- Juan Román Riquelme won the CONMEBOL Libertadores three times with Boca Juniors, while Pedrinho lifted the ‘Eternal Glory’ with Vasco da Gama in 1998.
- The presidents of both clubs share a glorious past as players and are now aiming to win another title in their new roles: the CONMEBOL Sudamericana.
The second leg of the ‘Great Conquest’ semi-finals will bring together two clubs with rich histories and international ambitions. With a place in the final — to be played in Barranquilla on 21 November — at stake, Boca and Vasco share a distinctive yet significant detail: their presidents know first-hand what it takes to reach the summit of South American football.
Juan Román Riquelme and Pedrinho lifted the CONMEBOL Libertadores as players and are now pursuing further continental recognition from different positions, with new responsibilities.
In the CONMEBOL Sudamericana, the ambition remains the same, but the challenge has changed. It is no longer about threading passes between the lines or scoring decisive goals. The aim is now to celebrate another international triumph, this time as the leading figures in the leadership of two clubs with a rich South American heritage.
Two champions’ stories, one shared ambition
Pedro Paulo de Oliveira — known as Pedrinho in Vasco da Gama’s history — is closely associated with some of the Rio de Janeiro club’s most memorable moments. Before taking charge of the club, he built a playing career whose defining highlight came as part of the squad that won the 1998 CONMEBOL Libertadores.
His name became linked to a tie that proved a turning point in Vasco’s campaign. In the quarter-finals, he scored the equaliser in a 1-1 draw against Grêmio, then struck a late winner in the 1-0 victory in the return leg, sending the side managed by Antônio Lopes through to the semi-finals.
At Boca, Riquelme’s legacy is inevitably associated with the club’s great CONMEBOL Libertadores nights. As a player, he won the competition three times: in 2000, 2001 and 2007. His talent and personality in high-pressure situations made him one of the leading figures in the international history of the La Ribera club.
Those triumphs are part of a journey that continues today in the president’s office, where he is seeking to bring another South American title to the club after an 18-year wait. Boca’s most recent continental trophy was the 2008 CONMEBOL Recopa, when they beat Arsenal de Sarandí 5-3 on aggregate. The gifted number 10 scored twice across the tie, finding the net in both the first and second legs.
Against that backdrop, the second leg between Boca and Vasco in the CONMEBOL Sudamericana semi-finals takes on added significance. The Brazilian side won the first meeting 1-0 in Buenos Aires, and both clubs are led by former continental champions who understand what it means to reach the top of South American football.
For both presidents, reaching the final would bring them closer to another opportunity to leave their mark on their club — this time, however, from a different role.
