It only took 3 years to the "Zorros del Desierto" to be champions. In 1977, Cobreloa was founded and entered the Second Division of the Chilean Professional League and ended up in the 4th place. However, in a minileague between Malleco, O'higgins and Coquimbo, Cobreloa got the precious right to enter the First Division and compete with the big teams. Amazingly, in its first year in the "Big League", Cobreloa was the runner-up to Palestino. From that year on, nothing would stop the progress of Cobreloa, a team born to be amongst the big ones.

In 1979, again Cobreloa ended up in second place, but 1980 would turn orange as Cobreloa -in a very tight competition with Universidad de Chile- finally was able to reach the top. The next year, and alternating presentations in the National Tournament and the Libertadores Cup, ended up 2nd, 2 points behind Colo-Colo, who got those points for being the winner of the pre-season tournament (Copa Polla Gol).

In 1982, Cobreloa would take revenge: It obtained the Championship, and again reached the final of the Libertadores Cup. 1983 was a year of changes, which resulted in a mere 3rd place. In 1984 Cobreloa could have gotten its 3rd championship (in the general standings, it was the best), but changes in the rules determined that definition games should be played between the 1st and 2nd teams in the North Group (Cobreloa and Cobresal) and 1st and 2nd teams South Group (U. Catolica and Palestino). Oddly enough, the mini-tournament was played in Santiago at the National Stadium, a "neutral" field for the Chilean Soccer Association.

The payback would come in 1985, when Cobreloa won for the 3rd time the National Tournament. However the Football Association, in a very strange decision, ruled that Cobreloa could not go directly to the Libertadores Cup of 1986. In 1986, Cobreloa ended up in 3rd place and through the ever-recurring mini-tournaments Cobreloa won the right to represent Chile in the 1987's Libertadores Cup. In 1987, Cobreloa was 3rd again, but had a pretty good performance in the Libertadores Cup, reaching the semifinals.

In one of its most irregular campaigns Cobreloa got its 4th title, with Miguel Hermosilla as the coach, and the world champion Marcelo Trobbiani as the team conductor. In 1989, after a promising start, Cobreloa couuld only get the 3rd place. The next year, Cobreloa had its worst campaign ever, ending up 7th in the overall qualification. In 1991 Cobreloa improved only a little: It ended in 6th place.

1992 was a year of big changes. 11 new players arrived to Cobreloa and although they were not big names at the time, they managed to get Cobreloa its 5th title and having an impressive performance.The next year, Cobreloa was runner up and in 1994, 5th. Cobreloa was not doing well and, again, in 1995 it ended in 5th place. In 1996, Cobreloa improved, but only came in 3rd place.

In 1997, two tournaments of 15 games each were played instead of one of 30 games. Cobreloa ended up 5th in both torunaments, but 4th in the overall qualification. 1998 did not see big changes and Cobreloa came in 4th place.

In 1999, Arturo Salah (the one who revived Universidad de Chile) was hired as a coach and promised to get Cobreloa back to the top. He fulfilled his promised partly: Cobreloa entered the Libertadores Cup after 7 years, but it had a pauperrimous preformance, which resulted in Salah's resignation in 2000. Oscar Malbernat replaced him, and with a very especulative way of playing, he managed to get cobreloa second in the tournament and into the Libertadores Cup.

This year, Malbernat continued as a coach and many new players arrived. After an acceptable performance in the Libertadores Cup, Cobreloa's supporters are dreaming with the 6th title. After all, it has been eight years without crying out "Champions". Too long for a team that got used to winning.