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| Plaza Colonia | |
|---|---|
| Clubname | Plaza Colonia |
| Fullname | Club Plaza Colonia de Deportes |
| Founded | 22 August 1917 |
| Ground | Estadio Profesor Alberto Suppici |
| Capacity | 12,000 |
| Chairman | Carlos Anselmi |
| Manager | Facundo Perazza |
| League | Primera División |
| Season | 2023 |
| Position | Primera División, 10th |
| Pattern la1 | _whiteborder |
| Pattern b1 | _whitestripes |
| Pattern ra1 | _whiteborder |
| Leftarm1 | 0000FF |
| Body1 | 0000FF |
| Rightarm1 | 0000FF |
| Shorts1 | FFFFFF |
| Socks1 | 0000FF |
Plaza Colonia Plaza Colonia is a Uruguayan football club based in Colonia del Sacramento, competing in the Primera División. Founded in 1917, the club is notable for its provincial identity and the 2016 Uruguayan Primera División title that contrasted the dominance of Montevideo clubs. Plaza Colonia's history intersects with Uruguayan football institutions, regional culture, and continental competitions.
The club was established on 22 August 1917 in Colonia del Sacramento, linking to local institutions such as the Municipalidad de Colonia del Sacramento and social clubs in Colonia Department. Early decades involved participation in departmental leagues and integration with the Asociación Uruguaya de Fútbol system. During the 1960s and 1970s Plaza Colonia navigated promotions and relegations alongside clubs like Peñarol, Nacional, Defensor Sporting, Racing Club de Montevideo, and Danubio F.C..
The 1990s saw structural changes in Uruguayan football with the influence of the FIFA calendar and CONMEBOL competitions; Plaza Colonia adapted by improving infrastructure and administration under local leadership. A defining moment arrived in 2015–16 when Plaza Colonia secured the Clausura/season title, disrupting established hierarchies that featured perennial champions such as Club Atlético Peñarol and Club Nacional de Football. That triumph led to participation in the Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana, exposing the club to continental matchups against teams from Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Chile.
Home matches are played at Estadio Profesor Alberto Suppici in Colonia del Sacramento, named after the World Cup-winning coach Alberto Suppici, who had historical ties to the region. The stadium, with a capacity near 12,000, hosts fixtures involving domestic rivals and continental visitors approved by CONMEBOL standards. Training occurs at club-owned complexes and municipal fields supplemented by facilities influenced by regional partnerships with the Universidad de la República and sports institutes in Montevideo.
Upgrades over time addressed lighting, turf quality, and spectator services to meet requirements for televised broadcasts by networks such as Tenfield and streaming partnerships that followed reforms in media rights. The club's facilities also include medical rooms conforming to standards promoted by FIFA Medical Officers and conditioning programs reflecting methodologies from UEFA-influenced coaching seminars.
Plaza Colonia maintains a dedicated supporter base drawn from Colonia del Sacramento and surrounding towns in Colonia Department, forming barras and peñas that celebrate local identity. Matchday culture blends regional traditions, carnivals linked to Carnival in Uruguay, and folklore elements reminiscent of celebrations in Maldonado Department and Canelones Department. Supporter groups coordinate with municipal authorities during high-attendance fixtures, and collaborations have occurred with cultural institutions such as the Museo Portugués and heritage organizations that promote the city's colonial architecture, a UNESCO-related narrative.
The club fosters ties with civic events including riverfront festivals on the Río de la Plata and community outreach with local schools and charities, interfacing at times with national bodies like the Instituto Nacional de Juventud.
Plaza Colonia's principal honour is the 2016 Uruguayan Primera División title, achieved by overturning larger clubs during the season. Other notable achievements include promotions from the Segunda División and strong Copa Uruguay runs, bringing encounters with historic cup competitors like Huracán Buceo and Fénix. The club participated in Copa Libertadores preliminary stages and Copa Sudamericana fixtures, representing Uruguay on the continental stage against sides such as Club Atlético Vélez Sarsfield, Fluminense FC, and Club Olimpia.
Plaza Colonia's league positions have fluctuated, with memorable campaigns in Apertura and Clausura phases, and honours at departmental tournaments in Colonia.
Over the years Plaza Colonia has fielded players who advanced to prominent roles domestically and abroad, including career pathways leading to transfers to Boca Juniors, Racing Club (Argentina), and Club Atlético Independiente. Coaches with ties to the club include figures who trained under systems influenced by Óscar Tabárez and collaborators who participated in CONMEBOL coaching courses alongside peers from Argentina, Paraguay, and Chile.
Notable former players who spent time at the club have later appeared in squads for Uruguay national football team youth and senior sides, and have joined clubs in Brazilian Série A, Liga MX, and Major League Soccer. Technical staff have included sports directors and physiotherapists that previously worked in institutions such as Club Atlético River Plate (Montevideo) and Peñarol.
The club operates an academy system catering to age groups from infantiles to reservas, competing in youth leagues overseen by the Asociación Uruguaya de Fútbol. The academy emphasizes scouting across Colonia Department and neighboring departments, producing talent that has progressed to professional contracts and national youth selections like Uruguay U-20. Training curricula reflect pedagogical inputs from regional university sports science units and coaching frameworks exchanged with academies at Defensor Sporting and Danubio F.C..
Partnerships with municipal sports programs and grassroots initiatives aim to integrate social development projects associated with organizations such as the Ministerio de Desarrollo Social.
Local rivalries include fixtures against departmental adversaries and occasional derbies with clubs that have historical ties to Colonia, while broader competitive rivalries emerge in contests with Montevideo giants such as Peñarol and Nacional. Records include the club's highest league finishes, longest unbeaten streaks in specific campaigns, and landmark victories in Primera División play that are often cited by local media outlets like El País (Uruguay), Ovación, and regional press.
Category:Football clubs in Uruguay