América Futebol Clube (also known as Coelho or simply América) is a Brazilian football team from the city of Belo Horizonte, capital city of the Brazilian state of 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 | |||
| SAF Owner | América Futebol Clube (MG) (100%) | |||
| President | Alencar da Silveira | |||
| League | Campeonato Brasileiro Série B Campeonato Mineiro | |||
| 2023 2023 | Série A, 20th of 20 (relegated) Mineiro, 2nd of 12 | |||
| 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 16 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 edit
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]
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 Módulo II.[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 edit
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 edit
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]
Honours edit
National edit
- Winner (1): 2009
Regional edit
- Winner (1): 2000
State edit
- Winners (16): 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1948, 1957, 1971, 1993, 2001, 2016
- Runners-up (17): 1915, 1930, 1931, 1942, 1949, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1964, 1965, 1973, 1992, 1995, 1999, 2012, 2021, 2023
- Winner (1): 2005
- Runners-up (3): 1977, 1980, 1984
- Winner (1): 2008
Youth competitions edit
- Winner (1): 2011
- Winner (1): 1996
- Winners (2): 2000, 2014
- Runner-up (1): 1995
Women's edit
- Winners (3): 2016, 2017, 2018
Current squad edit
- As of 19 April 2024[20]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Youth team edit
Note: 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 edit
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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First-team staff edit
| Position | Name | Nationality |
|---|---|---|
| Head coach | Cauan de Almeida |  Brazil
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| Assistant manager | Diogo Giacomini | Brazil
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| Assistant manager | Régis Angeli | Brazil
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| Fitness coach | Jonas Neves | Brazil
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| Fitness coach | Lucas Itaberaba | Brazil
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| Fitness coach | William Matos | Brazil
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| Goalkeeping coach | Marcos Gontijo | Brazil
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| Goalkeeping coach | Silvio Jardim | Brazil
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Notable players edit
Álvaro Santos- Claudinei
- Danilo
- Éder Aleixo
- Esio Vieira
- Euller
- Fred
- Gilberto
- Gilberto Silva
- Richarlison
- Juca Show
- Milagres
- Palhinha
- Satyro Tabuada
- Spencer Coelho
- Toninho Cerezo
- Tostão
- William Morais
Notable managers edit
See also edit
- América Futebol Clube (MG) (women), women's team
References edit
- ^ "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.
- ^ a b c d e "América Mineiro" (in Portuguese). Arquivo de Clubes. Archived from the original on December 23, 2009. Retrieved August 28, 2008.
- ^ a b "América x Atlético" (in Portuguese). Clássicos do Futebol Brasileiro. Retrieved August 28, 2008.
- ^ a b c d 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.
- ^ "Elenco masculino" [Men's team] (in Brazilian Portuguese). América FC. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
External links edit
- (in Portuguese) Official website (in Brazilian Portuguese)