Club Alianza Lima facts for kids
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| Full name | Club Alianza Lima | ||
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| Nickname(s) | Los Blanquiazules (The Blue and Whites) El Equipo del Pueblo (The people’s team) |
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| Founded | 15 February 1901 (as Sport Alianza) | ||
| Ground | Estadio Alejandro Villanueva | ||
| Capacity | 33,938 | ||
| Owner | José Manuel Sabogal Carrillo | ||
| Manager | Mariano Soso | ||
| League | Liga 1 | ||
| 2024 | Liga 1, 4th of 18 | ||
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Club Alianza Lima, often just called Alianza Lima, is a very famous football (soccer) club from Lima, Peru. It was started on February 15, 1901, by young people from a working-class neighborhood in Lima. The club is known for having one of the most successful football teams in Peru.
Alianza Lima has won 25 national league titles. It is also the oldest team still playing in Peru's top football league, having been founded in 1901. Many people consider Alianza Lima to be the most popular club in Peru. It is even ranked as one of the most popular clubs in South America.
Alianza's home stadium is the Estadio Alejandro Villanueva. It is also known as Matute, named after the neighborhood where it is located. The stadium can hold almost 34,000 fans.
The team had a lot of success in its early years. They reached the semi-finals of the Copa Libertadores, a big South American tournament, in 1976 and 1978. In 1987, a terrible accident happened when their team plane crashed, and many players and coaches sadly passed away. Despite this, the club worked hard to rebuild.
Alianza Lima has a huge and long-standing rivalry with Universitario de Deportes. Their matches are known as the Peruvian Clásico and are very intense. Other rivals include Sporting Cristal, Deportivo Municipal, and Sport Boys.
Besides football, Alianza Lima also has successful women's teams. They have a women's volleyball team and a women's football team. The club also has an Esports team that plays in the EFootball series.
Contents
History
How it all started
The club began on February 15, 1901. It was first called Sport Alianza. Young people from the Chacaritas neighborhood in Lima founded it. The name "Alianza" came from the Alianza Racing Horse Stud, which was a horse stable where the team played its first games. This stable was on Cotabambas street in Lima.
Alianza Lima is one of the oldest professional football teams in Peru. It was a founding member of the Peruvian Football League, which started in 1912 as an amateur league. The club's first uniform was green and white. This honored Eduardo Pedreschi, one of the founders, who had Italian family. Later, the team started using the colors of the Alianza stables: blue, white, and black. By the 1920s, their classic striped jersey became their official look. The club changed its name to Alianza Lima in 1920. The league became professional in 1951.
Alianza played in the amateur league from the very beginning. They won their first title in 1918. In their early years, they played against other teams from Lima and Callao. Their games against Atlético Chalaco from Callao became very popular. This was the first big rivalry for Sport Alianza.
Four championships in a row?
The Alianza stable moved several times, so the team also had to move. In 1928, now called Alianza Lima, the club settled in the La Victoria District. This area became the true home for the club and its fans.
In the same year, Alianza played against Federación Universitaria for the first time. This club later became Universitario de Deportes, and they are now Alianza's biggest rivals. Their matches are the most important football games in Peru.
The 1930s were a mix of joy and frustration for the team. Alianza Lima won the national championship four times in a row from 1931 to 1934. This was a unique achievement in Peruvian football. However, the Peruvian Football Federation did not officially recognize the 1934 championship win for Alianza. Instead, the title was given to their rival, Universitario.
The memory of these four wins was also affected by the club being moved down a division in 1938. But after just one season, the team returned to the First Division.
Winning titles and playing in big cups
In the 1940s, and then when the league became professional in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, Alianza won 10 more championships. They won two Peruvian titles in a row in 1977 and 1978. Many of their players were also part of the Peru national football team at that time.
Alianza had its best international success in the Copa Libertadores in 1976 and 1978. They reached the semi-finals in both years. After that, their Copa Libertadores campaigns were not as successful for a while. In 1999, they reached the semi-finals of the Copa Merconorte. In 2010, they had a great run, even beating the defending champions Estudiantes de la Plata 4–1. However, they were eliminated in a controversial match against Universidad de Chile.
The 1980s and a sad event
The 1980s were very difficult for the club. Even with good players, Alianza couldn't win titles. Sporting Cristal became a strong rival during this time.
The 1987 plane crash
In 1987, Alianza Lima was leading the league. On December 8, the team was flying back from a game in Pucallpa. The plane crashed into the sea near Lima. Sadly, all the players and coaching staff died. Only the pilot survived.
After this tragedy, Alianza finished the championship with young players from their youth team. Some players from the Chilean club Colo-Colo also came to help. This created a strong friendship between the two teams. Alianza could not keep first place that year, and their rival, Universitario de Deportes, won the title.
Former players, like the famous Teófilo Cubillas, even came out of retirement to help the club during this hard time. Alianza Lima almost went down to a lower division in 1988, but they managed to stay in the First Division.
New titles and the club's 100th birthday
In 1997, Alianza Lima won its first title in 18 years, led by Colombian manager Jorge Luis Pinto. In 1999, they finished second. In 2000, another sad event happened when their young captain, Sandro Baylón, died in a car accident.
In 2001, the club celebrated its 100th birthday and won the national title. They beat Cienciano in a penalty shootout. Alianza Lima then won more championships in 2003 and 2004, beating Sporting Cristal in both finals. They also won in 2006. In 2017, Alianza Lima won their first championship in over ten years. They won both the Apertura and Clausura tournaments that year. Alianza Lima and Sporting Cristal have been the most successful Peruvian clubs this century, each winning many championships.
At the end of 2020, Alianza was moved down to the second division. However, the club fought this decision. They took their case to the International Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Switzerland. The CAS decided in favor of Alianza, and the team was returned to the first division for the 2021 season.
In 2021, Alianza Lima became champions again after beating Sporting Cristal in the final playoffs. They won the first game 1-0 and tied the second 0-0. In 2022, Alianza Lima won back-to-back league titles for the first time since 2003 and 2004. This was their 25th official league title. In 2023, Alianza lost to their rivals Universitario de Deportes in the final.
Kit and crest
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| The kit used during October in honor of the club's patron saint |
Alianza Lima's home uniform has a shirt with navy blue and white vertical stripes. They wear navy blue shorts and socks. Their away colors change, sometimes being blue, white, or green.
Every October, the team changes its usual colors to purple and white. This is a special tribute to the Lord of Miracles, who is a patron saint for the team. The color purple is linked to this religious tradition. Alianza Lima is the only team in the world to change its uniform color for a religious reason.
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| 1912 | 1920 | 1925 | 1927 | 1970-1987 | 1988-2010 | 2011–present |
Stadium
Alianza Lima plays its home games at the Estadio Alejandro Villanueva. It is also called Matute because of the neighborhood where it is located. The idea to build the stadium was announced on February 15, 1951, which was the club's 50th anniversary. The land for the stadium was given by Manuel Odría, who was the President of Peru at the time.
Building the stadium faced some money problems, so construction didn't start until May 30, 1969. The stadium was officially opened on December 27, 1974. The first game played there was between Alianza and Nacional from Uruguay. About 37,000 fans watched the match, which ended in a 2–2 tie.
In 2010, this stadium became the first in Peru to have a large, high-definition LED screen. It was also the only sports arena in Peru with a digital advertising banner.
The Estadio Alejandro Villanueva is located in a busy part of Lima. To make it safer, the stadium added a video-monitoring center in 2016. It now has 50 high-tech security cameras in different areas, both inside and outside.
Supporters
Alianza Lima has the largest number of supporters in Peru. Their main fan group is called the Comando Svr.
Many studies have shown that Alianza Lima is the most popular football team in Peru. For example, a survey in 2001 found that 42% of football fans supported Alianza Lima. In 2003, this number grew to almost 50%. Alianza Lima is popular among people from different economic backgrounds.
A study in 2014 by "Euromericas Sport Marketing" even ranked Alianza Lima as the most popular football team in South America. This shows how strong the fans' loyalty is to Alianza Lima.
Rivalries
Universitario
The rivalry between Alianza Lima and Universitario de Deportes is known as the Peruvian Clásico. It is the biggest football rivalry in Peru and one of the largest in South America. The first match between these two teams happened in 1928. Alianza Lima was expected to win, but Universitario surprised everyone by winning the game.
Matches between Alianza Lima and Universitario are always very exciting and intense. Alianza Lima has won more games against Universitario than they have lost. They have defeated Universitario 140 times and lost 122 times, with 103 games ending in a draw. Alianza has also scored more goals in these classic matches.
Sporting Cristal
Alianza Lima also has a long-standing rivalry with Sporting Cristal. This is another big rivalry in Peruvian football. These two teams first played each other in 1956, with Alianza winning 2–1.
Since then, they have played 197 times. Alianza has won 70 of these matches, and Sporting Cristal has won 59. There have been 68 draws. In total, 487 goals have been scored in these games. In 2004, Alianza Lima had their biggest win against Sporting Cristal, winning 5-0.
Players
Current team
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Players on loan
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Club records
- Félix Suárez scored the fastest goal ever in a Copa Libertadores match, just 6 seconds from the start! This happened in a 1976 game against Independiente Santa Fe from Colombia. Alianza won 3–0.
- Juan Valdivieso, a famous goalkeeper for Alianza Lima, once played as a forward and scored 7 goals in one game.
- Alianza Lima holds the record for the biggest win in Peruvian football history. They defeated Sport Pilsen 11–0 in 1984.
- Alianza Lima is the oldest club in the Peruvian First Division, having played in it 103 times.
Top scorers
| Championship | Player | Goals |
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| 1928 Primera División |  Alejandro Villanueva |
3 |
| 1931 Primera División | Alejandro Villanueva |
16 |
| 1949 Primera División | Juan Emilio Salinas |
18 |
| 1952 Primera División | Juan Emilio Salinas |
22 |
| 1955 Primera División | Máximo Mosquera |
11 |
| 1958 Primera División | Juan Joya |
17 |
| 1963 Primera División | Pedro Pablo León |
13 |
| 1966 Torneo Descentralizado | Teófilo Cubillas |
19 |
| 1967 Torneo Descentralizado | Pedro Pablo León |
14 |
| 1970 Torneo Descentralizado | Teófilo Cubillas |
22 |
| 1977 Torneo Descentralizado | Freddy Ravello |
21 |
| 1981 Torneo Descentralizado | José Carranza |
15 |
| 1993 Torneo Descentralizado | Waldir Sáenz |
31 |
| 1996 Torneo Descentralizado | Waldir Sáenz |
19 |
Managers
Managers who won titles
| Manager | Years | Titles |
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| Guillermo Rivero |
1928–34 | 1928, 1931, 1932, 1933 |
| Adelfo Magallanes |
1946–48 1954–56 |
1948, 1954, 1955 |
| Luis Guzmán |
1952–53 | 1952 |
 Jaime de Almeida |
1961–66 | 1962, 1963, 1965 |
| Marcos Calderón |
1975–76 | 1975 |
 Dan Georgiadis |
1972, 1976 | 1976 Copa Simón Bolívar (FVF) |
 Juan Hohberg |
1977–78 | 1977, 1978 |
 Jorge Luis Pinto |
1997–98 | 1997 |
 Bernabé Herráez |
2001 | 2001 |
 Gustavo Costas |
2003–04 2009–11 |
2003, 2004 |
| Gerardo Pelusso |
2006–07 | 2006 |
| Guillermo Sanguinetti |
2014–15 | 2014 Torneo del Inca |
| Pablo Bengoechea |
2017–18 2019–20 |
2017, 2018 Supercopa Movistar |
| Carlos Bustos |
2021–22 | 2021 |
| Guillermo Salas |
2022–23 | 2022 |
Other managers
- Alejandro Villanueva (1940–41)
- Roberto Scarone (1958–59)
- Hugo Bagnulo (1969–70)
- Didi (1986)
- Teófilo Cubillas (1988)
- Miguel Company (1989)
- Pedro Dellacha (1992)
Ivica Brzić (1994–95), (2001)- Julio César Uribe (1995)
- Gil (1996)
- Jorge Luis Pinto (1999–00)
- Arthur Bernardes (2000)
- Paulo Autuori (2001)
- Franco Navarro (2002)
- Rubén Darío Insúa (2005)
- Wilmar Valencia (2005)
- Diego Aguirre (2007)
- José Soto (2008)
Richard Páez (2008)- José Soto (2012)
- Wilmar Valencia (2013)
- Gustavo Roverano (2015)
- Roberto Mosquera (2016)
- Miguel Ángel Russo (2019)
- Alejandro Restrepo (2024)
Presidents
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Honours
Senior titles
- Keys
- Record
- (s) Shared record
| Type | Competition | Titles | Runner-up | Winning years | Runner-up years |
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| National (League) |
Primera División | 25 | 25 | 1918, 1919, 1927, 1928, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1948, 1952, 1954, 1955, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1997, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2017, 2021, 2022 | 1914, 1917, 1926, 1930, 1935, 1937, 1943, 1953, 1956, 1961, 1964, 1971, 1982, 1986, 1987, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1999, 2009, 2011, 2018, 2019, 2023 |
| Half-year / Short Tournament (League) |
Torneo Apertura | 6 | 4 |
1997, 2001, 2004, 2006, 2017, 2023
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1999, 2002. 2003, 2018 |
| Torneo Clausura | 7 | 5 |
1997, 1999, 2003, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2022
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1998, 2002, 2014, 2018, 2024 | |
| Liguilla Pre-Libertadores | 3 | — |
1993, 1994, 1996
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| Torneo Descentralizado | 2 | — |
1986, 1987
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| Torneo Descentralizado "B" | 1 | — |
1988
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| Torneo Interzonal | 1(s) | — |
1977
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| Torneo de Primeros Equipos | 3 | 1 |
1931, 1932, 1933
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1934 | |
| Campeonato de Apertura (ANA) | 6 | 3 |
1947, 1949, 1950, 1955, 1956, 1963
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1954, 1959, 1969 | |
| National (Cups) |
Torneo del Inca | 1(s) | 1 |
2014
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2015 |
| Torneo Interligas | 1 | — |
1928
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| Copa de Campeones del Perú | 1 | — |
1919
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| Regional (League) |
Liga Provincial de Lima | 1 | — | 1939 | — |
| International (Cups) |
Copa Simón Bolívar (FVF) | 1(s) | — |
1976
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Friendly competitions
| Type | Competition | Titles | Runner-up | Winning years | Runner-up years |
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| National (Cup) |
Supercopa Movistar (ADFP) | 1 | — |
2018
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| Torneo Extraoficial | — | 1 | — |
1936
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| International (Cup) |
Copa El Gráfico-Perú | 2(s) | 1 | 1999, 2003 | 2002–I |
| Copa Ciudad de Rosario | 1 | — | 2011 | — | |
| Copa EuroAmericana | 1 | — | 2014–IV | — | |
| Marlboro Cup | — | 1 | — | 1990 |
Under-20 team
| Type | Competition | Titles | Runner-up | Winning years | Runner-up years |
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| National (League) |
Torneo de Promoción y Reserva | 2 | 2 | 2011, 2022 | 2013, 2018 |
| Torneo Equipos de Reserva | 1 | 2 | 1934 | 1930, 1932 | |
| Half-year / Short tournament (League) |
U-18 Copa Generación | — | 1 | — | 2021 |
Performance in CONMEBOL competitions
- Copa Libertadores: 31 appearances
- Reached the semi-finals twice: 1976, 1978
- Copa Sudamericana: 4 appearances
- Reached the Quarter-finals once: 2002
- Copa CONMEBOL: 1 appearance
- First round: 1996
- Copa Merconorte: 4 appearances
- Reached the Semi-finals once: 1999
- U-20 Copa Libertadores: 2 appearances
- Fourth Place: 2011
- Quarter-finals: 2012
Other sports
Women's football
The Alianza Lima women's football team plays in the Liga Femenina, which is the top league for women's football in Peru. They have won the championship three times: in 2021, 2022, and 2024. They were also runners-up in the 2023 season. Alianza Lima has not yet won an international competition like the Copa Libertadores Femenina. Their best performance in that tournament was reaching the quarter-finals in 2022.
| Type | Competition | Titles | Runner-up | Winning years | Runner-up years |
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| National (League) |
Liga Femenina | 3 | 1 | 2021, 2022, 2024 | 2023 |
| Regional (League) |
Región IV | — | 1 | — | 2019 |
| Zona Lima | — | 1 | — | 2019 |
- Copa Libertadores Femenina: 3 appearances
- Quarter-finals: 2021, 2024
- Group Stage: 2022
Women's Volleyball
Alianza Lima also has a women's volleyball team. They play in the Liga Nacional Superior de Voleibol, which is the top women's volleyball league in Peru. They won their first title in the 2023–24 season, after being runners-up for the three seasons before that. They also won the previous top division, the División Superior de Vóley, three times. In 1994, Alianza Lima was the runner-up in the Campeonato Sudamericano de Campeones, a South American club championship.
| Type | Competition | Titles | Runner-up | Winning years | Runner-up years |
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| National (League) |
Liga Nacional Superior de Voleibol | 1 | 3 | 2023–24 | 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23 |
| División Superior de Vóley (DISUNVOL) | 3 | — | 1990, 1992, 1993 | — | |
| National (Cups) |
Copa Nacional de Voley | — | 1 | — | 2020 |
| International (Cups) |
Campeonato Sudamericano de Campeones | — | 1 | — | 1994 |
Basketball
The Alianza Lima basketball team plays in the Liga Nacional de Basketball. The women's team won the Liga de Basket de Lima in 1980, which is their only title in this sport.
| Type | Competition | Titles | Runner-up | Winning years | Runner-up years |
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| National (League) |
Campeonato Metropolitano de Baloncesto | 1 | — | 1980 | — |
| International (Cups) |
Campeonato Sudamericano de Clubes Campeones de Básquetbol | 1 | — | 1981 Rueda Consuelo | — |
Futsal Down
The Alianza Lima futsal team for people with Down syndrome was founded on August 16, 2022. They play in the Liga de Futsal de Perú. In 2023, they became national champions and also won the Copa Latinoamericana Inclusiva.
E-sports
Alianza Lima has an E-sports football team that plays in the Liga Peruana de eFootball. They won the national league in 2021.
See also
In Spanish: Club Alianza Lima para niños
