The group stage of South America’s top club competition, the Copa Libertadores, kicked off last week with 32 teams vying for the prestigious trophy—a title dominated by Brazilian clubs in recent years.
But the biggest shock of Matchweek 1 came in Cochabamba, Bolivia, where tournament debutants San Antonio Bulo Bulo pulled off a historic 3–2 victory over Paraguayan giants Olimpia, one of the most storied clubs in Libertadores history. It was a stunning achievement for the small Bolivian side in their first-ever appearance on the continental stage.
A Bolivian surprise in the 2025 Copa Libertadores. San Antonio Bulo Bulo (Photo courtesy: CD San Antonio Bulo Bulo)
San Antonio was founded in 1962 as an amateur club in La Cancha, one of Cochabamba's most iconic markets. For decades, it represented the local neighborhood in regional tournaments. Over a ten-year stretch, multiple attempts were made to acquire the club, but the local community resisted its sale to private interests. However, with the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and mounting financial pressures, resistance waned.
Eventually, the club was transferred to a group based in the municipality of Entre Ríos—marking a pivotal turning point. Along with the change in ownership came a new name: San Antonio Bulo Bulo, incorporating “Bulo Bulo” to honor the nearby town known for hydrocarbon production. With fresh management, investment, and ambition, the club began its ascent.
Today, San Antonio Bulo Bulo plays its home matches at Estadio Dr. Carlos Villegas, perched 2,600 meters above sea level. The stadium holds 17,000 spectators—more than double the population of Entre Ríos, the town it now calls home.
Despite its long history, San Antonio’s rise to national prominence only began recently. In 2021, the club won its first Primera A AFC title (Cochabamba’s regional league), earning a place in the Copa Simón Bolívar. In their national debut, they reached the quarterfinals before being knocked out by García Agreda.
They repeated their regional success in 2022, qualifying once again for the Copa Simón Bolívar in 2023. This time, San Antonio reached the final but narrowly lost to GV San José on penalties. Still, they secured promotion to Bolivia’s top flight—the División Profesional—by winning a promotion/relegation playoff against Libertad Gran Mamoré.
Their 2024 debut season in the top tier was nothing short of extraordinary. San Antonio reached the final of the Torneo Apertura, defeating powerhouses Bolívar and Independiente Petrolero along the way. In the final, they edged Universitario de Vinto 3–2 on aggregate, clinching a place in the season-ending championship final and, more importantly, qualification for the 2025 Copa Libertadores group stage. Though they fell to Bolívar 2–0 in that final, the season marked a milestone in the club’s meteoric rise.
To fully grasp the scale of their achievement, consider this: San Antonio Bulo Bulo operates on a budget of just $70,000—a fraction of what most of their Libertadores competitors spend.
Drawn into Group H alongside Vélez Sarsfield, Peñarol, and Olimpia—three former Libertadores champions—San Antonio were given little chance. Yet they opened their campaign with a dramatic 3–2 home win over Olimpia, sealed by a late penalty from Julio Herrera.
Can San Antonio Bulo Bulo become the Cinderella story of this year’s Copa Libertadores? Only time will tell. But for now, they’ve already made history—and captured the hearts of football fans across the continent.
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