Last update 18 January, 2021 by Alberto Llopis
Do you know the Copa Suruga Bank? In Colgados for football we've told you about competitions not really known to the general public: Suzuki Cup, Latin Cup o British Home Cup were some of the names. Today is a day to have another competition, relatively new, It does not enjoy much recognition among the great football fans, this Copa Suruga Bank.
The Suruga Bank Cup, the cup that faces South America and Japan
This particular tournament is rather a unique encounter, measure the champion of the South American Cup and the champion of the Japan League Cup. The origin of this game is that in China there are two major competitions (League Cup and Emperor) granting them access to the winner of the Asian Champions League. However, Cup does not give access to the continental showpiece, which has caused the Japanese Federation a propose the creation of a transoceanic tournament.
The year of the debut of the Copa Suruga Bank, which was always held in the stadium of the team that wins the Japanese Cup, was the 2008. In the palmares of this cup they appear as Arsenal de Sarandi teams (2008), the Internacional de Porto Alegre, FC Tokyo, Jubilo Iwata, Kashiwa Reysol, the Kashima Antlers and up River Plate that won it in 2015. We can also find runners-up as illustrious as Liga de Quito, Independent, University of Chile, Sao Paulo and Lanus. Curiously, Japanese dominate this cup. One of the things that attracted the most attention is the champion a succulent prize takes 400.000 dollars, and the runner-up 60.000, in addition to the corresponding Cup.
At from 2018 It was the last edition of the cup with this name as such
The competition, was sponsored by Banco Suruga Ltd, which gave the cup its name but in 2018 this sponsorship ceased. So with the departure of the main sponsor, the cup passed in 2019 to be officially called J.League YBC Levain Cup / South American Conmebol.
In this edition of 2019, first with the new name, they faced Atlético Paranaense, champion of the South American Cup 2018 Contra Shonan Bellmare, J Cup champion. League 2018. The Brazilian team achieved their first title in this competition by defeating the Japanese team by 4-0.