Peñarol Greatest All-Time Team

This blogger Artur Yanturin of Russia copied many of my blog teams.  This blog was one of them.  It was my Russia All-Time Team here.  His team was written in 2020, but mine was uploaded in 2014.   His Spartak Moscow All-Time team entry of was published in October 2020, but mine was uploaded in 2017.  His entry of the Dutch-German rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona was written in 2020, but mine was uploaded in 2014.  He also copied many many of my blog entries.

His Facebook and Instagram

1982 Copa Libertadores

Please also see my All-Time World Cup Team Index.

Olimpia, Club Nacional

This is my selection of a 25 member all-time team for the club.  The number 25 was chosen because it is the official squad size for the Champions' League.

Peñarol was founded on 28 September 1891 when employees of the Central Uruguay Railway Company established the Central Uruguay Railway Cricket Club (CURCC) of Montevideo, with the purpose of stimulating the practice of cricket, rugby football and "other male sports" (literal from the Spanish).  In international competition, Peñarol won the first two editions of Copa Libertadores.  It is the third-highest Copa Libertadores winner with five victories and shares the record for Intercontinental Cup victories with three. In September 2009, the club was chosen as the South American Club of the Century by the IFFHS.

1960 Copa Libertadores Winner

Team
GK: Ladislao Mazurkiewicz (Uruguay)
Ladislao Mazurkiewicz is considered one of the greatest keepers from South America.  He had 36 caps for the national team. He led Uruguay to the semifinal of the World Cup in 1970.  He was also a participant at the WC Finals of 1966 and 1974. He was voted the best keeper at the tournament. He played with Peñarol at home before moving to play in Brazil, Spain, Chile and Colombia.

Ladislao Mazurkiewicz

GK Roque Maspoli
Maspoli made his professional debut with Liverpool de Montevideo in 1939. After one season with Liverpool, he joined Peñarol. He would spend the rest of his playing career with Aurinegros, winning six Primera titles with the club. He was Uruguay's keeper at the World Cup in 1950, where they won it by breaking the hearts of the Brazilians.

GK: Luis Maidana (Uruguay)
Luis Maiden was born in 1934. He was a youth product of Penarol, where he spent most of his senior career with Penarol. He was a part of the team that played club's greatest era in the 1960's, winning two Copa Libertadores in the 1960 and 1961.  From 1959 to 1969, he represented Uruguay 10 times. He went to the World Cup Finals in 1962., but served as a backup.

RB/CB: Pablo Forlan (Uruguay)
Pablo Forlan is the father of Diego Forlán. As a professional footballer Pablo Forlán played for Peñarol, São Paulo FC , Cruzeiro EC , Nacional de Montevideo and Defensor Sporting . During his career he helped to win Uruguayan league, the Copa Libertadores  and the Intercontinental Cup in 1966 and 3 São Paulo state championships. Pablo Forlán played at the 1966 and 1974 World Cups.

RB/WH: José Piendibene (Uruguay)
Piendibene played for Peñarol between 1908 and 1928. During his time with the Carboneros he won six Primera División Uruguayan championships. Piendibene made his debut for the Uruguay national football team in 1909.  He was capped 40 times, scoring 20 goals. He made his final appearance for La Celeste in November 1923.

SW:  Elias Figueroa (Chile)
Elias Figueroa was one of the best defenders in South American history.  He was named the Brazilian Player of the year award whilst playing for Internacional in 1972 and 1976. He was also awarded the South American Footballer of the Year three times in a row. He played notably for Santiago Wanderers, Internacional and Uruguayan club Peñarol. He also represented Chile 47 times, appearing in three world cups, in 1966, 1974, and 1982.

Elias Figueroa 

CB: Juan Lezcano (Paraguay)
He was a member of the historical Olimpia team that won five Paraguayan league championships in a row, from 1956 to 1960 and reached the final of the Copa Libertadores in 1960, where Olimpia lost against Peñarol. In 1961, he joined Peñarol and became one of the key players of the that helped Peñarol win several national and international championships.

CB: Roberto Matosas (Uruguay)
At the club level, Roberto Matosas played for River Plate of Argentina and C.A. Peñarol of Uruguay. In 1964, River Plate signed Matosas for a then-record transfer fee. He would play 165 league matches for the club from 1964 to 1968s. He finished his playing career in Mexico. He also participated in the 1970 World Cup in Mexico, where Uruguay finished in fourth place.

CB/RWH: William Martínez (Uruguay)
Martínez played for Nacional, Racing Club de Montevideo and Rampla Juniors before joining Peñarol.  He captained the team to five consecutive league titles, two Copa Libertadores (1960 & 1961) the 1961 Copa Intercontinental and four consecutive Copa Uruguay . He went to three World Cup Finals(1950, 1954, 1962). He played a total of 54 matches scoring 2 goals. Martínez won the Copa América with Uruguay in 1956.

William Martínez 

LB/LM: Victor Rodriguez Andrade
Jose Leandro Andrade's nephew.  He won the 1950 WC in Brazil . He was Uruguay's greatest left midfielder(or leftback). He played mainly with Peñarol at home. Rodríguez Andrade also played at the 1954 World Cup and won the 1956 South American Championship with Uruguay, and at the club level, he won two Uruguayan First Division titles with C.A. Peñarol.

LB: Alfonso Dominguez (Uruguay)
Alfonso Domínguez played for both Penarol and National in Uruguay.  He was part of Aurinegros' 1987 Copa Libertadores winning team. He also had a spell with River Plate in Argentina. He played 31 times for Uruguay from 1987 to 1990, including playing at the 1990 World Cup finals.

RB/DM;  Jose Leandro Andrade (Uruguay)
His nickname was "the Black Marvel' (maravilla negra).  He was regarded as the best player at the 1930 World Cup and perhaps, in the world at the time. As a teenager Andrade played for Montevideo club Misiones. In the early 1920s Andrade was signed by Bella Vista, where he played 71 matches and scored seven goals.  Andrade later moved to Nacional where he won four Uruguayan Championships and three national cups.

DM: Obdulio Varela (Uruguay)
Known as the "Black Chief", Obdulio Varela was the captain of the 1950 World Cup team.  His leadership was credited with helping Uruguay to come from behind to beat Brazil. He is considered one of the best players ever from Uruguay.  He debuted in first division with Montevideo Wanderers in 1938. In 1943, he joined C.A. Peñarol, club for which he would play until his professional retirement in 1955.

Obdulio Varela (R)

DM: Néstor Gonçalves (Uruguay)
Néstor Gonçalves has the most official games in Penarol's history (571 matches, between1957 and 1970. He is considered to have been one of the best South American midfielders of the 1960s. Capped 50 times.  He went to the World Cup Finals in 1962 and 1966.  His son Jorge Gonçálvez also played for Uruguay in the 1980's.

RM:  Luis Cubilla (Uruguay)
Luis Cubilla was a part of Penarol that won two Copa Libertadores in the 1960 and 1961, and he won one more with Nacional in 1971.  He also played for Barcelona, River Plate of Argentina,  Santiago Morning of Chile and Defensor Sporting of Uruguay where he helped the club to win their first league championship. For Uruguay, he played in three WC Finals: 1966, 1970 and 1974.

RW: Alcides Ghiggia (Uruguay)
Alcides Ghiggia scored the winning goal against Brazil in the 1950 World Cup Finals that sealed the WC for Uruguay.  The match was known as the "Maracanazo".   He played for the national sides of both Uruguay and Italy during his career. He also played for the club sides of the Peñarol and Danubio in Uruguay and A.S. Roma and A.C. Milan in Italy.

AM/SS:  Pedro Rocha (Uruguay)
Pedro Rocha won 8 Uruguayan league titles and 3 Copa Libertadores with Penarol from 1959 to 1970.  He moved to São Paulo in 1970, spending 7 successful seasons there.  He was the league's top scorer in 1972.  At the international level, he played 52 times for Uruguay. He is the only player to appear in four consecutive World Cups for Uruguay  (1962, 1966, 1970, 1974). He also played in the Copa América in 1967.

Pedro Rocha

LW:  Juan Joya (Peru)
Juan Joya was one of the best left wing in South American history.  At the club level, he won 11 titles with Penarol between 1961 and 1969, including two Copa Libertadores and a two Copa Intercontinental. He also played for Alianza Lima and River Plate(Argentina). At the international level, he played 9 times for Peru between 1956 and 1959 and once for Uruguay in 1965 while he was playing for Penarol. He played in two Copa Americas for Peru.

AM: Pablo Bengoechea (Uruguay)
Bengoechea started his career at the Oriental Atlético Club of Rivera. He later played for Montevideo Wanderers, Sevilla FC of Spain, Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata of Argentina and C.A. Peñarol.  He helped Penarol conquer the second quinquennium of gold (five consecutive league titles). He is considered one of the greatest players in the history of Peñarol.  Capped 43 times. He won two Copa America(1987 and 1995), and went to Italia 1990.

FW/SS: Juan Schiaffino (Uruguay)
At international level, Juan Schiaffino won the 1950 World Cup with Uruguay, and also took part at the 1954 World Cup. He later also represented the Italy national football team 4 times during his career in Italy. He was considered one of the greatest Uruguayan players in history.  At the club level, he started his career in Uruguay for Penarol. In 1954, he joined AC Milan at the time world record fee of 52 million Lire.  

 Juan Schiaffino 

FW: Isabelino Gradin (Uruguay)
Isabelino Gradin was one of the greatest footballers before the 1930 World Cup. He won the South American Championship in 1916 and 1917 with Uruguay. Gradin and team mate Juan Delgado became the first black players in history to be fielded in an international tournament. He was also a four-time South American athletics champion in the 400 and 200 metres sprint.

FW: Óscar Míguez (Uruguay)
Óscar Míguez was part of the Uruguay team in the 1950 and 1954 World Cups. He scored five times for his country on the way to a World Cup winners medal in 1950. He is Uruguay's all-time record World Cup goalscorer with eight goals.  He played club football for Peñarol and Sporting Cristal.

ST: Fernando Morena (Uruguay)
Morena is the all-time top goal scorer in the history of Penarol and the Uruguayan A League.  He scored the winning goal for Penarol at the 1982 Copa Libertadores. He also played with Racing Club and River Plate from Montevideo, Rayo Vallecano in Spain, Flamengo and Boca Juniors. Morena was capped 53 times scoring 22 goals between 1971 and 1983. He was part of the Uruguayan team that won the Copa América in 1983.

Fernando Morena 

ST:  Severino Varela (Uruguay)
Varela started his career in 1932 with River Plate de Montevideo. With Peñarol, he won four successive league titles between 1935 and 1938.  In 1943, he moved to Boca Juniors, where he was known for scoring 5 times in 6 games against River Plate. With Uruguay, Varela won the 1942 South American Championship, still tied for the 3rd highest scorer in the history of Copa América with 15 goals.

ST:  Alberto Spencer (Ecuador)
Alberto Spencer was known as "Cabeza Mágica" (Spanish for magic head).  He is still the all-time leading scorer in the Copa Libertadores' history.  He is considered one of South America's greatest strikers. He won three Libertadores Cups and two Intercontinental Cups with Uruguay's Penarol. He was elected the 20th best South American footballer of the 20th century in a poll by the IFFHS in 2004.  He also played for Everest and Barcelona at home.

Alberto Spencer

Honorable Mention
Walter Olivera, Paolo Montero, Álvaro Gestido, Nelson Gutiérrez, Julio César Cortés, Víctor Diogo, Julio César Abbadie, Omar Caetano, Carlos Borges, Pablo Bengoechea,  Eduardo Pereira, Walter Corbo, Fernando Álvez, Ernesto Ledesma, Juan Hohberg (Argentina/Uruguay)

Squad Explanation
-- Alberto Spencer is probably the greatest ever player from Penarol.  Obdulio Varela, Elias Figueroa, Pedro Rocha and Juan Schiaffino probably should be automatic selections as well.  José Leandro Andrade also played here.  
-- Penarol enjoyed successes in the 1960's.  They won three Copa Libertadores and two more Intercontinental Cups. They also dominated the domestic league.  From that era, I selected the following players: Alberto Spencer, Luis Maidana, Luis Cubilla, Pablo Forlan, Juan Lezcano, Juan Joya, Pedro Rocha, Roberto Matosas, William Martinez and  Néstor Gonçalves.
-- The first two keepers are obvious choices, but the third keeper is difficult.  I chose Luis Maidana because of the two Copa Libertadores victories in the 1960's.

-- With Peñarol, Fernando Álvez played 30 times against rival Nacional and only lost once in "Clásico del fútbol Uruguayo".
-- Elias Figueroa and Roberto Matosas are the two big-name in the centre-back position.  The remaining spots were between Juan Lezcano, Álvaro Gestido, William Martínez (who can play as a center-back) and Nelson Gutiérrez.  Again, I took Martinez because he is the most famous player from this list.
-- Elias Figueroa was known for his club career in Brazil.  In Uruguay, he was also great.  He was voted the Best Player of Uruguay in 1967, 1968 and 1971.  In 2000, he was elected to be the greatest foreign player ever plated for the club.
-- Both of 1982 and1987 Copa Liberadores winning teams are under represented. 

-- One website listed Pedro Rocha as a left wing forward, but most said that he was secondary striker or attack midfielder. I don't think he was a left-sided player.  From footage of his play, he was everywhere.
-- Alfonso Dominguez is the only player selected from the 1987 team. Diego Aguirre scored the winning goal at the 1987 Copa Libertadores.  He earned an "Honorable Mention".
 -- Fernando Morena is the only player selected  from the 1982 Copa Libertadores winning team.  He is the hero of the 1982 Copa Libertadores. He is also the all-time leading scorer at the club. That year, they also won the Intercontinental Cup by beating Aston Villa.
-- Isabelino Gradin is a forgotten player of Uruguay. He played in before the 1930's.  I selected him, but I am not sure if the fans still remembered him.
-- Penarol is loaded with too many legendary players who are among the greatest South American footballers of all-time.  I selected some of the older players such as Nelson Gutiérrez.  He deserved to be on this team.
-- I was unable to select José Oscar Herrera.  He can play multi-position, but most of the positions are well-covered. 
-- Pablo Bengoechea is the youngest member of my all-time team.
-- Diego Forlan left the youth team of Peñarol and joined the youth team of Independiente. He only played briefly here at the end of his career.  His father Pablo Forlan is chosen to be on this team.

Formation