How the ‘Other’ Liverpool Are Shaking Up Uruguay’s Duopoly | OneFootball

Liverpool FC of Montevideo, Uruguay, has emerged as one of the top teams in the country over the past six years. How the club got there — and how it broke the long-standing dominance of Uruguay’s traditional powers — is a fascinating story within the often centralized nature of Uruguayan football.

Arne Slot’s squad in England isn’t the only Liverpool team enjoying success this season. Both namesakes can claim years of achievement — one on a global stage, the other in the intimate, fiercely competitive world of Uruguayan football.

Liverpool of Montevideo caught the attention of American viewers when Susannah Collins received one of the club’s black and blue kits on CBS Sports Golazo. While that was a fun gesture for the show’s host, behind the shirt is a remarkable story of resilience and progress in a league historically dominated by Nacional and Peñarol.

Since 2019, Liverpool have won 10 titles, including their first league championship in 2023. But to understand what that truly means, you need to grasp the unique structure of Uruguayan soccer. The country’s top division is split into three tournaments throughout the season: the Torneo Apertura, Torneo Intermedio, and Torneo Clausura.

All 16 first-division teams compete in each tournament. The Apertura and Clausura follow a single round-robin format. The Intermedio, played between the two, divides clubs into two groups based on their Apertura standings.

Points from all competitions are tallied into a single aggregate table that determines relegation and plays a key role in deciding the overall champion. If a team that wins either the Apertura or Clausura also tops the aggregate standings, they earn a place in the final against the other short tournament winner. But if one team wins both the Apertura and Clausura, they are crowned champions outright.

Still with us? Great — because this explains how Liverpool could collect so many trophies but only one official league title. They’ve also claimed the Uruguayan Supercopa three times, contested between the Primera División champion and the Torneo Intermedio winner from the previous season.

So, how has Liverpool managed to thrive in a system where Nacional and Peñarol typically dominate the spotlight? That alone is a major accomplishment.

Liverpool is a modest club, playing its matches at Belvedere Stadium, which holds just 8,000 fans and often plays to fewer. Founded over a century ago, the club took its name because of the strong historical ties with the English port city, especially because many coal ships arriving in Montevideo originated from Liverpool.

Putting it All Together

Liverpool has quietly become one of Uruguay’s most consistent and well-managed clubs in recent years, thanks to a deliberate, disciplined approach to building a modern football institution. Under the leadership of president José Luis Palma, the club has focused on sustainable growth, prioritizing player development, financial responsibility, and building a competitive squad without chasing big names. This long-term vision has allowed Liverpool to challenge the traditional giants by maximizing every resource.

A key pillar of Liverpool’s success is its youth academy. The club has made major investments in its development system, producing a steady stream of talent that either contributes to the first team or is sold abroad for a profit.

Nicolás De La Cruz (now starring at Flamengo) and Luciano Rodríguez, a U-20 World Cup winner with Uruguay, are two of the club’s standout exports.

“Gaining economic independence was key to the club’s success,” said Uruguayan football journalist and Liverpool fan Fiorella Pose. “By competing in international tournaments, Liverpool gave its players a platform that didn’t exist before. Now the club can sell directly to foreign markets instead of losing its best players cheaply to local rivals.

“Today, because the club is financially stable, Liverpool no longer needs to sell players quickly. They can wait, raise their value, and win titles in the meantime. That’s exactly what happened with Luciano Rodríguez. The club set the price and sold him when the time was right.”

This model has earned Liverpool a solid reputation in both domestic and international scouting circles. Strategic reinvestment of transfer profits into infrastructure, coaching, and future talent has created a virtuous cycle of development.

On the pitch, the team has benefited from tactical continuity and a clear identity under coaches like Jorge Bava, a former Chicago Fire goalkeeper who implemented a modern, balanced playing style.

Off the field, Liverpool has upgraded their facilities and built a professional environment to support sustained success. As Uruguayan football continues to evolve, and traditional giants experience ups and downs, Liverpool have taken advantage of shifting dynamics by staying focused, innovative, and development-driven.

The Role of Good Coaching

Former Liverpool Montevideo manager Paulo Pezzolano during his tenure with Real Valladolid. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

For many that have followed Liverpool’s journey, the transformation began under the guidance of manager Paulo Pezzolano, who coached the club from 2017-19. The Montevideo native has since managed several other clubs across Mexico, Brazil, and Spain, and most recently made a move to England with Championship side Watford.

“Paulo Pezzolano laid the foundation,” said Brahian Kuchman, a reporter for Tenfield, Uruguayan football’s primary broadcast partner. “He gave the club its first title. He’s a modern coach, and that’s why he’s coaching at a high level internationally. He brought a clear style to Liverpool.”

Pezzolano’s version of Liverpool introduced a progressive approach rarely seen in Uruguay’s typically conservative tactical landscape. His team emphasized possession, quick ball movement, and fluid positional play. Build-up play often started from the goalkeeper and center backs, using short, controlled passes to create space.

In a league where many coaches rely on long balls and physical play, Pezzolano’s emphasis on structure and technical progression was almost alien.

That identity endured under successive managers including Bava, who was at the helm from 2021-23, and current manager Joaquín Papa. It also persists throughout the club’s academy system.

“The club invests in long-term coaching, even in the youth ranks,” Kuchman said. “Players have access to good training facilities, are encouraged to study, and are supported in their lives beyond football. There’s also significant social work involved.

“People see Belvedere on TV and think it’s just a small stadium with no luxury suites. But behind the scenes, the club is investing in the future — and that future is built around youth and the training complex.”

The Future

X/Liverpool Fútbol Club

Liverpool’s rise in Uruguayan football hasn’t come without friction. Club president José Luis Palma has frequently clashed with the Uruguayan Football Association, criticizing its lack of transparency and poor governance.

He has also called out the undue influence of Nacional and Peñarol on major decisions, and has not hesitated to confront AUF leadership to push for structural reforms to make the league more fair and inclusive.

Despite those challenges, Palma has ambitious plans for the club’s future, including expanding the Estadio Belvedere to a modern 12,000-seat stadium. He aims to further grow the club’s fan base, particularly among younger generations in a country where 85% of fans support either Nacional or Peñarol.

As Palma continues to challenge the establishment while navigating a changing financial climate, many are hopeful that the project can remain sustainable.

“What happens on the field reflects what happens off it,” Pose said. “There are clubs with more resources, but they don’t always use them wisely. What worries me most about Liverpool is that there’s no ‘school’ for future executives to learn from Palma. When this board leaves, there needs to be a new generation ready to take over.”

Liverpool’s success is a remarkable achievement in a league where breaking through the traditional power structure is no small task. Winning 10 titles in such a short span is no fluke — it’s the result of vision, discipline, and belief.

It’s a story worth following and a small club worth rooting for. Liverpool may not have the glamour of Wrexham, but it has something perhaps more impressive: a few determined people reshaping an entire system.