Some international clubs have a more than strange naming resemblance to traditional League 1 teams. One of them even used almost the same shield.
A common practice when naming new teams is to refer to major international clubs to name the newly formed team. Whether to try to garner a little of the prestige of these important sporting institutions, as a cabal, or simply as a tribute, there are emblematic cases such as River Plate, Liverpool, Arsenal of England, FC Barcelona, among others who have their “cousins” in South America or neighboring countries.
Peruvian football has not forgotten this custom (Racing Club de Huamachuco, Atlético Minero and Sport Rosario, to name a few), but it has also seen abroad, whether accidentally or intentionally, some denominations of its representatives that are better known locally . Traditional teams like Alianza Lima, Universitario, Deportivo Municipal and Sport Boys are the most famous examples of this surprising situation.
The “University” of Bolivia
University of Sucre, also known simply as “U”, is one of their city’s most important teams and one with strong popular roots in the Highlands, where they were twice national champions. Its resemblance to the Peruvian occupation is only in name, as opposed to that University of Vintoa team from the Cochabamba region who had to modify their shield because it was too similar to that of Creme Squad, as well as their old jersey.
The old Universitario de Vinto sign was almost a copy of the Universitario de Deportes logo. Photo: FBF
Alianza Lima and a “subsidiary” in El Salvador
El Salvador Football Club Alliance It is the second-highest winning team in the era of professional football in the Central American country. Although neither their clothing nor their logo resemble those of the intimate club, the official history of the pachyderms records the blue and white influence, in addition to the fact that the name “Alianza” is common in several countries on the continent.
In the 1960s, Peruvian Axel Hochkoeppler, a major businessman based in Salvadoran countries, changed the name of what was then Atlético Constancia to Alianza Continental, partly inspired by his support for the Victorians and by the Hotel El Salvador Continental of which he was manager. Later, Alianza FC received its current name.
The municipal sports school?
While it cannot be certain that city councils were the example they have taken in other countries to name their teams this way, it is true that they are the ones who have been part of the “Municipal Sports” name the longest have retained their official name.
Muni’s “brothers” on the continent are those Municipal social and sports club (Guatemala), Canar Municipal Sports Club (Ecuador), Municipal Sports Club of La Paz (Bolivia), Deportivo Municipal Santiago (Chile, extinct) and Club Deportivo Municipal CM (Colombia, extinct). Outstanding of all is (besides the representative from Lima) the Guatemalan line-up, which with 31 national titles is one of the greats of his country.
Deportivo Municipal de Perú and Deportivo Municipal de Guatemala have very different emblems and jerseys. Photo: spread
Sport Boys and a neighbor from the south
Besides the Universitario, Bolivia also has its own Sport Boys, although in their case it is theirs Sport Boys Warnes, a team from the city of Santa Cruz with a brief history in their country’s premier league. Aside from the name, it does not resemble the Missilera in either its shield or colors, as its shirt is blue instead of pink.
Sport Boys Warnes only shares a name with the Callao team. Photo: Composition LR/Latte!