CR Vasco da Gama

Vasco da Gama

Full name	Club de Regatas Vasco da Gama
Nickname(s)	Gigante da Colina (Giant of the Hill), Bacalhau (Cod)
Founded	21 August 1898
Ground	São Januário Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Capacity: 15,150[1])
President	Roberto Dinamite
Head coach	Paulo César Gusmão
League	Série A
2009	Série B, 1st (promoted)
Home colours Away colours Third colours

Club de Regatas Vasco da Gama (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈvaʃku dɐ ˈɡɐmɐ], Vasco da Gama Rowing Club), usually known as Vasco da Gama or simply Vasco, is a famous and traditional Brazilian multisports club from Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, founded on August 21, 1898 (although the football department started on November 5, 1915^[2]). It was founded by Portuguese immigrants, and it is still traditionally supported by the Portuguese community of Rio de Janeiro and one of the most popular in Brazil, with more than 16,5 million supporters.^[3]

Its statute defines the club as a "sportive, recreative, educational, assistant and philanthropic non-profit organization of public utility".^[4]

Their home stadium is the São Januário, capacity of 15,150^[5], the third biggest in Rio de Janeiro (after Maracanã and Engenhão), but some matches (especially the city derbies) are played at the Maracanã (capacity about 80,000). They play in black shirts with a white diagonal slash that contains an Order of Christ cross, black shorts and black socks.

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.

Football was included only with the fusion with Lusitania Clube, other mostly Portuguese immigrants club (http://www.netvasco.com.br/mauroprais/vasco/histor1.html). Beginning in the smaller leagues, Vasco became champion of the league B in 1922 and ascend to league A. In its first championship in League A - in 1923, Vasco became champion with a team formed by whites, blacks and "mulattos" players of different social classes.

Fight and victory against racism

Because of that, in 1924 Vasco da Gama was pressured by the Metropolitan League to ban some players that were not considered adequate to play in the aristocratic League, notably because they were black, mulato and/or poor. After the negative response of Vasco, the big and racist teams, Fluminense, Flamengo and Botafogo, among others, created the Metropolitan Athletic Association and prohibited Vasco to participate unless it complied with the racist demand.

The former President of Vasco, José Augusto Prestes answered with a letter that became known as the Historic Answer (resposta histórica)^[6], which revolutionized the practice of sports in Brazil. After a few years, the racism barriers fell. Vasco da Gama had defeated the racist people from Fluminense, Flamengo and Botafogo.

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, and 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 Projeto Tóquio, and invested US$ 10 million to win the Copa Libertadores 1998. Vasco successfully won the Copa Libertadores, beating Barcelona of Ecuador in the final.

The club would go on to play the Intercontinental Cup and Interamerican Cup losing both matches.

Campeonato Brasileiro 2008

The team finished the championship in a disastrous 18th place and was relegated to the second division of the championship for the first time since its foundation, 110 years ago. Up until the relegation, it was one of only four clubs^[7] to have never been removed from the first division, along with Internacional, Cruzeiro and rivals Flamengo.

Campeonato Brasileiro 2009

After almost one year out of the first division, Vasco played the second division and on November 7, was promoted to the first division after a victory against Juventude in Maracanã stadium by the score of 2-1.

Other sports

Although best known as a football, rowing and swimming 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 regularly represent Brazil in international competitions. And Vasco da Gama is present in many other sports.

Current squad

As of August 23, 2010, according to combined sources on the official website.^[8] 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 Fernando Prass 2 DF Élder Granja 3 DF Cesinha 4 DF Fernando 5 MF Nilton 6 MF Felipe 7 FW Éder Luís 8 MF Rafael Carioca 9 FW Nunes 10 MF Zé Roberto 12 GK Alessandro 13 DF Titi 14 DF Jadson Viera 15 FW Jonathan 16 DF Douglas 17 MF Magno 18 MF Jumar 19 MF Carlos Alberto (captain)

No. Position Player 20 MF Caíque 21 MF Fellipe Bastos 22 DF Julio Irrazábal 23 DF Fagner 25 MF Fumagalli 26 DF Dedé 29 FW Nilson 31 FW Lipe 33 DF Ramon 35 MF Allan 36 GK Cestaro 37 MF Rômulo 38 DF Carlinhos 39 FW Bruno Paulo 42 FW Rafael Coelho 43 DF Max 46 DF Ernani 50 GK Tiago

Titles

International

Tournament of Paris

• Winners (1): 1957

Copa Rio

• Winners (1): 1953

Copa Libertadores

• Winners (1): 1998

South American Club Championship

• Winners (1): 1948

FIFA Club World Cup

• Runners-up (1): 2000

Intercontinental Cup

• Runners-up (1): 1998

Copa Mercosur

• Winners (1): 2000

National

Campeonato Brasileiro Série A

• Winners (4): 1974, 1989, 1997, 2000
• Runners-up (2): 1979, 1984

Campeonato Brasileiro Série B

• Winners (1): 2009

Taça Brasil

• Runners-up (1): 1965

Copa do Brasil

• Runners-up (1): 2006

Supercopa do Brasil

• Runners-up (1): 1990

Torneio Rio-São Paulo

• Winners (3): 1958, 1966, 1999
• Runners-up (7): 1950, 1952, 1953, 1957, 1959, 1965, 2000

State

Campeonato Carioca

• Winners (22): 1923, 1924, 1929, 1934, 1936, 1945, 1947, 1949, 1950, 1952, 1956, 1958, 1970, 1977, 1982, 1987, 1988, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1998, 2003
• Runners-up (25): 1926, 1928, 1930, 1931, 1935, 1939, 1944, 1948, 1968, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1986, 1990, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004

Copa Rio

• Winners (2): 1992, 1993

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Statistics

Legenda:

Top scorers

Most goals in a season

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

Stadium

CR Vasco da Gama at Estádio São Januário, Sept. 2008.

Vasco da Gama's stadium is Estádio São Januário, inaugurated in 1927, with a maximum capacity of 15,150 people.^[9]

Rivals

Vasco's biggest rivals are from the same city: 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 two of the biggest crowds of Rio de Janeiro.^[10]

Kit evolution

Vasco da Gama's kit evolution.

Vasco da Gama is one of the oldest Brazilian clubs and has had several different kits in its history. 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 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.^[11]

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.

Since July 2009, after breaking the partnership with Champs^[12], the official jerseys are produced by Penalty.^[13]

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, it was the club's first anthem.^[14] There is another official anthem, created in the 1930s, called Meu Pavilhão (meaning My Pavilion), which lyrics were composed by João de Freitas and music by Hernani Correia. This anthem replaced the previous one. The club's most popular anthem, however, is an unofficial anthem composed by Lamartine Babo in 1942.

Supporters

Vasco is the second most supported football club in Rio de Janeiro, and the fourth most supported in Brazil. The club's support is very diverse stretching across social class lines, however the core of most the Vasco support lies within the working class of the Northern Zone of Rio de Janeiro and Rio outskirt cities like Niterói. Vasco have significant support in other regions in Brazil notably the Northeastern and northern regions as well as stongholds in southern Minas Gerais, Espirito Santo and in Santa Catarina (in Southern Brazil). Vasco have many celebrity supporters including Fatima Bernardes ( journalist - TV Globo), Rodrigo Santoro (actor), Eri Johnson (actor), Marcos Palmeira (actor), Juliana Paes (actress), Sergio Loroza (actor), Paulinho da Viola (singer), Roberto Carlos (singer), Erasmo Carlos (singer), Martinho da Vila (samba singer), Fernanda Abreu (singer), Viviane Araujo (model), Renata Santos (model), Sergio Cabral Filho (Rio de Janeiro Governor), Eduardo Paes (Rio de Janeiro mayor), Nelson Piquet (2 time Formula 1 champion) amongst others. Vasco supporter groups have a strong friendship with supporter groups (torcida organizadas) of C Atlético Mineiro, SE Palmeiras, Grêmio FBPA and EC Bahia. This alliance having the 25 year friendship of torcidas Força Jovem Vasco, Mancha Verde Palmeiras and Galoucura Atlético Mineiro utilize the code name D.P.A. (dedos pro alto).

• Torcida Força Jovem Vasco
• Torcida Organizada do Vasco
• Kamikazes Vascaínos
• Pequenos Vascaínos
• Renovascão Vasco Campeão
• ResenVasco
• VasBoaVista
• Guerreiros do Almirante
• União Vascaína
• Ira Jovem Vasco

Torcida Expresso da Vitória

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

• Enciclopédia do Futebol Brasileiro, Volume 1 - Lance, Rio de Janeiro: Aretê Editorial S/A, 2001.

External links

• Official Site
• Torcida Força Jovem Vasco
• Torcida Mancha Negra Vasco
• Unofficial Home Page
• Vasco da Gama Unofficial Home Page