The Campeonato Nacional was one of the two football tournaments that formed the Primera División season (along with the Metropolitano championship) since 1967. The Nacional championship was played annually until its last edition in 1985.
The Nacional took place in the second half of the year while the Metropolitano took place in the first half of the year. Nacional winners, and often the runners-up, qualified for the following year Copa Libertadores.
History
The Nacional championship was created by an initiative of then president of Argentine Football Association, Valentín Suárez, with the purpose of adding clubs outside Buenos Aires that competed in regional leagues.Adiós a los torneos cortos, una modalidad a contramano de las ligas más importantes del mundo by Carlos Beer on La Nación Teams best placed in "Torneo Regional" (created in 1967 as well) were eligible to play the Campeonato Nacional.Campeonatos Históricos del Interior: TORNEO REGIONAL 1967 on Ascenso del Interior website
The first edition comprised 12 teams from the Metropolitano and four regional qualifiers, and was won by Independiente.
The Nacional was played with a number of different formats including the basic league table, two groups qualifying to semi-finals and four groups qualifying to a final group, round of 16 or quarter finals. The last Nacional in 1985 featured an extremely complicated set-up, when after the first stage finished, teams were divided into two groups ("winners" and "losers")"Argentina: 1ra. División AFA 1985 Campeonato Nacional - Ronda de Ganadores" by José Carluccio. 19 Apr 2011 while the 3rd and 4th of each group were moved to the round of losers."Argentina: 1ra. División AFA 1985 Campeonato Nacional - Rueda de Perdedores" by José Carluccio. 19 Apr 2011 playing a new tournament that qualified one of each group to the finalsArgentina 1985 by Osvaldo Gorgazzi on the rsssf.com, which were played under a sporting advantage system that favored Argentinos JuniorsEl recuerdo de Argentinos Juniors campeón del Nacional de 1985 at afa.com.ar. 21 Aug 2020.
The number of participants varied between a low of 16 (1967 and 1968) and a high of 36 (1974). The last edition of Campeonato Nacional was contested by 32 clubs.
After the restructuring in the Argentine football league system in 1985 that created the Primera B Nacional, the Nacional and Metropolitano championship were abolished, being replaced by a unique competition with a European style format. The first edition was held in 1985–86.
List of Champions Source:
Ed. Year Champion Runner-up First leg / single match Second leg Aggr. Res. Venue Res. Venue 1967 Independiente Estudiantes (LP) 1968 Vélez Sársfield River Plate 1969 Boca Juniors River Plate 1970 Boca Juniors Rosario Central Monumental 1971 Rosario Central San Lorenzo Estado Newell's 1972 San Lorenzo River Plate Estadio Vélez 1973 Rosario Central Monumental 1974 San Lorenzo Rosario Central 1975 River Plate Estudiantes (LP) 1976 Boca Juniors River Plate Estadio Racing 1977 Independiente Talleres (C) La Doble Visera Barrio Jardín 1978 Independiente River Plate Monumental Independiente 1979 River Plate Unión Estadio 15 de Abril Monumental 1980 Rosario Central Racing (C) Gigante de Arroyito Chateau Carreras 1981 River Plate Ferro Carril Oeste Monumental Estadio Ferro 1982 Ferro Carril Oeste Quilmes Estadio Quilmes Estadio Ferro 1983 Estudiantes (LP) Independiente Estadio J. Hirschi La Doble Visera 1984 Ferro Carril Oeste River Plate Monumental Estadio Ferro 1985 Argentinos Juniors Vélez Sársfield Monumental Monumental
Notes
Titles by club ClubTitlesYears won Independiente 1967, 1977, 1978 Rosario Central 1971, 1973, 1980 Boca Juniors 1969, 1970, 1976 River Plate 1975, 1979, 1981 San Lorenzo 1972, 1974 Ferro Carril Oeste 1982, 1984 Vélez Sársfield 1968 Estudiantes (LP) 1983 Argentinos Juniors 1985
See also Argentine Primera División Metropolitano championship Apertura and Clausura
References
ru:Метрополитано и Насьональ