South American Player Of The Year

 

South American Footballer of the Year - The Rey de América ("King of America").  The award was conceived by Venezuelan newspaper El Mundo in 1971. Originally, journalists could vote for any South American and Central American players at any club around the world. In the inaugural year the votes went for Brazilian player, but he was not Pele. Two Argentine players followed – third was Luis Artime (Nacional Montevideo) with 19 points and second Jose Omar Pastoriza (Independiente Avellaneda) with 21 points. The award went to Tostao (Cruzeiro Belo Horizonte).

Tostao got 24 points.

Eduardo Goncalves de Andrade, forward/attacking midfielder, was 24 years old, but already had almost 10 years of professional football – he debuted in 1962, 15-years old, for his original club America Mineiro (Belo Horizonte) and his 16 goals in 26 games immediately propelled him to bigger club – Cruzeiro – where he not only continued to score goals as a centre midfielder, becoming the biggest star of the club and one of the best Brazilian players.

By 1970 he was a world-class star and national team player since 1966.

In 1970 he won the World Cup with Brazil and one of the greatest players at the world finals in Mexico, where he played as a centre-forward, because Brazil had too many midfielders, starting with Pele. He was able to play as a left winger, as a playmaker, as second striker, as attacking midfielder, even as defensive midfielder on occasion – his techinical skills made him versatile and flexible player with great work rate and discipline. Given his age – only 24 in 1971 – he was rightly awarded: not only the present, but the future belonged to him, seen as new Pele. Unfortunately, he got eye injury in 1969, from which he never recovered and his career was cut prematurely in 1973. From the time distance, it was only right Tostao got the award – unlike most world-class stars, he had no chance to play long enough, but his talent deserved recognition.

Venezuela the Cup

 

Copa Venezuela 1971

First Stage

Final Tables:

Grupo A
 1.Estudiantes de Mérida    6   5  1  0  18- 9  11  Qualified
 2.UD Canarias              6   4  1  1  15- 7   9  Qualified
 3.Deportivo Portugués      6   2  0  4   9-11   4
 4.Zulia FC                 6   0  0  6   6-21   0
 
Grupo B
 1.Anzoátegui FC            6   4  0  2   6- 5   8  Qualified   
 2.Tiquire Aragua           6   2  2  2   5- 5   6  Qualified 
 3.Deportivo Galicia        6   2  2  2   5- 5   6
 4.Valencia FC              6   1  2  3   4- 5   4
 
Cuadrangular Final

Reported Final Table:

 1.Estudiantes de Mérida    6   4  1  1   7- 5   9  Winners
 2.UD Canarias              6   2  3  1   6- 4   7
 3.Anzoátegui FC            6   2  2  2   8- 7   6
 4.Tiquire Aragua           6   0  2  4   1- 5   2 

Historic success for Estudiantes (Merida) – they won their first trophy: Copa de Venezuela. Didn't even play in the top league – and rightly so, for they were founded in this very year! So young and already a winner.

Venezuela I Division

 Venezuela. I Division.

 1.Valencia FC             28  17  7  4  46-19  41 
 2.Deportivo Italia        28  14  9  5  46-23  37 
 3.Tiquire Aragua          28  12  9  7  39-37  33  [Maracay]
 4.Deportivo Galicia       28  12  7  9  42-34  31 
 5.UD Canarias             28   9 12  7  37-26  30 
 6.Anzoategui FC           28   8  9 11  32-37  25  [Puerto La Cruz]
 7.Deportivo Portugués     28   5  6 17  26-46  16 
 8.Lara FC                 28   5  1 22  25-71  11  [Barquisimeto]

Valencia FC won their first – and last – title. Standing from left:  Tarcicio (BRA), Omar Colmenarez, José Carlos De Oliveira "Zezinho" (BRA), Alfredo Glassman (ARG), Roberto Pérez (ARG), Segundo Martínez (ARG), Raúl Stanich (ARG), George (BRA), Candelario Pacheco (MAS). Crouching: Reinaldo Lovizutto (BRA), Rubén Salles (ARG), Aurelio Dos Santos "Lelo" (BRA), Humberto Tenías, Darío Castillo, José "Tito" Pasternak (ARG).

Bolivia

 Bolivia. Nacional:

Group A:
--------
1. The Strongest La Paz         6  4 1 1  (20- 9)  9
2. Municipal La Paz             6  4 1 1  (10- 7)  9
3. San José Oruro               6  2 0 4  ( 7-13)  4 
4. Ingenieros Oruro             6  1 0 5  (11-19)  2 

Group B:
--------
1. Stormers Sucre               6  4 0 2  (10- 4)  8 
2. Aurora Cochabamba            6  3 1 2  ( 8- 3)  7
3. Petrolero Cochabamba         6  3 1 2  ( 5- 5)  7
4. Magisterio Sucre             6  1 0 5  ( 4-15)  2

Group C:
--------
1. La Belgica Santa Cruz        6  4 2 0  (16- 4) 10
2. Oriente Petrolero Sta.Cruz   6  3 2 1  (13- 5)  8
3. Universitario Potosí         6  3 0 3  ( 8-11)  6
4. Wilsterman Unificada Potosí  6  0 0 6  ( 2-19)  0
 
Chaco Petrolero La Paz (champions 1970) bye for first round.
 
Final Round:
------------
1. Oriente Petrolero Sta.Cruz  12  8 1 3  (21-12)  17
2. Chaco Petrolero La Paz      12  6 4 2  (27-16)  16
Standing from left: Mario Pariente,Luis Galarza,Oscar Maldonado,Juan José Otranto,Rolando Vargas,Orlando Mendoza, Luis Iriondo,
Crouching: Luis Bastida,Jorge Jaime Jiménez,Juan Americo Díaz (niño mascota,Jorge"Nico" Espinoza, Nilton Pinto. 
3. The Strongest La Paz        12  7 2 3  (23-15)  16  
4. La Belgica Santa Cruz       12  5 2 5  (19-15)  12
5. Municipal La Paz            12  5 1 6  (16-21)  11
6. Aurora Cochabamba           12  1 4 7  (12-24)   6
7. Stormers Sucre              12  1 4 7  (13-28)   6





Champions: Oriente Petrolero (Santa Cruz). First title for the 'Refineros'. 

Ecuador

 Ecuador. National Championship 1971

First Phase

Group A
 1.Emelec               14  8  5  1 30-12 21 [Guayaquil] Qualified
 2.El Nacional          14  8  3  3 27-15 19 [Quito]     Qualified
 3.Deportivo Cuenca     14  7  4  3 21-16 18             Qualified
 4.América              14  7  3  4 24-19 17 [Quito]     Qualified
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 5.Politécnico          14  3  6  5 20-19 12 [Quito]
 6.Macará               14  4  4  6 22-24 12 [Ambato]
 7.Juventud Italiana    14  3  6  5 17-26 12 [Manta]
 8.Norte América        14  0  1 13  9-40  1 [Guayaquil]

Top-4 qualify to Liguilla Final
Bottom-4 participate in Liquilla de no descenso
Group B
 1.Universidad Católica 14  8  3  3 28-13 21 [Quito]     Qualified
 2.LDU de Quito         14  6  5  3 23-14 17 [Quito]     Qualified
 3.Barcelona            14  7  3  4 21-14 17 [Guayaquil] Qualified
 4.LDU de Portoviejo    14  4  8  2 25-19 16             Qualified
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 5.Deportivo Quito      14  5  3  6 22-25 13
 6.Brasil               14  5  3  6 10-22 13 [Ambato]
 7.9 de Octubre         14  5  2  7 19-26 12 [Guayaquil]
 8.Olmedo               14  1  3 10  8-23  5 [Riobamba]

Top-4 qualify to Liguilla Final
Bottom-4 participate in Liquilla de no descenso

Second Phase

Liguilla de no descenso

1.Macará 14 7 4 3 23-12 18 [Ambato]

 2.Olmedo               14  6  5  3 24-17 17 [Riobamba]
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
Standing: Dr. Manuel Viteri, Marcos Zambrano, Jorge Vega, Alberto Pellacini (Arg), Jorge GAFTER, Hugo Cortéz, Felipe Landázuri.
Crouching: Félix Guerrero, Mario Olivera(Uru), Ricardo Martinez (Uru), Isidro Collahuazo, Sergio Marichal (Uru). 
 3.9 de Octubre         14  7  3  4 23-18 17 [Guayaquil] Relegated
 4.Deportivo Quito      14  6  4  4 25-16 16             Relegated
 5.Politécnico          14  5  3  6 29-27 13 [Quito]     Relegated
 6.Juventud Italiana    14  4  5  5 18-26 13 [Ambato]    Relegated
 7.Norte América        14  5  2  7 14-22 12 [Guayaquil] Relegated
 8.Brasil               14  1  4  9 10-28  6 [Riobamba]  Relegated

Liguilla Final
 1.Barcelona            14  6  6  2 20-13 18 [Guayaquil] Champions
 2.América              14  4  9  1 18-11 17 [Quito]     Runners-up
 3.Emelec               14  4  7  3 12- 9 15 [Guayaquil]
 4.El Nacional          14  5  5  4 18-17 15 [Quito]
 5.Universidad Católica 14  4  5  5 17-17 13 [Quito]
 6.LDU de Quito         14  4  5  5 13-14 13
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
 7.Deportivo Cuenca     14  2  9  3  8-12 13             Relegated
 8.LDU de Portoviejo    14  2  4  8 14-27  8             Relegated

First division to be reduced to 8 teams in 1972 (6 first places in
Liguilla Final and two first places of Liguilla de no descenso).

Barcelona (Guayaquill) won the championship. Their 5^th title.