Cobreloa

On 1 January 1948, 'Club Social Deportivo Deportes El Loa' was founded in Calama, Chile. This club was the first legal personality of the team and the first team in Calama in have this type of personality. In 1951, the team played in the association with a second team with the name 'Cóndor'. Later, in February 1955, the team was renamed to 'Club Deportivo y Social Sport Cóndor'.

In 1959, the Amateur team of Calama, trained by Roberto Rodríguez Antequera won the 'National de Fútbol Amateur' in its 28th edition, an amateur championship. The final was against 'Thomas Bata de Peñaflor' disputed in the Estadio Municipal de Calama. Later, in 1961 Chuquicamata Amateur team won the next championship against Osorno with a score of 3–2 with a hat trick from Mario Valencia, in the Estadio Anaconda of Chuquicamata, with an attendance of 6.346 . These facts pushed to the 'El Loa' citizen the desire to have a professional team in the city.

In January 1967, the idea of fusing Deportes Cóndor with Santiago Morning was originated using the name of 'Loa Morning' to participate into professional football, the election of that time was the financial crisis of the chosen one team, what led to relegate they to 'Segunda División'; the directors of CODELCO led by Carlos Seguel accepted an approach period with this team, but this idea failed due the negative of the 'socios' and the directive of both teams.

On 2 January 1968, 'Gobernación del Loa' decided to introduce a football club to professional football to represent the northern chile region, to this end, they encouraged Cóndor and 'Correvuela', the team of the neighboring Chuquicamata, but this initiative failed because the 'Asociación Central de Fútbol' decided incorporate 'Antofagasta Portuario' like a representative. In 1969, the team attempted to join 'Segunda División', registering under the name 'Deportes El Loa' although the legal personality was Sport Cóndor since January 28 of 1970.

The director board of 'Club Regional Antofagasta' held some talks with the regional Mayor of Region of Antofagasta in order to get Codelco workers to join and give one percent of their salary to the club, but the local government officials rejected the idea.

On 26 September 1976, the 'Cámara del Comercio', Railroad Unions, merchants and businessmen, sports directors of the 'El Loa' and also the Coronel Fernando Ibáñez, the prefect Francisco Núñez Venegas and the assistant directors of CODELCO, José Gorrini, Renzo Gasparini, Orlando Urbina and Nicolás Tschischow formed a committee called 'Pro Ingreso al Fútbol Rentado' with the purpose of induction 'Deportes El Loa' to professional football in Chile. The director of the hospital of Roy H. Glover, Sergio Stóppel joined this effort. United under the motto 'Ahora o Núnca' ('Now or never'), and was subsequently accepted into 'Segunda División' on the 14 October in the same year. In December this initiative counted with the approval of clubs like Regional Antofagasta, Colo-Colo, Naval, Aviación, Huachipato, Coquimbo, Ovalle, Everton, Wanderers and O'higgins.

On 7 January 1977, the NCO School of Carabineros of Chile, all directors of Asociación Central de Fútbol and all representatives of Chilean football clubs were reunited at 18.30 P.M. in Calama and Chuquicamata. Through the local Radio, 'Radio El Loa', at 20.15 P.M. the incorporation of 'Deportes El Loa' to the professional football by unanimous 'Primera and Segunda división' clubs approval was officially announced.

The governor and the mayor of Calama, called to the citizens to support this new project, end celebrated the event. To celebrate this fact, they chose a new name for the team, rejecting the proposed 'Calama Loa' due to this name not being representative of mining that composes the main economic activity of the region. The team was finally renamed to 'Cobreloa'.

Cobreloa is a relatively new club, having been founded on 7 January 1977. The name Cobreloa comes from combining the Spanish word for copper (cobre), and loa, after the province and the Loa River, the longest river in Chile, which is located near Calama and Chuquicamata, the world's largest open pit copper mine.

Due the inexperience of the directors of the team on professional football, they decided to sign up Alfonso Fuentes who had previously worked as a manager for Lota Schwager. The directors of the team, José Gorrini and Francisco Núñez, decided to incorporate to team as a section of CODELCO.

Fernando Riera, helped by Carlos Lillio Guerrero y Roberto Rodríguez, was asked to select the players for the team. They presented requirements to Executive Committee of the team to create the first squad with selection of the best players in the El Loa región:

The first historical match of the team was on January 12 of this year, against Tocopilla selection team, playing away. The result of the match was victory of the team by 0–1.

The first head coach of the club was elected in a shortlist between Salvador Nocetti, Pedro Morales, Luis Santibañez, Caopolicán Peña, Isaac Carrasco and Andrés Prieto, Been this last option the chosen by the directors, between the signs with the club on 15 January 1977, he choose the transfers of the first team, been the following.

The preseason was in the location of Las Vertientes, a place near to Calama, this helped to conform the first squad who would play the first year league and cup season of the team.

The first official match of the team was on the date February 6 of this year, playing away against 'Regional Antofagasta', on the Estadio 'Regional de Antofagasta' valid for 'Copa Chile', winning by 0–2 with goals of Armando Alarcón on 20' and Juan Rogelio Núñez on 34'.

The team entered the field with the following Line-Up:

Line-Up:

• Juan Olivares
• Elmo Aedo
• Luis Garisto
• Germán Concha
• Mnafredo González
• Armando Alarcón
• Luis Huanca
• Gustavo Cuello
• Juan Rogelio Núñez
• Héctor Castillo
• Guillermo González
• Coach: Andrés Prieto

The club was able to establish itself in Chile's top flight very quickly, earning promotion after its first season, where they stayed until the 2014–2015 season. Only four years after their foundation, Cobreloa reached the finals of the Copa Libertadores in 1981, losing in a third match to Brazilian club Flamengo. Cobreloa reached the Copa Libertadores final the following year, losing to Peñarol of Uruguay. The club also reached the semi-final of the Copa Libertadores in 1987.

They have competed in the Copa Libertadores de América 13 times, 3 times in the Copa Sudamericana and twice in the Copa CONMEBOL. In 1995 they reached the quarter-finals and the following year were eliminated in the first round. Cobreloa have 8 Primera División titles and 1 Copa Chile title making them the most successful side outside Santiago in Chile and one of the four biggest clubs of the country.

Domestic League Chart with each tier division who the team has participated since 1977.

Notes

• In 1977, the team go to primera división de Chile.
• In 2015, the team was relegated to Primera B de Chile.