CR Vasco da Gama

Vasco da Gama
Full name Club de Regatas Vasco da Gama
Nickname(s) Gigante da Colina (Hill's Giant),
Bacalhau (Cod)
Founded 1898
Ground São Januário, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
(Capacity: 36,273)
Chairman Flag of Brazil Roberto Dinamite
Head coach Flag of Brazil Renato Gaúcho
League Campeonato Brasileiro Série A
2007 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, 10th
Team colours Team colours Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
Home colours
Team colours Team colours Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
Away colours

Club de Regatas Vasco da Gama, usually known as Vasco da Gama or simply Vasco, (after the famous Portuguese explorer of the same name) is a Brazilian sports club from Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, founded on August 21, 1898 (although the football department started on November 5, 1915[1]). It was founded by Portuguese immigrants, and it is still the team traditionally supported by the Portuguese community of Rio de Janeiro and one of the most popular in Brazil, with more than 10 million supporters.[2]

Its statute defines the club as a "sportive, recreative, educational, assistant and philanthropic non-profit organization of public utility".[3]

Their home stadium is the São Januário, capacity 36,273, but some matches (especially the city derbies) are played at the Maracanã (capacity 95,000). They play in white shirts with a black diagonal sash that contains an Order of Christ cross, white shorts and white socks.

Contents

History

Foundation

In the late 19th century rowing was the most important sport in Rio de Janeiro. At this time, four young men - Henrique Ferreira Monteiro, Luís Antônio Rodrigues, José Alexandre d `Avelar Rodrigues and Manuel Teixeira de Souza Júnior - who did not want to travel to Niterói to row with the boats of Gragoatá Club decided to found a rowing club.

On August 21, 1898 in a room of the Sons of Talma Dramatic Society, with 62 members (mostly Portuguese immigrants), the Club de Regatas Vasco da Gama (Vasco da Gama Rowing Club) was born.

Inspired by the celebrations of the 4th centenary of the first sail from Europe to India, the founders chose the name of the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama to baptise the new club.

The Victory Express and the South American Club Championship

Between 1947 and 1952, the club was nicknamed Expresso da Vitória (Victory Express), as Vasco won several competitions in that period, such as the Rio de Janeiro championship in 1945, 1947, 1949, 1950, and 1952, besides the South American Club Championship, in 1948. Players such as Ademir, Moacyr Barbosa, Bellini and Ipojucan defended Vasco's colors during that period.

1998 Copa Libertadores

After winning the Campeonato Brasileiro in 1997, beating Palmeiras in the final, Vasco started its Tokyo Project, and invested US$ 10 million to win the Copa Libertadores 1998, and thus be eligible to play in the Intercontinental Cup in Japan. Vasco successfully won the Copa Libertadores, beating Barcelona of Ecuador in the final, but the club was defeated by Real Madrid of Spain 2-1 in the Intercontinental Cup.

Other sports

Although best known as a football club, Vasco da Gama is actually a comprehensive sports club. Its basketball section (twice Brazilian champion and twice South-American champion) produced current NBA player Nenê. The club is also the first Brazilian club to play against a NBA team. In 1999, the club played the McDonald's Championship final against San Antonio Spurs. Its rowing team is one of the best of Brazil. Its swimmers constantly represent Brazil in international competitions. And Vasco da Gama is present in many other sports.

Current squad

As of 27 july 2008.
No. Position Player
Flag of Brazil GK Roberto
Flag of Brazil GK Rafael
Flag of Brazil GK Tiago
Flag of Brazil DF Eduardo
Flag of Brazil DF Marquinho
Flag of Brazil DF Rodrigo Antônio
Flag of Brazil DF Wagner Diniz
Flag of Brazil DF Edu
Flag of Brazil DF Valmir
Flag of Brazil DF Anderson
Flag of Brazil DF Eduardo Luiz
Flag of Brazil DF Hugo
Flag of Brazil DF João Paulo
Flag of Brazil DF Jorge Luiz
Flag of Brazil DF Luizão
Flag of Brazil DF Victor
Flag of Brazil DF Vilson
Flag of Brazil DF Diego
Flag of Brazil MF Byro
Flag of Brazil MF Jonílson
No. Position Player
Flag of Brazil MF Mateus
Flag of Brazil MF Souza
Flag of Brazil MF Beto
Flag of Brazil MF Ernane
Flag of Brazil MF Fábio
Flag of Brazil MF Bruno Gallo
Flag of Brazil MF Leandro Bonfim
Flag of Brazil MF Madson
Flag of Brazil MF Marquinho
Flag of Brazil MF Rafael
Flag of Brazil MF Vinícius
Flag of Nigeria FW Abubakar
Flag of Brazil FW Alan Kardec
Flag of Brazil FW Alex Teixeira
Flag of Brazil FW Éder
Flag of Brazil FW Edmundo
Flag of Brazil FW Jean
Flag of Brazil FW Landú
Flag of Brazil FW Leandro Amaral
Flag of Chile FW Mauricio Pinilla
For recent transfers, see List of Brazilian football transfers 2008.

Titles

Men's football

Women's football

Men's basketball

Brazilian League record

Year Position Year Position Year Position Year Position
1971 10th 1981 5th 1991 11th 2001 11th
1972 5th 1982 9th 1992 3rd 2002 15th
1973 13th 1983 5th 1993 11th 2003 17th
1974 1st 1984 2nd 1994 13th 2004 16th
1975 19th 1985 9th 1995 20th 2005 12th
1976 7th 1986 9th 1996 18th 2006 6th
1977 5th 1987 11th 1997 1st 2007 10th
1978 3rd 1988 5th 1998 10th 2008
1979 2nd 1989 1st 1999 5th 2009
1980 5th 1990 14th 2000 1st 2010

Top five scorers

  1. Roberto Dinamite - 698 goals (1971 to 1993) in 1110 games
  2. Romário - 316 goals (1985 to 1988, 1999 to 2001, 2005 and 2007) in 400 games.
  3. Ademir - 301 goals (1942 to 1945 and 1948 to 1956) in 429 games.
  4. Pinga - 250 goals (1953 to 1962) in 466 games.
  5. Ipojucan - 225 goals (1944 to 1954) in 413 games.

Most goals in a season

  1. Romário - 65 goals in 2000
  2. Roberto Dinamite - 61 goals in 1981.

Famous players

Athletics

Basketball

Football

  • Ademir
  • Alex Dias
  • Amaral
  • Sonny Anderson
  • Andrada
  • Barbosa
  • Bebeto
  • Bellini
  • Brito
  • Carlos Germano
  • Chico
  • Cocada
  • Dener
  • Dirceu
  • Edmundo
  • Fausto
  • Felipe
  • Gilberto da Silva Melo
  • Helton
  • Ipojucan
  • Juninho Paulista
  • Juninho Pernambucano
  • Leão
  • Marco Antônio
  • Mauro Galvão
  • Mazinho
  • Orlando Peçanha
  • Oscarino
  • Paschoal
  • Pedrinho
  • Roberto Dinamite
  • Hólger Quiñónez
  • Romário
  • Sabará
  • Vagner
  • Vavá
  • Zé Maria

Famous coaches

Football

Stadium

Main article: Estádio São Januário

Vasco da Gama's stadium is Estádio São Januário, inaugurated in 1927, with a maximum capacity of 36,273 people.

Rivals

Vasco's biggest rivals are from the same city: América, Fluminense, Botafogo and Flamengo, with the latter being its biggest rival. The games between Vasco and Flamengo ("Millions Derby") are the most watched in Brazil. The matches are usually played in the Maracanã, and reunite the two biggest crowds of Rio de Janeiro.[4]

Kit evolution

Vasco da Gama's kit evolution.

Vasco da Gama is one of the oldest Brazilian clubs, so, the club have had in his history several different kits.

Vasco da Gama's first kit, used in rowing, was created in 1898, and was completely black, with a left diagonal sash.

Vasco da Gama's first football kit, created in 1916, was completely black, and was easily identified because of the presence of a white tie and a belt.

In 1929, the club's kit was changed. The tie and the belt were removed. However, the kit remained all-black.

In the 1930s, the home kit's color was changed again. The kit became black with a white right diagonal sash.

In 1945, the away kit's color was changed to white, and a black diagonal sash was introduced. The sash was introduced because the club's manager at the time, the Uruguayan Ondino Viera liked the sash used in his previous club's kit, River Plate, of Argentina, and adopted this pattern in Vasco da Gama's away kit. So, both kits had a right diagonal sash.[5]

In 1988, the sash located on the back of the shirt was removed.

In 1998, the kit design was changed again. This kit became very similar to the 1945 one. However, a thin red line was placed around the sash.

Vasco has currently three kits. The home shirt's main color is white, with a black sash. The short and the socks are white. The away kit is similar to the home kit, but the main color is black, the sash is white, and the shorts and socks are black. The third kit is similar to the one used in 1929, being all-black, without the sash. The color of the player names and numbers is gold.

Currently, Reebok is the maker of all three Vasco da Gama's shirts.

Logo and flag

The eight stars on the crest and flag signify: 1- South American Club Championship: 1948; 2- Libertadores Cup: 1998; 3- Mercosur Cup: 2000; 4- Brazilian National Championship: 1974; 5- 1989; 6- 1997; 7- 2000; 8- The Unbeaten Championship of Earth-and-sea of 1945.

Anthems

Vasco's official anthem was composed in 1918, by Joaquim Barros Ferreira da Silva. There is another official anthem, created in the 1930s, called Meu Pavilhão (meaning My Pavilion), of which lyrics was composed by João de Freitas and the music by Hernani Correia. This anthem replaced the previous anthem.

The club's most popular anthem, however, is an unofficial anthem composed by Lamartine Babo in 1942:

Ultras

Clubs named after Vasco

Due to Vasco's tradition, several clubs are named after it, including Associação Desportiva Vasco da Gama, of Acre state, founded in 1952, Vasco Esporte Clube, of Sergipe state, founded in 1931, Esporte Clube Vasco da Gama, of Americana, São Paulo state, founded in 1958, Vasco Sports Club, which is an Indian football club founded in 1951 and CR Vasco da Gama Football Club, which is a South African football club founded in 1980. Tomazinho Futebol Clube, from São João de Meriti, Rio de Janeiro state, founded in 1930, has a logo strongly inspired by Vasco's logo, and share the same colors.

References

  1. "Vasco da Gama's official site - The History of CR Vasco da Gama". Retrieved on 2008-03-26.
  2. "Flamengo e Corinthians lideram levantamento de torcidas no país - UOL Esporte". Retrieved on 2008-03-27.
  3. UNZELTE, Celso - O Livro de Ouro do Futebol; page 689 (Editora Ediouro, 2002) - ISBN 85-00-01036-3
  4. "Vasco e Flamengo iniciam a decisão no Rio". Gazeta Esportiva. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  5. (Portuguese) "Símbolos". Club de Regatas Vasco da Gama official website. Retrieved on 2008-05-19.

External links