1966 was a notable year in Argentine football, highlighted by Racing Club's dominant league championship and the Argentina national team's participation in the 1966 FIFA World Cup.
Domestic League
The 1966 Argentine Primera División was the 75th season of top-flight football in Argentina. The season ran from March 6 to December 6, 1966. Racing Club won the championship (their 15th title) with an outstanding record of 24 wins, 13 draws, and only 1 loss in 38 matches, accumulating 61 points. They scored 70 goals while conceding only 24, giving them a goal difference of +46. This would be Racing Club's last national title for 35 years.
River Plate finished as runners-up with 56 points, followed by Boca Juniors (48 points), San Lorenzo (46 points), and Vélez Sársfield (46 points). The bottom of the table featured Chacarita Juniors (23 points), Quilmes (26 points), and Ferro Carril Oeste (27 points).
Relegation
There was no relegation in the 1966 season, as the decision was made to suspend relegation in preparation for the introduction of the new Nacional and Metropolitano tournament system.
Copa Libertadores 1966
Three Argentine clubs participated in the 1966 Copa Libertadores:
- River Plate: Finished as runners-up
- Independiente: Reached the semi-finals
- Boca Juniors: Reached the semi-finals
Qualification for Copa Libertadores 1967
Two Argentine teams qualified for the 1967 Copa Libertadores: Racing Club as league champions and River Plate as league runners-up.
Argentina National Team
The Argentina national football team competed in the 1966 FIFA World Cup, held in England. Argentina reached the quarter-finals of the tournament, where they were eliminated.
References
- Copa Libertadores 1966 by Martín Tabeira at RSSSF.
- Wikipedia: 1966 Argentine Primera División
