Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas (Portuguese pronunciation: [bɔtaˈfoɡu dʒi futʃiˈbɔw i ʁeˈɡatɐs]; Botafogo Football and Rowing) is a Brazilian sports club based in the neighborhood of Botafogo, in the city of Rio de Janeiro. Although they compete in a number of different sports, Botafogo is mostly known for its association football team. It plays in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, the top tier of the Brazilian football league system, and in the state of Rio de Janeiro's premier state league. In 2000, Botafogo finished 12th in a vote by subscribers of FIFA Magazine for the FIFA Club of the Century.[2][3] They have won the Brazilian championship two times, in 1968 and 1995.
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| Full name | Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Fogo (Fire) Estrela Solitária (The Lone Star) O Glorioso (The Glorious One) Alvinegro Carioca (Rio's Black and White) O Mais Tradicional (The Most Traditional) | |||
| Founded | 12 August 1904, as a football club | |||
| Ground | Estádio Olímpico Nilton Santos | |||
| Capacity | 46,831[1] | |||
| SAF Owner | John Textor (90%) | |||
| President | Durcesio Mello | |||
| Head coach | Artur Jorge | |||
| League | Campeonato Brasileiro Série A Campeonato Carioca | |||
| 2023 2023 | Série A, 5th of 20 Carioca, 5th of 12 | |||
| Website | https://www.botafogo.com.br/ | |||
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In addition, the club has some of Brazilian football's most notable records, like most unbeaten matches: 52 games between 1977 and 1978; the most unbeaten matches in the Brazilian Championship: 42, also between 1977 and 1978; and the most players assigned to the Brazil national team for World Cup. The club holds the record for the greatest victory ever recorded in Brazilian football: 24–0 against Sport Club Mangueira in 1909.
History
editFormation and merger
editOn 1 July 1894, Club de Regatas Botafogo was founded in Rio de Janeiro.[4]
On 12 August 1904, another club was founded in the neighborhood: the Electro Club, the name first given to the Botafogo Football Club. The idea came during an algebra lesson at Alfredo Gomes College.[citation needed] The Electro Club was founded, but its name did not 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 colors were black and white like those of Juventus FC, the team of Itamar Tavares, one of the club's founders. Its badge was drawn by Basílio Vianna Jr., in Swiss style with the BFC monogram. The Botafogo Football Club would soon become one of the strongest football teams in Rio de Janeiro, winning the championships of 1907, 1910, 1912 and more.[5]
With the same name, the same location, the same colours and most importantly the same supporters, it seemed inevitable that the clubs would merge. They did so on 8 December 1942, after a basketball match between both clubs, when Botafogo Football Club player Armando Albano died suddenly, that the idea of a merger began. On this tragic occasion, the president of Club de Regatas Botafogo, Augusto Frederico Schmidt, spoke: "At this time, I declare to Albano that his last match ended with the victory of his team. We won't play 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 for our clubs to become one?." Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas finally came into being. The Football Club's badge became black, and the monogram substituted by Clube de Regatas' lone star.[6]
On the field
editThe team won the Campeonato Carioca in 1907, 1910 and 1912. In 1909 the team beat Mangueira 24–0, which remains the highest score in Brazilian football.[7] They won further state titles in 1930, 1932, 1933, 1934 and 1935.[8]
In the 1940s, after the creation of Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas, the team's best player was Heleno de Freitas. However, Heleno did not win a championship for Botafogo. He scored 204 goals in 233 matches, but went to the Boca Juniors in 1948, the year Botafogo won its 9th state championship.
They won the Campeonato Carioca in 1957, 1961 and 1962, and in 1968 they won Serie A, becoming the first carioca club to win the Brazilian league.[9]
1989 ended a period of 21 years without a title when the club won the state championship, retaining the trophy in 1990.[9]
In the 1990s, Botafogo won Copa Conmebol (the precursor of the current Copa Sudamericana).[10] And in 1995 they won the Brazilian League for the second time in club's history, after drawing 1–1 the second leg of the Final against Santos FC at São Paulo.
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 the Rio de Janeiro State Championship for the 18th time, and again in 2010 and 2013 with the iconic players Loco Abreu and Clarence Seedorf, respectively.
In the 2020 edition of the Série A, Botafogo performed poorly and ended the championship in the last position, causing the club's relegation to the Série B for their third time in history.[11]
Nowadays, Botafogo is the only club to have won titles in three different centuries, including the state championship for rowing in 1899.
The SAF Era
editAt the beginning of 2020, Botafogo underwent a series of internal audits to spin off its football division as a for-profit corporate entity, owned by the club, but which could be portioned and sold to investors. This was due to unprecedented legislation allowing for football clubs to be operated as corporations, and would be a solution to the severe financial crisis the club had faced for decades. Relegation to the Série B, however, delayed these plans.
The year 2021 saw Botafogo's debt reach one billion real. They placed 6th in the Rio de Janeiro State Championship, after a penalty decision lost to the also relegated Vasco da Gama. The club was off to a middling start to the Série B season, but bounced back after the hiring of manager Enderson Moreira, who was able to bring Botafogo back to the top tier of Brazilian football, as champions of the 2021 edition of Série B. It was Botafogo's second Série B title.
Meanwhile, the incoming administration had begun internal restructuring, hiring executive Jorge Braga for the brand-new post of CEO and downsizing its workforce considerably. Botafogo entered into a partnership with the investment firm XP Inc. to seek out potential buyers for its football division, which was in the process of becoming its own corporate entity. Congress had recently passed the Sociedade Anônima de Futebol (SAF) law, allowing foreigners to purchase shares in Brazilian football clubs for the first time in history.
Having averted complete financial disaster by returning to Série A, the country's top competitive tier, Botafogo finalized its transition into the SAF legal structure. The social club remained as an entity, owning 100% of Botafogo SAF's shares. In January 2022, it came to light that American investor John Textor, owner of a majority stake in Premier League club Crystal Palace F.C., was in talks to purchase a majority share of Botafogo. In February 2022, the club announced the acquisition of 90% of the shares of Botafogo's football division by Textor's holding company Eagle Holdings, and the start of a new era for the club.
Textor's first major move in charge of the club was the dismissal of Enderson Moreira in favor of Portuguese manager Luís Castro. Castro signed with Botafogo in March 2022, and the team had to hurry to build their squad for the 2022 Campeonato Brasileiro.[12] Botafogo finished that year's league edition in 11th place, guaranteeing a spot in the 2023 Copa Sudamericana.
At the 2023 Campeonato Brasileiro, Botafogo, then thought of as a team that at most would fight for a spot in the top 6,[13][14] shocked everyone by coming in first place after only 3 rounds,leading the league by 13 points after 19 matches and on course to have the greatest first half of a season in Brazilian football history. In June 2023, coach Luís Castro accepted an offer from Al Nassr (Saudi Pro League),[15] paving the way for the arrival of Portuguese manager Bruno Lage.[16] However, due to poor results and controversies,[17] Lage was dismissed after almost 3 months.[18] For the remainder of the 2023 season, with the coaching position vacant, Botafogo's SAF leadership decided to promote two fan favorites to key positions in the team's management: former coach of Botafogo's U-23 team, Lúcio Flávio, was appointed interim coach, with former Argentine defender Joel Carli as his assistant.
Constant change of managers caused Botafogo to have the biggest title collapse in football history as the team only won 2 of their last 17 fixtures, not only losing the title to Palmeiras but dropping to 5th in the table and losing the automatic qualification spot for the Copa Libertadores. A Round of 16 exit in the Copa do Brasil, a Quarter-final exit in the Copa Sudamericana and a disappointing Campeonato Carioca, made the year one of the most painful seasons in the club's history.[19]
The total debt owned by the club has been reduced and now sits at around 730 million reais.[20]
Stadium
editThe team's home ground is the Estádio Olímpico Nilton Santos, named in honor of Nilton Santos, a former club player and two time world champion with the Brazil National Football Team, regarded as one of the greatest left-backs of all time.[21] The stadium is commonly called Engenhão by fans, in reference to the neighbourhood of Engenho de Dentro, where it is located. The stadium was built for the 2007 Pan American Games and it also hosted the 2016 Summer Olympics.[22]
Other stadiums used by the club during its history are:
- Voluntários da Pátria Street Field, the club's first pitch at their neighborhood of origin.
- Estádio General Severiano, the club's first own stadium.
- Marechal Hermes Stadium, for less important matches during 1978–1986.
- Estádio Caio Martins, at the neighboring city of Niterói.
- Estádio Luso Brasileiro, during the 2005 and 2016 seasons.
Rivals
editThis section needs additional citations for verification. (November 2017) |
Its biggest rivals are the other most important Rio clubs: Fluminense, Flamengo, and Vasco da Gama.
The derby with Fluminense is known as the "Clássico Vovô" (Grandfather Derby) for it being the oldest derby in the whole of Brazilian football. Both teams faced each other for the first time in 1905.
The matches with Vasco are known as the "Clássico da Amizade" (Friendship Derby) because the supporters of both clubs have been friends historically. It is the only derby in the city that tends to be nonviolent.
The derby against Flamengo, "The Rivalry Derby", is the biggest one for the club, and one of the most important and violent in Brazil. The clubs strongly dislike each other and the rivalry goes from the players on the pitch, to the fans, to both clubs' boardrooms. Players who participate in these matches usually become club idols. Some examples include: Garrincha, Manga, Jairzinho, Túlio Maravilha, and more recently Loco Abreu and Jefferson. Manga is known for a remarkable quote about this derby when he used to say that the player's prize money was already guaranteed because it was easy to beat Flamengo. Flamengo's biggest star Zico once said that at his childhood, Botafogo was the club he hated more because of the Glorioso's dominance in the derby.
From outside the city, the club also has a historic rivalry with Santos FC since the 1960s.
Symbols
editThis section needs additional citations for verification. (November 2017) |
Lone Star
editThe Lone Star (Estrela Solitária) is currently present in Botafogo's flag and crest. This star was the principal symbol of Club de Regatas Botafogo. After the two Botafogos merged, the Lone Star became one of the most important symbols of Botafogo's football team. It was originally meant to represent the planet Venus, also known as the Morning Star, which was often seen at sunrise by the rowing squad as they practiced very early in the morning.
Flag
editWhen merged with Club de Regatas Botafogo, in 1943, the flag of the football club was adopted in new Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas.
The old flag of Club de Regatas Botafogo was white with a small black square which contained the Lone Star. The Football Club had a flag with nine black and white stripes with the club's crest localized in the center. Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas then based its flag on that of the two old clubs. The flag has five black and four white stripes, with a black square at the upper left side with the Lone Star.
Uniform
editTheir 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
editBotafogo's mascot is Manequinho, an urinating boy originating from a replica of Brussels' Manneken Pis statue that stands near Botafogo's headquarters, which on occasion had a Botafogo jersey put onto by supporters of the team.[23] In 1948 a stray dog named Biriba, known for urinating on the players, was the mascot that led them to the Campeonato Carioca.[24] The first mascot was Donald Duck, who cartoonist Lorenzo Mollas drew in the early 1940s wearing Botafogo's jersey, but was never officially adopted due to rights issues.[25]
Honours
editThe club has some of Brazilian football's top records, including most unbeaten matches: 52 games between 1977 and 1978,[26] most unbeaten games in the Brazilian Championship: 42, also between 1977 and 1978,[27] most player participations in total matches of the Brazil national team (considering official and unofficial games): 1,094 participations,[28] and the most players assigned to the Brazil national team for the World Cup.[29]
| Continental | ||
|---|---|---|
| Competitions | Titles | Seasons |
| Copa CONMEBOL | 1 | 1993 |
| National | ||
| Competitions | Titles | Seasons |
| Campeonato Brasileiro Série A | 2 | 1968, 1995 |
| Campeonato Brasileiro Série B | 2s | 2015, 2021 |
| Inter-state | ||
| Competitions | Titles | Seasons |
| Torneio Rio–São Paulo[30] | 4 | 1962, 1964, 1966, 1998 |
| State | ||
| Competitions | Titles | Seasons |
| Campeonato Carioca | 21 | 1907, 1910, 1912, 1930, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1948, 1957, 1961, 1962, 1967, 1968, 1989, 1990, 1997, 2006, 2010, 2013, 2018 |
- record
- s shared record
Other tournaments
edit- Taça dos Campeões Estaduais Rio–São Paulo: (2) 1930, 1961
- Taça Guanabara: (8) 1967, 1968, 1997, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2015
- Taça Rio: (9) 1989, 1997, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2023, 2024
- Other Campeonato Carioca rounds: (2) 1975, 1976
- Campeonato da Capital do Rio de Janeiro Copa Rio stage: (1) 1995
- Torneio Municipal: (2) 1951, 1996
- Torneio Extra: (1) 1958
- Torneio Início: (8) 1916, 1924 (AMEA), 1925, 1940, 1941, 1943, 1954, 1956, 1965
- Taça Eficiência: (8) 1944, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1967, 1968, 1971, 1975
- Taça Disciplina: (3) 1955, 1975, 1982
Friendly tournaments
edit- Copa Peregrino: (1) 2008
- Teresa Herrera Trophy: (1) 1996
- Tournoi de Paris: (1) 1963
- Triangular de Caracas: (3) 1967, 1968, 1970
- Torneio Ibero-Americano: (1) 1964
- Troféu Ciudad de Palma de Mallorca: (1) 1988
Players
editCurrent squad
edit- As of 4 September 2024[31]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Botafogo B and Youth Academy
editNote: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Out on loan
editNote: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Club staff
edit- As of 21 October 2023[32]
| Position | Staff |
|---|---|
| Head Coach | |
| Assistant Head Coach | |
| Fitness Coach | |
| First-Team Goalkeeper Coach | |
| Analysis and observation |
Records
edit| World Best Players | |||||||||||||
| # | Name | Year | |||||||||||
| 1. | 1958 | ||||||||||||
| 2. | 1962 | ||||||||||||
| World Cup Champions | |||||||||||||
| # | Name | Year | |||||||||||
| 1. | 1958, 1962 | ||||||||||||
| 2. | 1958, 1962 | ||||||||||||
| 3. | 1958, 1962 | ||||||||||||
| 4. | 1962 | ||||||||||||
| 5. | 1962 | ||||||||||||
| 6. | 1970 | ||||||||||||
| 7. | 1970 | ||||||||||||
| 8. | 1970 | ||||||||||||
| Most appearances | |||||||||||||
| # | Name | Matches | Goals | Year | |||||||||
| 1. | 723 | 11 | 1948–64 | ||||||||||
| 2. | 612 | 243 | 1953–65 | ||||||||||
| 3. | 459 | * | 2003–2005 and 2009–2018 | ||||||||||
| 4. | 453 | 6 | 1967–76 | ||||||||||
| 5. | 444 | 306 | 1954–64 | ||||||||||
| 6. | 442 | * | 1959–68 | ||||||||||
| 7. | 442 | 15 | 1967–76 | ||||||||||
| 8. | 422 | 115 | 1940–54 | ||||||||||
| 9. | 413 | 186 | 1962–74, 1981 | ||||||||||
| 10. | 412 | * | 1993–02 | ||||||||||
| 11. | 387 | 4 | 1970–79 | ||||||||||
| 12. | 384 | 12 | 1946–57 | ||||||||||
| 13. | 371 | 2 | 1945–56 | ||||||||||
| 14. | 354 | 13 | 1987–90, 1994–96 | ||||||||||
| 15. | 352 | 154 | 1962–73 | ||||||||||
| 16. | 347 | 27 | 1955–62 | ||||||||||
| 17. | 340 | 116 | 1975–82 | ||||||||||
| * goalkeeper. | |||||||||||||
| Most goals | |||||||||||||
| # | Name | Goals | Matches | G/M | |||||||||
| 1. | 306 | 444 | 0,68 | ||||||||||
| 2. | 261 | 303 | 0,86 | ||||||||||
| 3. | 243 | 612 | 0,39 | ||||||||||
| 4. | 209 | 235 | 0,88 | ||||||||||
| 5. | 190 | 201 | 0,94 | ||||||||||
| 6. | 186 | 413 | 0,45 | ||||||||||
| 7. | 171 | 200 | 0,85 | ||||||||||
| 8. | 159 | 223 | 0,71 | ||||||||||
| 9. | 154 | 352 | 0,43 | ||||||||||
| 10. | 144 | 176 | 0,81 | ||||||||||
| 11. | 136 | 231 | 0,58 | ||||||||||
| 12. | 135 | 206 | 0,65 | ||||||||||
| 13. | 127 | 301 | 0,42 | ||||||||||
| 14. | 116 | 340 | 0,34 | ||||||||||
| 15. | 115 | 422 | 0,27 | ||||||||||
| 16. | 114 | 313 | 0,36 | ||||||||||
| 17. | 110 | 174 | 0,63 | ||||||||||
| 18. | 105 | 158 | 0,66 | ||||||||||
| 19. | 102 | 242 | 0,42 | ||||||||||
| 20. | 96 | 248 | 0,39 | ||||||||||
- Note: numbers do not count matches played in Torneio Início.
- Source: RSSSF Brasil – Botafogo
Managers
editCarvalho Leite (1941–42), (1942–43)
Ondino Viera (1947)
Ramón Díaz (5 November 2020 – 27 November 2020)
Luís Castro (25 March 2022 – 30 June 2023)
Notes
editOther sports
editBasketball
editReferences
edit- ^ "Informações Técnicas do Estádio Nilton Santos – Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas". Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 29 January 2017.
- ^ "The FIFA Club of the Century" (PDF). FIFA. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 April 2007. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
- ^ "FIFA World Player 2000 award information". FIFA.com. 6 December 2000. Archived from the original on 19 December 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
- ^ "History". Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas. Archived from the original on 19 November 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2013.
- ^ "De como o Eletro Club tornou-se Botafogo". Gazeta Esportiva. Archived from the original on 16 August 2004. Retrieved 7 October 2007.
- ^ "História – A união dos dois clubes fez nascer um dos times de maior tradição no Brasil". Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas official website. Archived from the original on 6 August 2007. Retrieved 7 October 2007.
- ^ "Maior goleada da história do futebol brasileiro completa um século". GloboEsporte.com. 25 May 2009. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
- ^ "Botafogo: Fogão flames burn eternal". Clubs. FIFA. Archived from the original on 26 March 2013. Retrieved 28 February 2013.
- ^ a b "Botafogo FR: Trophies". Soccerway. Perform. Archived from the original on 17 May 2014. Retrieved 16 May 2014.
- ^ Rsssf.com Archived 1 February 2010 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Botafogo 0 x 1 Sport – Campeonato Brasileiro rodada 34 – Tempo Real – Globo Esporte".
- ^ "Botafogo anuncia contratação do técnico Luís Castro". 25 March 2022.
- ^ "Campeão por 1 ponto de vantagem, gigante rebaixado e mais: site parceiro da ESPN prevê classificação final do Brasileiro". ESPN.com (in Portuguese). 15 April 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
- ^ Borges, João Alexandre (13 January 2023). "Retorno à competição internacional, continuação do trabalho de Luís Castro e mais: o que esperar do Botafogo em 2023 | Botafogo". O Dia (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 12 July 2024.
- ^ "Castro leaves Botafogo to coach Ronaldo at Al Nassr". ESPN UK. 29 June 2023.
- ^ "Botafogo acerta contratação do técnico Bruno Lage". GE (in Portuguese). 7 July 2023.
- ^ "Os cinco erros capitais de Bruno Lage no Botafogo". GE (in Portuguese). 4 October 2023.
- ^ "Oficial: Bruno Lage despedido do Botafogo". Record (in Portuguese). 4 October 2023.
- ^ "Veja como fica a comissão técnica do Botafogo após saída de Bruno Lage". GE (in Portuguese). 5 October 2023.
- ^ "As dívidas dos clubes brasileiros de futebol em novo ranking". 21 May 2023.
- ^ "Botafogo FR". Soccerway. Perform. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 30 August 2015.
- ^ gazetaesportiva. "Prefeito permite, e Engenhão "vira" Estádio Nilton Santos". Terra (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 22 October 2023.
- ^ Paixão de torcedor faz surgir o mascote do Botafogo, o Manequinho
- ^ "Maybe Brazil Needs a Pitch Invading Dog". The Guardian. 4 July 2014. Archived from the original on 4 July 2014. Retrieved 4 July 2014.
- ^ "Os mascotes dos clubes Brasileiros". Canelada. 2 August 2010. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
- ^ "Botafogo 1x0 Flamengo – Jogo da invencibilidade (1979)". Rádio Botafogo. 18 July 2011. Archived from the original on 8 March 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
- ^ "Botafogo é recordista de invencibilidade no futebol brasileiro". Fala Glorioso. 17 September 2014. Archived from the original on 11 August 2014. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
- ^ "Jogadores cedidos por clube na história da Seleção Brasileira". RSSSF Brasil. Archived from the original on 1 October 2015. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
- ^ "Copa: Botafogo segue líder entre clubes que mais cederam jogadores à Seleção". GloboEsporte.com. 7 May 2014. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
- ^ "Torneio Rio-São Paulo – List of Champions". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 6 March 2010. Retrieved 16 March 2010.
- ^ "Elenco" [Squad] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Botafogo FR. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
- ^ "Veja como fica a comissão técnica do Botafogo após saída de Bruno Lage". GE (in Portuguese). 5 October 2023.
External links
edit- Official website
- Canal Botafogo
- Vestiario Alvinegro (archived)
- Grupo Mais Botafogo (archived)
- Botafogo page at Globo (archived)
- SouBotafogo. Archived 26 March 2021 at the Wayback Machine.