View source for Club Universidad de Chile

{{Short description|Chilean football club}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}}
{{Infobox football club
| clubname = Universidad de Chile
| image = Emblema del Club Universidad de Chile.png
| image_size = 150px
| fullname = Club Universidad de Chile
| nickname = ''Los Azules'' (The Blues)<br />''La U'' (The U)<br />''El Romántico Viajero'' (Wanderlust)<br />''El Bulla'' (The Noise)<br />''El Chuncho'' (The Owl)<br />''León'' (Lion)<br />''La Chile'' (The Chile)<br />''Ballet Azul'' (Blue Ballet)
| founded = {{Start date and years ago|1927|5|24}}
| ground = [[Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos]]
| capacity = 48,665<ref>[http://www.stadiumguide.com/nacionaldechile/ Inauguran remodelado Estadio Nacional]</ref>
| chairman = Michael Clark
| manager = [[Gustavo Álvarez]]
| league = [[Liga de Primera]]
| season = [[2025 Liga de Primera|2025]]
| position = Liga de Primera, 4th of 16
| website = {{official URL}}
| current = 2025 Club Universidad de Chile season
| pattern_la1 = _udechile25h
| pattern_b1 = _udechile25h
| pattern_ra1 = _udechile25h
| pattern_sh1 = _udechile25h
| pattern_so1 = 
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| body1 = 264EF8
| rightarm1 = 264EF8
| shorts1 = 264EF8
| socks1 = 264EF8
| pattern_la2 = _udechile25a
| pattern_b2 = _udechile25a
| pattern_ra2 = _udechile25a
| pattern_sh2 = _udechile25a
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| pattern_sh3 = _adidas25navy
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'''Club Universidad de Chile''' ({{IPA|es|kluβ uniβeɾsiˈðað ðe ˈtʃile}}) is a professional [[Association football|football]] club based in [[Santiago]], Chile, that plays in the [[Chilean Primera División|Primera División]].

Founded on 24 May 1927, Universidad de Chile is one of the most successful and popular football clubs in Chile, having won the league title 18 times.<ref>{{Cite news|author1=Juan Pablo Andrés |author2=Eric Boesenberg |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesc/chilechamp.html |title=Chile&nbsp;– List of Champions and Runners Up |edition=Rec.Sport.Football Statistics Foundation (RSSSF) |access-date=2009-10-23 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100113113439/http://rsssf.com/tablesc/chilechamp.html |archive-date=2010-01-13 }}</ref> In the last 10 years, the team has been crowned champion six times, including their undefeated run to the [[2011 Copa Sudamericana]] title.
The team has been associated with the colour blue throughout its history, blue is present on the logo, which was officially adopted in 1943. The club rivalries are with [[Colo-Colo]] and [[Club Deportivo Universidad Católica|Universidad Católica]], with whom they regularly contest the Santiago derbies known as ''Superclásicos''.

Despite not owning its stadium, the club usually rents and plays its home games at the [[Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos]], in the commune of [[Ñuñoa]] in Santiago.

Universidad de Chile was the champion of the [[Copa Sudamericana]] 2011. In this tournament, the club had an excellent performance: wasn't defeated, won all their matches in Chile and had the top scorer of the tournament's history ([[Eduardo Vargas]]). Universidad de Chile has reached semi-finals in the [[Copa Libertadores]] four times (years 1970, 1996, 2010 and 2012).

==History==
{{Multiple image
| align = right
| direction = vertical
| width = 250
| title = '''Universidad de Chile Supporters'''
| titlestyle = background:#001489; color:white;
| image1 = Eatadio Nacional de Chile en Súper Clásico 181.jpg | width1 = 300
| image2 = Supporters of Universidad de Chile.jpg | width2 = 300
| image3 = Universidad de Chile - Colo-Colo, 2018-04-15 - Hinchada Universidad de Chile - 04.jpg | width3 = 300
| image4 = Bomboslda.jpg | width4 = 300
| image5 = Universidad de Chile - Colo-Colo, 2018-04-15 - Hinchada Universidad de Chile - 03.jpg | width5 = 300
}}
The club was founded on 24 May 1927,<ref>{{Cite web | title = Chile's university challenge | publisher = FIFA | date = 29 October 2009 | access-date = 10 May 2018 | url = https://www.fifa.com/news/y=2009/m=10/news=chile-university-challenge-1125459.html| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150911025914/http://www.fifa.com/news/y=2009/m=10/news=chile-university-challenge-1125459.html| url-status = dead| archive-date = 11 September 2015}}</ref> as ''Club Deportivo Universitario'' by the merger of ''Internado FC'' and ''Club Universitario de Deportes''.<ref name="90años">{{cite book |last1=Azul Azul S.A. |title=90 AÑOS 1927 – 2017 MÁS QUE UNA PASIÓN |date=April 2017 |publisher=Ediciones Babieca |location=Santiago, Chile |edition=1 |url=https://pdfcoffee.com/libro-u-90-anos-1pdf-pdf-free.html |access-date=22 March 2024 |language=es |format=PDF}}</ref> Initially, the club was formed by students of the [[Universidad de Chile]] and was the sport brand of the university until 1980 when the university's rector and president of the club at the time (both of them appointed by the [[Augusto Pinochet|Pinochet]] dictatorship) decided to separate the club from the university and created the CORFUCH to manage the football team. This move was a part of the [[Universidad de Chile (university)#Major Reforms during Military Regime of 1973-1989|atomization]] of the Universidad de Chile made by the military dictatorship to strengthen the private universities that were founded during that time and also to reduce state power. This was seen as a major blow to the club, as it was left with nothing but a loyal fan base. From then on, the club started to decline in terms of results on the field and lack of support from various sectors of the economy when other major clubs in Chile were helped by main powers such as the government, the [[Roman Catholicism in Chile|catholic church]], and [[Codelco]]. Eventually, the team's poor performances led to a relegation to [[Liga Chilena de Fútbol: Primera B|second division]] in 1988, and threats to dissolve the club were made by the university if the team did not manage to return to the first division within a year. In 1989, Universidad de Chile were able to earn the 2nd division's championship, thus bringing them back to the first division, where they have remained since then.

===Bankruptcy and Azul Azul===
In 2006, the club declared bankruptcy and received an imposed administration that was criticized by the supporters, as the new chairman immediately fired many club workers<ref>{{cite news |last1=Valenzuela Espinoza |first1=Carolina |title=Corte de Apelaciones declara la quiebra de Universidad de Chile |url=https://www.emol.com/noticias/deportes/2006/05/26/220267/corte-de-apelaciones-declara-la-quiebra-de-universidad-de-chile.html |access-date=22 March 2024 |work=Emol |publisher=[[El Mercurio]] |date=26 May 2006 |language=es}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Universidad de Chile en quiebra y al borde del colapso |url=https://www.mediotiempo.com/futbol/liga-mx/universidad-de-chile-en-quiebra-y-al-borde-del-colapso |access-date=22 March 2024 |work=Mediotiempo |date=19 July 2006 |language=es}}</ref> and tried to transform the club into a private company of public stocks, being opposed to the decision of the club members in a previous assembly. The team finished the year with the worst campaign in the club history and the almost-sure transformation into private company due to the ties between the appointed chairman and several businessmen.<ref name="espinozachacoff">{{cite book |last1=Espinoza Chacoff |first1=Diego |title=La era de las Sociedades Anónimas en la "U": ¿Una época que reencantó al pueblo azul? |date=2014 |publisher=[[University of Chile]] |location=Santiago, Chile |edition=1 |url=https://repositorio.uchile.cl/bitstream/handle/2250/132779/TESIS%20FINAL%20FINAL%20FINAL%20FINAL%20FINAL.pdf?sequence=1 |access-date=22 March 2024 |language=es |format=PDF}}</ref>

During 2007, the imposed administration gave the club into concession to a private group (Azul Azul).<ref name="90años"/> In 2008, the new university's rector agreed to enter a contract with the now private club, in which he allowed the use of the university's name and symbols in exchange for a [[Royalties|royalty]] and the right to appoint two out of the eleven directors of the board.<ref name="espinozachacoff"/>

==Colours and logo==

===Home kit and away kit===
The team's home kit from 1943 to 1958 consisted of a blue jersey, a white short and blue socks. In 1959, the home kit was changed to an all royal blue kit. In 1992 a darker tone of blue was used for the home kit and in 1996 a red stripe was added to the sleeves. The team's home kit saw its most drastic change in 2001–02 when red sleeves were included on the jersey; this kit retained the blue shorts and blue socks. In 2006, the team returned to the 1959 variation of its uniform and has not changed it since then. The current home kit features the classic red letter U on the front of the jersey.

From 1934 until 2001–02, Universidad de Chile's away kit consisted of a white jersey, shorts and socks, occasionally using blue shorts during the 1990s. In 2001–02, for the first time in the club's history a red kit was introduced; this kit consisted of a red jersey with dark blue sleeves, red shorts and red socks. In 2005, the club introduced a new all-red away kit, thereby dropping the blue sleeves in favor of red ones. The current away kit in a similar fashion to the home kit also features the red letter U on the front of the jersey.<ref>{{Cite news |work=Switch Image |url=http://www.switchimageproject.com/2009/10/universidad-de-chile-200910-team-kits.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120918033006/http://www.switchimageproject.com/2009/10/universidad-de-chile-200910-team-kits.html |url-status=usurped |archive-date=2012-09-18 |title=Universidad de Chile 2009/10 team kits |date=17 October 2009 |access-date=2009-10-19 }}</ref> Universidad de Chile wore a kit that featured the regular royal blue jersey, white shorts and royal blue socks for a game against Chivas during the 2010 Copa Libertadores. At the end of 2010 the historical all-white combination made a return as the club's alternate kit.

===Shirt sponsors and manufacturers===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;margin-left:1em"
|-
! style="color:#FFFFFF; background:#00266E;"|Period
! style="color:#FFFFFF; background:#00266E;"|Kit Manufacturer
! style="color:#FFFFFF; background:#00266E;"|Shirt Sponsor
|-
|1974–78
|New Leader
|rowspan=6|&nbsp;—
|-
|1979
|Haddad
|-
|1980–85
|[[Adidas]]
|-
|1986
|Ñandu
|-
|1987
|[[Umbro]]
|-
|1988–89
|rowspan=2|[[Adidas]]
|-
|1990
|[[Scania AB|Scania]]
|-
|1991
|rowspan=2|[[Pony International]]
|[[Fiat]]
|-
|1991
|rowspan=4|Chilectra
|-
|1992–95
|[[Avia (shoes)|Avia]]
|-
|1996
|[[Diadora]]
|-
|1997–98
|rowspan=3|[[Reebok]]
|-
|1998
|&nbsp;—
|-
|1998
|rowspan=2|[[AdeS]]
|-
|1999–00
| rowspan="9" |[[Adidas]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cooperativa.cl/noticias/deportes/futbol/u-de-chile/u-de-chile-renovo-millonario-contrato-con-adidas-hasta-el-2021/2014-03-07/133058.html |title=U. De Chile renovó millonario contrato con Adidas hasta el 2021 - Cooperativa.cl |access-date=10 August 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140324053006/http://www.cooperativa.cl/noticias/deportes/futbol/u-de-chile/u-de-chile-renovo-millonario-contrato-con-adidas-hasta-el-2021/2014-03-07/133058.html |archive-date=24 March 2014 }}</ref>
|-
|2001–03
|[[LG]]
|-
|2004–07
|[[Compañía de las Cervecerías Unidas|Cristal (Beer)]]
|-
|2008–10
|[[Telmex]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ferplei.com/2010/10/universidad-de-chile-dejara-de-tener-a-telmex-en-su-camiseta/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101027140539/http://www.ferplei.com/2010/10/universidad-de-chile-dejara-de-tener-a-telmex-en-su-camiseta/ |archive-date=2010-10-27 |title=Ferplei » Universidad de Chile dejará de tener a Telmex en su camiseta}}</ref>
|-
|2010–16
|[[Claro Americas|Claro]]/[[Tramontina]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.latercera.com/noticia/deportes/2013/11/656-551870-9-universidad-de-chile-renueva-auspicio-con-claro-por-153-mil-uf.shtml |title=Universidad de Chile renueva auspicio con Claro por 153 mil UF &#124; Deportes &#124; LA TERCERA |access-date=2014-08-10 |archive-date=2013-11-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131116120402/http://www.latercera.com/noticia/deportes/2013/11/656-551870-9-universidad-de-chile-renueva-auspicio-con-claro-por-153-mil-uf.shtml |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|-
|2017–2018
|[[Chevrolet]]/[[Movistar]]/Loto
|-
|2019
|[[Petrobras]]/[[Movistar]]
|-
|2020–2021
|[[Petrobras]]/[[Directv]]
|-
|2022
|Betano/[[DirecTV]]
|}

===The chuncho logo===
The team's logo, a red and white chuncho ([[Austral pygmy owl]]), has its origins in the days of the Club Náutico Universitario which gave its emblem to the Club Universitario de Deportes (CUD), when was founded in 1927.<ref name="90años"/> The logo was taken from Germany by Pablo Ramírez Rodríguez, who turned into a Minister of Exchequer in 1945. The chuncho was chosen for its association with wisdom, mutual knowledge, harmony of the body and soul.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Scaff|first1=Patricio|title=Sports' origin in Universidad de Chile and the "chuncho" in the club's history|url=http://www.uchile.cl/acerca/aprofesionales/boletin/boletin8/04.html|publisher=Universidad de Chile|access-date=4 December 2015|archive-date=6 June 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080606050442/http://www.uchile.cl/acerca/aprofesionales/boletin/boletin8/04.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The team's logo is not usually found on the team's uniform, being favored in turn by a red letter U with a white trim. The chuncho logo was absent from the team's jersey starting in 1979, but made a return during the 1996–97 season. Since 2006–07, a small chuncho logo could be found on the jersey along with the red U.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Romántico Viajero|title=Camisetas años 2000|url=http://www.romanticoviajero.cl/HTML/camisetas2009.html|website=Romántico Viajero|access-date=4 December 2015}}</ref>

==Achievements==
{{Multiple image
| align = right
| direction = vertical
| width = 250
| title = '''2011 Copa Sudamericana'''
| titlestyle = background:#001489; color:white;
| image1 = U._de_Chile_2011.JPG | width1 = 300
| image2 = Universidad_de_Chile,_campeón_Copa_Sudamericana_2011,_en_La_Moneda.jpg | width2 = 300
| description = In [[2011]], the team managed to win the [[2011 Copa Sudamericana|Copa Sudamericana]] unbeaten, the club's first international trophy.
}}
Universidad de Chile's first title was won in 1940, just 3 years after their professional debut. The team won six titles (1959, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1969) between 1959 and 1969 and they became known as the [[Ballet Azul|''Blue Ballet'']] in reference the beautiful style of football they played. Nine members of that squad were part of the Chilean national team that reached 3rd place in the [[1962 FIFA World Cup]], the best result ever achieved by Chile in a World Cup.<ref name="90años"/>

In 1995, Universidad de Chile won the cup once more, this time at home in front of almost 78,000 people in the [[Estadio Nacional (Chile)|Estadio Nacional]]. The team would then win back-to-back titles in 1999 and 2000.<ref name="90años"/>

More recently Universidad de Chile has won the [[Apertura]] in 2004, 2009, 2011 and 2014/2015, and Clausura in 2011 and 2016/2017. The 2011, the title was won at the hands of defending champions Universidad Católica, by a global score of 4–3, having lost the first leg of the final 2–0 and needing to win by a 3-goal margin, the team managed to win the second leg by a 4–1 score.<ref name="90años"/>

On the international stage Universidad de Chile have had a few of good runs in [[Copa Libertadores]], reaching the semi-finals in [[1970 Copa Libertadores|1970]], [[1996 Copa Libertadores|1996]], [[2010 Copa Libertadores|2010]], and [[2012 Copa Libertadores|2012]].<ref name="90años"/>

On 14 December 2011, they defeated Liga de Quito from Ecuador 3–0 (4–0 on aggregate) to win the [[Copa Sudamericana]], becoming the third Chilean team to win a South American tournament, behind [[Colo-Colo]]'s 1991 [[Copa Libertadores]] and [[Club Deportivo Universidad Católica|Universidad Catolica]]'s 1994 [[Copa Interamericana]]. In the tournament, the club had an excellent performance (undefeated, and winning all their matches in Chile), and was nicknamed the "South America's [[FC Barcelona]]".<ref>{{Cite news| last = Francis Fields |url = http://footballanchor.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3177:brazilian-media-praise-visiting-universidad-de-chile-as-qsouth-americas-barcelona-teamq&catid=57:latest-news&Itemid=168 |title= Brazilian media praise visiting Universidad de Chile as "South America's Barcelona team" | edition = Footballanchor | access-date =2011-11-23}}{{dead link|date=June 2016}}</ref>

Also, the team was named the most successful Chilean club of the 2010s, by winning a total of 9 titles in the whole decade. The achievement included 5 Primera División titles ([[2011 Torneo Apertura (Chile)|2011 Apertura]], [[2011 Torneo Clausura (Chile)|2011 Clausura]], [[2012 Torneo Apertura (Chile)|2012 Apertura]], [[2014 Torneo Apertura (Chile)|2014 Apertura]] and [[2017 Torneo Clausura (Chile)|2017 Clausura]]), 2 Copa Chile titles ([[2012–13 Copa Chile|2012–13]] and 2015), the [[2015 Supercopa de Chile|2015 Supercopa]] and the [[2011 Copa Sudamericana]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Completamente azul: Nos consagramos como el equipo chileno con más títulos de la década |trans-title=Completely blue: We were crowned as the chilean team with most titles in the decade |url=https://www.udechile.cl/completamente-azul-nos-consagramos-como-el-equipo-chileno-con-mas-titulos-de-la-decada/ |access-date=29 September 2021 |work=Club Universidad de Chile |date=31 December 2019 |language=es}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Universidad de Chile se consagró como el equipo nacional más ganador de la década |trans-title=Universidad de Chile is crowned as the biggest national team of the decade |url=https://www.goal.com/es/noticias/universidad-de-chile-se-consagro-como-el-equipo-nacional-mas/j6sia2ozee9b1odxgwbaak7r3 |access-date=29 September 2021 |work=[[DAZN]] |date=1 January 2020 |language=es}}</ref> Universidad de Chile also went on to win the [[2024 Copa Chile]] and the [[2025 Supercopa de Chile]].

==Records==
[[File:Leonelwiki.jpg|thumb|[[Leonel Sánchez]] is still popular among the fans.]]
*'''Record Primera División victory'''&nbsp;— 9–1 ''v.'' [[Deportes Magallanes|Magallanes]] (1962)
*'''Record Primera División defeat'''&nbsp;— 0–6 ''v.'' [[Colo-Colo]] (1938)
*'''Record Copa Chile victory'''&nbsp;— 10-0 ''v.'' [[Chimbarongo FC]] (2023)
*'''Most goals scored in Primera División'''&nbsp;— 184 [[Carlos Campos (footballer, born 1937)|Carlos Campos]] (1956–69)
*'''Most Primera División appearances'''&nbsp;— 386 [[Leonel Sánchez]] (1953–69)
*'''Most appearances overall'''&nbsp;— 539 [[Luis Musrri]] (1988–04)
*'''Record Unbeaten Matches in Primera Division''' (''National Record'')&nbsp;— 33 (1999)
*'''Record Straight Wins in Primera Division''' (''National Record'')&nbsp;— 16 (1963–64)
*'''Record Best Start in Primera Division''' (''National Record'') 9 straight wins (2011)
*'''Highest attendance in Primera Division'''  (''National Record'')&nbsp;— 85,268 ''v.'' [[Club Deportivo Universidad Católica|Universidad Catolica]] (29 December 1962)

==Honours==

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="font-size:95%; text-align:center;"
|+Club Universidad de Chile honours
!style="width: 1%;"|Type
!style="width: 5%;"|Competition
!style="width: 1%;"|Titles
!style="width: 21%;"|Seasons
|-
| rowspan="5" |'''National'''
! scope=col|[[Campeonato Nacional (Chile)|Primera División]]
|'''18'''
|align="left"|[[1940 Primera División de Chile|1940]], [[1959 Primera División de Chile|1959]], [[1962 Primera División de Chile|1962]], [[1964 Primera División de Chile|1964]], [[1965 Primera División de Chile|1965]], [[1967 Primera División de Chile|1967]], [[1969 Primera División de Chile|1969]], [[1994 Primera División de Chile|1994]], [[1995 Primera División de Chile|1995]], [[1999 Primera División de Chile|1999]], [[2000 Primera División de Chile|2000]], [[2004 Torneo Apertura (Chile)|2004-A]], [[2009 Torneo Apertura (Chile)|2009-A]], [[2011 Torneo Apertura (Chile)|2011-A]], [[2011 Torneo Clausura (Chile)|2011-C]], [[2012 Torneo Apertura (Chile)|2012-A]], [[2014 Torneo Apertura (Chile)|2014-A]], [[2017 Torneo Clausura (Chile)|2017-C]]
|-
! scope="col" |[[Primera B de Chile|Segunda División]]
|'''1'''
| align="left" |1989
|-
! scope="col" |[[Copa Chile]]
|'''6'''
| align="left" |[[1979 Copa Polla Gol|1979]], [[1998 Copa Apertura|1998]], [[2000 Copa Apertura|2000]], [[2012–13 Copa Chile|2012–13]], [[2015 Copa Chile|2015]], [[2024 Copa Chile|2024]]
|-
! scope="col" |[[Supercopa de Chile]]
|'''2'''
| align="left" |[[2015 Supercopa de Chile|2015]], [[2025 Supercopa de Chile|2025]]
|-
! scope="col" |Copa Francisco Candelori
| bgcolor="gold" |'''1'''{{sup|S}}
| align="left" |1969
|-
|'''International'''
! scope=col|[[Copa Sudamericana]]
| '''1'''
|align="left"|[[2011 Copa Sudamericana|2011]]
|}
* {{legend|gold|record}}
* {{sup|S}} shared record

===Regional===
* '''Copa Unión de la Primera División de la Asociación de Football de Santiago'''
** '''Winners (1):''' 1923
* '''Copa Chile de la Primera División de la Asociación de Football de Santiago''' 
** '''Winners (3):''' 1918, 1921, 1923
* '''Sección Uruguay de la Copa Chile de la Primera División de la Asociación de Football de Santiago'''
** '''Winners (1):''' 1923
* '''Serie B de la Copa Unión de la Asociación de Football de Santiago'''
** '''Winners (2):''' 1916, 1917
* '''Copa Independencia de la Segunda División de la Asociación de Football de Santiago'''
** '''Winners (2):''' Serie B 1916, Serie B 1917
* '''Copa El Diario Ilustrado del Campeonato Atlético de la Asociación de Football de Santiago'''
** '''Winners (1):''' 1916
* '''División de Honor de la Sección Amateur de la Asociación de Football de Santiago'''
** '''Winners (1):''' 1934
* '''Torneo Metropolitano de Chile'''
** '''Winners (2):''' 1968, 1969

== Supporters and rivalries ==
{{Main|Los de Abajo}}
Universidad de Chile is the  second largest following club in the country, with appromiximately 21% of the total [[Football in Chile|Chilean football]] fans according to research and surveys from 2018, published in September 2021 by Spanish newspaper agency [[Diario AS|AS.com]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-09-24 |title=U. de Chile - Colo Colo: ¿Qué equipo tiene más hinchas en Chile? |url=https://chile.as.com/chile/2021/09/24/futbol/1632496090_795130.html |access-date=2023-02-02 |website=Diario AS |language=es-cl}}</ref>

Created on March 24, 1988 from the split and subsequent re-foundation of the Imperio Azul ''barra'', it occupies the south gallery of the Estadio Nacional where the team plays its home games. Its name is inspired by the initial location (below) of the young members of the former barra. It is considered one of the biggest ''barras'' in football, in Chile it is known as "La Número Uno" (Number One), as well as having great recognition in Latin-America. They feud with other barra brava groups, most notably ''[[Garra Blanca]]'' of Colo-Colo and ''Los Cruzados'' of Universidad Católica.

=== Chilean Superclásico ===
{{Main|Chilean Superclásico}}
Universidad de Chile's traditional rival is [[Club Social y Deportivo Colo-Colo|Colo-Colo]], against which it plays the so-called Chilean Classic or ''Chilean Superclásico''. Although the first confrontation between the two clubs dates back to 1935, the rivalry began to develop in the 1940s and 1950s, with the match played on 11 November 1959 being the climax of a series of disagreements between the two institutions. That match, valid for the definition of that year's title, ended with a 2-1 victory for Universidad de Chile, which was the first of a series of good results for the "Azules" over Colo-Colo. This, added to the dominance of Universidad de Chile in the national championship, only increased the rivalry. In recent years the rivalry between these teams has diminished, leaving Colo-Colo as superior to Universidad de Chile, and because of that, it has been considered as the "most unequal rivalry in the world."

=== Clásico Universitario ===
{{Main|Clásico Universitario}}
There is often a rivalry between the two clubs from academic roots, where the game between Universidad de Chile and [[Club Deportivo Universidad Católica|Universidad Católica]] is known as "Clásico Universitario". It is the oldest confrontation between two clubs from academic roots, as the first confrontation goes back to the University Classic of 1909. Rivalry, both in sports and in academic issues, made these matches between the universities become more and more important, eventually reaching the national status of "Universities' Derby".

This clásico has been recognized by [[FIFA]] as the most traditional of Chile. They met for the first time on 13 June 1937 in matchday three of the first [[Segunda División Profesional de Chile|Serie B]] at the Estadio Militar. These two teams have played 21 head-to-head definitions against each other, Universidad Católica has won 14 and Universidad de Chile 7.

==Players==
{{For|a list of all former and current Universidad de Chile players with a Wikipedia article|Category:Club Universidad de Chile footballers}}

===Current Squad===
{{updated|16 December 2025}}
{{Fs start}}
{{Fs player|no=1|nat=CHI|name=[[Cristopher Toselli]]|pos=GK}}
{{Fs player|no=2|nat=ARG|name=[[Franco Calderón]]|pos=DF}}
{{Fs player|no=3|nat=CHI|name=[[Ignacio Tapia (footballer, born 1999)|Ignacio Tapia]]|pos=DF}}
{{Fs player|no=4|nat=CHI|name=[[José Castro (footballer)|José Ignacio Castro]]|pos=DF}}
{{Fs player|no=5|nat=CHI|name=[[Nicolás Ramírez (Chilean footballer)|Nicolás Ramírez]]|pos=DF}}
{{Fs player|no=6|nat=CHI|name=[[Nicolás Fernández (footballer, born August 1999)|Nicolás Fernández]]|pos=DF}}
{{Fs player|no=7|nat=CHI|name=[[Maximiliano Guerrero]]|pos=FW}}
{{Fs player|no=8|nat=CHI|name=[[Israel Poblete]]|pos=MF}}
{{Fs player|no=9|nat=ARG|name=[[Leandro Fernández (footballer, born 1991)|Leandro Fernández]]|pos=FW}}
{{Fs player|no=10|nat=CHI|name=[[Lucas Assadi]]|pos=MF}}
{{Fs player|no=11|nat=CHI|name=[[Nicolás Guerra]]|pos=FW}}
{{Fs player|no=12|nat=CHI|name=[[Pedro Garrido]]|pos=GK}}
{{Fs player|no=13|nat=CHI|name=[[David Retamal]]|pos=DF}}
{{Fs player|no=14|nat=URU|name=[[Sebastián Rodríguez (footballer)|Sebastián Rodríguez]]|pos=MF}}
{{fs mid}}
{{Fs player|no=15|nat=ARG|name=[[Felipe Salomoni]]|pos=DF|other=<small>on loan from [[Club Guaraní|Guaraní]]</small>}}
{{Fs player|no=16|nat=CHI|name=[[Matías Sepúlveda]]|pos=MF}}
{{Fs player|no=17|nat=CHI|name=[[Fabián Hormazábal]]|pos=DF}}
{{Fs player|no=18|nat=ARG|name=[[Lucas Di Yorio]]|pos=FW|other=<small>on loan from [[Club Athletico Paranaense|Athletico-PR]]</small>}}
{{Fs player|no=19|nat=CHI|name=[[Javier Altamirano]]|pos=MF}}
{{Fs player|no=20|nat=CHI|name=[[Charles Aránguiz]]|pos=MF}}
{{Fs player|no=21|nat=CHI|name=[[Marcelo Díaz]]|pos=MF|other=[[Captain (association football)|captain]]}}
{{Fs player|no=22|nat=CHI|name=[[Matías Zaldivia]]|pos=DF}}
{{Fs player|no=23|nat=CHI|name=[[Ignacio Vásquez (footballer, born 2006)|Ignacio Vásquez]]|pos=FW}}
{{Fs player|no=24|nat=CHI|name=[[Antonio Díaz (Chilean footballer)|Antonio Díaz]]|pos=DF}}
{{Fs player|no=25|nat=CHI|name=[[Gabriel Castellón]]|pos=GK}}
{{Fs player|no=27|nat=ARG|name=[[Rodrigo Contreras]]|pos=FW|other=<small>on loan from [[Deportes Antofagasta]]</small>}}
{{Fs player|no=34|nat=CHI|name=[[Flavio Moya]]|pos=MF}}
{{Fs end}}

===Out on loan===
{{Fs start}}
{{Fs player|no=|nat=ARG|name=[[Emmanuel Ojeda]]|pos=MF|other=at [[Club Atlético Huracán|Huracán]] until 31 December 2025}}
{{Fs end}}

==Player records==

===Individual honours===

====Primera Division top scorers====
*{{flagicon|Chile}} Víctor Alonso: 20 goals (1940)
*{{flagicon|Uruguay}} [[Ubaldo Cruche]]: 17 goals (1945), 25 goals (1946)
*{{flagicon|Chile}} [[Carlos Campos Sánchez|Carlos Campos]]: 24 goals (1961), 34 goals (1962), 21 goals (1966)
*{{flagicon|Paraguay}} [[Eladio Zárate]]: 25 goals (1971)
*{{flagicon|Paraguay}} [[Richart Báez]]: 10 goals (Clausura 1997)
*{{flagicon|Chile}} [[Pedro González Vera|Pedro González]]: 23 goals (1998), 26 goals (2000)
*{{flagicon|Chile}} [[Felipe Mora]]: 13 goals (Clausura 2017)

====Copa Chile top scorers====
*{{flagicon|Argentina}} [[Luis Alberto Ramos]]: 12 goals (1979)
*{{flagicon|Chile}} [[Marcelo Salas]]: 12 goals (1994)

====Copa Sudamericana top scorers====
*{{flagicon|Chile}} [[Eduardo Vargas]]: 11 goals (2011)

====Chilean Footballer of the Year====
*{{flagicon|Chile}} [[Sergio Navarro (footballer, born 1936)|Sergio Navarro]]: 1961
*{{flagicon|Chile}} [[Pedro Araya Toro|Pedro Araya]]: 1966
*{{flagicon|Chile}} [[Alberto Quintano]]: 1967
*{{flagicon|Chile}} [[Adolfo Nef]]: 1969
*{{flagicon|Chile}} [[Héctor Hoffens]]: 1989
*{{flagicon|Chile}} [[Patricio Mardones]]: 1994
*{{flagicon|Chile}} [[Pedro González Vera|Pedro González]]: 1999
*{{flagicon|Chile}} [[Sergio Vargas]]: 2000
*{{flagicon|Chile}} [[Eduardo Vargas]]: 2011
*{{flagicon|Chile}} [[Charles Aránguiz]]: 2012

====Primera División Footballer of the Year====
*{{flagicon|Chile}} [[Juan Manuel Rodríguez Vega|Juan Rodríguez]]: 1969
*{{flagicon|Argentina}} [[Cristian Traverso]]: 1995
*{{flagicon|Chile}} [[Pedro González Vera|Pedro González]]: 1999
*{{flagicon|Chile}} [[Sergio Vargas]]: 2000
*{{flagicon|Chile}} [[Miguel Pinto]]: 2009
*{{flagicon|Chile}} [[Eduardo Vargas]]: 2011
*{{flagicon|Chile}} [[José Rojas (footballer, born 1983)|José Rojas]]: 2012

====America's ideal team====
*{{flagicon|Chile}} [[Marcelo Salas]]: 1996
*{{flagicon|Chile}} [[Miguel Pinto]]: 2009
*{{flagicon|Uruguay}} [[Mauricio Victorino]]: 2010
*{{flagicon|Chile}} [[Eduardo Vargas]], [[Johnny Herrera (footballer)|Johnny Herrera]] & [[Marcos González]]: 2011
*{{flagicon|Argentina}} [[Matías Rodríguez (footballer, born 1986)|Matías Rodríguez]] & {{flagicon|Chile}} [[Charles Aránguiz]]: 2012

=== Most appearances ===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! style="color:#FFFFFF; background:#00266E;"|#
! style="color:#FFFFFF; background:#00266E;"|Name
! style="color:#FFFFFF; background:#00266E;"|Matches
|-
| '''1''' || {{flagicon|Chile}} [[Luis Musrri]] || 539
|-
| '''2''' || {{flagicon|Chile}} [[Johnny Herrera (footballer)|Johnny Herrera]] || 497
|-
| '''3''' || {{flagicon|Chile}} [[José Rojas (footballer, born 1983)|José Rojas]] || 471
|-
| '''4''' || {{flagicon|Chile}} [[Vladimir Bigorra]] || 468
|-
| '''5''' || {{flagicon|Chile}} [[Héctor Hoffens]] || 451
|-
| '''6''' || {{flagicon|Chile}} [[Manuel Pellegrini]] || 435
|-
| '''7''' || {{flagicon|Chile}} [[Jorge Socías]] || 429
|-
| '''8''' || {{flagicon|Chile}} [[Sergio Vargas (footballer, born 1965)|Sergio Vargas]] || 428
|-
| '''9''' || {{flagicon|Chile}} [[Leonel Sánchez]] || 412
|-
| '''10''' || {{flagicon|Chile}} [[Braulio Musso]] || 390
|}

=== Top scorers ===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! style="color:#FFFFFF; background:#00266E;"|#
! style="color:#FFFFFF; background:#00266E;"|Name
! style="color:#FFFFFF; background:#00266E;"|Goals
|-
| '''1''' || {{flagicon|Chile}} [[Carlos Campos Silva|Carlos Campos]] || 199
|-
| '''2''' || {{flagicon|Chile}} [[Leonel Sánchez]] || 167
|-
| '''3''' || {{flagicon|Chile}} [[Pedro González Vera|Pedro González]] || 121
|-
| '''4''' || {{flagicon|Chile}} [[Marcelo Salas]] || 113
|-
| '''5''' || {{flagicon|Chile}} [[Rubén Marcos]] || 110
|-
| '''6''' || {{flagicon|Chile}} [[Jorge Socías]] || 102
|-
| '''7''' || {{flagicon|Argentina}} [[Diego Rivarola]] || 101
|-
| '''8''' || {{flagicon|Chile}} [[Pedro Araya Toro|Pedro Araya]] || 90
|-
| '''9''' || {{flagicon|Chile}} [[Braulio Musso]] || 83
|-
| '''10''' || {{flagicon|Chile}} [[Ernesto Álvarez]] || 83
|}

==Managers==

===Current coaching staff===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! style="color:#FFFFFF; background:#00266E;"|Position
! style="color:#FFFFFF; background:#00266E;"|Name
|-
|Manager || {{flagicon|Chile}} [[Gustavo Álvarez]]
|-
|Assistant Manager || {{flagicon|Chile}} Nilton Sepúlveda
|-
|Fitness Coach || {{flagicon|Chile}} Ignacio Fabres
|-
|Goalkeeping Coach || {{flagicon|Chile}} Carlos Arias
|}

===List of managers===
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Luis Tirado]] (1938-1941)
*{{flagicon|ARG}} [[Alejandro Scopelli]] (1941-1945)
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Luis Tirado]] (1946-1949)
*{{flagicon|ARG}} [[Salvador Nocetti]] (1950)
*{{flagicon|ARG}} [[Alejandro Scopelli]] (1950-1952)
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Miguel Busquets]] (1952)
*{{flagicon|Hungary}} [[György Ormós|Jorge Ormos]] (1953-1954)
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Luis Álamos]] (1954)
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Luis Tirado]] (1955)
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Luis Álamos]] (1956-1966)
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Washington Urrutia]] (1966)
*{{flagicon|ARG}} [[Alejandro Scopelli]] (1967-1968)
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Washington Urrutia]] (1968)
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Ulises Ramos]] (1969-1974)
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Braulio Musso]] (1974)
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Hugo Tassara]] (1975)
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Luis Ibarra (footballer)|Luis Ibarra]] (1975-1977)
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Nelson Oyarzún]] (1978)
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Ulises Ramos]] (1978)
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Fernando Riera]] (1978-1980)
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Manuel Rodríguez Vega]] (1981)
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Ulises Ramos]] (1981)
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Fernando Riera]] (1981-1982)
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Luis Santibáñez]] (1983)
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Ulises Ramos]] (1983-1984)
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Hernán Carrasco]] (1984)
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Luis Ibarra (footballer)|Luis Ibarra]] (1985)
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Leonel Sánchez]] (1985-1986)
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Fernando Riera]] (1987)
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Leonel Sánchez]] (1987)
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Alberto Quintano]] (1987)
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Manuel Pellegrini]] (1988-1989)
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Luis Ibarra (footballer)|Luis Ibarra]] (1989)
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Manuel Rodríguez Vega]] (1990)
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Pedro Morales Torres|Pedro Morales]] (1990-1991)
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Alberto Quintano]] (1991)
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Arturo Salah]] (1992-1994)
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Jorge Socías|Jorge Socias]] (1994-1995)
*{{flagicon|ARG}} [[Miguel Ángel Russo]] (1996)
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Roberto Hernández (Chilean footballer)|Roberto Hernández]] (1997-1998)
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[César Vaccia]] (1999-2001)
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Víctor Hugo Castañeda]] (2002-2003)
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Héctor Pinto]] (2004-2005)
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Gustavo Huerta]] (2006)
*{{flagicon|ARG}} [[Salvador Capitano]] (2007)
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Jorge Socías|Jorge Socias]] (2007)
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Arturo Salah]] (2007-2008)
*{{flagicon|URU}} [[Sergio Markarián]] (2009)
*{{flagicon|ARG}} [[José Basualdo]] (2009)
*{{flagicon|URU}} [[Gerardo Pelusso]] (2010)
*{{flagicon|ARG}} [[Jorge Sampaoli]] (2011-2012)
*{{flagicon|ARG}} [[Darío Franco]] (2013)
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Marco Antonio Figueroa]] (2013-2014)
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Cristián Romero (Chilean footballer)|Cristián Romero]] (2014)
*{{flagicon|URU}} [[Martín Lasarte]] (2014-2015)
*{{flagicon|ARG}} [[Sebastián Beccacece|Sebastian Beccacece]] (2016)
*{{flagicon|CHI}} {{flagicon|CHI}} [[Víctor Hugo Castañeda]] & [[Luis Musrri|Luis Mussri]] (2016)
*{{flagicon|ARG}} [[Guillermo Hoyos|Ángel Guillermo Hoyos]] (2017-2018)
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Esteban Valencia (footballer, born 1972)|Esteban Valencia]] (2018)
*{{flagicon|ARG}} [[Frank Kudelka (football manager)|Frank Darío Kudelka]] (2018-2019)
*{{flagicon|URU}} [[Alfredo Arias]] (2019)
*{{flagicon|ARG}} {{flagicon|CHI}} [[Hernán Caputto]] (2019-2020)
*{{flagicon|CHI}} Marcelo Jara (2020)
*{{flagicon|Venezuela}} [[Rafael Dudamel]] (2020-2021)
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Esteban Valencia (footballer, born 1972)|Esteban Valencia]] (2021)
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Cristián Romero (Chilean footballer)|Cristián Romero]] (2021)
*{{flagicon|Colombia}} [[Santiago Escobar]] (2022)
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Sebastián Miranda]] (2022)
*{{flagicon|URU}} [[Diego López (footballer, born August 1974)|Diego López]] (2022)
*{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Sebastián Miranda]] (2022)
*{{flagicon|ARG}} [[Mauricio Pellegrino]] (2023)
*{{flagicon|ARG}} [[Gustavo Álvarez]] (2024-

==Average home attendances of Universidad de Chile==

:2016–17 Clausura: 33,466
:2016–17 Apertura: 30,041
:2015–16 Clausura: 19,641
:2015–16 Apertura: 12,901
<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.worldfootball.net/competition/co98/se23062/attendance/|title = Primera División 2016/2017 Clausura – Attendance| date=22 December 2018 }}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Universidad de Chile]]
*[[Los de Abajo]]
*[[Ballet Azul]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*{{Official website}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20111022211144/http://www.fifa.com/classicfootball/clubs/club=44185/index.html Universidad de Chile] on FIFA.com (archived 22 October 2011)

{{Universidad de Chile}}
{{Liga Chilena de Fútbol}}
{{Copa Sudamericana winners}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Universidad De Chile}}
[[Category:Club Universidad de Chile| ]]
[[Category:Football clubs in Chile]]
[[Category:Association football clubs established in 1927]]
[[Category:Football clubs in Santiago, Chile]]
[[Category:University and college association football clubs]]
[[Category:1927 establishments in Chile]]
[[Category:Copa Sudamericana winning clubs]]