Vasco officially recognized as the
first South American Champions
Em 1948, Vasco became the First South American Club Champions, in in a competition organized by the Chilean club Colo Colo. Unfortunately the tournament was never played again, until the concept was brought back in 1960, with the inception of the Copa Libertadores.
For a long time Vasco struggled to have their title officially recognized. Finally, in the beginning of 1996, the Executive Comittee of Conmebol (South American Football Confederation) recognized Vasco as the first South American Club Champions. The decision was practically unanimous in Vasco's favor, the only vote against being cast by the Brazilian delegate, the attorney Michel Assef, a director of rivals Flamengo (who else could it be?).
Vasco decided to file a petition for the official recognition of the 1948 title after they became aware of the existence of a book by Conmebol about the history of Copa Libertadores. The first chapter of the book affirmed that the embryo of the competition was the I Championship of South American Club Champions, played in 1948 in Santiago, Chile, of which Vasco were the unbeaten winners. Conmebol could not deny a fact stated in its own book, published years before.
As a consequence of the Conmebol decision to recognize their 1948 title, Vasco was included in Supercopa, the yearly tournament played since 1988 by all South American past champions.
However, it turned out that 1997 was the Supercopa's last year of existence, and in the following year it was removed from the South American calendar to make room for the Copa Mercosul, which Vasco would win in 2000.