2024 U-20 Copa Libertadores

2024 U-20 Copa Libertadores
Copa CONMEBOL Libertadores Sub-20
Uruguay 2024
Tournament details
Host countryUruguay
Dates2–17 March 2024
Teams12 (from 10 associations)
Venue(s)2 (in 2 host cities)
Final positions
ChampionsBrazil Flamengo (1st title)
Runners-upArgentina Boca Juniors
Third placeArgentina Rosario Central
Fourth placeEcuador Aucas
Tournament statistics
Matches played22
Goals scored67 (3.05 per match)
Top scorer(s)Brazil Iago
Brazil Wallace Yan
(4 goals each)
← 2023
2025 →

The 2024 U-20 Copa CONMEBOL Libertadores (Spanish: Copa CONMEBOL Libertadores Sub-20 2024) was the 8th edition of the U-20 CONMEBOL Libertadores (also referred to as the U-20 Copa Libertadores), South America's premier under-20 club football tournament organized by CONMEBOL. It was held in Uruguay from 2 to 17 March 2024.[1][2]

Boca Juniors were the defending champions.

Teams

The competition was contested by 12 teams: the title holders, the youth champions from each of the ten CONMEBOL member associations, and one additional team from the host association.[3]

Association Team Qualifying method Participation Previous best result
 Argentina Boca Juniors (holders) 2023 U-20 Copa Libertadores champions 4th Champions (2023)
Rosario Central 2023 Cuarta División (U-20) runners-up[Note ARG][4][5] 1st —
 Bolivia Always Ready 2023 U-20 Torneo Nacional champions[6] 2nd Group stage (2023)
 Brazil Flamengo 2023 Campeonato Brasileiro Sub-20 champions[7] 3rd Third place (2020)
 Chile Colo-Colo 2024 Supercopa Proyección winners[Note CHI][8][9] 3rd Group stage (2018, 2020)
 Colombia Águilas Doradas 2023 Supercopa Juvenil champions[10][11] 1st —
 Ecuador Aucas 2023 Campeonato Nacional de Categorías Formativas U-19 champions[12][13] 1st —
 Paraguay Olimpia 2023 U-19 Torneo Anual champions[14] 1st —
 Peru Sporting Cristal 2023 Torneo de Promoción y Reserva champions[15] 4th Group stage (2012, 2020, 2022)
 Uruguay (hosts) Defensor Sporting 2023 Campeonato Uruguayo Juvenil Divisional A U-19 champions[16] 3rd Runners-up (2012)
Montevideo City Torque 2023 Campeonato Uruguayo Juvenil Divisional A U-19 runners-up[16] 1st —
 Venezuela Academia Puerto Cabello 2023 Liga FUTVE Junior U-20 champions[17] 2nd Group stage (2020)
  1. Argentina (ARG): Since Boca Juniors qualified via the reigning champions' berth and were also champions of the 2023 Cuarta División (U-20), the Argentine berth went to the runners-up Rosario Central.[5]
  2. Chile (CHI): Chile's berth was decided in a play-off match between Colo-Colo, the 2023 Campeonato Nacional Proyección Apertura champions,[18] and Palestino, the 2023 Campeonato Nacional Proyección Clausura champions.[19]

Squads

Main article: 2024 U-20 Copa Libertadores squads

Players born between 1 January 2004 and 31 December 2008 were eligible to compete in the tournament. Each team could register a maximum of 20 and a minimum of 16 players, including at least 2 goalkeepers (Regulations Articles 47 and 50).[3]

Venues

Uruguay was confirmed as host country of the tournament on 20 December 2023.[2] This will be the second time that Uruguay hosts the tournament having previously done so in 2018.[20]

Colonia del Sacramento and Maldonado were selected as host cities and announced after the draw.[21] Estadio Profesor Alberto Suppici in Colonia hosted the matches of groups A and B matches while Estadio Domingo Burgueño in Maldonado hosted the group C and the final stage matches.[22]

Draw

The draw for the group stage was held on 13 February 2024, 12:00 PYST (UTC−3), at the CONMEBOL headquarters in Luque, Paraguay.[23] The draw was conducted according to the following guidelines:[23]

  • The defending champions Boca Juniors were automatically assigned to Group A, position A1.
  • The remaining 11 teams were seeded into four pots; one of two teams and three of three teams, based on the final placement of their national association's club in the previous edition of the tournament, in order to be drawn into three groups of four.
  • Teams from the two best associations (Argentina and Ecuador) were seeded into Pot 1 and drawn to the first position of groups B or C. The first team drawn was placed into Group B and the second team drawn placed into Group C.
  • Teams from the next three associations (Paraguay, Uruguay 1 and Venezuela) were seeded into Pot 2 and drawn to the second position of groups A, B or C.
  • Teams from the next three associations (Brazil, Colombia and Chile) were seeded into Pot 3 and drawn to the third position of groups A, B or C.
  • Teams from the last two associations (Peru and Bolivia) and the additional team from the host association (Uruguay 2) were seeded into Pot 4 and drawn to the fourth position of groups A, B or C.
  • From pots 2, 3 and 4, the first team drawn was placed into Group A, the second team drawn placed into Group B and the final team drawn placed into Group C. Teams from the same association could not be drawn into the same group.
Pot 1 Pot 2 Pot 3 Pot 4
  1. ^
    CHI The identity of the team Chile was not known at the time of the draw.

The draw resulted in the following groups:[24]

Group A
Pos Team
A1 Argentina Boca Juniors
A2 Venezuela Academia Puerto Cabello
A3 Chile Colo-Colo
A4 Bolivia Always Ready
Group B
Pos Team
B1 Argentina Rosario Central
B2 Paraguay Olimpia
B3 Colombia Águilas Doradas
B4 Uruguay Montevideo City Torque
Group C
Pos Team
C1 Ecuador Aucas
C2 Uruguay Defensor Sporting
C3 Brazil Flamengo
C4 Peru Sporting Cristal

Match officials

On 21 February 2024, CONMEBOL announced that its Referee Commission had appointed 11 referees and 22 assistant referees for the tournament.[25] For the first time, a UEFA refereeing team will officiate in the U-20 Copa Libertadores as part of the UEFA–CONMEBOL memorandum of understanding signed in February 2020, which included a referee exchange programme.[26] It will be also the first time that women assistant referees will participate in the tournament.[27]

Group stage

The winners of each group and the best runner-up among all groups advanced to the semi-finals.

Tiebreakers

In the group stage, teams were ranked according to points earned (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss). If tied on points, tiebreakers were applied in the following order (Regulations Articles 20, 21):[3]

  1. Head-to-head result in games between tied teams;
    • Head-to-head points in the matches played among the tied teams;
    • Head-to-head goal difference in the matches played among the tied teams;
    • Head-to-head goals scored in the matches played among the tied teams;
  2. Goal difference;
  3. Goals scored;
  4. Fewest number of red cards received;
  5. Fewest number of yellow cards received;
  6. Drawing of lots.

All match times were local, UYT (UTC−3), as listed by CONMEBOL.[28][29][30]

Group A

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Argentina Boca Juniors 3 2 1 0 6 0 +6 7 Semi-finals
2 Venezuela Academia Puerto Cabello 3 2 0 1 7 4 +3 6
3 Chile Colo-Colo 3 1 1 1 4 2 +2 4
4 Bolivia Always Ready 3 0 0 3 1 12 −11 0
Source: CONMEBOL
Academia Puerto Cabello Venezuela2–1Chile Colo-Colo
 Report Alarcón 50'
Boca Juniors Argentina4–0Bolivia Always Ready
 Report
Colo-Colo Chile0–0Argentina Boca Juniors
Report
Referee: Ramon Abatti (Brazil)
Academia Puerto Cabello Venezuela5–1Bolivia Always Ready
 Report Massi 89'
Always Ready Bolivia0–3Chile Colo-Colo
Report
Boca Juniors Argentina2–0Venezuela Academia Puerto Cabello
Zufiaurre 39', 42' Report

Group B

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Argentina Rosario Central 3 2 0 1 4 3 +1 6 Semi-finals
2 Paraguay Olimpia 3 1 1 1 2 1 +1 4
3 Uruguay Montevideo City Torque (H) 3 1 1 1 5 5 0 4
4 Colombia Águilas Doradas 3 1 0 2 5 7 −2 3
Source: CONMEBOL
(H) Hosts
Olimpia Paraguay2–0Colombia Águilas Doradas
 Report
Rosario Central Argentina2–1Uruguay Montevideo City Torque
 Report Morales 33' (pen.)
Águilas Doradas Colombia2–1Argentina Rosario Central
 Report Cerrudo 45+2' (pen.)
Olimpia Paraguay0–0Uruguay Montevideo City Torque
Report
Referee: Joel Alarcón (Peru)
Montevideo City Torque Uruguay4–3Colombia Águilas Doradas
 Report
Rosario Central Argentina1–0Paraguay Olimpia
Ponce 71' Report
Referee: Ramon Abatti (Brazil)

Group C

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Brazil Flamengo 3 3 0 0 7 2 +5 9 Semi-finals
2 Ecuador Aucas 3 2 0 1 8 5 +3 6
3 Uruguay Defensor Sporting (H) 3 1 0 2 4 5 −1 3
4 Peru Sporting Cristal 3 0 0 3 2 9 −7 0
Source: CONMEBOL
(H) Hosts
Aucas Ecuador3–1Peru Sporting Cristal
 Report Uculmana 71'
Defensor Sporting Uruguay0–1Brazil Flamengo
Report Wallace Yan 9'
Flamengo Brazil2–1Ecuador Aucas
 Report Conforme 58'
Defensor Sporting Uruguay2–0Peru Sporting Cristal
 Report
Sporting Cristal Peru1–4Brazil Flamengo
Rodríguez 57' Report
Aucas Ecuador4–2Uruguay Defensor Sporting
 Report

Ranking of group runners-up

Pos Grp Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 C Ecuador Aucas 3 2 0 1 8 5 +3 6 Semi-finals
2 A Venezuela Academia Puerto Cabello 3 2 0 1 7 4 +3 6
3 B Paraguay Olimpia 3 1 1 1 2 1 +1 4
Source: CONMEBOL
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Red cards; 5) Yellow cards; 6) Drawing of lots (Regulations Article 22).[3]

Final stage

The semi-final matchups were:

  • Group A winner vs. Best runner-up
  • Group B winner vs. Group C winner

The semi-final winners and losers played in the final and third place match respectively. If tied after full time, a penalty shoot-out would be used to determine the winner (Regulations Article 24).[3]

All match times were local, UYT (UTC−3), as listed by CONMEBOL.[31]

Bracket

 
Semi-finalsFinal
 
      
 
14 March
 
 
Argentina Boca Juniors2
 
17 March
 
Ecuador Aucas1
 
Argentina Boca Juniors1
 
14 March
 
Brazil Flamengo2
 
Argentina Rosario Central1
 
 
Brazil Flamengo2
 
Third place
 
 
17 March
 
 
Ecuador Aucas1
 
 
Argentina Rosario Central2

Semi-finals

Boca Juniors Argentina2–1Ecuador Aucas
 Report Di Lollo 88' (o.g.)
Rosario Central Argentina1–2Brazil Flamengo
Moscoloni 20' Report Iago 57' (pen.), 72'

Third place match

Aucas Ecuador1–2Argentina Rosario Central
Zambrano 54' (pen.) Report

Final

Main article: 2024 U-20 Copa Libertadores Final
Boca Juniors Argentina1–2Brazil Flamengo
Rodríguez 5' Report

Goalscorers

There were 67 goals scored in 22 matches, for an average of 3.05 goals per match.

4 goals

3 goals

2 goals

1 goal

1 own goal

References

  1. ^ "Todos los torneos de la CONMEBOL para el 2024" (in Spanish). CONMEBOL. 12 December 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Sedes y fechas de torneos CONMEBOL 2024" (in Spanish). CONMEBOL. 20 December 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d e "REGLAMENTO CONMEBOL Libertadores Sub20 2024" (PDF) (in Spanish). CONMEBOL. 23 January 2024.
  4. ^ "ASOCIACIÓN DEL FÚTBOL ARGENTINO BOLETÍN ESPECIAL Nº 6263 REGLAMENTO TORNEO CATEGORÍAS JUVENILES DE LA LIGA PROFESIONAL DE FÚTBOL DE AFA TEMPORADA 2023" (PDF) (in Spanish). Argentine Football Association. 9 March 2023.
  5. ^ a b "Vamos los pibes: Newell's gritó campeón en 5ª división y la 4ª de Central clasificó a la Libertadores sub 20" (in Spanish). Channel 3. 12 November 2023.
  6. ^ Apaza, Paulo (16 December 2023). "Always Ready se corona bicampeón del torneo Nacional Sub-20" [Always Ready is crowned two-times champions of the U-20 Torneo Nacional] (in Spanish). La Paz: La Razón.
  7. ^ "Regulamento Específico da Competição Brasileiro Sub-20 2023" (PDF) (in Brazilian Portuguese). Brazilian Football Confederation. 17 February 2023.
  8. ^ "FÚTBOL FORMATIVO BASES CAMPEONATOS NACIONALES GATORADE CATEGORIAS SUB 15, SUB 16, SUB 17 Y PROYECCIÓN - VARONES TEMPORADA – 2023" (PDF) (in Spanish). Santiago: Asociación Nacional de Fútbol Profesional. December 2022 [Approved on 12 January 2023].
  9. ^ "Colo Colo superó a Palestino en la Supercopa Proyección 2024 y clasificó a la Conmebol Libertadores Sub 20". campeonatochileno.cl (in Spanish). Asociación Nacional de Fútbol Profesional. 15 February 2024.
  10. ^ "Reglamento Supercopa Juvenil FCF 2023" (PDF) (in Spanish). Bogotá: Colombian Football Federation. 27 February 2023.
  11. ^ "FCF felicita a Águilas Doradas por conquistar el título de la Supercopa Juvenil 2023" (in Spanish). Colombian Football Federation. 3 December 2023.
  12. ^ "Reglamento de los Campeonatos Nacionales de Categorías Formativas 2023" (PDF) (in Spanish). Guayaquil: Ecuadorian Football Federation. 30 March 2023 [Approved on 27 March 2023].
  13. ^ "Aucas es campeón Sub 19 y jugará la Copa Libertadores Sub 20" (in Spanish). Olé. 20 December 2023.
  14. ^ "Olimpia es el monarca de la Sub 19" (in Spanish). Paraguayan Football Association. 26 September 2023.
  15. ^ "Sporting Cristal, campeón del Torneo de Promoción y Reservas tras vencer en la final a Universitario de Deportes" (in Spanish). Futbolperuano.com. 23 November 2022.
  16. ^ a b "La próxima Copa Libertadores sub-20 se jugará en Uruguay. ¿Qué equipos locales se meten?" (in Spanish). Montevideo Portal. 20 December 2023.
  17. ^ "Academia Rey, Caracas, Zamora, Metropolitanos Y Puerto Cabello monarcas de la Liga FUTVE Junior" (in Spanish). Venezuelan Football Federation. 2 December 2023.
  18. ^ "Colo Colo venció a O'Higgins y es el nuevo monarca del Proyección Gatorade". campeonatochileno.cl (in Spanish). Asociación Nacional de Fútbol Profesional. 18 June 2023.
  19. ^ "¡Palestino es el campeón del Proyección Gatorade Clausura 2023!". campeonatochileno.cl (in Spanish). Asociación Nacional de Fútbol Profesional. 21 December 2023.
  20. ^ "La Copa Libertadores sub 20 será en Uruguay en 2024; mirá qué equipos locales están clasificados" (in Spanish). El Observador. 21 December 2023.
  21. ^ "Maldonado y Colonia serán Sedes" (in Spanish). La Prensa. 14 February 2024.
  22. ^ "Las promesas del fútbol sudamericano salen a la cancha" (in Spanish). CONMEBOL. 2 March 2024.
  23. ^ a b "Conoceremos los grupos para la CONMEBOL Libertadores Sub20 2024" (in Spanish). CONMEBOL. 25 January 2024.
  24. ^ "Grupos confirmados para la CONMEBOL Libertadores Sub20 2024" (in Spanish). CONMEBOL. 13 February 2024.
  25. ^ "Árbitros convocados para la CONMEBOL Libertadores Sub20" (in Spanish). CONMEBOL. 21 February 2024.
  26. ^ "La CONMEBOL y la UEFA acuerdan cooperación en materia arbitral" [CONMEBOL and UEFA agree to cooperation in arbitration matters]. CONMEBOL.com (in Spanish). CONMEBOL. 21 April 2021.
  27. ^ "Árbitras participarán por primera vez en la CONMEBOL Libertadores Sub20" [Female referees will participate for the first time in CONMEBOL Libertadores U20] (in Spanish). CONMEBOL. 21 February 2024.
  28. ^ @LibertadoresU20 (16 February 2024). "¡Todo definido! El cronograma de partidos del Grupo A de la CONMEBOL #LibertadoresSub20" (Tweet) (in Spanish) – via Twitter.
  29. ^ @LibertadoresU20 (16 February 2024). "¡Fixture listo! Días y horarios confirmados para los partidos del Grupo B en la CONMEBOL #LibertadoresSub20" (Tweet) (in Spanish) – via Twitter.
  30. ^ @LibertadoresU20 (16 February 2024). "¡Partidos confirmados! Este es el cronograma de juegos para los equipos del Grupo C de la CONMEBOL #LibertadoresSub20" (Tweet) (in Spanish) – via Twitter.
  31. ^ @LibertadoresU20 (11 March 2024). "¡Horario confirmado! Así se jugará la Fase Final de la CONMEBOL #LibertadoresSub20" (Tweet) (in Spanish) – via Twitter.