What Is Atlético Mineiro's Best-Ever Copa Sudamericana Performance?
The Brazilian side is back in a continental final after last year's heartbreaking defeat. Now, Atlético Mineiro has another chance to make history against Boca Juniors.
Atlético Mineiro is preparing for another Copa Sudamericana final. The Brazilian club will face Boca Juniors with a chance to lift the trophy for the first time, just one year after coming agonizingly close to winning it.
The Galo has a proud history in continental competitions, having won the Copa Libertadores in 2013 and two titles in the now-defunct Copa CONMEBOL. But the Sudamericana remains an elusive prize for the Belo Horizonte club, which has endured some particularly painful exits from the tournament.
With another final on the horizon, we look back at Atlético Mineiro's best Copa Sudamericana campaigns, from the heartbreak of 2019 to its first final in 2025 and the opportunity that awaits in 2026.
2019: The Heartbreaking Semifinal Defeat to Colón
Until 2025, Atlético Mineiro's best Copa Sudamericana campaign had come in 2019, when the Brazilian side reached the semifinals before facing Argentina's Colón de Santa Fe.
Colón won the first leg 2-1, but Atlético Mineiro responded with a victory by the same scoreline at the Mineirão, thanks to goals from Franco Di Santo and Yimmi Chará. With the aggregate score tied at 3-3, the semifinal went to a penalty shootout.
Colón prevailed 4-3 on penalties to reach the final, denying Atlético Mineiro its first appearance in the tournament's showpiece match.
The Brazilian club had also reached the quarterfinals in 2010, but none of its previous campaigns had brought it as close to the trophy.
2025: A First Final Ends in Defeat to Lanús
Six years later, Atlético Mineiro finally reached its first Copa Sudamericana final. The Brazilian side booked its place in the 2025 decider after overcoming Atlético Bucaramanga, Godoy Cruz, Bolívar and Independiente del Valle in the knockout rounds.
Waiting in the final was Lanús, with the title on the line in Asunción, Paraguay. Neither side could find a breakthrough in a tense encounter that finished 0-0 after 120 minutes, sending the trophy to a penalty shootout.
Once again, the Galo suffered heartbreak. Lanús won 5-4 on penalties to claim the title, leaving Atlético Mineiro with another painful continental defeat after losing the 2024 Copa Libertadores final to Botafogo.
Despite the disappointment, the 2025 runner-up finish became Atlético Mineiro's best-ever Copa Sudamericana performance, a milestone the club now has the chance to surpass.
2026: Boca Juniors Stands Between Atlético Mineiro and History
Atlético Mineiro returned to the final after finishing top of Group B and then eliminating Red Bull Bragantino, Santos and Montevideo City Torque.
In the semifinals, the Galo secured a commanding 3-0 home victory over the Uruguayan side in Belo Horizonte. A 2-0 defeat in the return leg was not enough to overturn the advantage, as Atlético Mineiro advanced 3-2 on aggregate to reach its second consecutive final.
Now, the Brazilian club will face Boca Juniors on Saturday, November 21, 2026, at the Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez in Barranquilla, Colombia, with kickoff scheduled for 5:30 PM ET.
It promises to be a difficult challenge. Boca Juniors has already won the Copa Sudamericana twice, in 2004 and 2005, while Atlético Mineiro is still chasing its first title in a competition that has repeatedly ended in disappointment for the Brazilian side.
After coming so close in 2019 and 2025, the Galo has another opportunity to rewrite its history and finally lift the Copa Sudamericana trophy.
Atlético Mineiro's Best Copa Sudamericana Campaigns
- 2019: Reached the semifinals before losing to Colón de Santa Fe on penalties.
- 2025: Finished as runner-up after a penalty shootout defeat to Lanús in the final.
- 2026: Reached a second consecutive final, with a chance to claim its first title against Boca Juniors.
