Nacional championship


The Campeonato Nacional was one of the two football tournaments that formed the Primera División season since 1967. The Nacional championship was played annually until its last edition in 1985.
The Nacional took place in the second half of the year while the Metropolitano took place in the first half of the year.

History

The Nacional championship was created by an initiative of then president of Argentine Football Association, Valentín Suárez, with the purpose of adding clubs outside Buenos Aires that competed in regional leagues. Teams best placed in "Torneo Regional" were eligible to play the Campeonato Nacional.
The first edition comprised 12 teams from the Metropolitano and four regional qualifiers, and was won by Independiente.
The Nacional was played with a number of different formats including the basic league table, two groups qualifying to semi-finals and four groups qualifying to a final group, round of 16 or quarter finals. The last Nacional in 1985 featured an extremely complicated set-up. The number of participants varied between a low of 16 and a high of 36.
After the restructuring in the Argentine football league system in 1985 that created the Primera B Nacional, the Nacional and Metropolitano championship were abolished, being replaced by a unique competition with a European style format. The first edition was held in 1985–86.

List of Champions

Source:
YearChampionRunner-up
1967IndependienteEstudiantes
1968Vélez SársfieldRiver Plate
1969Boca JuniorsRiver Plate
1970Boca JuniorsRosario Central
1971Rosario CentralSan Lorenzo
1972San LorenzoRiver Plate
1973Rosario CentralRiver Plate
1974San LorenzoRosario Central
1975River PlateEstudiantes
1976Boca JuniorsRiver Plate
1977IndependienteTalleres
1978IndependienteRiver Plate
1979River PlateUnión
1980Rosario CentralRacing
1981River PlateFerro Carril Oeste
1982Ferro Carril OesteQuilmes
1983Estudiantes Independiente
1984Ferro Carril OesteRiver Plate
1985Argentinos JuniorsVélez Sársfield