América Futebol Clube (MG)
América Futebol Clube (also known as América Mineiro or simply América) is a Brazilian club from Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais. Founded in 1912, the club preserves its name and crest since its inception. The original home kit colours are white and green only; the black color was incorporated in the 1970s.[1] The team also played with a red home kit between 1933 and 1942, as a protest to the introduction of professionalism.[2] It hosts its matches at Independência stadium, being the only professional club in Belo Horizonte to have its own stadium.[3] The club has the third largest fan base among the teams from Minas Gerais.[4][5]
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Full name | América Futebol Clube | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Nickname(s) | Coelho (Rabbit) | |||
Founded | April 30, 1912 | |||
Ground | Arena Independência | |||
Capacity | 23,018 | |||
Chairman | Marcos Salum | |||
Head coach | Lisca | |||
League | Campeonato Brasileiro Série B Campeonato Mineiro | |||
2019 2019 | Série B, 5th Mineiro, 3rd | |||
Website | Club website | |||
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América is one of the most traditional and successful teams from Minas Gerais. It has won the state championship 16 times, and finished as runners-up in another 15 occasions. The first 10 victories were in a row, between 1916 and 1925, being the national record of successive accomplishments (together with ABC); the most recent was in 2016. Other major accomplishments were the Brazilian Second Division in 1997 and 2017, South-Minas Cup in 2000, and Brazilian Third Division in 2009.
The club has a long reputation in forming young talents in football.[6] Among others, it has revealed the world-class players Tostão, Éder Aleixo, Yuji Nakazawa, Gilberto Silva, Fred, Danilo and Richarlison. América has won the three most important junior tournaments in Brazil: São Paulo Juniors Cup (1996), Brazilian Championship U-20 (2011) and Belo Horizonte Juniors Cup (2000 and 2014).
History
On 30 April 1912, a group of young men who played football purely for the love of the game decided to turn their team into a football club.[7] In the first meeting, the founders decided that the name of the club would be América Foot-Ball Club,[8] and the colors would be green and white.[7] The first matches were played on the mayor's field.[7] In 1913, América and Minas Gerais Futebol Clube fused, and the club changed its colors to green, white and black.[9] Between 1916 and 1925, the team won ten state championships in a row.[9]
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In 1933, as a protest to the professionalization of Brazilian football, the club changed its colors to red and white.[7] In 1943, the club professionalized its football division, and returned to its previous colors.[7] In 1948, América won its first state championship as a professional club.[9]
In 1997, América won the Série B for the first time,[10] and in 2000, the club won the Copa Sul-Minas first edition, beating Cruzeiro in the final.[11] In 2004, after a poor performance in the Série B, América was relegated to the Campeonato Brasileiro Série C,[12] and in 2007, the club finished in Campeonato Mineiro's last position, and was relegated to the following year's Campeonato Mineiro Second Division.[13] América won the Série C in 2009, beating ASA in the final.[14] The following year, the team was fourth at Série B and returned to the top level of the Brazilian championship after ten years.[15] On 14 June 2013, América signed a cooperation contract with the Tahitian Football Federation to develop under-20 national players.[16]
Symbols
The club's official anthem was composed by Vicente Motta. There are also two other anthems: The unofficial anthem, which was composed by Fernando Brant and Tavinho Moura, and the supporters' anthem, whose lyrics were composed by Márcio Vianna Dias and sung by Fernando Ângelo.[17] América's mascot, was created by the cartoonist Fernando Pierucetti, and is a red-eyed white cartoon rabbit with clearly protruding teeth.[9]
Derbies
América's greatest rivals are Cruzeiro and Atlético Mineiro.[18] The derby between América and Atlético Mineiro is known as O Clássico das Multidões (The Derby of the Masses),[8] and was first played on November 15, 1913, in a friendly game that ended in a 1–1 draw.[19]
Achievements
Professional competitions
- Winner (1): 2009
- Winner (1): 2000
- Winners (16): 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1948, 1957, 1971, 1993, 2001, 2016
- Runners-up (15): 1915, 1930, 1931, 1942, 1949, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1964, 1965, 1973, 1992, 1995, 1999, 2012
- Winner (1): 2005
- Runners-up (3): 1977, 1980, 1984
Youth competitions
- Winner (1): 2011
- Copa São Paulo de Juniores
- Winner (1): 1996
- Winners (2): 2000, 2014
- Runner-up (1): 1995
Current squad
The club will use fixed squad numbers in 2019 Campeonato Brasileiro Série B for the first time.[20]
- As of 21 June 2019[21]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
---|---|---|---|
— | GK | ![]() |
Airton |
— | GK | ![]() |
Léo Lang |
— | GK | ![]() |
Matheus |
— | GK | ![]() |
Jori |
— | GK | ![]() |
Victor Hugo |
— | DF | ![]() |
Anderson |
— | DF | ![]() |
Eduardo Bauermann |
— | DF | ![]() |
João Cubas |
— | DF | ![]() |
Joseph (on loan from São Gonçalo EC) |
— | DF | ![]() |
Lucas Kal (on loan from São Paulo) |
— | DF | ![]() |
Luisão |
— | DF | ![]() |
Messias |
— | DF | ![]() |
Sabino |
— | DF | ![]() |
Diego (on loan from Tombense) |
— | DF | ![]() |
Leandro Silva |
— | DF | ![]() |
Ronaldo |
— | DF | ![]() |
João Paulo |
— | DF | ![]() |
Lucas Luan |
— | DF | ![]() |
Sávio (on loan from Ferroviária) |
— | MF | ![]() |
Alê |
No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
---|---|---|---|
— | MF | ![]() |
Flávio |
— | MF | ![]() |
João Gabriel |
— | MF | ![]() |
Juninho (captain) |
— | MF | ![]() |
Renan Gomes |
— | MF | ![]() |
Rickson (on loan from Botafogo) |
— | MF | ![]() |
Zé Ricardo |
— | MF | ![]() |
Geovane |
— | MF | ![]() |
Matheusinho |
— | MF | ![]() |
Thalys |
— | FW | ![]() |
Ademir |
— | FW | ![]() |
Carlos Alberto |
— | FW | ![]() |
Felipe Augusto |
— | FW | ![]() |
Felipe Azevedo |
— | FW | ![]() |
Léo Passos (on loan from Palmeiras) |
— | FW | ![]() |
Marcelo Toscano |
— | FW | ![]() |
Neto Berola |
— | FW | ![]() |
Pedro |
— | FW | ![]() |
Vitão |
— | FW | ![]() |
Rodolfo (on loan from Capivariano) |
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 |
---|---|---|---|
— | GK | ![]() |
Erick (on loan at Guarani-MG) |
— | GK | ![]() |
João Pedro (on loan at Vila Nova) |
— | DF | ![]() |
Roger Duarte (on loan at Botafogo-SP) |
No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
---|---|---|---|
— | MF | ![]() |
Renato Bruno (on loan at Vila Nova) |
— | FW | ![]() |
Jonatas Belusso (on loan at Juventude) |
Notable players
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Notable managers
Carlos Alberto Silva Flávio Lopes Givanildo Oliveira Paulo Comelli Yustrich
References
- "História Do Uniforme" [Jersey history] (in Portuguese). América Futebol Clube. Retrieved January 8, 2016.
- Miguel Jabur. "América Vermelho (1930-1942)" [Red America (1930-1942)] (in Portuguese). Acervo do América. Retrieved May 18, 2015.
- Miguel Jabur. "A história do Estádio Independência" [The history of Independência stadium] (in Portuguese). Acervo do América. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
- "MG tem torcida de todo o país, e RS é o estado mais fechado a times de fora" [Minas Gerais has supporters from teams from all over the country. Rio Grande do Sul is the state more closed to outsider teams] (in Portuguese). Globoesporte.com. August 30, 2014. Retrieved January 4, 2015.
- "Flamengo e Corinthians lideram levantamento de torcidas no país" [Flamengo and Corinthians lead the ranking of number of supporters] (in Portuguese). UOL. October 4, 2004. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
- Vinícius Las Casas (April 29, 2013). "América se notabiliza na formação de talentos no futebol" [America becomes renowned in forming talents in football] (in Portuguese). Hoje em Dia. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
- "América Mineiro" (in Portuguese). Arquivo de Clubes. Archived from the original on December 23, 2009. Retrieved August 28, 2008.
- "América x Atlético" (in Portuguese). Clássicos do Futebol Brasileiro. Retrieved August 28, 2008.
- Enciclopédia do Futebol Brasileiro Lance Volume 1. Rio de Janeiro: Aretê Editorial S/A. 2001. p. 118. ISBN 85-88651-01-7.
- "Brazil 1997 Championship – Second Level (Série B)" (in Portuguese). RSSSF. February 18, 2000. Archived from the original on October 8, 2007. Retrieved August 28, 2008.
- "Copa Sul-Minas 2000" (in Portuguese). RSSSF. August 25, 2008. Archived from the original on October 11, 2007. Retrieved August 28, 2008.
- "Brazil 2004 Championship – Second Level (Série B)" (in Portuguese). RSSSF. December 5, 2004. Archived from the original on April 12, 2008. Retrieved August 28, 2008.
- "Minas Gerais State Championship 2007" (in Portuguese). RSSSF. May 30, 2007. Archived from the original on December 10, 2007. Retrieved August 28, 2008.
- "América-MG vence o ASA e conquista o título da Série C" (in Portuguese). UOL Esporte. September 19, 2009. Retrieved September 19, 2009.
- "América-MG segura empate, no sufoco, e garante retorno à Série A" [America-MG secure ties with difficulties and returns to the first division] (in Portuguese). UOL. November 27, 2010. Retrieved May 6, 2015.
- "América e Taiti iniciam parceria Três atletas sub-20 devem fazer período de adaptação no clube" [América and Tahiti start partnership. Three athletes are in adaptation period in the club] (in Portuguese). América Futebol Clube. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
- "Hinos do América" (in Portuguese). América Futebol Clube (MG) official website. Archived from the original on March 29, 2008. Retrieved August 28, 2008.
- "De férias, Alex Mineiro pode voltar ao futebol brasileiro" (in Portuguese). Último Segundo iG. December 15, 2006. Archived from the original on May 11, 2008. Retrieved August 28, 2008.
- "América x Atlético – Resultadoa" (in Portuguese). Clássicos do Futebol Brasileiro. Retrieved October 6, 2008.
- "Pela primeira vez, América-MG adota numeração fixa, que estreia na disputa da Série B" (in Portuguese). Globo Esporte. April 26, 2019.
- "Categoria Profissional: Masculino: Atletas" (in Portuguese). América Futebol Clube official site. Retrieved May 13, 2019.
External links
- (in Portuguese) Official website