page_title: Estudiantes de La Plata
section_title: International success
hierarchical_section_title: Estudiantes de La Plata / History / International success
caption_attribution_description: Photo of Estudiantes de La Plata taken in 1968
context_page_description: Club Estudiantes de La Plata, simply referred to as Estudiantes, is an Argentine professional sports club based in La Plata. The club's football team currently competes in the Primera División, where it has spent most of its history.
  The club is a successful team in Argentina. In 1967, Estudiantes was the inaugural team outside the traditional "big five" to win a professional league title. It has won four additional league titles and has had greater international success, having won six international titles. Estudiantes' international title championships are four Copa Libertadores, an Intercontinental Cup, and an Interamerican Cup.
  The club was founded in 1905 when a group of players and fans decided to break away from Gimnasia de La Plata, which favored indoor sport rather than football. Matches between the two clubs are known as the Clásico Platense.
  Other sports where Estudiantes competes are basketball, team handball, field hockey, golf, swimming, judo, and volleyball.
context_section_description: Estudiantes went on to win the Copa Libertadores three years in a row (1968, 1969 and 1970), and the 1968 Intercontinental Cup against Manchester United. The latter game is still remembered for the violent behaviour of Estudiantes' players. They lost the Intercontinental title against A.C. Milan (1969) and Feyenoord (1970). Estudiantes won the maiden edition of the Copa Interamericana in a three-legged final against the reigning CONCACAF title-holders, Mexican club Toluca (the games were played in 1969, but official references call it the 1968 edition).
  The last part of the Zubeldía era was marred by the antics of some players. Following a violent Intercontinental match against Milan, the entire team was arrested on orders from Argentine President Juan Carlos Onganía. In an unprecedented step, goalkeeper Alberto Poletti was suspended for life (he was later pardoned) and did time in jail, together with teammates Ramón Aguirre Suárez and Eduardo Luján Manera. Because of these events, it became a cliché to refer to Zubeldía's football as el antifútbol ("the anti-football"), because of its physical violence, and its frequent resort to timewasting tactics . The Times commented that Estudiantes is "one of the most despicable teams ever to emerge from South America."
  Zubeldía hired former referees to lecture the team on regulations, so that his players would be able to exploit every loophole in the book. Also, he incorporated tactics that were unheard of at the time, such as playbook drills for free-kicks and corner kicks, the offside trap, and double-marking opponents .
  The Zubeldía team counted two physicians among its stars: Carlos Bilardo and Raúl Madero graduated from the University of Buenos Aires Faculty of Medicine during their playing days. Juan Ramón Verón was a gifted player who could play left wing, but would also join the midfielders or attack from the right. He profited from the no-nonsense playing of Marcos Conigliaro, Juan Miguel Echecopar and Madero, and the tactical guidance provided by Bilardo. Right-back Eduardo Luján Manera was a very talented player, but suffered from repeated injuries and did not reach his full potential. Fullback Aguirre Suárez was noted for his often violent play, and so was Luis Medina.
  After the 1970 season, Carlos Bilardo retired from play and got involved in his family's furniture business. As the team's fortunes were declining and relegation seemed a possibility, he was called by management in mid-1971 to coach the team. Under his guidance, Estudiantes lost the 1975 Nacional title in the last day of play and made it to the 1976 Copa Libertadores.
caption: The team that won the 1968 Copa Libertadores, coached by Osvaldo Zubeldía.
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