Sport Club do Recife

Sport

Full name	Sport Club do Recife
Nickname(s)	Leão (Lion), Papai da Cidade (City Daddy), O Leão da Ilha (The Lion of the Island), Leão do Norte (Northern Lion)
Founded	May 13, 1905
Ground	Ilha do Retiro, Recife (Capacity: 35,000)
President	Gustavo Dubeux
Head coach	Mazola Junior
League	Campeonato Brasileiro Série A
2011	Campeonato Brasileiro Série B, 4th (promoted)
Home colours Away colours Third colours

Sport Club do Recife, more popularly known as Sport in Recife or Sport Recife in Northeastern Brazil, is a football team from Recife, Pernambuco.

History

1905 - Foundation

On May 13, 23 Náutico players gathered at the local Trade Workers Association (Associação dos Empregados do Comércio), founded a new club, and chose Guilherme de Aquino Fonseca as its first President. Club meetings took place for a while at the Association's main hall. At that time Nautico didn't accept black people in the team, and Guilherme and his friends didn't agree with this, so they founded Sport Club do Recife.

1905 - First match

The same year Sport played their first football match against a team called English Eleven. The match ended in a draw, with Torquato Gonçalves scoring the first goal for the newly created club. The club's starting eleven were L. F. Lathan; L. Parrot and E. Nosworthy; A. G. Silva, Colander and Ramiro; Guilherme Fonseca, Coimbra, Alberto Amorim, J. Gonçalves and Torquatro Gonçalves.

1905 Sport's team

Invitation for the first match

1916 - First state title

After the local league was created, Sport Club do Recife took part for the first time, and won the Pernambuco state championship of 1916. The final match was played on December 16, and Sport defeated Santa Cruz 4-1 (with goals from Mota (2), Asdrúbal, and Vasconcelos).

Sport's squad that year was Cavalcanti, Briant and Paulino; Town, Robson and Smerthurst; Asdrúbal, Mota, Anagam, Vasconcelos and Smith.

1950 - FIFA World Cup

During the 1950 FIFA World Cup, Sport's stadium, Ilha do Retiro, hosted the match between Chile and the United States. Chile won 5-2. It was the only World Cup match played in Pernambuco.

1987 - National champions

See also Copa União

Sport were named 1987 national champions by CBF, after Copa União winners and runner-ups Flamengo and Internacional, backed by the Club of 13, declined to play in a run-off organized by the CBF between the best two teams in the Copa União and the best two in a tournament between those teams that had been excluded from the new league. Sport then went on to beat Guarani at home by 1-0, after drawing 1-1 in Campinas.

2006 - Return to Brazil's Série A

In 2006, after five years in Série B (the Brazilian second division), Sport Club do Recife finished second with an 18-10-10 record. Sport had the same number of points as state rivals Náutico, but a better goal difference (+21 against +16), and thus were promoted to the elite division. The Pernambuco side played in Série A from 2007 to 2009.

2008 - Winner of the Copa do Brasil

On June 11, 2008, Sport Club do Recife became the first club from Northeastern Brazil to win the Copa do Brasil, a knock-out tournament along the lines of European national cups.

Previous to the finals, Sport had beaten traditional powerhouses of Brazilian football including Internacional, Palmeiras, and Vasco da Gama. In the final round, Sport was defeated by Corinthians in the Morumbi 3-1, but became champions on the away goal rule, after beating Corinthians 2-0 in Recife.

The finals were marred by controversy when Sport directors and fans alleged the media from Southeastern Brazil took sides with Corinthians, with some commentators, mainly from Rede Globo, even booing when Sport scored the first goal.

Rivals

Sport's main rivals are the other two main sides in Recife, Náutico and Santa Cruz.

Náutico is the oldest club in Recife, and Sport is second only to Náutico. A derby between the two clubs is called the "Clássico dos Clássicos" (Derby of all Derbies).

Sport and Santa Cruz are the two most popular football clubs in Pernambuco, so matches between the two sides are called the "Clássico das Multidões" (Derby of the Masses).

Sport's first derby against Náutico was played in 1909, with an attendance of around 4,000 people.

The team also claims to have rivals outside its region, mainly Flamengo due to the Copa União controversy. Due to a series of recent important matches, local supporters regarded both Palmeiras and Corinthians as Sport rivals for a time. Those claims notwithstanding, neither Flamengo, Palmeiras or Corinthians supporters consider Sport to be a major rival.

Achievements

• Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: 1

1987 ⁽¹⁾

• Copa do Brasil: 1

2008

Runners-up (1): 1989

• Campeonato Brasileiro Série B: 1

1990

Runners-up (1): 2006

• Copa/Campeonato do Nordeste: 2

1994, 2000

• Copa Norte-Nordeste: 1

1968

• Campeonato Pernambucano: 39

1916, 1917, 1920, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1928, 1938, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1948, 1949, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1961, 1962, 1975, 1977, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010

• Copa dos Campeões: 0

Runners-up (1): 2000

Current squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player — GK Magrão — GK Saulo — GK Rodrigo Calaça (on loan from Goiás) — GK Paulo Rafael — DF Wellington Saci (on loan from Corinthians) — DF Renato — DF Montoya — DF César (captain) — DF Gabriel — DF Alex Bruno — DF Tobi — DF Moacir — DF Raul — DF Vitor Hugo — DF Diogo — MF Thiaguinho (on loan from Boavista) — MF Germano — MF Naldinho (on loan from Porto de Caruaru) — MF Rivaldo

No. Position Player — MF Hamílton — MF Josias — MF Daniel Paulista — MF Robston (on loan from Atlético Goianiense) — MF Marcelinho Paraíba — MF Rithely — MF Danilo — MF Willians — MF Maylson (on loan from Grêmio) — MF Diego Torres — MF Roberson (on loan from Grêmio) — MF Branquinho — FW Bruno Mineiro (on loan from Atlético Paranaense) — FW Danielzinho — FW Paulista — FW Junior Viçosa (on loan from Grêmio) — FW Willian Araújo — FW Misael (on loan from Ceará)

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player MF Elvis (at Salgueiro) FW Ciro (at Fluminense)

No. Position Player FW Pablo Pereira (at Vitória)

Notable players

Ademir Biro-Biro Cléber Santana Dario Djalma Durval

Juninho Pernambucano Leonardo Magrão Manga Marcilio de Aguiar Ribamar

Robertinho Roberto Coração de Leão Traçaia Vavá Zé Maria

Famous supporters

• Jarbas Vasconcelos, Brazilian politician, formerly governor of Pernambuco state and currently senator
• Ariano Suassuna, Brazilian writer
• João Paulo, Brazilian politician and former Mayor of Recife
• Joanna Maranhão, Brazilian swimmer
• Jaqueline, Brazilian volleyball player
• Lenine, Brazilian composer and singer
• Keila Costa, Brazilian long jump and triple jump Olympic athlete

Stadium

Main article: Estádio Ilha do Retiro

Sport Recife's stadium is Estádio Ilha do Retiro, inaugurated in 1937, with a maximum capacity of 35,000 people.

Symbols and club name

• The colors of Sport Recife, black and red, represents the fighting spirit and the determination of the club's supporters.
• Sport Recife's mascot is a lion which represents the royalty of the club in the Northeast Region sportive scenery.
• Sport is not a word in Portuguese and the club are so named as they were founded by a Brazilian, Guilherme de Aquino, who studied in England by that time.

External links

Official

• Official website

Fan sites

• meuSport
• SportNet