Racing Club returns to step on the stage of a international final after 32 yearsfacing Cruzeiro for the South American Cup in the stadium The New Olla of Asunción. It will be a reunion full of symbolism and emotions for the academy, which will seek return to glory after decades of changes, difficulties and rebirths.
Racing’s last international conquest dates back to 1988when he became champion of the South American Super Cup. In that tournament, which brought together the champions of the Libertadores Cupthe academy beat Cruzeiro, the same rival this afternoon, in a memorable final.
After a 1-1 draw in Belo Horizontethe team led by Alfio Basile celebrated the title on Brazilian soil thanks to the advantage obtained in the first leg in the Avellaneda Cylinder.
That final marked a peak moment in racing history. However, the following years were complicated for the whole of southern Buenos Aireswith adverse results and actions that harmed him.
The club went through financial crisesa bankruptcy that it almost led to its disappearance in 1999 and a management that generated resistance in his fans. Despite everything, the club reemerged, consolidated its institutional structure and once again became the protagonist of Argentine football, conquering three local championships (2001, 2014 and 2019) and two national cups.
Racing in the international finals
Since the creation of the tournaments organized by CONMEBOL, Racing played four international finals:
- Copa Libertadores 1967: They beat Nacional of Uruguay and won their first continental title.
- Intercontinental Cup 1967: He became champion against Celtic of Scotland with the historic goal of “Chango” Cárdenas in the Montevideo Centennial.
- South American Super Cup 1988: Defeated Cruzeiro in an unforgettable final.
- South American Cup Winners’ Cup 1989: Lost to Nacional of Uruguay.
- South American Super Cup 1992: He was defeated again by Cruzeiro.
The history between Racing and Cruzeiro
The rival of this new final is no stranger to Racing. Cruzeiro was part of some of the most relevant episodes in the international history of the academy. In the 1988 Super Cup, Racing celebrated in Belo Horizonte, while in 1992, the Brazilians took revenge with a resounding 4-0 win in the first leg.
Today, both teams arrive with different recent histories, since Racing is going through a great sporting moment with figures such as Juanfer Quintero and “Maravilla” Martínezwhile Cruzeiro, in the middle of the table in the Brazilianbets on his experience in international tournaments to fight.
The presence of Gustavo Costas
The name of Gustavo Costas is linked to both eras from Racing: it was starting defender in the 1988 Super Cup and now he is the coach seeking to guide the team to a new title. In his words, Costas transmits the mystique of a club that always overcomes adversity:
“I want to be remembered as a hoodto. Racing is the greatest thing this club has, and this group surpasses all those I had in my career. We are going to win this final no matter what.”
The world from 1988 to today
They passed 13,307 days since Racing took its last international lap. During this time, the world changed profoundly. He fell Berlin WallArgentina experienced significant political and economic transformations, and in the sporting field, the country celebrated the consecration of Lionel Messi and the National Team in the 2022 World Cup.
The club went through different stages, hitting rock bottom in the first decade of the ’00s, where it was on the verge of disappearing, and then playing a promotion in which he narrowly escaped relegation.
Since 2014, when he became champion, academic history changed and he became one of the great protagonists of local football, being considered the third behind Boca and River.
Source: Ambito
I am Pierce Boyd, a driven and ambitious professional working in the news industry. I have been writing for 24 Hours Worlds for over five years, specializing in sports section coverage. During my tenure at the publication, I have built an impressive portfolio of articles that has earned me a reputation as an experienced journalist and content creator.
