Big Three (Peru)

Big Three
Alianza Lima
Sporting Cristal
LocationLima
TeamsUniversitario
Sporting Cristal
Alianza Lima
StadiumsAlejandro Villanueva (Alianza Lima)
Alberto Gallardo (Sporting Cristal)
Sporting Cristal, Alberto Gallardo
Alianza Lima, Alejandro Villanueva

The Big Three (Spanish: Los Tres Grandes) is the nickname of the three most successful sports clubs in Peru. The football teams of Alianza Lima, Sporting Cristal, and Universitario have historical rivalries and usually are the main contenders for the title.

Location of the three clubs in Lima. Universitario is located further east.

Several other clubs outside the big three have won the Peruvian league, with Sport Boys having the fourth most national titles behind the Big Three in Peru with 6 in total. In recent years, the chief competitors of the three are Melgar, Cienciano and Cusco.[1][2][3]

Titles by club

Club Total Liga
de Lima
(1912–21)		 Amateur era
Lima & Callao
(1926–50)		 Professional era (1951–)
Lima & Callao
(1951–65)		Descentralizado
(1966–2018)		Liga 1
(2019–)
Universitario[C]29—73163
Alianza Lima[D]2526692
Sporting Cristal[E]20——2171
Club Winners Runners-up Winning years Runners-up years
Universitario29151929, 1934, 1939, 1941, 1945, 1946, 1949, 1959, 1960, 1964, 1966, 1967, 1969, 1971, 1974, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2009, 2013, 2023, 2024, 20251928, 1932, 1933, 1940, 1955, 1965, 1970, 1972, 1978, 1984, 1988, 1995, 2002, 2008, 2020
Alianza Lima25251918, 1919, 1927, 1928, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1948, 1952, 1954, 1955, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1997, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2017, 2021, 20221914, 1917, 1926, 1930, 1934, 1935, 1937, 1943, 1953, 1956, 1961, 1964, 1971, 1982, 1986, 1987, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1999, 2009, 2011, 2018, 2019, 2023
Sporting Cristal20151956, 1961, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1988, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2002, 2005, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 20201962, 1963, 1967, 1973, 1977, 1989, 1992, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2015, 2021, 2024

Title definitions

List of finals

Year Winner Score Runner-up Venue
1987 Universitario 1–0 Alianza Lima Estadio Nacional
1988 Sporting Cristal 2–1 Universitario Estadio Nacional
Year Winner Agg. Runner-up 1st leg 2nd leg 3rd leg
1998 Universitario 3–3 (penalty shootout 4–2) Sporting Cristal 1–2 2–1 –
1999 Universitario 3–1 Alianza Lima 3–0 0–1 –
2003 Alianza Lima 2–1† Sporting Cristal Single match
2004 Alianza Lima 0–0 (penalty shootout 5–4) Sporting Cristal Single match
2009 Universitario 2–0 Alianza Lima 1–0 1–0 –
2018 Sporting Cristal 7–1 Alianza Lima 4–1 3–0 –
2020 Sporting Cristal 3–2 Universitario 2–1 1–1 –
2021 Alianza Lima 1–0 Sporting Cristal 1–0 0–0 –
2023 Universitario 3–1 Alianza Lima 1–1 2–0 –

Other definitions

These matches were played when teams were tied for first in the general league or in a specific tournament.

Year Winner Score Runner-up Venue In contention
1928 Alianza Lima 1–1 Federación Universitaria Stadium Nacional 1928 Campeonato de Selección y Competencia
Replay Alianza Lima 2–0 Federación Universitaria Stadium Nacional
1935 Universitario 2–1 Alianza Lima Stadium Nacional 1934 Torneo de Primeros Equipos
1955 Alianza Lima 2–1 Universitario Estadio Nacional 1955 Campeonato Profesional de Lima
1961 Sporting Cristal 2–0 Alianza Lima Estadio Nacional 1961 Campeonato Profesional de Lima
1990 Universitario 1–0 Alianza Lima Estadio Nacional 1990 Torneo Regional II
1991 Sporting Cristal 1–1 (penalty shootout 7–6) Universitario Estadio Nacional 1991 Torneo Regional II
1998 Sporting Cristal 1–0 Alianza Lima Estadio Nacional 1998 Torneo Clausura
2001 Alianza Lima 2–1 Sporting Cristal Estadio Nacional 2001 Torneo Apertura
2002 Universitario 1–0
0–0		 Alianza Lima Estadio Monumental
Estadio Mansiche		 2002 Torneo Apertura
2014 Sporting Cristal 1–0 Alianza Lima Estadio UNSA 2014 Torneo Clausura

Half-year / Short tournaments

Torneo Apertura / Fase 1 seasons

Club Winners Runners-up Winning years Runners-up years
Universitario921998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2008, 2016, 2020, 2024, 20251969, 2005
Alianza Lima751997, 2001, 2004, 2006, 2017, 2023, 20261999, 2002, 2003, 2018, 2025
Sporting Cristal482003, 2015, 2018, 20211997, 2001, 2006, 2008, 2016, 2019, 2023, 2024

Torneo Clausura / Fase 2 seasons

Club Winners Runners-up Winning years Runners-up years
Alianza Lima751997, 1999, 2003, 2017, 2019, 2021, 20221998, 2002, 2014, 2018, 2024
Sporting Cristal641998, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2014, 20162000, 2008, 2020, 2021
Universitario462000, 2023, 2024, 20251997, 1999, 2006, 2007, 2016, 2019

Torneo Regional seasons (1984–1991)

Club Winners Runners-up Winning years Runners-up years
Universitario431985, 1987, 1988, 1990–II1989–II, 1990–I, 1991–I
Sporting Cristal301989–I, 1991–I, 1991–II—
Alianza Lima02—1986, 1990–II

Torneo Descentralizado seasons (1984–1988)

Club Winners Runners-up Winning years Runners-up years
Alianza Lima201986, 1987—
Universitario1119851988
Sporting Cristal101988—

Torneo Zona Metropolitana seasons (1984–1991)

Club Winners Runners-up Winning years Runners-up years
Universitario601984, 1987, 1988 Grupo A, 1989–II, 1990–I, 1991–II—
Alianza Lima331985, 1989–I, 1990–II1984, 1986, 1990–I
Sporting Cristal221986, 1991–I1989–I, 1989–II

Parallel tournaments

Club Winners Runners-up Winning years Runners-up years
Sporting Cristal411992 Liguilla Pre-Libertadores, 1994 Apertura, 1997 Liguilla Pre-Libertadores, 2018 Torneo de Verano1993 Liguilla Pre-Libertadores
Alianza Lima301993 Liguilla Pre-Libertadores, 1994 Liguilla Pre-Libertadores, 1996 Liguilla Pre-Libertadores—
Universitario05—1969 Apertura, 1981 Regional, 1989 Torneo Plácido Galindo, 1996 Liguilla Pre-Libertadores, 1997 Liguilla Pre-Libertadores

Total Half-year / Short tournaments by club

Club Total Half-year tournaments
Torneo Apertura
(1997–)		Torneo Clausura
(1997–)		Torneo Regional
(1984–1991)		Torneo Descentralizado
(1984–1988)		Torneo Zona Metropolitana
(1984–1991)		Torneo de Verano
(2017–2018)		Liguilla Pre-Libertadores
(1992–1997)		Apertura
(1994)
Universitario2494416000
Alianza Lima2277023030
Sporting Cristal2046312121

National Cups and Supercups

Club Winners Runners-up Winning years Runners-up years
Alianza Lima411919 Copa de Campeones del Perú, 1928 Torneo Interligas, 2014 Torneo del Inca, 2018 Supercopa Movistar2015 Torneo del Inca
Universitario101970 Copa Presidente de la República—
Sporting Cristal102021 Copa Bicentenario—

Total International Participations by club

As of 23 November 2025
Club Total International Participations
Copa Libertadores
(1961–)		Copa Sudamericana
(2003–)		Recopa Sudamericana
(1970–)		Copa CONMEBOL
(1992–1999)		Copa Merconorte
(1998–2001)		Copa de Campeones
(1948)		Copa Ganadores de Copa
(1970–1971)
Sporting Cristal50414014——
Universitario50368024——
Alianza Lima42325014——

Performances by club

Performance in international cups by club
Team Winners Runners-up Years won Years lost
Universitario 0 1
—
 1972
Sporting Cristal 0 1
—
 1997

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Universitario, Alianza Lima y Cristal: ¿qué equipo llevó más público en su presentación?". Depor.com. 27 July 2014. Archived from the original on 24 June 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  2. ↑ "Alianza, Universitario o Cristal: ¿Qué equipo llevó más hinchas a su presentación?". La10.pe. 4 February 2016. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  3. ↑ "Alianza Lima, Universitario y Cristal: los mejores grafitis de los clubes capitalinos (FOTOS)". RPP.pe. 26 January 2016. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
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