founded the Sociedade Esportiva Palestra Itália in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Now known as Cruzeiro, it has since become one of the country's most successful clubs.

The club identified strongly with Italy, originally open only to Italians and even adopting their colors from the Italian flag. But after Brazil entered World War II in 1942, the government prohibited club names from including references to the Axis nations. So, after a couple of interim iterations, Palestra Itália became Cruzeiro Esporte Clube, using the Spanish name for the Southern Cross constellation. They also abandoned the Italian tricolor for blue and white.

They won their first regional title, the Campeonato Mineiro, in 1926 and have since won it a total of 36 times, including 5 straight from 1965 to 1969, when they were led by Tostão, their all-time leading goalscorer. In 2003, they became the first club to win the Brazilian domestic treble of the top flight, the Copa do Brasil, and Campeonato Mineiro. They have also enjoyed international success, including twice winning the Copa Libertadores (1976, 1997).

Cruzeiro has maintained their success, recently finishing their 2010 Brazilian Série A campaign in second place.

18 September 1976 - Looking For A Birthday Present? Try A Silverware Case.

On 18 September 1976, future Galactico and Brazilian star striker Ronaldo Luis Nazário de Lima, more commonly known simply as "Ronaldo," was born in Rio de Janeiro.

In 1993, Ronaldo signed his first professional contract with Brazilian club Cruzeiro, but made only 14 appearances for them (and scoring 12 goals) before transferring to PSV Eindhoven in 1994 for a fee of $6 million. He rose to prominence with Eindhoven, scoring 54 goals in 57 appearances. He was the Eredivisie's top scorer in his first season and helped propel Eindhoven to the Dutch Cup trophy in his second season.

Ronaldo hasn't stayed particularly long with any club, leaving PSV after two seasons for Barcelona. He stayed at Barça for the 1996-97 season, then moved to Inter (1997-2002), Real Madrid (2002-07), and Milan (2007-08 ). Along the way, he earned numerous team honors, including the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup (1997, with Barça), UEFA Cup (1998, with Inter), and La Liga title (2003 and 2007, with Real). He also led Brazil to the World Cup title in 1994 and 2002.

Ronaldo claimed an ample supply of individual awards as well, including the European Golden Boot (1996-97), UEFA Most Valuable Player (1997-98), World Cup Golden Ball (1998), and the Ballon d'Or (1997, 2002). He is one of only two people (the other being Zinedine Zidane) to be named the FIFA World Player of the Year three times (1996, 1997, 2002).

In February 2008, Ronaldo suffered a potentially career-ending knee injury while playing for Milan. Released at the end of the season, Ronaldo trained with Brazilian side Flamengo during his recovery before controversially signing with rivals Corinthians in 2009.