Sporting CP

Sporting CP

Sporting badge
Full name	Sporting Clube de Portugal
Nickname(s)	Sportinguistas Leões (Lions) Verde-e-Brancos (Green and White)
Short name	Sporting
Founded	1 July 1906 (1906-07-01)
Ground	Estádio José Alvalade
Capacity	50,095
President	Bruno de Carvalho
Coach	Marco Silva
League	Primeira Liga
2013–14	Primeira Liga, 2nd
Website	http://www.sporting.pt/
Home colours Away colours Third colours

Sporting Clube de Portugal, OM, ComC, MHIH (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈspɔɾtĩɡ ˈklub(ɨ) dɨ puɾtuˈɡaɫ]) (Euronext: SCP), commonly referred to as Sporting or Sporting CP is a Portuguese multi-sports club based in Portugal's capital city of Lisbon. Although they compete in a number of different sports, Sporting is best known for its association football team.

Founded in Lisbon on 1 July 1906, it is one of the "Três Grandes" (The Big Three) football clubs in Portugal. With less than 100,000 registered club members, its teams, athletes and supporters are often nicknamed Leões (English: The Lions) by its fans.

Sporting was also one of the founding members of the Primeira Liga in 1933 and, together with Benfica and Porto, it has never been relegated from the First Division of Portuguese football. Sporting is the third most successful Portuguese football club with 44 titles in Portuguese Domestic competitions and 1 International title.

In Domestic Football, Sporting won a total of 18 Primeira Liga titles, 15 Portuguese Cup, 4 Championship of Portugal titles (a record tied with Porto) and 7 Portuguese SuperCup titles. Internationally, Sporting won the 1963–64 European Cup Winners' Cup and were runners-up in the 2004–05 UEFA Cup.

History

Pre-Sporting

It started as a romantic idealisation during the turbulent times of the early 20th century (1902), when a group of holidaymakers in Belas, which was then a distant suburb of Lisbon, decided to found a club and hold a game of football (as it was called back then) in Seteais: integrated as part of the popular festival held in Sintra. It was a very lively game, and was considered as being apart from the festival, – with members of the royal family being present – contested between Sport Club de Belas and a group from Sintra. Belas claimed a fine 3–0 victory, in a game where the Gavazzo brothers, Franciso and José Maria, along with other sportsman on display, were described as "elements of good families". The daily news reported that more than 4,000 spectators attended in what was a "busy and animated compact circle full of interest."

Sport Club de Belas was a summer dream that gathered dust with the end of the holiday period. A dream however, that did not die. The game in Sintra, held on 26 August 1902, left a unique and living mark that motivated the players. The young holidaymakers, who were little more than adolescents, returned to Lisbon, dreaming of the status of sports abroad, mainly in France and England, and maintained contact with each other as many lived in the same residential area in Campo Grande. The young men frequently met in Pastelaria Bijou that still exists today on Avenida da Liberdade and it was there that, two years after the experience in Belas, in 1904, the young men decided to return to their great love, sports, and found the Campo Grande Football Club. Other attendees of the events 26 August 1902 also followed their passion for sports and founded the Clube Internacional de Futebol (CIF). The historical CIF is now situated in Monsanto.

The headquarters of the Campo Grande Football Club where situated on the second floor of the Pinto da Cunha's Manor house, a building that continues to define the corner between Alameda das Linhas de Torres and Campo Grande. Amongst others, the Gavazzo brothers participated in the founding meeting, along with the young men José Holtreman Roquette (José Alvalade), José Stromp and other sporting enthusiasts. Visconde de Alvalade, José Alfredo Holtreman, grandfather of José Alvalade, who was nearing 70 years old and was the patriarch of the family, was appointed the President for his unselfish support and natural ability to understand and encourage the spirit and incentives of his grandson as well as his friends.

Football, fencing, tennis, running, jumping, social parties and picnics where the main activities that allowed the new club to gain momentum in its first two years of existence.

Foundation

Founders of Sporting

In 1906, it became evident that there was a split between members who felt the club should focus on social events and get-togethers, and others who felt it should focus on the club's sporting aspects. Júlio de Araújo, who would later become the president of Sporting and a keen historian of the founding process of Sporting, noted that "day to day, two trends emerged: that of the boys of Lisbon who claimed the current headquarters and that of the boys of Campo Grande who also laid claim to that spot, as was fair and advisable." Júlio de Araújo also notes that "the disagreement was not solely in regard to location, but also in regard to the objective of the club – with a contrast between Campo Grande and those interested in the social aspects of the club rather than the sporting aspects."

José de Alvalade

This period of turbulence would eventually result in a split between the two parties. José Gavazzo was amongst the first to resign from the original club, accompanied by around two dozen other members, one of which was José de Alvalade who proclaimed, "I am going to have my grandfather with me and he will give me the money to make another club".

The determination shown by these disgruntled players did indeed bear fruit. Visconde de Alvalade agreed to the creation of the new club and gave it a considerable amount of money, made available a playing field in one of his farms – where Sporting is located to this day – and became the chairman of the board as an "associate protector" of the new club. It was largely due to this that the young José Alvalade, prompted by the success of his initiative, delivered his famous quote, so well known to Sporting supporters:

We want this Club to be a great club, as great as the greatest in Europe

— José Alvalade

On 14 April 1906, the newly created collective adopted the provisional name of Campo Grande Sporting Club. On 1 July of the same year, it was suggested by António Félix da Costa Júnior that the club adopt the name Sporting Clube de Portugal, and this name was eventually adopted in July 1920 by the General Assembly of the Club, with 1 July 1906 declared as Sporting's official founding date. It was this original group of 18 members that made that fateful decision whose Centenary was celebrated in 2006.

First years

The root of Sporting's footballing tradition can clearly be traced back to its foundation in 1906. However, club also covered a multitude of other sports played by its early members. The founding members of the club were devoted athletes, as well as playing football, tennis, tug-of-war, fencing, cricket, gymnastics and field hockey.

In 1907, Dom Fernando de Castelo Branco (Pombeiro) authorized the use of the lion from his coat of arms, without its blue background. "Not with a golden gun of red on a blue field, as was Pombeiro's, but with a silver gun of black on a green field, that clearly affirms the intentions of the founders," notes Júlio de Araújo. The green exterior was in fact suggested by Visconde of Alvalade, symbolising hope for the new club.

The first game of football for Sporting was played on 3 February 1907. It cannot be said that the club met with immediate success: losing 5 – 1 in the second division against Cruz Negra in Alcântara. However, some of the players from the winning side would later join Sporting: Alípio da Motta Veiga, Octávio Teixeira Bastos, António das Neves Vital and others. D. João de Vila Franca scored the only goal for Sporting in the game, the first in the history of Sporting.

Francisco Stromp

The eternal rivalry between Sporting Clube de Portugal and Sport Lisboa e Benfica began on 1 December 1907 when they played at Quinta Nova, in Sete Rios.

Sporting, who dressed in white during its early years, debuted in a kit consisting of a striped green and white shirt and white socks. This is a kit that has been reproduced in celebration of Sporting's centenary. This kit became known as the "Stromp Kit", as homage to the very popular 'Sportinguista' Franciso Stromp: a brilliant footballer who was one of the best Portuguese sportsmen of all time. Sporting won the game against Benfica 2 – 1, with one goal being scored by Cândido Rosa Rodrigues, one of the Catatau brothers and former player of Sport Lisboa. This would become the first goal for the "Lions" in the great rivalry between this two giants of Portuguese sports. The 1907–08 season would see Sporting finish as regional runner-up.

Sporting had what was considered at the time as the best sports grounds in Portugal, in Sítio das Mouras. Located then at 73 Alameda do Lumiar, today known as Alameda das Linhas de Torres, the pitch was located in terrain made available by Visconde de Alvalade at his farm. The pitch was in use as early as May 1906 and was improved later in 1907. The pitch and surrounding sports complex housed a football pitch, athletics track, two tennis courts and a pavilion with showers, baths and a kitchen. A pavilion was, at the time, a luxury.

In 1910, Sporting's eclectic spirit was already apparent, with its tennis teams gaining recognition, and titles won in pole vaulting, shot put and long jump. This was also the year that José Alvalade assumed the presidency of the club, an office he would hold until 1916.

Initial triumphs

File:Joaquim Agostinho Besancon 1980.jpg

Joaquim Agostinho

The direction of the club was now drawn – in victory. Sporting won its first Campeonato de Lisboa, fourth division, in 1912, following this by winning the Honour division in 1915, together with the Honorary Cup, with a 3–1 victory over Benfica in the final. The victory in Campeonato de Lisboa in 1915 was the first in a long series that Sporting would claim, with 19 Championships (6 of them in a row) between 1915 and 1947, when the championship came to an end. 1915 also saw Sporting teams begin to use black shorts to accompany the "Stromp" shirt.

Laranjeira Guerra won the Porto-Lisboa cycling event in 1912, an event made more epic by the state of the roads traversed as well as the equipment used. He became the precursor of brilliant cyclists such as Alfredo Trindade, João Roque, Leonel Miranda, Marco Chagas and the greatest of all, Joaquim Agostinho. Agostinho enjoyed substantial success in the Tour de France, where he finished in the top 10 eight times, twice in 3rd place and once in 2nd place in the Vuelta a España (only 11 seconds behind the winner José Manuel Fuente). All this was achieved during the domination first by Eddy Merckx and then Bernard Hinault. This, together with his many successes in Portugal (three times winner of Volta a Portugal), transformed Agostinho into one of the legends and symbols of Sporting.

In tug-of-war, a sport that was very much in vogue at the time, Sporting achieved unparalleled success and were never defeated in a competition.

1912 brought more success for Sporting's athletes with the highly versatile António Stromp shining in the 100m (reaching the fourth round) and the 200m in the Olympic Games held in Stockholm, which proved fatal to the Portuguese marathon runner Francisco Lázaro. António Stromp was Sporting's first Olympian athlete and he placed Sporting on a path that would make them the most successful Olympic club in the country, both in the number of representatives and the number of medals won. Also in 1912 Sporting won its first in a long series of National Cross Country Championships then the players all took a big dump on the field.

In 1917, Sporting relocated. Steve Vaz allowed for the building of the Stadium de Lisboa in 1914; however a disagreement between the founder and director over the use of the stadium led to those in office seeking another solution. These Sportinguistas leased a nearby pitch at 412 Campo Grande, where a stadium would be constructed by the architect António do Couto which would be the home of Sporting for the following 30 years. This however would not be the end of the stadium's life, as Benfica moved from Amoreiras and were granted use of the stadium by Sporting. This stadium was fondly known as the "office of wood" and was part of the land that now exists in the area south of Estádio José Alvalade.

1920–1940

Sporting squad 1922/23: Henrique Portela, Cipriano Santos, Jorge Vieira; José Leandro, Filipe dos Santos, Joaquim Ferreira; Torres Pereira, Jaime Gonçalves, Francisco Stromp, João Francisco and Carlos Fernandes (left-to-right, top-to-bottom)

Fernando Peyroteo

During the 1920s, Sporting won its first Campeonato de Portugal (1922/23), a competition regarded as the National title although it was contested as a knockout competition. The decisive game was held in Faro on 24 July 1923, with a 3–0 victory against Académica. The Sporting team of the time was: Torres Pereira, Jaime Gonçalves, Francisco Stromp, João Francisco Maia, Carlos Fernandes, José Leandro, Filipe dos Santos, Joaquim Ferreira, Cipriano Santos, Jorge Vieira and Henrique Portela. Joaquim Ferreira scored two goals, with Francisco Stromp (Sporting and Portuguese sport legend, pioneer athlete and one of Sporting's original figures) scoring the other. Francisco Stromp would leave football the following year (1924).

The swimming, water polo and rugby sections were also founded during this period. It was the historic leader and career athlete Salazar Carreira who with the help of Sporting first introduced rugby to Portugal.

In 1928, Sporting first appeared in its famous shirts with horizontal white and green strips, a change caused, largely, by the rugby team. The change occurred while the football team were on a tour in Brazil, the first for a Portuguese team. The rugby kits were cooler and in better condition than those used by the football team (half white and half green shirt with black socks). The horizontal stripes used by the rugby team was a design of Salazar Carreira and was inspired by his time with the French club Racing de Paris, although Racing de Paris used red and white. Upon returning from Brazil, the football team did return the kits to the rugby team. However, in October 1928 when the football team were playing against Benfica, they emerged in the second half of the game wearing the shirts of the rugby team. Sporting won the game and so their new, distinctive kit was born.

Sporting squad 1938/39: Joseph Szabo (coach), João Azevedo, Rui Araújo, Aníbal Paciência, Joaquim Serrano, Jurado, Manecas; Adolfo Mourão, Manuel Soeiro, Fernando Peyroteo, Pedro Pireza and João Cruz (left-to-right, top-to-bottom)

The series of victories in the Campeonato de Portugal (Portuguese Championship) continued into the thirties with Sporting claiming titles in 1933–34, 1935–36, and 1937–38. During this decade, Sporting also claimed success in the sports of tennis, cycling, rugby (regional level), shooting, rink hockey (victory in the National Championship in 1937–38 – the first season of the competition), ice-skating, gymnastics and fencing.

Alfredo Trindade, already with several titles in different cycling disciplines, won the Volta a Portugal in 1933, the first individual and collective victory for Sporting in the most important event of the Portuguese cycling calendar. Trindade became a famous figure not only for his personal successes but also for his intense rivalry, although tempered with respect and friendship, with the Benfica cyclist José Maria Nicolau. Their epic duels even then, without the presence of the media dynamic that exists today, excited Portugal. José Albuquerque, known as Faísca, won the Volta a Portugal in 1940.

The legendary centre-forward Fernando Peyroteo, who debuted for Sporting in 1937, emerged as the leading scorer of the Portuguese Championship with 34 goals. He would be a central figure in the golden years still to come.

Golden years

File:Equipa que venceu UEFA Cup Winners' Cup em 1964.png

Sporting squad 1963/64: Jorge Granja, Fernando Mendes, Alexandre Baptista, José Pérides, Pedro Gomes, Manuel Marques (masseur), José Carlos, Osvaldo Silva, Mascarenhas, Ernesto Figueiredo, Geo, João Morais
(left-to-right, top-to-bottom)

The '40s and '50s were fabulous years for Sporting. They won 10 out of 18 National Football Championships during these decades, with 4 out of 13 Portuguese cups also on the club's roll of honour. From the 1946–47 season to the 1953–54 season, Sporting won seven of the eight championships contested, losing only in the 1949–50 season. This was the age of the famous Cinco Violinos ("Five Violins") that became famous on both the national and international levels, alongside with head coaches like Joseph Szabo, Robert Kelly, Randolph Galloway, Cândido de Oliveira, Armando Ferrira, Enrique Fernández and others. The name "Cinco Violinos" was given by the journalist and trainer Tavares da Silva to refer to the forward line of Jesus Correia, Manuel Vasques, Fernando Peyroteo, José Travassos, and Albano. These men were said to play as an orchestra together with the same collective spirit and efficiency on the field. During these years, Sporting scored 123 goals (almost five per game) in a championship played by 14 teams, 2 less than nowadays. This is certainly a record that will be hard to beat. For example, the striker Peyroteo finished all 12 seasons he played in the Sporting squad with more goals scored than games played.

As well as numerous National Championships and Portuguese Cups, Sporting team also claimed victories in the sporting initiative known as Taça O Século (The Century Cup). This competition came to an abrupt end after the Lions won the first two trophies as well as the Taça Império (Imperial Cup).

Sporting's success was recognised when, although not national champions in 1949–50, the club was invited to participate in the first edition of the Cup of the Clubs of the European Champions, now known as UEFA Champions League. Sporting's first European game was against FK Partizan (3–3), in a match held at the Estádio Nacional with João Martins scoring their first goal in European competition and the first European Champions Clubs' Cup goal ever scored.

Sporting's tetra-championship, the first in Portuguese football, began in the 1950–51 season with players: Mário Wilson, Juca, Jesus Correia, Manuel Passos, Juvenal, Manuel Vasques, Galileu, Veríssimo, José Travassos, Martins, Tormenta, Carlos Gomes, Leandro, Manuel Caldeira, Armando Barros, Carlos Canário, César Nascimento, Anacleto, Manuel Marques, Pacheco Nobre, Mateus, and Pacheco. The head coach was Briton Randolph Galloway, with Fernando Vaz as his assistant.

In 1955, José Travassos became the first Portuguese footballer to be selected for the European XI. He played in Belfast against the team of Great Britain, in a performance highly praised by the international media, becoming known thereafter as "Zé da Europa" ("Zé of Europe").

By this time, the famous Sporting academy had already carved its place in history, winning the first National Junior Championship, held in 1938–39, a competition last held in 1960. Sporting would repeat this feat in 1945–46, 1947–48, and 1955–56.

In athletics, Sporting began the journey that would see it become the unrivalled champion of Portuguese athletics, winning 12 championships between 1940/1960 with cross country claiming ten victories during this period.

In 1941, Gaspar Esteves claimed the Volta a Portugal; however, the number of national track and road titles reach well beyond this.

In 1945, Sporting founded the first swimming school in Portugal, the país dos marinheiros (country of sailors), where people,however, where poor swimmers. Sporting was already the most pioneering club in the field of nautical sports, however, claiming victories in water polo in the 1920s.

In 1941, Sporting won its first of what would become many titles in handball, with a victory in the Regional Championships of the variant of the game using 11 players (that existed at the time and was played on football fields). The series of 18 national victories that Sporting claims began in 1951–52: a Collection of championships that is unrivaled.

In the fifties, aside from the major titles won by Sporting, victories where also claimed in billiards, fencing, shooting, table tennis (31 championships won up until present day), badminton and motor racing. Sporting also claimed its two first national championships in volleyball (1953–54 and 1955–56) and its first national basketball championship in 1956. Sporting would go on to win seven titles in basketball until the sport was no longer played at competitive level by the club. In volleyball, which is also no longer played by the club, Sporting claimed four more titles up until 1993–94.

Stadium José Alvalade (1956–2003)

On 10 June 1956, Sporting inaugurated the Estádio José Alvalade. The 61,000 capacity stadium, which was planned by architect Anselmo Fernandez, a former sportsman of Sporting who gave his services for free. The dynamic ability and capacity of the club to undertake such a project was an affirmation of the sacrifices of the associates, but for years to come the construction should enforce some financial frugality on the club. Sporting had initially returned to its origins by returning to the Estádio do Lumiar in 1937, which had been rented out, in very good condition, until its renovation in 1947. This stadium had been the home of the infamous recitals of the "Cinco Violinos"; however the stadium was quickly becoming inadequate as Sporting approached its first half-century of life, and the necessity of constructing a new stadium was becoming apparent. This necessity was complimented with the construction of a new stadium, based largely on the site of the old stadium. The stadium was baptised with the name of the founder that had always occupied himself with the quality of the facilities of Sporting: José Alvalade. This name had in fact already been adopted before the construction of the new stadium, with the renovation of the Estádio do Lumiar in 1947, and is still used in the current stadium. The member holding membership number 1 of Sporting at the time of the inauguration of the new grandiose stadium was José Maria Gavazzo: one of the founders of the club and one of the original young holidaymakers in Belas in 1902.

Later, in 1983, under the supervision of the president João Rocha, the ambition of many Sportinguista's was realised with the "closing" of the stadium for the construction of a new seated terrace, that replaced the old standing terrace on the stadium's precinct.

On 6 June 1960, Sporting was declared an institute of public utility.

Manuel Faria, a long distance runner of great prestige, predecessor of Manuel de Oliveira, Carlos Lopes, Fernando Mamede and of the Castro brothers, won the famous race of São Silvestre de São Paulo in 1957 and 1958 which was, until then, the best achievement in Sporting athletics history, along with the 4th place of Álvaro Dias in the long jump at the European Athletics Championships.

European glory

Luís Figo, FIFA Ballon d'Or winner and one of the greatest athletes of Sporting

Héctor "Chirola" Yazalde

During the sixties, Sporting reached the pinnacle of their European success by winning the Cup Winners Cup in 1963/64 in a campaign which ended in a 2 games final against MTK. Along the way, they managed a spectacular 5–0 win over Manchester United, after a 4–1 defeat in Old Trafford and a 16-1 goal-fest against APOEL Nicosia, which is still the record for most goals scored in a European match. A team initially led by the Brazilian coach Gentil Cardoso, who was succeeded by the architect of the club's stadium, Anselmo Fernandez and with players such as Carvalho, Pedro Gomes, Lino, Alexandre Baptista, José Carlos, Hilário, "the great captain" Fernando Mendes, Geo, Pérides, Osvaldo Silva, Figueiredo, Mascarenhas - who scored six goals in a single European match, which is still record - and Morais: scorer of the infamous goal directly from a corner (known as "o cantinho de Morais") in Antwerp that would decide the Cup Winners' Cup.

The 1998–99 season saw the end of the Cup Winners's Cup, subsequently revamped as the UEFA Cup, leaving Sporting as the only Portuguese club to win this historic title.

Between 1960 and 1999, Sporting's football team would win a further seven National Championships including the 1981–82 championship, and seven more Portuguese Cups, including the 1994–95 Cup, a victory that would mark the return to the top of the national podium after a prolonged absence. The youth team squads also enjoyed success, winning six championships, with the juvenile teams also winning eight titles. Sporting's children would also win three National Cups: an extinct cup during the nineties.

In 1974, with 46 goals, Hector Yazalde, Sporting striker, was Europe's most prolific striker, and so the golden shoe was awarded to him. In 2002, Mário Jardel became the second Sporting player to win this European title of distinction.

In rink hockey, Sporting enjoyed a wave of success between 1965 and 1990: winning a European Champions Cup, which placed them as one of the best teams in the world at the time, three Cup Winner’s Cups and one CERS Cup. This well known team, managed by Torcato Ferreira, the head coach, had players like António Ramalhete, Vítor Chana, Júlio Rendeiro, João Sobrinho and António Livramento, which, together, formed the most brilliant Sporting roller hockey team.

Rui Silva (left)

Naide Gomes

Sporting athletics team continued to enjoy success and were a constant source of pride for Sporting, with Carlos Lopes winning three cross country World Championships and a one gold and one silver medal at Olympic level. Sporting runners also guided the country to a victory in the marathon in the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984. The trophies won by these athletes formed a precursor to the other Olympic, World and European titles that Sporting can today boast. Fernando Mamede became the world record holder for the 10,000 metres, which was a record that stood for five years and an amazing 15 years as the European record. Sporting has won, to this date, 14 European Champions Cups and 46 national titles in cross country, 43 national titles across all male events combined and 37 female national titles on the track.

Francis Obikwelu

In 2000, Sporting’s athletics team successed in the European Champions Clubs Cup on the track, making Portugal the only team to defeat Russia, who remains to this day as one of the athletics powers of the world. This glorious victory was further consolidated as Portugal finished third in three other events. These victories where further evidence of Sporting’s ability to maintain its Olympic athletes at the highest level, confirming its place of excellent as one of Europe’s premier athletics clubs. Athletes such as Carlos Lopes, the Castro brothers, Fernando Mamede, all of whom are international medal and record winners, Rui Silva, Naide Gomes, Francis Obikwelu (Europe’s fastest man nowadays, and silver medal in Athens 2004), Yuri Bilonog and Ionela Târlea are all athletes of Sporting's centenary generation that expresses and interprets Sporting’s drive for success on all fronts.

In handball, another sport with a special place at the heart of Sporting, Sporting’s teams spurred to an amazing penta-championship between 1968–69 and 1972–73, a record still unbeaten in Portugal.

João Roque, Leonel Miranda, Joaquim Agostinho and Marco Chagas, among others, all shone in cycling in Portuguese as well as foreign events, with Agostinho achieving an impressive third place in the Tour de France, second place in the Tour of Spain and three victories in the Tour of Portugal – dying on 10 May 1984 in a crash caused by a dog while he was racing in his yellow jacket in the Algarve on behalf of Sporting. His name is forever immortalised, as one of the turns of the epic climb of Alpe D'Huez in the Tour de France is now named after this famous Portuguese cyclist and "Sportinguista".

Sporting’s table tennis teams also recorded an insurmountable series of victories, winning 11 consecutive titles between 1984–85 and 1994–95. The teams have won 31 titles since the competition was established in the 1940s.

In billiards, Sporting’s representatives, such as Jorge Theriaga, also shone on the European levels in both individual and team events.

New cycle

Stadium José Alvalade (2003–)

In 1996, Sporting began a new lease of life, with José Roquette and others leading Sporting into a period of modernisation. Miguel Galvão Teles, António Dias da Cunha and Ernesto Ferreira da Silva played their part in approving new statutes and laid the foundations for a business group and Society of Soccer Sports, which was admitted into the Portuguese Stock Exchange in 1998. New measures were also adopted to encourage transparency in the business relationships of the Club, as well as in tax and social security matters. This ambitious process of modernisation took place long before Portuguese candidature to host Euro 2004 was organised.

The reshaping of Sporting during this period became known as the "Projecto Roquette" ("Roquette's Project"), a program of dynamic modernisation of the club on three fronts: sports, through the rationalisation and optimisation of resources; finances, providing the club with multi-functional profitable elements; and finally the modernisation of the club's organisation, combining dedication and professionalism in a way that dealt with the present without mortgaging the future of the club.

Also in 1998, Sporting began the design and construction of a new generation stadium. The stadium was inaugurated on 6 August 2003.

Alvalade XXI

In addition to the new stadium, the new Alvalade XXI complex was also built, which further strengthened the club's multifunctionality. The area around the stadium was revitalised with the building of the Visconde de Alvalade building, which houses the club's business interests; a new shopping centre called Alvaláxia also opened, and operates as a cultural and entertainment centre; Clínica CUF, a medical clinic; a health club; a day-centre, made possible by the expression of solidarity of the "Leões de Portugal" ("Lions of Portugal") organization; and the "Mundo Sporting" ("Sporting's World") club museum.

In 2000, Sporting won the Primeira Liga title for the first time in 18 years. The final game of the season saw a sweeping 4–0 victory against Salgueiros, sparking a nationwide party by all Sportinguistas. A Portuguese Cup and a Portuguese SuperCup reinforced Sporting's resurgence, which also took them to the final of the UEFA Cup Final. The atmosphere at Estádio José Alvalade was electric as Sporting hosted the final at its own ground, though they lost the game 3–1 to CSKA Moscow.

Throughout its long history, Sporting has enjoyed much European football success, reaching two European finals and two European semi-finals, once in the Cup Winners Cup in 1974 and the other in the UEFA Cup in 1991, in both cases losing to the eventual winner of the competition. In 2012, Sporting reached their fifth European semi-final in its history, winning the first leg at home 2–1 against Athletic Bilbao of Spain in the UEFA Europa League. Sporting, however, lost the away leg by a score of 3–1.

Sporting also achieved success in other sports including athletics and handball. Sporting also holds most titles in futsal, a relatively new discipline, in which Sporting has enjoyed national, as well as international success.

It was Sporting's founding fathers that created the drive to make Sporting as one of Europe's greatest sports clubs. The work of all "Sportinguistas" has been characterised over the past 100 years by endless dedication, passion and ambition.

Name

Within Portugal, Sporting Clube de Portugal is often referred to simply as "Sporting". Outside Portugal, it is often known as "Sporting Lisbon". The club has attempted to shed this name, particularly through ex-president Sousa Cintra and his staff, in an effort to become known abroad by its correct name. Despite this, some non-Portuguese media still uses Sporting Lisbon due to precedent and to avoid confusion with other clubs such as Sporting Clube de Braga, Sporting Clube da Covilhã, Sporting Clube Farense, Sporting Clube Olhanense and Sporting de Gijón, instead of using a more accurate name like Sporting Portugal. UEFA has historically used the designation Sporting CP in English-language scorelines and match reports on its own site, but as of January 2010 uses the club's full Portuguese name.

Team colors

Kit evolution

1902–1906

1908

1915

Head 1928

Honour 1928

Jerseys

Sporting's home jersey 2006-07

The badges

Since its formation, on 1 July 1906, Sporting has had six badges, all of which have included the colour green and the lion.

Organization

Sporting is a multi-sport club comprising different departments including football, futsal, athletics and handball. The football department is the largest in terms of budget and popularity. The club's other sports departments are managed by specialized professionals and have their own decision-making bodies.

Football

Football is the most popular sport in Portugal and the Primeira Liga is the most important sports championship, where the top teams earn a place in the most demanding and profitable European football competitions, the UEFA Champions League and the Europa League. The club's football team has won 18 national championship titles, 15 national cups and the former Cup Winners' Cup in 1964. Sporting has failed to win a championship in 12 years, finishing in second position for 4 consecutive seasons.

Sporting has been a major contender in the Primeira Liga since its inception. The club's football department has developed an increasingly professionalized profile which operates in an increasingly competitive environment in both Portugal and Europe. In 1998, the football department of the club was reorganized into a company and issued stock on the market. Since then, Sporting – Sociedade Desportiva de Futebol, S.A.D., is a publicly traded company which is listed on the Euronext Lisbon stock exchange.

Facilities

Stadium

Derby de Lisboa's kick-off

Main article: Estádio José Alvalade

Sporting boasts a new stadium, Estádio José Alvalade, built for the UEFA Euro 2004 championship. The stadium was designed by Tomás Taveira and was classified by UEFA as a five-star stadium, enabling it to host finals of major UEFA events. This stadium, originally projected to hold only 40,000 spectators at any given time, has a capacity of 50,095 and was acoustically engineered as a venue for major concerts. Its official opening was on 6 August 2003 when Sporting played and beat Manchester United 3–1. It also hosted the 2005 UEFA Cup Final between Sporting and CSKA Moscow, which CSKA won 3–1.

The stadium was also one of the stadiums that hosted matches during Euro 2004. There were five games played in Estádio José Alvalade, one of them being the semi-final which Portugal won 2–1 against the Netherlands.

Museum

There is a museum within José Alvalade stadium.

Academia Sporting/Puma

Main article: Sporting C.P. Youth and Academy

Players picked for Portuguese national team

Generally known as a hot-bed for talented young footballers, Sporting is the only club in the world that has developed two FIFA World Players (with three first places) through its academy. Luís Figo, who received the award in 2001, started training in the academy at age 13. Cristiano Ronaldo, the winner in 2008 and 2013, began at age 12. Paulo Futre, another academy graduate, finished runner up for the European Footballer of the Year (Ballon d'Or) in 1987. In 1991 Emílio Peixe known at the time as one of the hottest prospects in Sporting's youth ranks was awarded the Golden Ball for his performances during Portugal's FIFA Under-20 World Cup campaign. Sporting is also the club that has provided the most players: eight players in 1966; four in 1986; seven in 2002; two in 2006; three in 2010 to the Portuguese national squad in FIFA World Cups; two in 2012 (where 10 from the 23 players selected were a product of Sporting's Academy).

Club records

See Sporting Clube de Portugal records and statistics.

Honours

Domestic competitions

• Primeira Liga: 18

• 1940–41, 1943–44, 1946–47, 1947–48, 1948–49, 1950–51, 1951–52, 1952–53, 1953–54, 1957–58, 1961–62, 1965–66, 1969–70, 1973–74, 1979–80, 1981–82, 1999–2000, 2001–02

• Portuguese Cup: 15

• 1940–41, 1944–45, 1945–46, 1947–48, 1953–54, 1962–63, 1970–71, 1972–73, 1973–74, 1977–78, 1981–82, 1994–95, 2001-02, 2006–07, 2007–08

• Double "Dobradinha" (unofficial): 6

• 1940–41, 1947–48, 1953–54, 1973–74, 1981–82, 2001–02

• Portuguese SuperCup: 7

• 1982, 1987, 1995, 2000, 2001, 2007, 2008

• Championship of Portugal: 4 (shared record)

• 1922–23, 1933–34, 1935–36, 1937–38

• Lisbon Championship: 18 (record)

• 1914-1915, 1918-1919, 1921-1922, 1922-1923, 1924-1925, 1927-1928, 1930-1931, 1933-1934, 1934-1935, 1935-1936, 1936-1937, 1937-1938, 1938-1939, 1939-1940, 1940-1941, 1941-1942, 1942-1943, 1944-1945, 1946-1947

• Lisbon Honour Cup: 13

• 1914-1915, 1915-1916, 1916-1917, 1947-1948, 1961-1962, 1963-1964, 1965-1966, 1970-1971, 1984-1985, 1990-1991, 1991-1992, 2013-2014, 2014-2015

International competitions

• European Cup Winners' Cup: 1

• 1963–64

• Intertoto Cup: 1

• 1968

• UEFA Cup

• Runners-up 2004–05

Current squad

As of 19 August 2014. Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
1	GK	POR	Rui Patrício (Captain)
2	DF	EGY	Ramy Rabia
3	DF	BRA	Maurício
4	DF	BRA	Jefferson
7	MF	EGY	Shikabala
8	MF	POR	André Martins
9	FW	ALG	Islam Slimani
10	FW	COL	Fredy Montero
11	MF	ESP	Diego Capel
13	DF	POR	Miguel Lopes
14	MF	POR	William Carvalho
17	MF	POR	João Mário
18	FW	PER	André Carrillo
19	FW	JPN	Junya Tanaka

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
20	FW	CPV	Héldon Ramos
22	GK	BRA	Marcelo Boeck
23	MF	POR	Adrien Silva
24	MF	ESP	Oriol Rosell
25	FW	FRA	Hadi Sacko
26	DF	POR	Paulo Oliveira
27	MF	SCO	Ryan Gauld
29	DF	FRA	Naby Sarr
32	MF	BUL	Simeon Slavchev
33	DF	ARG	Jonathan Silva
36	FW	POR	Carlos Mané
41	DF	POR	Cédric Soares
47	DF	POR	Ricardo Esgaio
77	MF	POR	Nani (on loan from Manchester United)

B team & youth players with first team experience Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
38	FW	ROU	Cristian Ponde
43	MF	POR	Filipe Chaby
45	FW	POR	Iuri Medeiros
56	FW	POR	Daniel Podence

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
69	GK	POR	Luís Ribeiro
71	DF	CMR	Fabrice Fokobo
81	DF	POR	André Geraldes

See also Sporting Clube de Portugal B and Sporting C.P. Youth and Academy.

Out on loan

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

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
—	MF	GNB	Zézinho (at AEL Limassol)
—	FW	CHI	Diego Rubio (at Sandnes Ulf)
—	FW	POR	Wilson Eduardo (at Dinamo Zagreb)

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
—	FW	POR	Betinho (at Brentford)
—	FW	ARG	Valentín Viola (at Karabükspor)

Award winners

(Whilst playing for Sporting CP)

European Golden Boot

• Héctor Yazalde (46 goals)  – 1974 (Portuguese record)
• Mário Jardel (42 goals)  – 2002

African Footballer of the Year

• Emmanuel Amuneke – 1994

Bulgarian Footballer of the Year

• Krasimir Balakov - 1995
• Ivaylo Yordanov - 1998

DZFoot d'Or

• Islam Slimani - 2013

UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship Golden Player

• Luís Figo – 1994

FIFA U-20 World Cup Golden Ball

• Emílio Peixe – 1991 Portugal

Silver Ball

• Dani - 1995 Qatar

• Bruma - 2013 Turkey

Bronze Ball

• Paulo Torres - 1991 Portugal

UEFA European Under-17 Championship Golden Player Award

• Miguel Veloso - 2003 Portugal

Portuguese Golden Ball

• Luís Figo – 1994

CNID Footballer of the Year or Portuguese Footballer of the Year

• Rui Jordão – 1980
• Luís Figo – 1995

LPFP Primeira Liga Breakthrough Player of the Year

• Miguel Veloso - 2006–07
• William Carvalho - 2013–14

LPFP Primeira Liga Goalkeeper of the Year

• Rui Patrício - 2011–12

Segunda Liga Breakthrough Player of the Year

• Bruma - 2012–13

FIFA World Cup All-Star Team

• Krasimir Balakov - 1994 United States
• Ricardo - 2006 Germany
• Marcos Rojo - 2014 Brazil

FIFA 100

• Luís Figo
• Peter Schmeichel
• Frank Rijkaard

The 100 Greatest Players of the 20th Century

• Paulo Futre
• Peter Schmeichel
• Frank Rijkaard

Player of the Year

The Player of the Year award is named after former player Francisco Stromp, and was instituted from 1992. The list below is a list of winners of the award.

Year Winner 1992 Krasimir Balakov 1993 Stan Valckx 1994 Luís Figo 1995 Oceano 1996 Ricardo Sá Pinto 1997 Marco Aurélio 1998 Ivaylo Yordanov 1999 Delfim Teixeira

Year Winner 2000 Alberto Acosta 2001 Beto 2002 João Pinto 2003 Pedro Barbosa 2004 Rui Jorge 2005 João Moutinho 2006 Ricardo 2007 / Liédson

Year Winner 2008 Tonel 2009 / Liédson 2010 Daniel Carriço 2011 Rui Patrício 2012 Rui Patrício 2013 Adrien Silva 2014 William Carvalho 2015 Nani

Former coaches

For details on former coaches, see List of Sporting Clube de Portugal managers.

Clubs officials

As of 24 October 2012.

Directive Board

• President: Bruno de Carvalho
• Vice-Presidents: Artur Torres Pereira, Carlos Vieira, Vicente Moura, Vítor Silva Ferreira, António Rebelo
• Vowel: Bruno Mascarenhas Garcia, Luís Roque, Rui Caeiro, Alexandre Henriques, José Quintela
• Substitutes: Rita Matos, Luís Gestas, Jorge Sanches, Luís Loureiro

General Assembly

• President: Jaime Marta Soares
• Vice-President: Rui Solheiro
• Secretaries: Miguel de Castro, Luís Pereira, Tiago Abade
• Substitutes: Diogo Orvalho, Manuel Mendes, Rui Fernandes

Fiscal and Disciplinary Council

• President: Jorge Bacelar Gouveia
• Vice-President: Nuno Marques
• Vowels: Óscar Figueiredo, Vicente Caldeira Pires, Vítor do Vale, Miguel Fernandes, Jorge Gaspar
• Substitutes: João Peixoto da Silva, Nuno dos Santos, Ricardo Cabral

Sporting – Sociedade Desportiva de Futebol, S.A.D.

Directive Board

• President: Bruno de Carvalho
• Administrators: -

Fiscal Council

• President: -
• Vowels: -

General Assembly

• President: -
• Vice-President: -
• Secretary: -

Others

• Chartered Accountants Society: KPMG & Associados, SROC, S.A.
• Society Secretaries: Patrícia Silva Lopes, Hugo Serra de Moura (Substitute)
• Shareholders' Committee: José Filipe de Mello, Castro Guedes

Coaching and Medical Staff

First team staff

• Manager: Marco Silva
• Assistant managers: João Pedro Sousa
• Strength & conditioning coach: Gonçalo José Assentis Pedro
• Goalkeeping coach: Nélson Pereira
• Match Observer Scout: Miguel Moita
• Kitman: Paulinho (Paulo Gama)
• Director of Football: Augusto Inácio
• Director of communication: José Quintela
• PR director: -

Sporting Clube de Portugal B

• Manager: João de Deus
• Assistant manager: Francisco Barão
• Strength & conditioning coach: Carlos Bruno
• Goalkeeping coach: Tiago Ferreira
• Match Observer Scout: Carlos Martin

Academy coaching staff

• Director of youth football: Virgílio Lopes
• Co-Director of youth football: Aurélio Pereira
• Academy director:
• Director of scouting: Paulo Cardoso
• Under 19s director: Mário Lino
• Under 19s head coach: Luis Boa Morte
• Under 19s assistant coach: -
• Under 19s goalkeeping coach: -
• Under 17s director: Jorge Cardoso
• Under 17s head coach: Luís Pedrosa
• Under 17s assistant coaches: Rui Tomé, Hernâni Costa
• Under 17s goalkeeping coach: Ricardo Leite
• Under 16s delegate: Atanásio
• Under 16s head coach: Nuno Lourenço
• Under 15s director: Alberto Fernandes
• Under 15s head coach: Telmo Costa
• Under 15s assistant coach: João Vargas
• Under 15s goalkeeping coach: Nuno Almeida
• Under 14s directors: Luís Corado, José Costa
• Under 14s head coach: Tiago Fernandes
• Under 14s assistant coach: Marco Santos
• Under 13s head coach: Hugo Cruz
• Under 12s head coach: Bruno Freitas
• Under 12s assistant coach: André Lourenço
• Under 11s head coach: João Plantier
• Under 11s assistant coach: Mauro de Almeida
• Under 10s head coach: Filipe Pereira
• Under 9s head coach: Pedro Pontes
• Under 9s goalkeeping coach: João Garcia

Medical staff

• Club doctor: Dr. Frederico Varandas
• Assistant club doctors: Dr. Virgílio Abreu
• Physiotherapist:Gonçalo Álvaro
• Nurse: Carlos Mota
• Masseur: Sérgio Candeias, Hugo Fontes

Others

Conselho Leonino

• Elected members: João Mesquita Trindade, Jorge Gabriel, José Estorninho, Manuel Domingues, Maria Eduarda Proença de Carvalho, Nuno Ferreira, José de Castro, Artur Faria Mota, José Junqueiro, António Ganhão, Graça Maria Teixeira, Rui Barreiro, Joaquim Manuel Vicente, Eduardo Júlio, Fernando de Carvalho, Jorge Manuel Cego, Mário Saldanha, João Serrano, João Carlos Marques, Jorge Sanches, Nuno Roque, Mário Duarte Batista, João Pereira, Mário Henrique Simões, António Feu, António Assunção, Paulo Alexandre de Almeida, Pedro Antunes, Nuno Lopes, Artur Jorge Nogueira, Eugénio de Oliveira, Fernando Sacavém, Rui Miguel de Almeida, José Gomes, Jorge Filipe da Silva, Carlos Seixas, José D’Almeida, Luís Manuel Lobato, Paulo da Fonseca, Vítor Espadinha, Jaime Manuel Dias, Carlos Lopes, Luís Branco, Eduardo Valada Ananias, Ernesto Pereira, Vítor Galamba, Luís Tiago Lobato, Jorge Cristóvão, Francisco Manuel Baetas, Fernando Santos
• Substitutes: Miguel Varela, Luís Pedro Cabaça, Jorge Gurita, Gonçalo Vicente, Américo Ferreira Fernandes, Maurício Gomes, João Cabral, Vítor Jorge Cavalheiro, Álvaro Ferreira, Armando Henriques de Almeida
• Inherent members: -

Grupo Stromp

• President: Paulo Abreu
• Vowels: Vítor Salgado, José Carlos Estorninho

Os Cinquentenários

• President: Carlos de Araújo Sequeira
• Vice-Presidents: Mário Casquilo, Maria de Lourdes Borges de Castro
• Others: Carlos Canário, Isabel Batalha Ribeiro

Leões de Portugal

• President: António Menezes Rodrigues
• Vice-Presidents: Maria Helena Dias Ferreira, Maria da Graça Nunes de Carvalho, Maria Isabel Monteiro Nobre
• Vowels: António Aguiar de Matos, Eduardo Amaro Júlio
• Treasurer: José Monteiro de Castro
• Substitute: Jorge Galrão Jorge, Mário Simões, Ana Rita Ferreira

Other sports

Sporting fields teams and supports athletes in many events other than football, among them athletics (members include world-class athlete Carlos Lopes, Olympic Marathon Gold Medal in Los Angeles 84, Rui Silva, Naide Gomes and Francis Obikwelu), swimming, handball, table tennis, beach soccer, and futsal. Sporting's athletics department and the futsal and handball team are especially notable.

Sporting Clube de Portugal's active sports departments besides the football department include:

Archery

• Various types, adding up, amounts to more than 50 national titles and 2 European titles

Athletics

Main article: Sporting CP (athletics)

• There are various titles in this sport but in the major ones, Sporting has almost 300 national titles and more than 30 European titles (1 time European champion)

Beach Soccer

Main article: Sporting CP (beach soccer)

• 1 Circuito Nacional de Futebol de Praia title.

Billiards

Main article: Sporting CP (billiards)

• 36 individual national titles
• 15 doubles national titles
• 2 individual Cups of Portugal
• 4 doubles Cups of Portugal

+ 100 titles in various types of billiards (Feminine, etc.)

Boxing

• Sporting has more than 100 national titles at various weights.

Chess

• 14 national titles and more than 20 in other variances of chess.

Full Contact Kickboxing

• 14 national titles
• 1 Intercontinental Championship
• 3 European Champion
• 1 World Champion

Futsal

Main article: Sporting (futsal)

• 11 League titles
• 4 Cups of Portugal
• 4 Portuguese Super Cups

Gymnastics

• Sporting has more than 150 national titles, in the various types of gymnastics and 11 European titles.

Handball

Main article: Sporting Clube de Portugal (handball)

• 1 European EHF Challenge Cup
• 19 times National Champions: 2 Elite Division titles and 17 League titles
• 15 Cups of Portugal
• 2 Portuguese Super Cups

Shooting

• 18 individual titles
• 12 team titles

+ 50 other variances titles

Superleague Formula

Main article: Sporting Clube de Portugal (Superleague Formula team)

Sporting CP has a team in the Superleague Formula race car series where football teams lend their name to cars. The team made its debut in the 2009 season with driver Pedro Petiz. The team is operated by former Formula One team Zakspeed. Sporting has 3 podiums: 2 by Pedro Petiz, and 1 by Andy Soucek.

Swimming

• There are various competitions, in general Sporting has more than 150 national titles and 3 European titles

Table tennis

Main article: Sporting CP (table tennis)

• 50+ League titles (11 in a row record)
• 3 Portuguese/Spanish vs American Competition
• 3 times Bronze Medal in European Championships

Taekwondo

• In taekwondo, Sporting has performed almost like Boxing but adding up, Sporting has more than 50 national titles.

Weight-lifting

• 16 national titles

Presidents

Main article: List of Sporting Clube de Portugal presidents

Supporters

As one of the most popular teams in Portugal, Sporting Clube de Portugal is one of the Portuguese clubs with the most "house clubs" (i.e. houses that represent the club in a particular region in Portugal or outside the country). Sporting has more than 200 official houses and more than 100,000 club members. The Club has a fan Base in Alentejo, Algarve, Aveiro, Azores, Coimbra, Guarda, Leiria, Lisbon, Madeira, Ribatejo, Trás-os-Montes, Setúbal and Viseu regions.

Organised fan groups:

• Juventude Leonina – The biggest and oldest supporters group in Portugal founded by the sons of a former Sporting president in 1976, having more than 3,000 members.
• Directivo Ultras XXI – Formed by a former leader of Juve Leo over an internal problem that has since been resolved. One of the biggest supporters group in Portugal with almost 2,000 members.
• Torcida Verde – Second oldest supporters group of Sporting, formed in 1984, Torcida Verde is very well known because of their demonstrations against alleged corruption in Portuguese football and by supporting the less visible sports of Sporting.

External links

• Official website Template:Pt icon Template:En icon