São Caetano Futebol facts for kids
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| Full name | São Caetano Futebol | ||
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| Nickname(s) | Azulão (Big Blue One) | ||
| Founded | 4 December 1989 | ||
| Stadium | Estádio Anacleto Campanella | ||
| Capacity | 16,745 | ||
| President | Jorge Machado | ||
| Head coach | Carlinhos Alves | ||
| League | Campeonato Paulista Série A3 | ||
| 2023 | Paulista Série A2, 15th of 16 (relegated) | ||
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São Caetano Futebol, often just called São Caetano, is a professional football club from São Caetano do Sul, a city in São Paulo, Brazil. The team was started on December 4, 1989. They are nicknamed Azulão, which means "Big Blue One," because of their blue uniforms.
The team plays its home games at the Estádio Anacleto Campanella. Their biggest rival is another local team, Santo André.
São Caetano is famous for its amazing performance in the early 2000s. They were the runner-up in Brazil's top league, the Série A, two years in a row. They also surprised everyone by reaching the final of the Copa Libertadores, South America's biggest club tournament, in 2002. Their only major trophy is the 2004 Campeonato Paulista, the championship for the state of São Paulo.
In November 2023, the club changed its name from Associação Desportiva São Caetano to São Caetano Futebol.
Contents
History
São Caetano was a new club, but it quickly became successful. After starting in 1989, the team won promotions through the lower divisions of São Paulo's state leagues. By 1998, they were the runner-up in the Série C, Brazil's third national division. This earned them a spot in the Série B, the second division.
Rise to the Top (2000–2002)
The year 2000 was a big one for São Caetano. The national championship, called the Copa João Havelange, had a special format. Teams from different divisions could compete for the final prize. São Caetano, a team from the second division, made it all the way to the final.
They beat famous clubs like Fluminense, Palmeiras, and Grêmio. In the final, they faced Vasco da Gama. During the second game, a fence at the stadium collapsed, and the match had to be stopped. A third match was played, which Vasco won. Even though they lost, São Caetano's amazing journey made them famous across Brazil.
The next year, in 2001, they proved it wasn't a fluke. In their first full season in the top division, they again reached the final but finished as runner-up to Atlético Paranaense.
The Copa Libertadores Adventure
In 2002, São Caetano played in the 2002 Copa Libertadores. This is the most important club competition in South America. As a small club, nobody expected them to do well. But they played brilliantly.
They won their group and then beat U. Católica of Chile and Peñarol of Uruguay, a five-time champion. In the semi-finals, they defeated Club América of Mexico. São Caetano had reached the final!
They faced Club Olimpia from Paraguay. São Caetano won the first game 1-0. In the second game, Olimpia won 2-1, so the champion had to be decided by a penalty shootout. Sadly, São Caetano lost the shootout. It was another runner-up finish, but their journey was seen as a fairytale story in football.
A State Title and a Sudden Decline
In 2004, São Caetano finally won a major trophy. They became the champions of the Campeonato Paulista, the São Paulo state league.
However, a tragic event happened later that year. On October 27, 2004, during a match against São Paulo, São Caetano's defender Serginho collapsed on the field from a fatal heart attack. It was later found that the club knew he had a heart condition. Because of this, the club was given a heavy penalty and lost 24 points in the league.
This event marked the beginning of a difficult time for the club. In 2006, they were relegated from Série A, Brazil's top league.
Recent Years
After 2006, São Caetano spent several years in Série B. In 2013, the team had a very poor season and was relegated to Série C. This was a huge drop for a team that had been in the Copa Libertadores final just ten years earlier.
The club's troubles continued. They were relegated again to Série D in 2014. Since then, the club has struggled and has fallen further down the divisions of the São Paulo state league system.
Stadium
São Caetano's home ground is the Estádio Anacleto Campanella, which was built in 1955. It can hold about 16,745 fans.
For their big Copa Libertadores matches, the stadium was not large enough to meet the rules of the competition. So, the team played those important games at the Pacaembu Stadium in São Paulo.
Famous Players
Many talented players have worn the blue shirt of São Caetano. Here are some of the most well-known:
- Adhemar: A striker famous for his powerful shots.
- Ânderson Lima: A defender known for scoring many goals from free kicks.
- Brandão: A forward who later had a successful career in Europe.
- Marcos Senna: A midfielder who later became a star for Villarreal in Spain and won Euro 2008 with the Spanish national team.
- Mineiro: A hardworking midfielder who scored the winning goal in the 2005 FIFA Club World Championship for São Paulo FC.
- Serginho: A defender who played for the club during its most successful period.
Honours
State Competitions
- Campeonato Paulista
Winners (1): 2004
- Copa Paulista
Winners (1): 2019
- Campeonato Paulista Série A2 (Second Division)
Winners (3): 2000, 2017, 2020
- Campeonato Paulista Série A3 (Third Division)
Winners (2): 1991, 1998
Runners-up Finishes
- Copa Libertadores: 2002
- Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: 2000, 2001
- Campeonato Brasileiro Série C: 1998
- Campeonato Paulista: 2007
See also
In Spanish: Associação Desportiva São Caetano para niños
