The Copa Libertadores 1976 was the 17th edition of the Copa Libertadores, CONMEBOL's annual international club tournament. The tournament began on February 23 and ended on July 30.

Cruzeiro won the competition, being the first Brazilian team, after Pelé's Santos, to win the continental competition. During the tournament, Cruzeiro suffered a great setback: the loss of the player Roberto Batata, who died in a car crash.

This tournament is also known for having the fastest goal ever scored in any edition of the Copa Libertadores tournament with Alianza Lima forward Félix Suárez Becerra scoring the first of three goals against Independiente Santa Fe in only six seconds.

Independiente, the defending champions who had won four consecutive titles till the 1975 edition of the tournament, were defeated in the semifinals by fellow Argentina club River Plate.

Qualified teams

Draw

The champions and runners-up of each football association were drawn into the same group along with another football association's participating teams. Three clubs from Argentina competed as Independiente was champion of the 1975 Copa Libertadores. They entered the tournament in the Semifinals.

Group stage

Group 1

Group 2

Group 3

Group 4

Group 5

1st Place Playoff

Semi-finals

Group 1

Group 2

Playoffs

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Finals

Champions

References

External links

• Eternal matches: Cruzeiro 5x4 Internacional, in Portuguese

• Cruzeiro 3x2 River Plate, in Portuguese

• In English

• Match result at RSSSF's website