O'Higgins F.C.

O'Higgins Fútbol Club, often called O'Higgins de Rancagua, is a professional football team from Chile. They compete in the Liga de Primera, the country's top division. The club calls Estadio El Teniente home, a stadium that opened in 1945 and got a facelift for the 2015 Copa América, hosted by Chile. Founded in 1955, the club honors Bernardo O'Higgins, Chile's founding father and supreme director. It came together from a merger of O'Higgins Braden and América de Rancagua. O'Higgins has won two Primera B titles and claimed their first top-flight championship in 2013, beating Universidad Católica under coach Eduardo Berizzo. They followed up with the 2014 Supercopa de Chile, winning on penalties against Deportes Iquique.[edit]

On April 7, 1955, two local clubs, O'Higgins Braden and América de Rancagua, merged to form a single entity. The new club took its name from Bernardo O'Higgins, the liberator and first head of state of independent Chile. Within a decade, O'Higgins secured promotion to the top flight for the first time in 1964, finishing as runners-up in the second division. The club yo-yoed between divisions in the 1970s and 1980s, winning the Primera B title in 1975 and again in 1984.

The 2013 Apertura tournament changed everything. Under Argentine manager Eduardo Berizzo, O'Higgins played a dynamic, attacking style. They finished top of the regular season table, then beat Universidad Católica in a tense two-legged final. The decisive match went to a penalty shootout, where goalkeeper Roberto González saved the final spot kick to seal a 3-1 shootout win. That trophy was the club's first top-flight championship in 58 years of existence. Six months later, O'Higgins added the Supercopa de Chile, again via penalties, this time against Deportes Iquique.

In recent seasons, O'Higgins has settled into the middle of the Primera División table, finishing 11th in 2023 and 12th in 2024. The club continues to develop young talent through its academy, with several graduates moving to European clubs. The stadium, Estadio El Teniente, underwent major renovations for the 2015 Copa América, including new seating and floodlights, and now holds 14,000 spectators.[edit]