Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas

Botafogo

Full name	Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas
Nickname(s)	Fogão, Estrela Solitária (The Lone Star) and O Glorioso (The Glorious One)
Founded	1904
Ground	Engenhão, Rio de Janeiro (Capacity: 46,931)
Chairman	Maurício Assumpção
Head coach	Joel Santana
League	Campeonato Brasileiro Série A
2009	Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, 15th
Home colours Away colours Third colours

Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas is a Brazilian multi-sport club from Rio de Janeiro. Its football team is placed 12th in FIFA Clubs of the 20th Century. The club symbol is the lone star, represented on its badge. Botafogo means (he who) sets fire and is also the name of the neighbourhood where the club has its origins (Botafogo Beach). It is nicknamed "Fogo", "Bota" (abbreviations of the club's name), "Fogão" ("Big Fire", widely used), "Alvinegro" (White-black), "O clube da Estrela Solitária" (The Lone Star club, reference to the club's emblem), and "O Glorioso" (The Glorious, nickname given after the 1910 campaign)

Botafogo FR is one of the biggest clubs in Brazil and one of the four major football clubs in Rio de Janeiro along with Flamengo, Fluminense (most ancient rivalry in Brazil: October 22, 1905), and Vasco. Their international trophy hall include one World Club Championship title in 1963, also won the Ibero-American Cup in 1964 played between four teams, and Botafogo, played Boca Juniors and River Plate of Argentina both Barcelona and Spain. In the decision defeated the mighty Barcelona Kocsis. Moreoven, won three World Cup in the Clubes in 1967, 1968 and 1970 winning big teams like Barcelona, Benfica's Eusebio and Conmembol trophy in 1993 and a few others international cups.

Botafogo's most recent successes are the Rio de Janeiro Championship (1989, 1990, 1997, 2006, 2010), the international Copa Conmebol (now called Copa Sudamericana) in 1993, and the Brazilian League in 1995.

Despite its origins, the club played in the neighbouring city of Niterói (much like some "New York" teams actually play in New Jersey) while it rented the Caio Martins stadium (or Mestre Ziza stadium, a modest venue with 15,000 seats) until 2003 (this stadium is currently used for some training sessions). In 2007, the club moved into the state-of-the-art João Havelange Olympic Stadium, simply know as Engenhão.

History

Basic history

On July 1, 1894, the Club de Regatas Botafogo, a rowing club, was founded.^[1] The name was intended to evoke the neighbourhood where the club was based. The colours of the club were black and white, and its symbol the Lone Star, or the "Estrela Solitária", the first star to appear in the sky (in reality not a star, but the planet Venus). It soon became one of the strongest clubs in Rio de Janeiro, winning several competitions, along with sea rivals such as Flamengo, Vasco da Gama, Guanabara, Icaraí and São Cristóvão.^[2]

About ten years later, on August 12, 1904, another club was founded in the neighbourhood: the Electro Club, the name first given to the Botafogo Football Club. The idea came during an algebra lesson at Alfredo Gomes College, when Flávio Ramos wrote to his friend Emmanuel Sodré: "Itamar has a football club in Martins Ferreira Street. Let's establish another one, in Largo dos Leões, what do you think? We can speak to the Wernecks, to Arthur César, Vicente and Jacques". And so the Electro Club was founded. But this name wouldn't last. After a suggestion from Dona Chiquitota, Flávio's grandmother, the club finally became the Botafogo Football Club, on September 18 of the same year. The colours? Black and white, just like Juventus FC, the team of Itamar Tavares, one of the club's founders. And the badge, drawn by Basílio Vianna Jr., in Swiss style with the BFC monogram. The Botafogo Football Club would soon became one of the strongest football teams in Rio de Janeiro, winning the championships of 1907, 1910, 1912 and more.^[3]

The same name, the same location, the same colours and the most important thing: the same supporters. It seemed that the destiny of both clubs was to become one. And so it happened: on December 8, 1942 they finally merged together. It was after a basketball match between both clubs, when Botafogo Football Club player Armando Albano died suddenly, that the idea began to become truth. At the tragic occasion, the president of Club de Regatas Botafogo, Augusto Frederico Schmidt (also a major Brazilian poet) spoke: "At this time, I declare to Albano that his last match ended with the victory of his team. We won't play no longer the time left on the clock. We all want the young fighter to leave this great night as a winner. This is how we salute him". Eduardo Góis Trindade, Botafogo Football Club's president said: "Between the matches of our clubs, only one can be the winner: Botafogo!". And then Schmidt declared the fusion: "What else do we need to our clubs become one?". And so they did: Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas finally became true. The Football Club's badge became black, and the monogram substituted by Clube de Regatas' lone star.^[4] This badge, according to the club's statute, can never be modified. The water sports maintained the Clube de Regatas' uniform, all black, while the terrestrial sports maintained Football Club's one, vertical-striped black and white jersey with black shorts.

On the field

1906 team.

Botafogo's first moment of glory was just after its foundation. The team won Rio de Janeiro State Championship in 1907, 1910 and 1912. The team used to win its games by large margins, like 24 - 0 over Sport Club Mangueira (the highest score in Brazilian football). For that reason, Botafogo was nicknamede "O Glorioso" (The Glorious One). Nevertheless, the black and white side endured an 18-year losing streak until, in 1930, Botafogo won its fourth state championship. It soon won an unheard-of and unmatched four consecutive times: 1932, 1933, 1934 and 1935. In that team were Carvalho Leite, Pamplona, Nilo Murtinho Braga, Patesko, and Leonidas da Silva. Those years, Botafogo gave to Brazil national football team four players for the 1930 FIFA World Cup, nine for the 1934 FIFA World Cup and five for the 1938 FIFA World Cup. To date, Botafogo has given the most players to Brazil's squad: 97, 46 of whom have gone to the World Cup.

Carvalho Leite, one of the greatest players in 1930s.

In the 1940s, after the creation of "Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas", the best player of the team was Heleno de Freitas. However, Heleno did not win a championship for Botafogo. He scored 204 goals in 233 matches but went to Boca Juniors in 1948, the year Botafogo won its 9th state championship.

In the 1950 and 1960, Botafogo had its best moment. With a generation of legendary and unforgettable superstars: Garrincha, Nilton Santos, Didi, Amarildo, Mario Zagallo, Manga and Quarentinha, stove won Campeonato Carioca in 1957, 1961 and 1962 and three times was the Brazilian Champion of clubs to win the Tournament Roberto Gomes Pedrosa (known as the Brazilian Championship in the 1960 years) in 1962, 1964 and 1966, and has won the Intercontinental Tournament in 1963 in Paris, the French city, which brought together the best teams in world football. France has the Intercontinental Tournament bringing together the top teams in the world until 1966 and told us several years that followed with great clubs such as Real Madrid of Ferenc Puskas and Alfredo Di Stefano (five times champions of Europe), AC Milan, Stade de Reims (twice runner-up in Europe), Santos FC of Pelé and Eusébio's Benfica. With a fabulous team, the Dream Team, the large squadron in black and white lined up like this: with Manga, Joel, Zé Maria, Nilton Santos and Rildo, Airton and Didi, Garrincha, Quarentinha, Amarildo and Zagallo. The only club in the world that was against the Santos, Botafogo was the basis of selection of Brazil in the FIFA World Cup 1958 and 1962: Nilton Santos, Didi, Garrincha, Amarildo and Zagallo and apart from that Quarentinha was injured and ended up in the fore FIFA World Cup.

Botafogo Fans and Garrincha flag at Engenhão stadium (2007).

When these players retired, new ones where ready to continue Botafogo's victories. Jairzinho, Paulo César Lima, Gérson, Rogério, Roberto Miranda, Sebastião Leônidas and Carlos Roberto were some of the players who won the Campeonato Carioca in 1967 and 1968 and the Brazil Trophy in 1968. Moreover, with a fabulous team with big, extraordinary and legendary players in his squad such as goalkeeper Manga, defender Sebastian Leonidas, the midfield with Carlos Roberto and the extraordinary Gerson and a pretty fabulous front formed by Rogério, Roberto, Jairzinho and Paulo Cesar, their alternates Afonsinho, Ney Conceição, Ferreti they held any team in Brazil. The large squadron in black and white has won three times the famous World Cup of Clubs in 1967, 1968 and 1970.

So, the club get along 21 years without winning a title of relevance. Until 1989, when the club won the state championship over Flamengo. One year later, the team won it again, this time over Vasco da Gama.

In the 1990s, Botafogo won Copa CONMEBOL in 1993, Brazilian Championship in 1995, Teresa Herrera Trophy and Municipal Tournament in 1996, Rio de Janeiro State Championship in 1997 and Rio-São Paulo Tournament in 1998. The team also lost the final of Brazil Cup in 1999 for Juventude.

Botafogo would be relegated to the Second Division after ranking last in the Brazilian League of 2002. In 2003, Botafogo ranked second in Brazil's Second division (after Palmeiras) and returned to the First Division.

In 2006, the club won for the 18th time the Rio de Janeiro State Championship. Nowadays, Botafogo is the only club to win titles in three different centuries. Won the state championship of row in 1899, many in XX Century and now in 21st Century.

Stadium

Voluntários da Pátria Street Stadium (1909).

The first stadium used by Botafogo was located in Voluntários da Pátria street. It was used between 1908 and 1911. The following year, the club had to play the matches in a field in the São Clemente street. Also in the neighborhood of Botafogo, Fogão finally found his own place. Named General Severiano because of the street which accessed the stadium, Botafogo started to use this stadium in 1913. Some other improvements were made to build a social area in 1928 and expand with cement material the stadium space in 1938.

In 1950, for World Cup in Brazil, Maracanã was raised. The one-time biggest stadium in the world was the home of Botafogo in many important games in Rio de Janeiro since then.

However, the club lost ownership of General Severiano in 1977 due to a large amount of debts. The stadium was sold to Companhia Vale do Rio Doce and demolished. Botafogo moved to suburb Marechal Hermes and there build a new stadium, named Mané Garrincha, in 1978 to play casual games.

General Severiano entrance.

Botafogo also rented Caio Martins, a small stadium in Niterói city, in the begging of 1990s. By 1992, the club finally got General Severiano back, inaugurated only in 1994 not anymore a stadium, but a new swimming pools, gymnasium and football field.

After years using Caio Martins and Maracanã as home stadiums, Botafogo started training at General Severiano after a big reform and Caio Martins, which stopped being used in 2004. Maracanã, property of the State Government, was defined as home of the team since 2006.

In 2007, the club got Estádio Olímpico João Havelange, simply know as Engenhão. The stadium was build to Rio 2007 and ceded to Botafogo.

Botafogo's stadium.

Rivals

Its biggest rivals are from the same city: Fluminense, Flamengo and Vasco da Gama. The other big teams from Brazil (including the three mentioned) are: Corinthians, Santos, Palmeiras, São Paulo, Atlético Mineiro, Grêmio, Cruzeiro and Internacional.

Symbols

Historical badges.

Lone Star

The Lone Star (Estrela Solitária) is present actually in Botafogo's flag and crest. This star was the principal symbol of Club de Regatas Botafogo. After fusion between the two Botafogos, the Lone Star became one of most important synonym of Botafogo's football team.

Crest

Botafogo's crest have the famous lone star in white in a black area. It was designed in 1942, the year of its fusion. However, Club de Regatas Botafogo and Botafogo Football Club also had their own crests. Regatas had the lone star in the left, one pair of crokers at the right side and, below, the letters of the club's name, C. R. B. Football's badge had the clubs initials too, B. F. C. written in black colour in a white space. The shape of Botafogo Football Club made the base of Futebol e Regatas crest.

Flag

The old flag of Club de Regatas Botafogo was complety white, with a small black square which contained the Lone Star. Football Club had a nine black and white striped flag with the club's crest localized in the center. Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas based his flag in the two old clubs. The flag has five black and four white stripes with a black square at the up left side with Lone Star.

Uniform

Their primary uniform consists of a black jersey with vertical white stripes, black shorts and grey socks. Their secondary uniform is all white. An all black uniform may also be used. The socks, although traditionally grey, may also be black or even white on rare occasions.

Mascots

Manequinho.

The first mascot was Donald Duck, abandoned due to royalties issues. Nowadays, the club's mascot is the Manequinho a replica of the Manneken-Pis situated in front of the club. However, Botafogo's fans have largely adopted the dog Biriba as a mascot. The idea of officializing it is being studied by the club's owner. Biriba was Botafogo's talisman in the late 1940s, considered lucky by the fans.

Supporters

Today, Botafogo has approximately 4 million fans in Brazil, the 9th largest overall fanbase in Brazilian football. In the 1960s, Botafogo was number two of the preference of Brazilian football fans. This fact explains why Botafogo has a large amount of fans over 60 years old.

Organized torcida

• Torcida Jovem do Botafogo (Young Torcida of Botafogo)
• Fúria Jovem do Botafogo (Young Fury of Botafogo)
• Loucos pelo Botafogo (Crazy about Botafogo)
• Botachopp (Torcida Fill Beer)
• Torcida Estrela Solitária (Torcida Lonely Star)

Titles

Trophy of 1995's Brazilian championship.

Intercontinental

• Intercontinental Tournament of Paris: 1963
• World Cup of Clubs: 1967, 1968 and 1970

Continental

• Copa Conmembol (Sudamericana): 1993

National

• Roberto Gomes Pedrosa Tournament: 1962, 1964 e 1966
• Brazil Trophy: 1968
• Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: 1995

Regional

• State Championship: 1906, 1907, 1910, 1912, 1930, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1948, 1957, 1961, 1962, 1967, 1968, 1989, 1990, 1996, 1997, 2006, 2010
• Guanabara Cup: 1967, 1968, 1997, 2006, 2009, 2010
• Rio Trophy : 1975, 1976, 1989, 1997, 2007, 2008, 2010
• Inter-state Cup of Clubs: 1931

Famous players

Presidents

CR Botafogo

• José Maria Dias Braga (1894 / 1895)
• Eugênio Paiva de Azevedo (1895)
• Gastão Cardoso (1895 / 1903)
• João Carlos de Mello (1903)
• Raul do Rego Macedo (1904)
• Tito Valverde de Miranda (1905)
• Conrado Maia (1906 / 1909)
• Gastão Cardoso (1910 / 1916)
• Raul do Rego Macedo (1917 / 1919)
• Álvaro Werneck (1920 / 1921)
• Raul do Rego Macedo (1922)
• Álvaro Werneck (1923)
• Antônio Mendes de Oliveira Castro (1924 / 1926)
• Álvaro Werneck (1927 / 1928)
• Armando de Oliveira Flores (1928 / 1930)
• Alberto Ruiz (1930)
• Octávio Costa Macedo (1931 / 1935)
• Ibsen De Rossi (1935 / 1937)
• Julius A. Henrich Arp Júnior (1937 / 1938)
• Mário Ferreira (1938)
• Abelardo Martins Torres (1938 / 1939)
• Álvaro Gomes de Oliveira (1939 / 1940)
• Augusto Frederico Schmidt (1941 / 1942)

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Presidents of Botafogo FC

• Flávio da Silva Ramos (1904)
• Alfredo Guedes de Mello (1904)
• Waldemar Pereira da Cunha (1905)
• Joaquim Antônio de Souza Ribeiro (1905 / 1907)
• Edwin Elkin Hime Júnior (1908)
• Joaquim Antônio de Souza Ribeiro (1909 / 1910)
• Alberto Cruz Santos (1911)
• Joaquim de Lamare (1912 / 1914)
• Miguel de Pino Machado (1914)
• Joaquim Antônio de Souza Ribeiro (1915 / 1916)
• Miguel de Pino Machado (1917 / 1918)
• Renato Pacheco (1919 / 1921)
• Samuel de Oliveira (1922)
• Paulo Antônio Azeredo (1923)
• Gabriel Loureiro Bernardes (1923 / 1924)
• Oldemar Murtinho (1925)
• Paulo Antônio Azeredo (1926 / 1936)^[5]
• Darke Bhering de Oliveira Mattos (1936)
• Sérgio Darcy (1937 / 1939)
• João Lyra Filho (1940 / 1941)
• Benjamin de Almeida Sodré (1941)
• Eduardo de Góes Trindade (1942)

Botafogo FR

• Eduardo de Góes Trindade (1942 / 1943)
• Adhemar Alves Bebiano (1944 / 1947)
• Oswaldo Costa (1947)
• Carlos Martins da Rocha (Carlito Rocha) (1948 / 1951)
• Ibsen De Rossi (1952 / 1953)
• Paulo Antônio Azeredo (1954 / 1963)
• Ney Cidade Palmeiro (1964 / 1967)
• Althemar Dutra de Castilho (Teté) (1968 / 1972)
• Rivadávia Tavares Corrêa Meyer (Rivinha) (1973/1975)
• Charles de Macedo Borer (1976 / 1981)
• José Eduardo Mello Machado (Juca) (1982 / 1983)
• Emmanuel Sodré Viveiros de Castro (Maninho) (1983 / 1984)
• Althemar Dutra de Castilho (Teté) (1985 / 1990)
• Emil Pacheco Pinheiro (1991 / 1992)
• Jorge Aurélio Ribeiro Domingues (1992)
• Mauro Ney Machado Monteiro Palmeiro (1992 / 1993)
• Carlos Augusto Saad Montenegro (1994 / 1996)
• José Luiz Rolim (1997 / 1999)
• Mauro Ney Machado Monteiro Palmeiro (2000 / 2002)
• Paulo Roberto de Freitas (Bebeto de Freitas) (2003 / 2008)
• Maurício Assumpção (2009-)

Current squad

As of May, 2010 ^[6]

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 1 GK Jefferson 2 DF Alessandro 3 DF Antônio Carlos (on loan from Atlético Paranaense) 4 DF Fábio Ferreira 6 DF Marcelo Cordeiro (on loan from Internacional) 5 MF Leandro Guerreiro 7 MF Maicosuel 8 MF Fahel (on loan from Villa Rio) 9 FW Caio 10 MF Lucio Flávio 11 FW Edno (on loan from Corinthians) 12 GK Renan 13 FW Sebastián Abreu [7] 17 FW Germán Herrera -- GK Gustavo -- DF Jancarlos -- DF Gabriel -- DF Edson (on loan from Figueirense) -- DF Joaquim

No. Position Player -- DF Alex Lopes -- DF Vitor -- DF Vitor -- DF Flávio Pará -- DF Danny Morais (on loan from Internacional) -- MF Felipe Lima -- MF Bruno (on loan from Madureira) -- MF Vinicius Colombiano (co-onwnership with Flamengo) -- MF Jorge Luiz -- MF Somália -- MF Wellington Júnior -- MF Túlio Souza -- MF Wallacer -- MF Renato Cajá -- MF Araruama (on loan from Olaria) -- FW Júnior -- FW Diguinho -- FW Jóbson

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 GK Max (on loan to Vila Nova-GO) MF Magno (on loan to America-RJ) FW Vitor Castro (on loan to Örebro SK) FW Saeful (on loan to Örebro SK)

No. Position Player

Records

• Note: numbers don't count matches played in Torneio Início.
• Source: RSSSF Brasil - Botafogo

Financial situation

In 2006 Botafogo had Supergasbras and Alê as sponsors, the arrangement during that year earned the team $3.2 million (R$7.2 million).^[8] The next year, Botafogo managed to sign the sixth highest sponsorship deal in Brazil^[9] the new sponsor Liquigás, a Petrobrás subsidiary paid the club $3.9 million (R$7.8 million) under the terms of the 1 year contract. ^[8] In 2008 not only the agreement with Liquigás was renewed for another year but it also became more lucrative since the sponsorship was raised to around $5 million (R$10.2 million).^[10]

Botafogo generated in 2007 the 12th biggest revenue for all Brazilian soccer clubs, that year's revenues totalled $20.8 million (or R$41.1 million) but Botafogo had a net loss of $1.9 million (or R$3.7 million). ^[11][12] Also at the end of 2007 Botafogo had total debts of $106.1 million (or R$209.7 million).^[13] Those numbers were obtained from a study conducted by Casual Auditores Independentes, the nature of Botafogo expenses is not known however.

Gallery

Botafogo's supporters in Maracanã

Flag of Botafogo

Entrance of rowing training venue of Botafogo

References

14. http://www.jsports.com.br/botafogo/um-grande-vacilo-do-botafogo/ 15. World Cup of Clubs: http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pequena_Ta%C3%A7a_do_Mundo#Campe.C3.B5esPeque.C3.B1a_Copa_del_Mundo_-_RSSF http://www.rsssf.com/tablesp/peq-copamundo.html

External links

• Official website
• Official store
• CANALBOTAFOGO
• SETOR ALVINEGRO
• Vestiario Alvinegro
• Botafogo News