Final Table
| Pos | Team |
|---|
Legend / Key: (C) Champions, (RP) Relegation Playoff, (R) Relegated
Universidad de Concepcion were relegated after losing Playoff 0-1 to Colo Colo.
Recap
O’Higgins finished 11th in the Chilean Primera Division in 2020-21, on 45 points from 34 matches, 20 points behind Champions Universidad Catolica, and 4 above relegated Universidad de Concepcion. Other teams with names recognizable to Irish readers were Union Espanola (4th), Palestino (5th), Santiago Wanderers (12th), Everton (13th) and Audax Italiano (14th). [1]
About O’Higgins Soccer Team and General Bernardo O’Higgins
Like O’Higgins numerous Soccer teams in Chile reference the origins of the majority of Chileans in European ancestry. O’Higgins are named after General Bernardo O’Higgins, born in Chile out of marriage to Ambrosio O’Higgins, who was born in Ireland and Isabel Riquelme. Bernardo O’Higgins took charge of a rabble of a rebel army, despite having no military training himself and led the Liberation of Chile from Spanish rule in a war that lasted from 1810 to 1818. Today he is regarded as the liberator of Chile and the father of the Nation [2]. He is recognized by Football authorities not just in the name O’Higgins for the Soccer team, but also in the Copa Libertadores, the Liberators Cup, which is the South American equivalent of the UEFA Champions League, named in honour of all the South American Liberators.
Statue of General Bernardo O’Higgins in Santiago, Chile.
REFERENCES
[1] Stephen Fishlock Group Ed.. (2021) “World Service: Club football: South America: Chile” World Soccer. April 2021 pg. 96, Kelsey Media, Maidstone, Kent, England. UK.
[2] Christopher Minster (2019) Biography of Bernardo O’Higgins, Liberator of Chile Thought Co. July 21, 2019. [Internet] Available from: https://www.thoughtco.com/bernardo-ohiggins-2136599 [Accessed 15 January 2022]
Image References
[3] Contributor Diego Grandi (2022) Bernando O’Higgins General Statue at Bulnes Square and Bicentenario Chilean flag – Santiago, Chile / Item ID: 1276756747 [Internet] Available from: https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/bernando-ohiggins-general-statue-bulnes-square-1276756747 [Accessed 15 January 2022]
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thanks to Bernard (Loreto Community Project, Nutgrove)
ABOUT THIS DOCUMENT
Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the
Eirball | Irish North American and World Sports Archive
Last Updated: 15 January 2022
(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and Eirball 2022
You may quote this document in part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the authors. All Rights Reserved. The Logos and Photos used in this article remain the property of the organisations and individuals which own the copyright and are used here for educational and information purposes only.