O'Higgins F.C.

O'Higgins
Full name O'Higgins Fútbol Club
Nickname(s) El Capo de Provincia (The Province's Boss)
O'Hi O'Hi
La Celeste (The Sky Blue)
Short name OHI
Founded 7 April 1955 (1955-04-07)
as Club Deportivo O'Higgins
Ground Estadio El Teniente,
Rancagua, Chile
Ground Capacity 14,087
Owner Abumohor Group
Chairman Ricardo Abumohor
Manager Gabriel Milito
League Campeonato Nacional
2015–16 Apertura: 7th
Liguilla Apertura: Not qualified
Clausura: 3rd
Liguilla Clausura: Winners
Overall: 5th
Website Club website
First game in Campeonato Nacional
Unión Española 2–0 O'Higgins
(Santiago, Chile; 8 May 1955)
First win in Campeonato Nacional
O'Higgins 3–2 Ferrobádminton
(Rancagua, Chile; 22 May 1955)
Biggest win in Campeonato Nacional
O'Higgins 7–1 Fernández Vial
(Rancagua, Chile; 13 May 1990)
Biggest defeat in Campeonato Nacional
Cobreloa 8–1 O'Higgins
(Calama, Chile; 4 September 1994)
Universidad de Chile 8–1 O'Higgins
(Santiago, Chile; 24 January 2016)
Biggest win in Copa Chile
O'Higgins 7–0 San Antonio Unido
(Rancagua, Chile; 10 October 2012)
Biggest defeat in Copa Chile
Cobreloa 10–0 O'Higgins
(Calama, Chile; 25 March 1979)
Biggest win at international competitions
O'Higgins 6–0 Deportivo Galicia
(Rancagua, Chile; 25 March 1979)
Biggest defeat at international competitions
Bolívar 5–1 O'Higgins
(La Paz, Bolivia; 1 April 1984)
Active teams of O'Higgins
Campeonato Nacional Fútbol Joven The Club

O'Higgins Fútbol Club (Spanish: [oˈxiɣins ˈfutβol ˈkluβ]) also known as O'Higgins de Rancagua, is a Chilean football club based in Rancagua, that is a current member of the Campeonato Nacional. The club's home stadium is the Estadio El Teniente, opened in 1945 and renovated for the 2015 Copa América, which was hosted by Chile.

Founded in 1955, the club was named in honour of the country's founding father and supreme director Bernardo O'Higgins, after the merger of the clubs O'Higgins Braden and América de Rancagua. O'Higgins has won two Primera B titles, and in 2013 they won their first Torneo de Apertura 2013–14 against Universidad Católica, thanks to the head coach Eduardo Berizzo, and in 2014 they won the Supercopa de Chile at penalty kicks against Deportes Iquique. The team also has participated four times in the Copa Libertadores, once in the Copa Sudamericana in 2012, and once in the Copa Conmebol in 1992.

The club emblem is a phoenix standing upon the club's colours. The club has a long-standing rivalry with regional neighbours Rangers de Talca and Curicó Unido, and also with the Santiago's clubs.

History

Establishment

The club's colour are originally of the Instituto O'Higgins, featured in the picture.

On 7 April 1955, after the merger of Rancagua's cross–town rival: O'Higgins Braden (that was born in 1954 from the merger between Braden F.C. and Instituto O'Higgins) and América de Rancagua, the club was founded thanks to Carlos Dittborn, the president of the Asociación Central de Football, who offered to put the name of the O'Higgins that represents to the subsidiary and also workers of Codelco in the city, under the name of Braden Copper and also in reference to the country's founding father and also supreme director Bernardo O'Higgins, an important character of the Colonial Chile during the 1810s, identified with the city of Rancagua, after some problems between the former rivals América and Braden.

Commemorative plaque of the founding of Instituto O'Higgins de Rancagua

The colours of the club are originally from the Instituto O'Higgins, and the stadium was named as Estadio El Teniente, before having the name of the company during the 1950s and changing to the current name for the 1962 FIFA World Cup, in which they played as home team at its group the Argentine football team. It was also decided that the uniform would be sky blue, based in Uruguay's uniform, earning then the nickname of La Celeste.

Braden F.C. logo, later the club will be fusioned with Instituto O'Higgins forming O'Higgins Braden.

On 21 April 1955, the Asociación Central de Football decided that the team will play in the Primera División for the next season, being his first president, Nicolás Abumohor and his first head coach was Francisco Hormazábal. In his first league tournament, the club finished in the ninth place of the table under of Magallanes, playing also the promotion play-offs, in which they failed to be relegated to the Primera B, ending in the second place of the liguilla under of Santiago Morning.

First seasons and Golden Age

The Argentine player Federico Vairo is one of the club's most important players.

In the 1957 season, still only four points of Universidad de Chile and Colo-Colo, teams champion of Primera División tournament, the club under the orders of the Argentine coach José Salerno, finished in third place alongside Santiago Wanderers, four points lower, making this form one of his most successful campaigns in contests of Primera División, with René Meléndez as the key player.

Seasons later, was relegated to the Segunda División the team after a 1963 Tournament's poor campaign. The next season, with the signings of the defender Federico Vairo and the attacking midfielder Mario Desiderio, both from the Argentine Primera División, the team returned to Primera División. In special, the performances of Vairo consecrated him as the best footballer in the club's history according to the supporters of Rancagua, who chose the Rosarian centre back with the honour in 1999. Vairo also discovered Lionel Messi, taking it on trial to River Plate, his former club. In the 1964 season, since the promotion, the club made regular seasons, finishing in mid-table and also suffered the departure of Federico Vairo and Mario Desiderio to the Colombian side Deportivo Cali in 1966.

The Estadio El Teniente was host stadium for the 1962 FIFA World Cup.

In the 1973 season, under the orders of the coaches Luis Vera and Jorge Aretio, behind of Unión Española and Colo-Colo, the team and Huachipato finished in third place, returning to the success of this form. After a notable 1978 tournament, the team reached the qualification to the following edition of the Copa Libertadores, in which they achieved their biggest win for an international contest against Deportivo Galicia, beating to the Venezuelan side at Parque El Teniente in the city of Rancagua, and also achieved his most important away win for an international tournament, winning 1–0 at Valencia to the same Galicia. The performances achieved under Luis Santibáñez as head coach was very well, after of be eliminated in by Palestino in the first round, failing to qualify to the semifinal against Paraguayan side Olimpia, because the team of La Cisterna won 1–0 to Rancagua's club with a goal of the historic centre back Elías Figueroa.

The team directed by Luis Santibáñez reached the fifth place in the Primera División, qualifying to the 1980 Copa Libertadores, via the Libertadores Liguilla, after a notable unbeaten of five matches, finishing in the first position over powerhouse clubs Universidad de Chile and Cobreloa and the mid-club also traditional in Chile, Unión Española of the Independencia neighborhood.

Continental appearances

Manuel Pellegrini, coach of the club in 1992.

While managing indifferent league form in the early 1980s, the club had its first South American success in the form of the Copa Libertadores. In the 1980 season, O'Higgins reached the semi-finals, being eliminated by Uruguay's Club Nacional. The 1984 edition of the Libertadores, the club finished last of his group, in which Universidad Católica, Bolivar and Blooming integrated the group with the team of Rancagua, whilst for the league tournament, the Primera División, making regular campaigns, the last season, the club defeated 6–1 to Colo-Colo with elite footballers in the 1983 season, establishing of this form an unpublished fact.

Claudio Borghi played on the club in 1995

After the financial problems of Codelco, the company owner of the club, Rancagua's club relegated to the Primera B in the 1985 season, with also possibilities of be relegated to the Tercera División for another controversies related with Codelco. The next season, with the defenders Gabriel Mendoza and Atilio Marchioni as key players, the club returned to the Primera División, after an exciting final with Lota Schwager at Talca. Years later, the club hired Manuel Pellegrini as coach for face the 1992 Copa Conmebol, in which they were eliminated by Argentine side Gimnasia de La Plata in the quarter-finals, in that occasion with players like Claudio Borghi, who won the 1986 FIFA World Cup celebrated in Mexico, the talented playmaker Jaime Riveros and the striker Gustavo De Luca, one of the most prolific goalscorers in the Chilean football during the 1990s.

In the 1994 season, under the orders of Roberto Hernández, O'Higgins reached the Copa Chile finals, after of beat 2–1 at the Estadio Nacional to Universidad de Chile in the semi-finals with goals of Moyano and Soto for the sky blues and for the lions scored Marcelo Salas. However, in the final against Colo-Colo, the club lost in the penalties, whilst for the Primera División tournament, Rancagua's side finished in the third place of the table, not achieving its Copa Libertadores' qualification. The next season, O'Higgins failed to qualify in the liguilla for play the Libertadores, ending only in the sixth position of the Primera División tournament, under of Cobreloa, team that reached the playoffs liguilla in the fifth place.

The Instability: 1996–2004

Ricardo Abumohor bought the club in 2004

In the 1996 season, the club signed great players, having a great team with Clarence Acuña as central midfielder, in the creation the Argentine playmaker Gerardo Martino, the footballer that comes from Argentine Primera División side Newell's Old Boys, whilst were released as strikers: Carlos Poblete and Ariel Cozzoni. However, the team lost the category, relegating to the Primera B, after of finish under of Regional Atacama in the table's bottom. Two years later, under the orders of René Serrano, the team achieved promotion to the Primera División. In 1999, the club of Rancagua finished in the tenth place, in where Mario Núñez and Jaime González also began the most successful goalscorer pair in the Chilean football with 57 goals between both strikers. In the 2001 season, with financial problems and a poor season, the team lost the category, returning to the Primera B with the coach Guillermo Páez in the charge.

Trinchera Celeste, the barra brava of the club, was founded in 2002.

In 2002, under Luis Droguett's orders, the club nearly achieved the Primera División return with a successful season of Rodrigo Ramírez, talented player that earned the nickname of Garrincha, making reference to the famous Brazilian footballer that played in the 1962 World Cup. The 2003 season, the club failed via the promotion play-offs to promote to the first tier, after of loss 2–0 with Everton at Parque El Teniente in Rancagua, making a similar season in the 2004 year, again failed his Primera División's promotion after of be defeated by Deportes Melipilla, under the orders of the Paraguayan head coach or manager Sergio Nichiporuk, who was fired then.

Despite of the sports failure, the club crossed hard financial problems, because Codelco not took care of that and also of the irregularities in the board, of several years ago. However, in December 2004, was reported that the ANFP's former president and entrepreneur Ricardo Abumohor would buy the team for fix the situation.

Garcés and Sampaoli era

Jean Beausejour, one of the most important players of the team in their last seasons.

In 2005, the club was owned by ANFP's former president, Ricardo Abumohor, who bought the team to Codelco, having the Primera B title as principal objective for return to the Primera División, achieving also that objective, defeating 4–3 to Deportes Melipilla in the aggregate for the promotion with Hugo Brizuela and Mario Núñez as the key players of the success. The next season, the club signed Jorge Garcés as coach, qualifying for the playoffs of the Torneo de Clausura, being eliminated by Audax Italiano due to a Rubén Selman's controversial arbitration. In the 2007 season, O'Higgins finished twelfth in the table of the Apertura's table and eliminated by Colo-Colo at the playoffs for the Clausura, after a 5–0 precipitous loss at Rancagua, that sealed the key for the whites with a back tie at Santiago.

Enzo Gutiérrez, another important player in the club's history

In December 2007, after the departure of Jorge Garcés to Deportes Concepción, the club reached an agreement with Jorge Sampaoli of Sporting Cristal, who took over the work for direct from the club's bench. Sampaoli made a successful season during the Apertura 2008, with talented players like Jean Beausejour and Carlos Carmona, still below of Universidad Católica in the 3rd place and being eliminated in the playoffs by Universidad de Chile. In the Clausura, making a similar season, the team was eliminated by Palestino in the quarter-finals. The next year, Sampaoli was fired after a game with Universidad de Concepción, due to a bad results, not qualifying after to the play-offs in the Clausura and being eliminated before during the Apertura, after a 6–1 defeat with Unión Española for the quarter-finals at the Estadio Santa Laura.

After the regular last season, the board again signed to Roberto Hernández as coach for the 2010 Campeonato Petrobras, having a very regular first part, so it was fired and arrived Marco Antonio Figueroa for replace to the last coach during the FIFA World Cup break. The most important achievements of Figueroa in the bench was beat 1–0 to the Universidad de Chile at the Estadio Nacional and 2–1 to Colo-Colo at Parque El Teniente, however the team finished in the 10th place and Figueroa left the club for Mexican side Tiburones Rojos de Veracruz.

The club's board signed up to Ivo Basay for face the 2011 season, making a very well regular phase, with Fernando De la Fuente and Enzo Gutiérrez as key players. In the play-offs stage, O'Higgins beat Palestino, reaching the semi-finals against Universidad de Chile, in which they were defeated 8–1 in the aggregate.

Eduardo Berizzo, the first title and Supercopa

Eduardo Berizzo, the most successful manager of the club

For the 2012 season, the year started of abrupt form with Fernando De la Fuente's departure after a strong discussion with Eduardo Berizzo and also with the goalkeeper's coach Roberto Bonano, being confirmed then that the player will be loaned to Deportes La Serena, losing of this form to one of the best defensive midfielders of the Chilean football for face the Torneo de Apertura.[1]

However, the club's board surprised to Rancagua with the signings of the Argentine attacking midfielder Ramón Fernández, former footballer of Unión La Calera, who was tempted by country's powerhouse clubs: Colo-Colo and Universidad de Chile, after a very well year,[2] the Paraguayan footballer Rodrigo Rojas, who played for teams like River Plate, and finally to Julio Barroso, defender champion of the 2005 FIFA U-20 World Cup with Argentina that played for Boca Juniors.

Luis Marín was the captain during 2012

The first season and the first final of Berizzo

On 27 January 2012, the club achieved his first triumph in the Torneo de Apertura against Antofagasta at the Estadio Parque El Teniente with a goal of Ramón Fernández in the 42nd minute,[3][4] losing at the capital 1–0 with Colo-Colo, the next match.[5] On 25 February, the team achieved his most important victory against Universidad de Chile at Rancagua, with goals of Enzo Gutiérrez, Guillermo Suárez and Fernández, in where Luis Marín saved a penalty to Marcelo Díaz, earning of this form the first place,[6] that lost when Universidad Católica in March defeated 2–1 to the team at El Teniente,[7] then achieving with Julio Barroso and Rodrigo Rojas as the key players, the team achieved four consecutive wins, that finished when Huachipato defeated 2–1 to the club with goals of the striker Manuel Villalobos and the left back José Contreras,[8] but despite of the defeat at the city of Talcahuano, the team lead by Eduardo Berizzo, after of beat 5–0 to Palestino at Rancagua,[9] on 28 April, more than of one hundred fans traveled for view the qualification of his team to the Copa Sudamericana, after of a 1–0 away victory over Santiago Wanderers with a goal of the midfielder Enzo Gutiérrez at Valparaíso.[10]

Yerson Opazo was selected as the best right defender in 2012

On 23 June 2012, after a successful regular phase in the second place under Universidad de Chile at the top of the table,[11] in the play-offs faced to Unión La Calera in the quarter-finals.[12] The first match at La Calera, the team won 1–0 with a free kick goal of Ramón Fernández, who played the last season in that club, not celebrating the goal,[13] in Rancagua for the second match, the club again won, now for a 3–2 victory, thanks to Enzo Gutiérrez, who scored a peace of goal after an incredible bicycle kick that defeated to the keeper Lucas Giovini.[14] The next key, the club faced to Unión Española in the semi-finals at Santiago, in where with a goal of the playmaker Emiliano Vecchio the club was defeated at the Estadio Santa Laura,[15] finally winning 2–1 at the second match with goals of Luis Pedro Figueroa and Rodrigo Rojas, whilst for the club of Independencia, scored the striker Sebastián Jaime.[16] The next game, now for the finals against the club Universidad de Chile, O'Higgins beat for the same scored of the last match to the team of the University, with goals of Rojas and the Argentine full back Alejandro López, whilst for the blues scored Guillermo Marino.[17] O'Higgins was the Primera División champion of the Torneo de Apertura, until the 92nd minute of game in the Estadio Nacional, because with annotations of Charles Aránguiz and the same Marino, the club equalized the key, winning 2–0 in the penalties thanks to the blues' keeper Jhonny Herrera, who saved three penalties to Rodrigo Rojas, Yerson Opazo and Enzo Gutiérrez.[18] However, the match was not exempt of polemics, because the referee Enrique Osses conceded a non–existent penalty to Marino, that was scored by Aránguiz, and unfairly red-carded to the centre back Julio Barroso, after an aggression of the right back José Rojas of Universidad de Chile.[19]

Another fight for the title

In the Torneo Transición 2013, the cast of Eduardo Berizzo joins several reinforcements, as Osmán Huerta, Mariano Uglessich, Braulio Leal, Gonzalo Barriga and Pablo Calandria among others and in this tournament, which disputes the last official match at the Estadio El Teniente, after it was awarded for renovations ahead of the 2015 Copa America, rotating between Estadio Santa Laura, Estadio La Granja and Estadio Monumental David Arellano as the home stadium.

After the victory against Huachipato in Talcahuano in the third round, fans went on a tour of cities in the South of Chile. When the bus going on Tomé, accidentally overturned bus and 16 fans died tragically. Was declared three-day mourning in Tomé and Rancagua, they made a farewell to the deceased at the Estadio El Teniente, and O'Higgins finished fourth after an acceptable campaign, where he was beaten by Unión Española, Universidad Católica and Cobreloa. O'Higgins lose an important chance, to classify for the second time in the Copa Sudamericana.

The first title of the club

For the Torneo Apertura 2013–14, O'Higgins is reinforced with players like Fernando Gutiérrez, Francisco Pizarro and Pedro Pablo Hernández. Started playing this tournament against Deportes Iquique, they win with a goal that eventually was the scorer in the tournament, Pablo Calandria. Then defeat Deportes Antofagasta 2–1 with goals of Francisco Pizarro and Gonzalo Barriga. On the next match day, tied with Audax Italiano thus giving the tournament was gradually gaining confidence the team was very important as achieving beat Cobresal in El Salvador, to Cobreloa, Universidad de Concepción, Universidad Católica, Unión Española and win to Unión La Calera in the final minutes, achieving a significant winning streak in that championship, where only lost 2 games against Palestino and Colo-Colo.

The match versus Rangers de Talca

The last match day of the championship visit to Rangers de Talca, where the team starts lost with Mauricio Gómez goal, but the team did not give up and as in the tournament, went on to turn the game and gets goals from Pablo Calandria and Julio Barroso. In the second half, it was thought that the title was slipping from the hands, because Rodolfo González and Esteban Ciaccheri put uncertainty in the Estadio Fiscal de Talca, where the score was 3–2 in favor of piducanos.

Berizzo make changes and enter Francisco Pizarro and Osmán Huerta, that the first ball touching, overcomes the goalkeeper Nicolás Peric, tying the game at 3 goals, leaving 10 minutes to end the match, but in the 88' Pablo Calandria is brought down in the area and the referee Patricio Polic charge penalty kick and was expulsed the goalkeeper Peric and because the team of Talca, had made 3 modifications, the player Hugo Diaz should be the goalkeeper, note that Universidad Católica, played in parallel and was earning its similar Unión La Calera in Quillota, so if the team was tied or lost the championship was slipping. In the 90', the scorer Pablo Calandria, becomes the goal of unleashing the madness of 4,500 fans, which completed the stadium epically turning the match 4–3, right then Universidad Católica overcame 2–0 the caleranos.

The final

After a hard-fought championship title fight against Universidad Católica, both finish the tournament with the same score, having to make a defining game, after an amendment to the rules of the championship, which before that was modified as to who had a better champion goal difference if the same amount of point, as was the case championship opening 2013, in which Unión Española and Universidad Católica, had equal score until the last date, but ending Union Spanish, on goal difference, leaving Universidad Católica to as "second".

O'Higgins fans celebrating on the Estadio Nacional de Chile the first title.

The match was played over two days of the championship. On December 10, 2013 with a crowded Estadio Nacional de Chile, O'Higgins winning against the Crusaders, with a goal of one of the figures of the team Pablo Hernández, who ultimately end in club history, because this winning the match 1–0, unleashing the madness of over 25,000 celestes in the south side of the stadium and all around Rancagua. Caravans on the roads, get the players in the city on the Plaza de los Héroes, which was celebrated to long hours of the night. Surely that day will go down in history of the club and thousands of sky blues fans who never forget.

O'Higgins 2013–14 Apertura Champions results
Results
1.^ The match between Santiago Wanderers and O'Higgins finished with result 2:2, but the coach Ivo Basay put on the match 6 foreigners players, being punished with a 3-0 defeat against. [20]
Summary of results
OverallHomeAway
PldWDLGFGAGDPtsWDLGFGAGDWDLGFGAGD
17 12 3 2 28 13  +15 39 5 1 2 9 6  +3 7 2 0 19 7  +12

Last updated: 11 December 2013.
Source: Soccerway

The Supercopa and back to Copa Libertadores

The fans in the Supercopa de Chile match against Deportes Iquique

After winning the final of the Torneo Apertura 2013, the club returns to the Copa Libertadores after their last participation in 1984, participated in the cup at Group 3 with Cerro Porteño, Deportivo Cali and Lanús. The first game was played against Lanús where the match ends 0–0 which highlighted the figure of Pedro Pablo Hernández due to its great performance and even the match he should have won the Rancagua. The second time he faced local to Deportivo Cali in the Estadio Monumental, game that Yerson Opazo effort to put the Colombian goalkeeper Faryd Mondragón and the ball enters the portal becoming the player that after 30 years back scoring in Copa Libertadores match ending 1–0 in favor of the celestes. In the third received again this time local Cerro Porteño match was even for the locals who won 2–0 with goals of Eduardo Alejandro López from free kick and Luis Pedro Figueroa, but due to the expulsion of Braulio Leal lower the level of play and the Guarani tie the game with goals from Rodolfo Gamarra and Julio Dos Santos.

At the next meeting at the same Cerro Porteño visit the Estadio General Pablo Rojas where the club are defeated by 2–1, with goals from Dani Guiza and again Dos Santos, discounted for O'Higgins Pablo Calandria from a penalty kick. In the fifth round part to Colombia to face Deportivo Cali at Estadio Olímpico Pascual Guerrero, after a great performance again the historical Yerson Opazo shoots about 30 meters and marks one of the best goals in the Copa Libertadores 2014, finally discounts Néstor Camacho tied the game after they scored a goal seeps Paulo Garcés, ending the match 1–1. In the last match of the first round, O'Higgins returns to its stadium Estadio El Teniente after its renovation for the 2015 Copa América receiving a full stadium, after a great match Brazilian referee Wilson Pereira Sampaio, marked hand to midfielder Leandro Somoza, but Agustín Marchesín saves penalty to Pablo Calandria, ending the game 0–0 and the celestes being eliminated from the cup. O'Higgins finished with 7 points relegated to third place in Group 3.

Roberto González was key player in the match for the Supercopa de Chile

In the Clausura 2014, O'Higgins ended in third place with 30 points, in the Accumulated Table as second with 69 points, which led him to play the Supercopa de Chile to be the best champion located in the general table, (surpassed Colo-Colo, Clausura champions). The game was played at the Estadio San Carlos de Apoquindo against champion 2013–14 Copa Chile, Deportes Iquique, where started winning the match with a goal from Rodrigo Díaz at 6 min., later O'Higgins draw on 39' with a goal from Luis Pedro Figueroa ending tied 1–1 and defining criminal pitches. After the imprecision of both teams and after converting Luis Pedro Figueroa was the turn of Rodrigo Brito and misses the penalty unleashing the feast of over 6,000 celestes who came to the capital, and becoming the second Supercampeón of the Chilean football.

Sava and Sánchez: After Berizzo era

After this final Berizzo ceases to be O'Higgins manager to sign contract with the Spanish club Celta de Vigo. Berizzo contracted Pedro Pablo Hernández in the Spanish team, while in the club as a coach assumes a friend of Eduardo Berizzo, the Argentine Facundo Sava, that was fired because irregular results in January 2015, taking the charge of the club the Argentine coach Pablo Sánchez.[21]

Stadium

Estadio El Teniente
El Mundialista de Rancagua (The World Cup Stadium of Rancagua)
Templo de las Ilusiones (Temple of Illusions)
Capacity 14,087
Field size 105 m × 68 m (344 ft × 223 ft)
Surface Natural grass
Opened 1947
2014 (renovated)

The home ground of club is the Estadio El Teniente, built in September 1945 and located in Rancagua, being named Braden Copper Company Stadium, because that company was the stadium's owner. The first professional game was during the 1955 Primera División tournament, in a match that O'Higgins won 3–2 to Ferrobádminton.[22]

The old Estadio El Teniente was used since 1945 until February 2013.

In 1960, after the 9.5 earthquake of Valdivia that destroyed the original venues of the 1962 FIFA World Cup, the Chilean delegation designed to the city of Rancagua as venue, after the refusal of Valparaíso and Antofagasta. The first international match was between Argentina and Bulgaria, in where with a goal of Héctor Facundo, the South Americans defeated to the Europeans on 30 May,[23] being the home local stadium of all matches related to the Group D, and one quarter-final game between West Germany and Yugoslavia.

Estadio El Teniente in January 2014.

The Government of Chile, acquired the 51% of shares to United States' Braden Copper Company in 1967, as part of the copper nationalization, that culminated four years later, becoming property of Codelco Chile, being re–named with the current name of Parque El Teniente, in reference to mine ubicated in locality of Machalí.

The new Estadio El Teniente in his inauguration match against Lanús

On 6 May 2011, was reported that would be feature in the 2015 Copa América, with capacity for 14,087 persons, being confirmed that new by the club's owner Ricardo Abumohor, the next year. In the 2013, the old stadium was demolished and start to be remodeling.[24]

The new stadium was inaugurated on April 8, 2014. In the inaugural match, O'Higgins played against Lanús for the week 6 of the 2014 Copa Libertadores. The final result was 0–0, marking the elimination of the club of the competition, because only served them a victory to advance to the next round.[25]

Monasterio Celeste

The entry to the Monasterio Celeste.

The training facilities of the club is the Monasterio Celeste, located in the outside of Rancagua, exactly in Requínoa. It replaces the old complex La Gamboína, which until 2014 was the training ground of the club.

The complex will consist of seven pitches of natural grass, a mini-stadium of artificial grass, and a hotel with the facilities for the team.

The complex was finished in 2014, but the first-team of O'Higgins training for first time on January 4, 2013.[26]

Also, will be the most modern football complex in South America and could be a national team host complex for the 2015 Copa América.

Players

Since the club's establishment in April 1955, more than of one thousand of the players on the team have been Chilean. Aníbal González is the historic top−scorer of the club with 117 goals in all competitions. Players like the midfielder Miguel Ángel Neira, Eduardo Bonvallet, the striker Mario Núñez, Joel Molina and René Valenzuela were key players in the past. Mario Desiderio is considered the best player in the club history.[27]

All-time top-ten goalscorers of the club [note][28][29]
Chile
Aníbal González		Chile
Juvenal Vargas		Chile
Miguel Ángel Neira		Chile
Mario Núñez		Chile
Leónidas Burgos		Argentina
Gustavo De Luca		Argentina
Pablo Calandria		Chile
Juvenal Soto		Chile
Luis Pino		Argentina
Mario Desiderio
117979482777362585545
1.^ Only includes Campeonato Nacional, Copa Chile and international competitions. Bold indicates player is still active.

Foreign players like Federico Vairo and Mario Desiderio of Argentina, have also been important players in the history of club. During the mid–1960s, the first footballer named was a former River Plate player, earning three consecutive Primera División titles, alongside players like the keeper Amadeo Carrizo, the midfielder Omar Sívori, among others, whilst the second at Calcio Catania and Estudiantes de La Plata, he had his most successful spells of his career, added to the club of Rancagua and Deportivo Cali.

Pedro Pablo Hernández, was which scored the historical goal against Universidad Católica.

Another important player of the club is Pablo Hernández, also Argentine, that is Celta de Vigo current player, who was part of the historic squad led by Eduardo Berizzo that won the 2013–14 Torneo de Apertura, being one of the most important players of the team, alongside the goalkeepers Paulo Garcés and Roberto González, the defenders Julio Barroso, Mariano Uglessich and Yerson Opazo, the midfielders Luis Pedro Figueroa, César Fuentes, Braulio Leal, Gonzalo Barriga and the striker and top goalscorer of Pablo Calandria, among others.

Braulio Leal (right), is the current captain.

The team has been several Argentine footballers in majority, but also players of Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela have been in minority.

In 2006, under the orders of the manager Jorge Garcés, arrived Giancarlo Maldonado, striker of the Venezuelan football team, who was the first footballer of that nationality that played in the club, and Aílton da Silva, seasons later, was the first player of Brazilian nationality in 2008, when the coach Jorge Sampaoli was in the bench.

Juan Rodrigo Rojas, now playing in Cerro Porteño, and Octavio Rivero, who was signed by Vancouver Whitecaps of Major League Soccer for a US$1.5M fee, were the last players of Paraguayan and Uruguayan nationality, respectively. The last Colombian player was Marco Pérez, who has not a good season with the club.

First-team squad

The Chilean teams are limited by the ANFP to have on their roster a maximum of seven foreign players. By the rules of ANFP the number of shirts can not exceed the number of registered players. At the 2016–17 season, all Chilean teams must be included in the team line-up, at least two Chilean players born on or after July 1, 1996, plus that at least a youth player of the team plays 675 minutes (These players are marked with the U-20 player). Where a player has not declared an international allegiance, nation is determined by place of birth. Squad correct as of 8 July 2016.[30]

No. Position Player Nation
1 Goalkeeper Luis Ureta (U-20 player)  Chile
2 Defender Tomás Alarcón (U-20 player)  Chile
3 Defender Acevedo, AlbertAlbert Acevedo (captain)  Chile
5 Midfielder Márquez, AlejandroAlejandro Márquez  Chile
6 Midfielder Fuentes, JuanJuan Fuentes (4th captain)  Chile
7 Forward Muñoz, PedroPedro Muñoz  Chile
8 Midfielder Lizana, SantiagoSantiago Lizana  Chile
9 Forward Calandria, PabloPablo Calandria (vice-captain)  Chile
10 Midfielder Rolle, MartínMartín Rolle  Argentina
12 Goalkeeper Figueroa, LeonardoLeonardo Figueroa (on loan from Universidad de Concepción)  Chile
13 Midfielder Barriga, GonzaloGonzalo Barriga  Chile
14 Defender Opazo, YersonYerson Opazo  Chile
16 Goalkeeper Pinto, MiguelMiguel Pinto  Chile
17 Forward Insaurralde, CristianCristian Insaurralde  Argentina
18 Midfielder Bravo, ManuelManuel Bravo  Chile
20 Defender Osorio, RaúlRaúl Osorio  Chile
21 Midfielder Medel, MarcoMarco Medel  Chile
23 Defender Torrealba, BrianBrian Torrealba (U-20 player)  Chile
24 Defender Diego González (U-20 player)  Chile
25 Forward Salazar, DavidDavid Salazar (U-20 player)  Chile
26 Midfielder Ávila, MoisésMoisés Ávila (U-20 player)  Chile
27 Defender San Juan, BastiánBastián San Juan  Chile
29 Defender José Garcés (U-20 player)  Chile
31 Midfielder Juan Zúñiga (U-20 player)  Chile
32 Midfielder Michel Lagos (U-20 player)  Chile

Players with multiple citizenship

Development team

This players are part of the club's first-team but also have appearances Fútbol Joven de Chile.

Where a player has not declared an international allegiance, nation is determined by place of birth.

No. Position Player Nation
32 Goalkeeper Javier Cerruti (YPR)  Chile
— Midfielder Bryan Mardones (YPR)  Chile

Out on loan

Where a player has not declared an international allegiance, nation is determined by place of birth.

No. Position Player Nation
— Goalkeeper Ochagavía, FelipeFelipe Ochagavía (at Magallanes until 30 June 2017 [34])  Chile
— Defender Vargas, NicolásNicolás Vargas (at Audax Italiano until 30 June 2017 [35])  Chile
— Midfielder Lizana, SantiagoSantiago Lizana (at Copiapó until 30 June 2017 [36])  Chile
— Midfielder Pardo, IvánIván Pardo (at San Marcos de Arica until 30 June 2017 [37])  Chile
— Forward Matías Pinto (U-20 player; at Malleco Unido until 30 June 2017 [38])  Chile
— Forward González, CésarCésar González (at Magallanes until 30 June 2017 [34])  Chile
— Forward Hormazábal, FabiánFabián Hormazábal (at Curicó Unido until 30 June 2017)  Chile
— Forward Lezcano, GastónGastón Lezcano (at Monarcas Morelia until 31 December 2017)  Argentina

Team of The Century

In 1999, the fans of the club chose the team of the 20th Century. Among the players which are in the starting line-up are the Argentina defender Federico Vairo, Miguel Ángel Neira, Mario Núñez, Mario Desiderio and the top goal-scorer of the history of the club, Aníbal González. The manager chose was Luis Santibáñez, which reached two of the four participations in the actually Copa Libertadores, obtaining as best result a semi-final in 1980.[39]

The following players are part of the mural of great players of the club, at the outside of the Estadio El Teniente. Many players also part of the Team of the Century elected by the fans.

Recent results

Season stats

Season Rank COC W D L GS GA Pts. Top scorer(s) in league Goals COC SUP COL COS PO SUF LIG
2016–17 Apertura TBD 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 – – – – – 1R N/A N/A –
2015–16 Clausura 3rd 15 8 4 3 28 24 28 Gastón Lezcano 8 – – – – N/A N/A W
2015–16 Apertura 7th 15 7 2 6 23 23 23 Pablo Calandria 9 2R – – – N/A N/A NQ
2014–15 Clausura 9th 17 6 6 5 21 23 24 Pablo Calandria 8 GS – – – N/A N/A 1R
2014–15 Apertura 8th 17 6 5 6 27 25 23 Octavio Rivero 10 – – N/A N/A NQ
2013–14 Clausura 3rd 17 8 6 3 20 12 30 Pedro Pablo Hernández 4 QF W GS – N/A N/A NP [note]
2013–14 Apertura 1st [note] 17 12 3 2 28 13 39 Pablo Calandria 9 – – N/A W NP [note]
2013 Transición 4th 17 9 4 4 28 19 31 Pablo Calandria 7 QF – – – N/A N/A N/A
2012 Clausura 14th 17 5 5 7 22 27 20 Richard Blanco 7 – 1R NQ N/A N/A
2012 Apertura 2nd 17 11 2 4 31 15 35 Enzo Gutiérrez 8 – N/A – – F N/A N/A
  • 1.^ A championship tiebreaking play-off was played, due to both teams finished tied on points. For more information, see 2013–14 Súper Final Apertura.
  • 2.^ Already qualified for 2014 Copa Libertadores.
  • Last updated: 28 April 2014
  • Rank = Rank in Campeonato Nacional regular season; Pld = Matches played; W = Wins; D = Draws; L = Losses; GS = Goal scored; GA = Goal against; Pts = Points; COC = Copa Chile; SUP = Supercopa; COL = Copa Libertadores; COS = Copa Sudamericana; Lig. = Liguilla pre-international tournament
  • NQ = Not qualified; Q = Qualified; GS = Group stage; 1R = First round; QF = Quarter finals; F = Finalist; W = Winner

Managers

Former coach of the club José Sulantay, directed O'Higgins in 1996.

Since the establishment of the club, the board signed to Francisco Hormazábal for the Primera División tournament of 1955, being he the first coach of the team of Rancagua. After of the regular seasons in the league contest, the board hired to the European Carlos Snopec as manager, who was the first international coach of the club.[40]

More than 20 years later, the club achieved an historic season with Luis Santibáñez as coach, who qualified to O'Higgins to the 1980 Copa Libertadores' semi-finals.[41] However, the team was eliminated, by the Club Nacional de Football|Club Nacional of Uruguay, with goals of Eduardo de la Peña and Waldemar Victorino, being defeated at the Estadio Parque Central for 2–0, failing of this form to play against Internacional de Porto Alegre in the finals.[41] In the early 1990s, the club's board signed to the coach Manuel Pellegrini for face the 1992 Copa Conmebol, in where unfortunately was immediately eliminated by Gimnasia y Esgrima de La Plata of Argentina.[42] Then, with a prior spell of Nelson Acosta, who potentiated players like Jaime Riveros for example, in 1994, the club achieved the finals of Copa Chile, being runner–up under Roberto Hernández as coach.[43]

Jorge Sampaoli, was the manager of the club since 2008 to 2009.

In 2006, the team made his first important campaign for a Torneo de Clausura under the orders of Jorge Garcés as coach, who abandoned the institution the following season, after of loss 5–0 with Colo-Colo.[44] In December 2007, Ricardo Abumohor, the club's owner, reported that hired to Jorge Sampaoli as coach for face the tournament,[45] in where he made regular seasons with players like Jean Beausejour and Carlos Carmona as key players into the scheme of the Argentine.[45]

After a regular tournament in the 2010 tournament,[46] then with a prior spell the next league tournament of the coaches Ivo Basay in the first semester,[47] whilst in the next José Cantillana,[48] in January 2012, the club's board signed to the coach Eduardo Berizzo alongside his assistant coach and former River Plate's goalkeeper in the 1980s, Roberto Bonano,[49] reaching the Torneo de Apertura finals against the Universidad de Chile, directed by the coach Jorge Sampaoli, an old acquaintance, being runners–up after of loss in the penalties 2–0 with scores of Charles Aránguiz and Raúl Ruidíaz, the international striker of the Peruvian national team.[50]

Current technical staff

Chronology of managers

This list includes the managers and the interim managers since the foundation of the club until today. Only 13 managers in the history of the club are or were foreigns.

  • Chile Francisco Hormazábal (1955–56)
  • Argentina Salvador Calvente (1957)
  • Czech Republic Carlos Snopec (1957)
  • Argentina José Salerno (1958–60)
  • Argentina Carlos Orlandelli (1960)
  • Chile Roberto Rodríguez (1961)
  • Chile George Robledo (1961)
  • Chile Hernán Carrasco (1961)
  • Hungary Ladislao Pakozdi (1961–62)
  • Argentina José Pérez (1963–67)
  • Chile Dante Pesce (1968)
  • Chile Leonardo Bedoya (1968–69)
  • Chile Jorge Aretio (1970)
  • Chile Leonardo Bedoya (1971)
  • Chile Hernán Carrasco (1972)
  • Chile Luis Vidal (1972)
  • Chile Ovidio Casartelli (1972)
  • Chile Caupolicán Peña (1972)
  • Chile Luis Vera (1973)
  • Chile Jorge Aretio (1973)
  • Chile Jorge Venegas (1974)
  • Chile Leonardo Bedoya (1974–75)
  • Chile José Pérez (1975)
  • Chile Jorge Aretio (1975)

Management

The club has had 17 presidents throughout history. The first president of the institution was Francisco Rajcevich who held the post between January and December 1955, while Patricio Mekis was longest in the charge within the institution (between January 1958 and January 1965) and is currently honorary president of the club.

Formerly in the corporation presidents elected him the same 12 directors-leaders who take the time to divide the charges. In turn, the elected president, must be accepted by a majority of members. This president was in principle intended for that post for two years he'll be in the leadership, but after a year, when half-directory is renewed 8 leaders who continue plus 8 new or re-elected decide whether the current president remains in the charge or another is chosen.

In 2005, the club had three different presidents due to internal problems and economic problems facing the club. After this, Ricardo Abumohor purchase and takes the charge of president.

Current management staff

Chronology of presidents

Club badge and colours

The current badge of the club is a Phoenix over the colours yellow and green, that means the aforementioned merger between América de Rancagua and O'Higgins Braden in mid–1950s, thanks to the management of Carlos Dittborn, president of the Professional football commission, now the current ANFP. Several people of Rancagua secure that the phoenix represents to the Chilean historic city, in where the founding father and hero of the country, Bernardo O'Higgins, led to his army on win the Battle of Rancagua against the Spaniards, highlighting that the club's name are in honour of him.

The club's current home kit colours are sky blue and white, whilst the traditional away colours are yellow in honour to América, a former Primera División team, but the current second kit have as current away colour are white. In the 2010 Campeonato Petrobras, O'Higgins wore the former kit of O'Higgins Braden as away colours.

Old logo of the club used until the 90's

An unusual fact was that the 2012 Torneo de Apertura first leg final at Estadio Parque El Teniente against the Santiago de Chile's team Universidad de Chile, the team played with the away kit colours in Rancagua, city in where the team is local. That game finished certainly in a 2–1 victory for O'Higgins with goals of midfielder Rodrigo Rojas and the left back Alejandro López, whilst for the blues was Guillermo Marino.

The current home kit of the club, consists in a sky blue shirt with blue details, sky blue shorts and socks. The kit is manufactured by New Balance, and the main sponsor is VTR.[51]

Current sponsors

All-time kits

Chronology of home kits of the club (1955-2014).

Kit manufacturers and sponsors

Club culture

Trinchera Celeste

Supporter groups

Rancagua Derby

In their history, the club hasn't a defined classic rival, with Enfoque's establishment, the club plays the Rancagua derby since 2011, the top–scorer of that derby is the Argentine striker Guillermo Suárez. The last game between both clubs occurred during a 2–2 Copa Chile away draw, with scores of the midfielder Boris Sagredo and Suárez, after going ahead by a two goals difference, and the prior match played at El Teniente, O'Higgins won of a very comfortable form 3–0 with goals of Guillermo Suárez, Tomás Lizana and the striker Enzo Gutiérrez, being in the bench Ivo Basay in that opportunities. In 2013, the clubs played a friendly game, where O'Higgins win 3–1.

The tragedy affected to the members of Trinchera Celeste.

Tomé Tragedy

On February 9, 2013, after the match between the club and Huachipato, a group of fans traveled in a bus to Tomé, where in the Cuesta Caracol fell into a ravine, causing the death of 16 fans. The event marked the Chilean football, the city of Rancagua and Tomé, so that a date of mourning decreed in the different leagues of the ANFP, and a days in Rancagua and Tomé.

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