Deportes Tolima

Deportes Tolima is a Colombian football club from the city of Ibagué, founded in 1954. Three-time champion of Colombia's first division, it is a constant presence in CONMEBOL competitions, such as the Copa Libertadores and the Copa Sudamericana.

History

The Club Deportes Tolima was founded in 1954 in the city of Ibagué, capital of the Tolima department, and adopted the maroon and gold colors that gave it a unique identity in Colombian football. The nickname Pijao honors the indigenous people who inhabited the region. For decades, Tolima was a mid-table club in Colombia, until it established itself among the country's top teams from the 2000s onward. The unprecedented conquest of the Categoría Primera A came in the 2003 Finalización tournament, breaking the hegemony of clubs from Bogotá, Medellín, and Cali. The club became Colombian champion again in the 2018 Apertura and 2021 Apertura, in addition to winning the Copa Colombia in 2014. With their home at the Estadio Manuel Murillo Toro, Tolima established itself as a frequent participant in the Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana, revealing players for South American and European football.