Latin Cup

This article is about the association football tournament. For the roller hockey tournament, see Latin Cup (roller hockey).
Latin Cup
Founded 1949
Abolished 1957
Region France France
Italy Italy
Portugal Portugal
Spain Spain
Number of teams 4
Last champions Spain Real Madrid (2nd title)
Most successful club(s) Spain Barcelona
Italy Milan
Spain Real Madrid
(2 titles each)

The Latin Cup (French: Coupe Latine; Italian: Coppa Latina; Portuguese: Taça Latina or Copa Latina; Spanish: Copa Latina) was an international football tournament for club sides from the Latin European nations of France, Italy, Spain and Portugal. In 1949 the football federations came together and launched their own club competition. European clubs could not afford hefty travel costs so competition was staged at the end of every season in a single host country. The competition featured two semi-finals, a third place play-off and a final.

The tournament began in 1949 and was usually played between the league champions of each of the participating countries. Every four years, a ranking would be determined for the countries based on their sides' performances in the Latin Cup. The competition was last played for in 1957, following the introduction of the European Cup. Real Madrid played and won in both the European Cup and the Latin Cup in 1957. Immediately prior to the introduction of the European Cup, the Latin Cup was considered the most important cup for clubs in Europe, the longer-established Mitropa Cup having gone into decline after World War II. Nevertheless, FIFA and UEFA do not consider clubs' records in the Latin Cup to be part of their official record.

Finals

Year Final Third Place Venue
Winner Score Runner-up Third place Score Fourth place
1949Spain Barcelona2–1Portugal Sporting CPItaly Torino5–3 France Stade de ReimsEstadio Chamartín
1950Portugal Benfica3–3 a.e.t.
2–1 a.e.t.		France BordeauxSpain Atlético Madrid2–1Italy LazioEstádio Nacional
1951Italy Milan5–0France LilleSpain Atlético Madrid3–1Portugal Sporting CPSan Siro
1952Spain Barcelona1–0France NiceItaly Juventus3–2Portugal Sporting CPParc des Princes
1953France Stade de Reims3–0Italy MilanPortugal Sporting CP4–1Spain ValenciaEstádio Nacional
1954 Not Held
1955Spain Real Madrid2–0France Stade de ReimsItaly Milan3–1Portugal BelenensesParc des Princes
1956Italy Milan3–1Spain Athletic BilbaoPortugal Benfica2–1France NiceArena Civica
1957Spain Real Madrid1–0Portugal BenficaItaly Milan4–3France Saint-ÉtienneSantiago Bernabéu Stadium
Photo of the Latin Cup won by Benfica in 1950

Performances by team

Team Champion Runner-up Third Fourth
Italy Milan2 (1951, 1956)1 (1953)2 (1955, 1957)
Spain Barcelona2 (1949, 1952)
Spain Real Madrid2 (1955, 1957)
Portugal Benfica1 (1950)1 (1957)1 (1956)
France Stade de Reims1 (1953)1 (1955)1 (1949)
Portugal Sporting1 (1949)1 (1953)2 (1951, 1952)
France Nice1 (1952)1 (1956)
France Bordeaux1 (1950)
France Lille1 (1951)
Spain Athletic Bilbao1 (1956)
Spain Atlético Madrid2 (1950, 1951)
Italy Torino1 (1949)
Italy Juventus1 (1952)
Italy Lazio1 (1950)
Spain Valencia1 (1953)
Portugal Belenenses1 (1955)
France Saint-Étienne1 (1957)

Performances by country

Team Champion Runner-up Third Fourth
Spain Spain4 (1949, 1952, 1955, 1957)1 (1956)2 (1950, 1951)1 (1953)
Italy Italy2 (1951, 1956)1 (1953)4 (1949, 1952, 1955, 1957)1 (1950)
France France1 (1953)4 (1950, 1951, 1952, 1955)3 (1949, 1956, 1957)
Portugal Portugal1 (1950)2 (1949, 1957)2 (1953, 1956)3 (1951, 1952, 1955)

See also

External links

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