Colo-Colo facts for kids
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| Full name | Club Social y Deportivo Colo-Colo | ||
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| Nickname(s) | Los Albos (The White ones) Eterno Campeón (The Eternal Champion) El Cacique |
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| Founded | 19 April 1925 | ||
| Ground | Estadio Monumental David Arellano, Macul, Greater Santiago |
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| Capacity | 47,347 | ||
| President | Alfredo Stöhwing (Blanco y Negro) Matías Camacho (Corporation) |
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| Manager | Daniel Morón | ||
| Coach | Jorge Almirón | ||
| League | Chilean Primera División | ||
| 2023 | Primera División, 3rd of 16 | ||
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Colo-Colo, whose full name is Club Social y Deportivo Colo-Colo, is a famous Chilean football club. It is based in Macul, Santiago. The club was started in 1925 by David Arellano. Colo-Colo plays in the top Chilean league, the Chilean Primera División. They have never been moved down to a lower league, which is a big achievement! Since 1989, their home games have been played at Estadio Monumental David Arellano. Many people think Colo-Colo is the most successful football club in Chile.
Colo-Colo has won the Primera División de Chile title 33 times. This is more than any other Chilean club. They have also won the Copa Chile a record thirteen times. In 1991, they became the first Chilean team to win a big international tournament, the 1991 Copa Libertadores. The next year, they won two more international titles: the 1992 Recopa Sudamericana and the 1992 Copa Interamericana.
The player who has scored the most goals for the club is Carlos Caszely, with 208 goals. The player with the most games played is Lizardo Garrido, who played 560 matches. Luis Mena, known as the "historic one," won eleven titles for the club. This is a Chilean league record.
Colo-Colo is the most popular team in Chile. In 2016, CONMEBOL said they had over 7 million fans! Colo-Colo has a big rivalry with Universidad de Chile. They also have rivalries with Cobreloa and Universidad Católica. The IFFHS (a group that tracks football history) ranked Colo-Colo as the top club in Chile for the 20th century. They are also considered one of the top twenty clubs in South American football history.
Contents
History of Colo-Colo
How Colo-Colo Started (1925–1933)
Colo-Colo was founded in 1925. A player named David Arellano led a group of young players who left another club, Magallanes. They had some disagreements there. On April 19, 1925, Arellano and the other players officially started their new club. Luis Contreras chose the name "Colo-Colo." This name honors the brave cacique (chieftain) Colo Colo. He was a Mapuche leader who fought against the Spanish in the 1500s.
At first, the team played friendly games. In 1926, Colo-Colo joined their first competition, the Metropolitan League of Honour. They won it without losing any games! This earned them the nickname "invincible." The next year, Colo-Colo became the first Chilean football team to tour Europe. But on May 2, during a game in Spain, the founder David Arellano was badly hurt. He passed away the next day. Even with this sad event, the club won the Central League of Football tournament in 1928, 1929, and 1930.
In 1931–32, the club faced some challenges. They had money problems, which led to lower salaries for players. This caused some difficulties. That season, the team played a final game against Audax Italiano. But the game was stopped because of an accident at the stadium. The match was cancelled, and no champion was named that year.
Joining Professional Football (1933–1973)
In 1933, Colo-Colo and six other clubs from Santiago decided to create Chile's professional football league. On July 23, Colo-Colo won the Campeonato de Apertura (which was like today's Copa Chile). They beat Unión Española 2–1. In the first official Primera División tournament, Colo-Colo finished tied for first with Magallanes. They had to play an extra game to decide the winner, but Colo-Colo lost 2–1.
In 1937, the team had a great year and won their first league title without losing a game. Two seasons later, in 1939, Colo-Colo won the league title again. This was under the coach Francisco Platko from Hungary. Alfonso Domínguez was a top scorer with 20 goals. After another title in 1941 with Platko, the club won titles in 1944 and 1947. In 1948, Colo-Colo hosted the South American Club Championship in Santiago. This tournament was a early version of the Copa Libertadores. In 1945, the club had its toughest season, finishing almost last.
In the early 1950s, the club bought a famous player, George Robledo, from England. His great playing helped the team win titles in 1953 and 1956. During this time, the club bought land in Macul to build their own stadium, Estadio Monumental David Arellano. They also bought a main office building in Santiago in 1953. In the next ten years, Colo-Colo won titles in 1960 and 1963. The 1963 team set two records: Luis Hernán Álvarez scored 37 goals in one season, and the team scored 130 goals in total. The team won its tenth league title in 1970.
Colo-Colo's Success in the 1970s and 1980s
In 1972, with coach Luis Álamos and star players like Carlos Caszely and Francisco Valdés, the club won another championship. They also set a record for the most fans attending games in a single season. This team was known as "Colo-Colo 73." They were the first Chilean team to reach the final of the Copa Libertadores. They lost to Independiente from Argentina. After this amazing run, the club faced some challenges and did not win another league title until 1979. That team had the talented Brazilian player Severino Vasconcelos and a returning Caszely.
In 1975, the construction of Estadio Monumental was finished. The stadium opened with a league game, but it closed soon after due to problems with its facilities. It was not used for a long time.
In the 1980s, the club won league titles in 1981 and 1983 with coach Pedro García. They also won in 1986 and 1989 under Arturo Salah. In 1987, a plane crash affected the Peruvian team Alianza Lima. Colo-Colo was the first to help, lending them 4 players. The team also won four Copa Chile titles in this decade. On September 30, 1989, Estadio Monumental was reopened. Colo-Colo won the first game there 2–1 against Peñarol. Goals were scored by Marcelo Barticciotto and Leonel Herrera.
International Triumphs (1991–1999)
The 1990s were the most successful years for Colo-Colo. They won many national and international titles. Eduardo Menichetti was the club president. Croatian coach Mirko Jozić joined the team. He led them to win two national titles in a row, called a Bicampeonato. On June 5, 1991, Colo-Colo beat Olimpia 3–0 at Monumental. This made them the first Chilean team to win a Copa Libertadores! That same year, they lost the Intercontinental Cup final in Tokyo. But at home, the club won the 1991 league title. This was their third title in a row, called a Tricampeonato.
The next year, the club won the Recopa Sudamericana. They beat Brazil's Cruzeiro in a penalty shootout. They also won the Copa Interamericana, beating Puebla 3–1 in Mexico. Jozić's last title with Colo-Colo was the 1993 league title. He had a very successful time in South America.
After Jozić left, the team did not win national titles for a short time. But they had a memorable 3–0 win against their rivals Universidad de Chile in 1995. The team won the Copa Chile in 1994. They also reached the quarterfinals of the 1994 Copa Libertadores. The next season, Paraguayan coach Gustavo Benítez arrived. He won league titles in 1996, 1997-C, and 1998. The team reached the semifinals of the Supercopa Libertadores in 1996 and the Copa Libertadores in 1997. They were stopped both times by Cruzeiro. In 1999, Colo-Colo had three different coaches in one season.
Challenges and Comeback (1999–Present)
In 1999, the club faced serious money problems. On January 23, 2002, the club was declared to be in a difficult financial situation. But even with these challenges, under coach Jaime Pizarro (who was a key player in the 1991 Copa Libertadores win), Colo-Colo won the Torneo de Clausura. They did this with a team made mostly of young players. Three years later, in 2005, a company called Blanco y Negro took over the club's management. They agreed to pay off the club's debts. By 2006, the club's financial problems were solved.
With Argentine coach Claudio Borghi since 2006, and players like Matías Fernández and Humberto Suazo, Colo-Colo won two tournaments in a row. This was another Bicampeonato, winning the Apertura and Clausura tournaments. The team reached another international final, the Copa Sudamericana. They lost 2–1 to Pachuca from Mexico. That season, El Cacique was named the world's club of the month by the IFFHS. The next season, Colo-Colo won two more tournaments in a row. This made it a Tetracampeonato, winning four championships back-to-back! They were the first Chilean team to do this.
After Borghi left, the club won its 28th title. They beat Palestino in the 2008 Torneo de Clausura finals. This was under coach Marcelo Barticciotto, with Lucas Barrios as the main scorer. Barrios tied the record for most goals scored by a Colo-Colo player in a single season, with 37 goals. The next season, the club became the first professional team to play on Easter Island. After a tough start in the Torneo de Apertura 2009, the team was close to being moved down a league. But they made a great comeback! They reached the Clausura finals against Universidad Católica, beating them 4–2. Players like Esteban Paredes, Macnelly Torres, and Ezequiel Miralles helped, coached by Hugo Tocalli. Colo-Colo's most recent championship was in 2014. They won the Torneo de Clausura. This was the team's 30th Chilean League title.
Badge, Colours, and Kit
The club's badge shows the Mapuche chieftain Colo Colo. He was an important leader who fought against the Spanish in the Arauco War. When the club was founded on April 19, 1925, Luis Contreras designed the badge. It represents the chief and Chile's native people.
Colo-Colo's uniform has always been a white shirt and black shorts. Juan Quiñones designed the original uniform, following David Arellano's ideas.
In 1927, after David Arellano passed away, the club decided to add a black horizontal band to the badge. This band is a symbol of lasting remembrance for him.
The team's away uniforms have changed over the years. They were green from 1927 to the mid-1970s. Then they were red from 1975 to 1988.
Stadium
Colo-Colo first played at a field called Estadio El Llano. In January 1928, they moved to the Campos de Sports de Ñuñoa. Later, the team played at Estadio Nacional from 1939 to the late 1980s. In 1946, the club bought a stadium called Fortín Mapocho. It was closed for safety reasons. The club wanted to build a new stadium there. But a city rule stopped construction. So, Colo-Colo sold the stadium to get money for their future Estadio Monumental.
In 1956, club president Antonio Labán bought a large piece of land in Macul. It was meant for the new Estadio Monumental. The stadium was first planned to hold 120,000 people. But the high cost and lack of government help stopped the project. In 1960, Chile was chosen to host the World Cup. Some leaders suggested building a 52,000-seat stadium at Colo-Colo's site. However, a big earthquake in 1960 and other issues stopped this plan.
Colo-Colo's successful seasons in 1972 and 1973 allowed the stadium construction to start again. It opened in 1975 with a league game. Colo-Colo won 1–0 against Deportes Aviación. Juan Carlos Orellana scored the first goal in Monumental's history. But the stadium closed again because it lacked basic services. It did not reopen until 1989. This was possible thanks to money from Hugo Rubio's transfer to Bologna. This money helped fix the problems. The stadium was named Monumental David Arellano to honor the club's founder. Its official reopening was in a game against Peñarol from Uruguay. Colo-Colo won 2–1.
Since it fully opened, the stadium has seen many big moments. These include the 1991 Copa Libertadores and 1992 Copa Interamericana titles. It has also hosted many league championship celebrations.
The most fans ever at Monumental was in 1992. About 70,000 fans watched a derby game against Universidad de Chile. In August 1993, 67,543 fans watched a game against Real Madrid. Over time, the stadium has had updates and new safety rules. This has changed its capacity to 47,347 seats.
The Chilean national team often uses the stadium for its games since 1997. The stadium was also used during the 2015 Copa América.
Players
Current squad of Colo-Colo as of 16 April 2021 ()
Sources: Official Web Site: http://www.colocolo.cl/equipos/primer-equipo/plantel-de-honor/
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Coach: Gustavo Quinteros
Youth Academy
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Players on Loan
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Managers and Coaches
Current Coaching Staff
| Position | Name |
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| Coach |  Jorge Almirón |
| Assistant coach | Pablo Manusovich |
| Assistant coach | Maximiliano Velázquez |
| Fitness coach | José Altieri |
| Goalkeeping coach |  Jorge Martínez |
Fans and Rivalries
Colo-Colo has the most fans in Chile. About 42% of all Chilean football fans support them! This was shown in a study from 2012.
Since the 1960s, Colo-Colo has had organized fan groups. In the mid-1980s, these groups became known as Garra Blanca. They go to Colo-Colo's games and create a lot of energy. Sometimes, there are disagreements between fan groups, especially during big derby matches.
Colo-Colo has rivalries with other Santiago clubs. One is with Universidad Católica, called Clásico Albo-Cruzado. Another is with Deportes Magallanes, known as Clásico de la Chilenidad.
The Chilean Superclásico
Colo-Colo's biggest rival is Universidad de Chile. Their games are called the Chilean Classic or Chilean Superclásico. They first played each other in 1935. But the rivalry really grew in the 1940s and 1950s. A very important game was on November 11, 1959. Universidad de Chile won 2-1, which was the start of many good results for them against Colo-Colo. This, along with Universidad de Chile winning many championships, made the rivalry even stronger. In recent years, Colo-Colo has been much stronger than Universidad de Chile. Because of this, some people call it the "most unequal rivalry in the world."
Honours and Trophies
Colo-Colo has won many important titles!
National Titles
- Primera División
- Winners (34): 1937, 1939, 1941, 1944, 1947, 1953, 1956, 1960, 1963, 1970, 1972, 1979, 1981, 1983, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1996, 1997-C, 1998, 2002-C, 2006-A, 2006-C, 2007-A, 2007-C, 2008-C, 2009-C, 2014-C, 2015-A, 2017, 2022, 2024
- Copa Chile
- Winners (14): 1958, 1974, 1981, 1982, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1994, 1996, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2023
- Supercopa de Chile
- Winners (4): 2017, 2018, 2022, 2024
- Campeonato de Campeones
- Winners (1): 1945
- Campeonato de Apertura
- Winners (3): 1933, 1938, 1940
- Campeonato Nacional de Football
- Winners (1): 1936
International Titles
- Copa Libertadores
- Winners (1): 1991
- Runner-up (1): 1973
- Copa Sudamericana
- Runner-up (1): 2006
- Copa Interamericana
- Winners (1): 1992
- Recopa Sudamericana
- Winners (1): 1992
- Intercontinental Cup
- Runner-up (1): 1991
Regional Titles
- División de Honor de la Liga Metropolitana de Deportes
- Winners (1): 1925
- Primera División de la Liga Central de Football de Santiago
- Winners (2): Serie F 1928, 1929
- División de Honor de la Asociación de Football de Santiago
- Winners (1): 1930
- Copa de Campeones de Santiago
- Winners (1): 1925
See also
In Spanish: Club Social y Deportivo Colo-Colo para niños
- Colo-Colo B
- Colo-Colo (women)
