Following Saturday’s 2023 Copa Libertadores final, we examine the history, list of winners, & most successful clubs along with the winner prize money pool distribution
Argentina and Brazil, the South American football powerhouses, lead the way in terms of overall Libertadores winners, with Argentine clubs lifting the trophy 25 times compared to Brazil’s 23. Interestingly, Peru, Bolivia, and Venezuela are the three CONMEBOL nations that have never seen one of their club representatives win this prestigious cup.
Copa Libertadores 2023 final winner, prize money and past full winners list
🏆🇭🇺 Siempre hay una primera vez: @FluminenseFC campeón de la CONMEBOL #Libertadores.#GloriaEterna pic.twitter.com/DJz3hDs9I1
— CONMEBOL Libertadores (@Libertadores) November 4, 2023
Copa Libertadores history, winners, record holders, & most successful clubs
After losing the 2023 Copa Libertadores final, Boca Juniors remain still with six championship wins, one less than their neighbors Independiente, who dominated the 1970s and secured their most recent Libertadores title in 1984. Astonishingly, Independiente has a flawless record of seven appearances in the finals, winning all seven. In contrast, Boca has finished as runners-up on six occasions, including a painful loss to their bitter rivals, River Plate, in 2018.
Uruguay’s Peñarol ranks third in overall wins with five titles, but their last triumph was in 1987. Estudiantes and River Plate, two Argentine clubs, each secured four victories in the rankings. River Plate’s latest triumph occurred at Santiago Bernabéu stadium in Madrid, as security measures compelled the relocation of the final’s second leg to the Spanish capital.
Last year, Boca finished as runners-up to back-to-back champions Palmeiras in 2021, ending a streak of three consecutive all-Brazilian finals. However, they couldn’t prevent Fluminense from claiming their first Libertadores crown, narrowing the overall record to 25-23 in favor of Argentine and Brazilian clubs. The last time a club from outside of Brazil or Argentina won the Libertadores was in 2016 when Colombia’s Atletico Nacional defeated Ecuador’s Independiente del Valle.
| Club | Titles | Runners-up | Winning Editions |
| Independiente | 7 | 0 | 1964, 1965, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1984 |
| Boca Juniors | 6 | 6 | 1977, 1978, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2007 |
| Peñarol | 5 | 5 | 1960, 1961, 1966, 1982, 1987 |
| River Plate | 4 | 3 | 1986, 1996, 2015, 2018 |
| Estudiantes | 4 | 1 | 1968, 1969, 1970, 2009 |
| Olimpia | 3 | 4 | 1979, 1990, 2002 |
| Nacional | 3 | 3 | 1971, 1980, 1988 |
| São Paulo | 3 | 3 | 1992, 1993, 2005 |
| Palmeiras | 3 | 3 | 1999, 2020, 2021 |
| Santos | 3 | 2 | 1962, 1963, 2011 |
| Grêmio | 3 | 2 | 1983, 1995, 2017 |
| Flamengo | 3 | 1 | 1981, 2019, 2022 |
| Cruzeiro | 2 | 2 | 1976, 1997 |
| Internacional | 2 | 1 | 2006, 2010 |
| Atlético Nacional | 2 | 1 | 1989, 2016 |
| Colo-Colo | 1 | 1 | 1991 |
| Fluminense | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Racing | 1 | 0 | 1967 |
| Argentinos Juniors | 1 | 0 | 1985 |
| Vélez Sársfield | 1 | 0 | 1994 |
| Vasco da Gama | 1 | 0 | 1998 |
| Once Caldas | 1 | 0 | 2004 |
| LDU Quito | 1 | 0 | 2008 |
| Corinthians | 1 | 0 | 2012 |
| Atlético Mineiro | 1 | 0 | 2013 |
| San Lorenzo | 1 | 0 | 2014 |
| América de Cali | 0 | 4 | — |
| Cobreloa | 0 | 2 | — |
| Newell’s Old Boys | 0 | 2 | — |
| Barcelona | 0 | 2 | — |
| Deportivo Cali | 0 | 2 | — |
| Athletico Paranaense | 0 | 2 | — |
| Universitario | 0 | 1 | — |
| Unión Española | 0 | 1 | — |
| Universidad Católica | 0 | 1 | — |
| Sporting Cristal | 0 | 1 | — |
| Cruz Azul | 0 | 1 | — |
| São Caetano | 0 | 1 | — |
| Guadalajara | 0 | 1 | — |
| Nacional | 0 | 1 | — |
| UANL | 0 | 1 | — |
| Independiente del Valle | 0 | 1 | — |
| Lanús | 0 | 1 | — |
Copa Libertadores 2023 winner, final result, score, & prize pool distribution
Fluminense clinched victory in the 2023 Copa Libertadores by defeating Boca Juniors 2-1 in extra time at the Maracana on November 4. On their home turf, veteran Argentine forward German Cano propelled the Rio club into the lead in the 36th minute. However, a remarkable goal by Boca’s right-back, Luis Advincula, 18 minutes before the end of regular time, forced the match into extra time.
John Kennedy’s scorching strike played a crucial role in the outcome, even though the Fluminense substitute received a second yellow card for exiting the field to celebrate with the fans. Fluminense’s next challenge is the FIFA Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia, where they could potentially face the Champions League winners, Manchester City, following Brazil’s recent dominance in the Libertadores.
In 2023, clubs participating in the Copa Libertadores receive a sum of $500,000 upon progressing to the second stage, and they additionally earn $1,000,000 for each home match played during the group phase. Furthermore, they are granted an extra $300,000 for every match won during this stage. The per home match payment escalates to $1,250,000 during the round of 16. It’s not surprising that the prize money is on the rise, with each quarterfinalist taking home $1,700,000, semifinalists getting awarded $2,300,000, the runner-up receiving $7,000,000, and the ultimate winner earning $18,000,000.
we examine the 2023 Copa Libertadores prize pool distribution:
- Eliminated at the first stage: US$400,000
- Eliminated at the second stage: US$500,000
- Eliminated at the third stage: US$600,000
- Group stage: US$3,000,000
- Group stage win: US$300,000
- Round of 16: US$1,250,000
- Quarter-finals: US$1,700,000
- Semi-finals: US$2,300,000
- Runners-up: US$7,000,000 (Boca Juniors)
- Champions: US$18,000,000 (Fluminense)
Also Read: Who is Keishla Marlen Rodriguez Ortiz pregnant girlfriend of boxer Felix Verdejo he shot dead