Fluminense claimed Copa Libertadores glory with a 2-1 extra-time win over Boca Juniors at the Maracana on November 4.
Veteran Argentinan forward German Cano put the Rio club in front on their home ground in the 36th minute although a wonderful strike from Boca's right-back Luis Advincula 18 minutes from time forced the additional period.
A blistering hit by John Kennedy proved decisive, although the Fluminense substitute was given a second booking for leaving the pitch to celebrate in the crowd.
Frank Fabra slapped Nino to also be dismissed, meaning both teams finished with 10 men in a typically tempestuous encounter on South American club football's grandest stage.
Next up for Fluminense is the FIFA Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia and a potential shot at Champions League winner Manchester City, after they continued a recent spell of Brazilian dominance in the Libertadores.
Here, we look back over the most decorated teams in the competition's 63-year history.
Who has won the most Copa Libertadores?
Boca were aiming to become the joint-most successful team in the Copa Libertadores history.
Jorge Almiron’s club remain on six wins, one shy of neighbours Independiente, who were a dominant force in the 1970s and won their most recent Libertadores in 1984. Incredibly, El Rojo boast a 100% record of seven appearances and seven success in finals.
By contrast, Boca have also now also finished as runners-up on six occasions, most painfully when they lost to bitter rivals River Plate in 2018.
That was River’s fourth success in the tournament and they came agonisingly close to making it consecutive titles in 2019 when a last-gasp brace from Gabriel Barbosa gave Fluminense’s Rio rivals Flamengo a 2-1 win in Lima.
It was the first season that the competition reverted to a single-game final and clubs from Brazil have been utterly dominant since. Flamengo lifted their third Libertadores last year, having finished as runners-up to back-to-back winners Palmeiras in 2021.
Indeed, Boca have at least ensured that a run of three consecutive all-Brazilian finals have come to an end.
They could not prevent Flumninense from claiming a first Libertadores crown and closing the overall record for Argentinian and Brazilian clubs to 25-23 .The last time a club from outside of South America’s two heavyweight nations lifted the Libertadores was 2016 when Colombia’s Atletico Nacional beat Independiente del Valle of Ecuador.
Atletico account for two of Colombia’s three successes, alongside Once Caldas who beat Boca on penalties in 2004.
Uruguay has been home to the Libertadores winners eight times. Penarol were the inaugural champions and five-time winners between 1960 and 1987. Montevideo rivals Nacional won the last of their three titles the following year.
Copa Libertadores: Most successful teams in history
| Team | Winners | Runners-up | Seasons won |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Sao 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 |
