Vitória S.C.

Not to be confused with Vitória F.C., from Setúbal.

Vitória Sport Clube, commonly known as Vitória de Guimarães, is a Portuguese professional football club based in Guimarães that competes in the Primeira Liga, the top-flight of football in Portugal.

Vitória de Guimarães

Full name	Vitória Sport Clube
Nickname(s)	Os Vimaranenses (The ones from Guimarães) Os Conquistadores (The Conquerors)
Founded	22 September 1922 (22 September 1922)
Ground	Estádio D. Afonso Henriques
Capacity	30,146
Owner	V Sports (Nassef Sawiris & Wes Edens) (46%)
Chairman	António Miguel Cardoso
Manager	Moreno
League	Primeira Liga
2021–22	Primeira Liga, 6th of 18
Website	Club website
Home colours Away colours Third colours

Vitória de Guimarães have finished third in the Primeira Liga on four occasions, most recently in 2007–08. They have won one Taça de Portugal (2013) and one Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira (1988), while also being runners-up of the former on six occasions.

The club have competed regularly in European competitions, where their best finish was the quarter-finals of the 1986–87 UEFA Cup.

History

Vitória was formed in 1922. Its name seems to be a tribute to Vitória de Setúbal, which at the time was a top contender for the Campeonato de Portugal, though these days Guimarães supporters downplay the connection. After seasons of toiling in the Braga FA leagues, the Vimaranenses were first promoted to the Primeira Liga in 1941, and two seasons later battled the Sadinos from Setúbal for the first time in the League. Surprise package Guimarães, against all odds, reached their first Taça de Portugal final in their debut season, but lost to Belenenses 2–0.

Vitória's furthest progress in a European tournament was in the 1986–87 UEFA Cup, in which they were defeated 5–2 on aggregate in the quarter-finals by West German club Borussia Mönchengladbach.

In the early 2000s, Vitória struggled in some years to retain its status in the top Portuguese division, then named the Superliga. Those years were marked by the decline of the leadership of Pimenta Machado, former club president, who was accused on charges of embezzlement. In February 2008 he was sentenced to four years and three months of prison on a suspended sentence, though a year later he was cleared of this charge and instead ordered to pay a €4,000 fine for falsifying a document.

Despite this, in 2004–05, the club secured a fifth-place finish in the league and qualified for European competition via the UEFA Cup. The next season (2005–06), however, they were relegated to the Segunda Liga (where they last played in 1958) after finishing 17th in the Superliga, despite reaching the Taça de Portugal semi-final, having beaten Benfica in the quarter-finals. The club also failed to progress from their UEFA Cup group, as eventual winners Sevilla, Premier League outfit Bolton Wanderers and Russian team Zenit Saint Petersburg progressed.

Vitória bounced back immediately to the top-flight as runners-up to Leixões S.C. under the management of Manuel Cajuda. A joint-best third-place finish in 2007–08, guaranteeing them a place in the third qualifying round of the 2008–09 UEFA Champions League, their first such campaign. There they fell to Swiss side FC Basel 2–1 on aggregate, with a potential away goal winner by Roberto Calmon Félix being ruled out late on for offside. Vitória dropped into the 2008–09 UEFA Cup first round as a result of their elimination, and lost 4–2 on aggregate after extra time to England's Portsmouth.

Led by Rui Vitória in 2012–13, Vitória found themselves in financial problems, which caused them to lose many experienced players and bet on young players. However, they would go on to win their first Taça de Portugal title after previously losing five finals. Vitória beat rivals Braga en route to the final, where they recovered from 1–0 down against Benfica to win 2–1.

In 2017, Vitória made the cup final again, losing 2–1 to double winners S.L. Benfica. That September, the team left their mark in UEFA competitions, being the first team to start a game without a European player on the field. In 2020–21, the club went through four managers – Tiago, João Henriques, Bino and Moreno – before finishing seventh, missing Europe by one place.

In February 2023, Vitória announced an agreement to sell 46% of the club's shares in a deal worth €5m to football club holding company V Sports, led by billionaires Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens: owners of Premier League club Aston Villa. V Sports would additionally offer a credit line of up to €20m, and invest an additional €2m into sporting infrastructure. The agreement was approved at a vote of Vitória's members on 4 March 2023: approximately 88% voted in favour of the deal. The deal will be formalised on 14 April.

Stadium

They play in the Estádio D. Afonso Henriques, which has a capacity of just over 30,000.

The Estádio D. Afonso Henriques seen from the outside

The Estádio D. Alfonso Henriques (2018)

After Os Três Grandes, Vitória is the club which attracts most supporters to the stadium, with average attendances of 20,000 per game. Vitória usually has a higher average than all the other clubs, even when the club played in the Second Division/League.

Honours

Taça de Portugal

• Winners: 2012–13
• Runners-up (6): 1941–42, 1962–63, 1975–76, 1987–88, 2010–11, 2016–17

Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira

• Winners: 1988
• Runners-up: 2011, 2013, 2017

League and Cup history

Updated: May 2021. The club's 76 seasons (as in 2021) in the top level of Portuguese football make them the club with the joint-fourth longest time there, after Benfica, Porto, and Sporting CP (all with 87); and Belenenses with 77.

Season	League	Pos.	Pl.	W	D	L	GS	GA	P	Cup	League Cup	Supercup	Champions League	Europa League	Cup Winner's Cup	Notes
1941–42	1D	11	22	6	1	15	43	76	13	Runner–up	not held	not held	not held	not held	not held
1942–43	1D	8	18	6	2	10	48	76	14	Round 5	not held	not held	not held	not held	not held
1943–44	1D	8	18	2	3	13	25	68	7	Semi-final	not held	not held	not held	not held	not held
1944–45	1D	8	18	4	3	11	32	57	11	Round 6	not held	not held	not held	not held	not held
1945–46	1D	8	22	8	2	12	39	52	18	Quarter-final	not held	not held	not held	not held	not held
1946–47	1D	8	26	8	8	10	54	54	24	not held	not held	not held	not held	not held	not held
1947–48	1D	7	26	10	4	12	44	56	24	Round 5	not held	not held	not held	not held	not held
1948–49	1D	6	26	11	4	11	47	50	26	Round 6	not held	not held	not held	not held	not held
1949–50	1D	11	26	7	7	12	45	59	21	not held	not held	not held	not held	not held	not held
1950–51	1D	13	26	6	6	14	40	57	18	Quarter-final	not held	not held	not held	not held	not held
1951–52	1D	10	26	9	3	14	28	47	21	Round 6	not held	not held	not held	not held	not held
1952–53	1D	8	26	7	6	13	28	54	20	Quarter-final	not held	not held	not held	not held	not held
1953–54	1D	8	26	10	5	11	44	64	25	Quarter-final	not held	not held	not held	not held	not held
1954–55	1D	14	26	5	7	14	33	49	17	Round 5	not held	not held	not held	not held	not held	Relegated
1955–56	2D	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-		not held	not held			not held
1956–57	2D	3	-	-	-	-	-	-	-		not held	not held			not held
1957–58	2D	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-		not held	not held			not held	Promoted
1958–59	1D	5	26	13	3	10	59	55	29	Round 6	not held	not held			not held
1959–60	1D	7	26	8	7	11	47	43	23	Quarter-final	not held	not held			not held
1960–61	1D	4	26	14	2	10	48	44	30	Round 6	not held	not held
1961–62	1D	9	26	9	4	13	44	47	22	Semi-final	not held	not held
1962–63	1D	6	26	12	3	11	47	43	27	Runner–up	not held	not held
1963–64	1D	4	26	16	2	8	62	42	34	Round 6	not held	not held
1964–65	1D	7	26	12	5	9	44	36	29	Round 6	not held	not held
1965–66	1D	4	26	14	5	7	58	47	33	Round 5	not held	not held
1966–67	1D	6	26	11	4	11	35	40	26	Round 5	not held	not held
1967–68	1D	6	26	12	3	11	31	34	27	Quarter-final	not held	not held
1968–69	1D	3	26	13	10	3	46	17	36	Quarter-final	not held	not held
1969–70	1D	5	26	12	4	10	38	36	28	Quarter-final	not held	not held		Round 2
1970–71	1D	12	26	4	11	11	15	27	19	Round 5	not held	not held		Round 2
1971–72	1D	6	30	11	8	11	49	47	30	Round 5	not held	not held
1972–73	1D	6	30	11	11	8	38	38	33	Round 6	not held	not held
1973–74	1D	6	30	10	11	9	36	34	31	Round 5	not held	not held
1974–75	1D	5	30	16	6	8	64	36	38	Round 6	not held	not held
1975–76	1D	6	30	13	10	7	49	32	36	Runner–up	not held	not held
1976–77	1D	9	30	10	6	14	39	38	26	Round 6	not held	not held
1977–78	1D	6	30	12	7	11	33	28	31	Round 5	not held	not held
1978–79	1D	6	30	12	7	11	44	38	31	Round 6	not held
1979–80	1D	6	30	11	10	9	42	38	32	Round 5	not held
1980–81	1D	5	30	11	9	10	38	30	31	Round 5	not held
1981–82	1D	4	30	13	12	5	42	22	38	Round 5	not held
1982–83	1D	4	30	11	10	9	35	24	32	Round 5	not held
1983–84	1D	6	30	14	3	13	41	41	31	Semi-final	not held			Round 1
1984–85	1D	9	30	9	7	14	33	39	25	Round 6	not held
1985–86	1D	4	30	16	8	6	51	29	40	Round 6	not held
1986–87	1D	3	30	14	13	3	45	22	41	Quarter-final	not held			Quarter-final
1987–88	1D	14	38	11	11	16	48	50	33	Runner–up	not held			Round 3
1988–89	1D	9	38	14	10	14	39	33	38	Round 5	not held	Winner			Round 1
1989–90	1D	4	34	17	11	6	46	28	45	Semi-final	not held
1990–91	1D	9	38	12	10	16	31	40	34	Round 6	not held			Round 1
1991–92	1D	5	34	14	13	7	46	35	41	Round 5	not held
1992–93	1D	11	34	14	3	17	41	53	31	Semi-final	not held			Round 2
1993–94	1D	7	34	11	11	12	30	31	33	Round 5	not held
1994–95	1D	4	34	16	10	8	54	43	42	Round 5	not held
1995–96	1D	5	34	19	5	10	55	39	62	Quarter-final	not held			Round 2
1996–97	1D	5	34	15	8	11	51	46	53	Round 5	not held			Round 2
1997–98	1D	3	34	17	8	9	42	25	59	Round 5	not held			Round 1
1998–99	1D	7	34	14	8	12	53	41	50	Round 5	not held			Round 1
1999–00	1D	7	34	14	6	14	48	43	48	Quarter-final	not held				not held
2000–01	1D	15	34	9	9	16	41	49	36	Round 5	not held				not held
2001–02	1D	9	34	11	9	14	35	41	42	Round 5	not held				not held
2002–03	1D	4	34	14	8	12	47	46	50	Round 5	not held				not held
2003–04	1D	14	34	9	10	15	31	40	37	Round 5	not held				not held
2004–05	1D	5	34	15	9	10	38	29	54	Round 5	not held				not held
2005–06	1D	17	34	8	10	16	28	41	34	Semi-final	not held			Group Stage	not held	Relegated
2006–07	2D	2	30	16	7	7	44	20	55	Round 5	not held				not held	Promoted
2007–08	1D	3	30	15	8	7	35	31	53	Round 5	Round 3				not held
2008–09	1D	8	30	10	8	12	32	36	38	Quarter-final	Semi-final		Third Qualifying Round	Round 1	not held
2009–10	1D	6	30	11	8	11	31	34	41	Round 5	Round 3				not held
2010–11	1D	5	30	12	7	11	36	36	43	Runner–up	Round 3				not held
2011–12	1D	6	30	14	3	13	40	40	45	Round 4	Round 3	Runner–up		Play-off Round	not held
2012–13	1D	9	30	11	7	12	36	47	40	Winner	Round 3				not held
2013–14	1D	10	30	10	5	15	30	35	35	Round 3	Round 2	Runner–up		Group Stage	not held
2014–15	1D	5	34	15	10	9	50	35	55	Round 4	Group Stage				not held
2015–16	1D	10	34	9	13	12	45	53	40	Round 3	Round 2			3Q	not held
2016–17	1D	4	34	18	8	8	50	39	62	Runner–up	Group Stage				not held
2017–18	1D	9	34	13	4	17	45	56	43	Round 5	Group Stage	Runner–up		Group Stage	not held
2018–19	1D	5	34	15	7	12	46	34	52	Quarter-final	Round 2				not held
2019–20	1D	7	34	13	11	10	53	38	50	Round 3	Semi-final			Group Stage	not held
2020–21	1D	7	34	12	7	15	37	44	43	Round 4	Quarter-final				not held

Players

Current squad

As of 31 January 2023

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

No. Pos. Nation Player 2 DF POR Miguel Maga 3 DF VEN Mikel Villanueva 5 DF POR Hélder Sá 7 MF POR Rúben Lameiras 8 MF POR Tomás Händel 9 FW BRA Safira 10 MF POR Tiago Silva 11 FW POR Jota Silva 13 DF POR André Amaro 14 GK POR Bruno Varela 17 FW BRA André Silva 20 FW ANG Nelson da Luz 21 MF POR André André 22 MF ITA Ibrahima Bamba 23 MF BRA Índio

No. Pos. Nation Player 25 DF JPN Ryoya Ogawa (on loan from FC Tokyo) 28 MF POR Zé Carlos (on loan from Varzim) 33 FW BRA Anderson Silva 44 DF POR Jorge Fernandes 47 FW FRA Jason Bahamboula 63 GK POR Celton Biai 64 MF POR Gonçalo Nogueira 72 DF POR Afonso Freitas 76 DF ANG Bruno Gaspar 80 MF POR Dani Silva 83 DF FRA Mamadou Tounkara 90 MF IRL Mikey Johnston (on loan from Celtic) 98 MF FRA Nicolas Janvier — MF POR Manu Silva

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 CZE Matouš Trmal (at Marítimo until 30 June 2023) — DF CRO Toni Borevković (at Hajduk Split until 30 June 2023) — DF MLI Falaye Sacko (at Montpellier until 30 June 2023)

No. Pos. Nation Player — DF ENG Easah Suliman (at Nacional until 30 June 2023) — FW POR Herculano Nabian (at Empoli until 30 June 2023)

Club staff

Position	Staff
President	António Miguel Cardoso
Technical Director	Carlos Campos
Sporting Director	Rogério Matias
Director of Football	Flávio Meireles
Manager	Moreno
Assistant Manager	Nuno Santos
First-Team Coach	João Aroso
Goalkeeper Coach	Douglas Jesus
Head of Scouting	Carlos Lima
Physiotherapist	Pedro Figueiredo Frederico Neto
Team Manager	Rui Carvalho

Basketball

Main article: Vitória S.C. (basketball)

Vitória S.C. men's basketball team plays in the LPB.

Volleyball

Main article: Vitória S.C. (volleyball)

Vitória Sport Clube has a volleyball team which plays in the Portuguese Volleyball League A1.

External links

• Official website
• Guimaraes info at zerozero.pt