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A couple of years ago an excellent book by Mauricio Silva was sold as hot bread, entitled the best team in the world. He referred to that million who led Pedernera, and that by the hand of Cozzi, Di Stéfano and Rossi walked through the fields of the world playing a first level football. It was they who sowed the seed of what would be known as the ambassador team.
Without being the best in the world, until 1989, Millionaires remained the ambassador team. Tetracampeonato in the 60s, a couple of participations in the semifinal round of the 70s and that party where referee Hernán Silva eliminated Millionaires in the quarterfinals of the Copa Libertadores of 1989.
To understand where we come from, between 1948 and 1988, Millionaires was champion or runner -up 20 times. The team was one of the two best teams in 50 % of the seasons. In that honorable and historical classification, the second team would be Cali, with 15, but just five titles. Millionaires was the largest, the ambassador, the team to beat.
A few days ago I saw on my social networks a classification of the largest clubs in South America. It caught my attention that Millionaires was on the list of “I don't know him.” Below Santa Fe. And they are right.
Between 1990 and 2011, in that classification of champions and runners -up, Millionaires occupies the ten position. It is below grass and equity, tied with Atlético Huila who, as Millionaires, was runner -up twice. Blue years were dark years. It almost disappears. Santa Fe, Valga score, occupies the last position tied with Bucaramanga and Real Cartagena.
Since then, however, Millionaires entered into a new process that had to recover the glory and pride of his fans. Millos is today far from what it became until the end of the 80s between 2012 and 2025, with its three titles and a runner -up, is below National, Santa Fe, Medellín, Junior and Tolima. By number of titles, Millos would be third, behind National and Santa Fe.
With a difference. The last time Millionaires played a relatively important instance in Copa Libertadores was in 1995, 30 years ago. He reached the quarterfinals. Two years later he exceeded the group's round. Since then he never exceeded the group stage. Not counting the three times that was eliminated in the previous round.
The former ambassador saw Caldas and National Champion of America, Santa Fe champion of the South American Cup at that time; América, Santa Fe and Cúcuta play semifinals of Copa Libertadores, and if you want to not add the runner -up of Cali in the 1999 Libertadores.
Millionaires has his fans, and the glory of the past. But footballing is no longer Colombia's first team. Not even the capital. The first step to return is to recognize that you are no longer.
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