Club Social y Deportivo Macará

Club Social y Deportivo Macará was founded in 1939 in the city of Ambato. At the time of its creation, the club adopted its traditional sky blue and white colors. Neptalí “Ñato” Barona served as the team’s first head coach. In 1946, Macará participated in an international tour in Colombia, marking one of its earliest appearances outside Ecuador. In 1998, the club achieved promotion to the Ecuadorian Serie A. Macará qualified for the Copa Libertadores for the first time in 2017. In 2019, the club finished first in the overall table and secured qualification for the 2020 Copa Libertadores.

Foundation

In July 1939, a group of young students from Colegio Nacional Bolívar gathered to form an independent sporting club, and shortly afterwards entered a minor tournament under the name 'Independiente'. However, in searching for further guidance, they talked to Army Captain Galo Molina (a student's relative) and together they formed Macará, naming the team after Ecuador's southern army stronghold. They offered the presidency to Mr. Jorge Vicente Alvarez, and he pronounced the following words: "Del Carchi al Macará... Macará ganará" (From Carchi to Macará... Macará will win); thus accepting the position.

The beginning of Primera A

Whilst Macará took part in Ecuadorian regional tournaments, the introduction of a National Championship saw them struggle to find a place among the best in the early 1960s. It took a while for the team to become strong and earn a permanent…