Associação Atlética Ponte Preta facts for kids
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| Full name | Associação Atlética Ponte Preta | ||
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| Nickname(s) | Ponte Macaca (Monkey) Alvinegra de Campinas (Campinas' White and Black) A Veterana (The Veteran) |
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| Founded | August 11, 1900 | ||
| Stadium | Moisés Lucarelli | ||
| Capacity | 19,722 | ||
| President | Marco Antonio Eberlin | ||
| Head coach | Alberto Valentim | ||
| League | Campeonato Brasileiro Série B Campeonato Paulista |
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| 2022 2023 |
Série B, 12th of 20 Paulista Série A2, 1st of 16 (champions) |
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Associação Atlética Ponte Preta, often called Ponte Preta or just Ponte, is a Brazilian association football club. It is based in Campinas, a city in São Paulo state. Ponte Preta currently plays in the Série C, which is the third level of Brazilian football. They also play in the Campeonato Paulista Série A1, the top football league in São Paulo state.
The club was founded on August 11, 1900. This makes Ponte Preta the second-oldest football club still active in Brazil. The oldest is Sport Club Rio Grande. Ponte Preta was also one of the first clubs to welcome black players. This led to their nickname Macaca (which means "female monkey").
Ponte Preta's biggest rival is Guarani. Their matches are known as the Derby Campineiro. The first game between them was played on March 24, 1912. These games are usually very exciting and important for the city.
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Club History and Beginnings
Ponte Preta was started on August 11, 1900. Three students from Colégio Culto à Ciência founded the club. Their names were Miguel do Carmo, Luiz Garibaldi Burghi, and Antonio de Oliveira. They started the club near a railroad bridge that was painted black. This is where the name Ponte Preta comes from, meaning "black bridge." Pedro Vieira da Silva was the club's first president.
The club's history is closely linked to the railroads in Campinas. Many of the people who started the team lived in the working-class area near the railroad. One of their early nicknames was "Train of August 11th." Ponte's stadium, the Estádio Moisés Lucarelli, is right next to the railroad. Fans believe that if a train passes during a game, it brings good luck to the team.
Ponte Preta is known for being one of the first teams in the Americas to accept black players. This was from its very beginning in 1900. The club believes it was the first football team ever to have a black player on its roster. That player was Miguel do Carmo, one of the founders. Ponte Preta was also the first team from outside a big city to play in a national competition, back in 1970.
Key Moments in Ponte Preta's Journey
A famous moment in the club's history involves Pelé, one of the greatest football players ever. Pelé's last match in Brazil was against Ponte Preta. This game happened on September 2, 1974. Santos won the match 2–0 at Vila Belmiro stadium.
In 1977, Ponte Preta played in the Campeonato Paulista final against Corinthians. Many thought Ponte Preta would win that year. However, they lost the game 2–1 in a match that had some controversial moments.
A very special time for the club was in 2013. On November 27, 2013, Ponte Preta reached the final of the Copa Sudamericana. This was their first international cup! They beat São Paulo in the semi-finals. In the final, they played against Lanús, a strong team from Argentina. Ponte Preta finished as the runner-up in this important tournament.
Club Achievements and Trophies
Ponte Preta has won several titles throughout its history.
Official Tournaments
| State Competitions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Competition | Titles | Seasons |
| Campeonato Paulista Série A2 | 4 | 1927, 1933, 1969, 2023 |
Other Tournaments
State Titles
- Campeonato Paulista do Interior (4): 2009, 2013, 2015, 2018
City Titles
- Campeonato Campineiro (10): 1912, 1931, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1940, 1944, 1947, 1948, 1951
- Torneio Taça Cidade de Campinas (2): 1949, 1951
Runner-up Finishes
Ponte Preta has also been the runner-up in several major competitions:
- Copa Sudamericana (1): 2013
- Campeonato Brasileiro Série B (2): 1997, 2014
- Campeonato Paulista (7): 1929, 1970, 1977, 1979, 1981, 2008, 2017
Youth Team Success
- Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior (2): 1981, 1982
Home Stadium: Moisés Lucarelli
Ponte Preta's home stadium is Estádio Moisés Lucarelli. It is also known as "Majestoso," which means "Majestic Stadium" in Portuguese. Fans built the stadium in 1948 using their own materials and hard work.
Today, the stadium can hold 19,722 people. The largest crowd ever at the stadium was in 1970. It was for a State's Championship game against Santos. The official number was 33,000 people, but many say there were about 40,000. This is because the gates were broken down.
The stadium earned its nickname "Majestoso" because it was the third-largest stadium in Brazil when it opened. Only Pacaembu in São Paulo and São Januário in Rio de Janeiro were bigger.
At the entrance of Majestoso, there is a statue (bust) of Moisés Lucarelli. He was the stadium's founder and the person it is named after. For a while, some fans thought the statue should face the field to bring good luck. They turned it around, but when the team's performance didn't get much better, it was put back in its original spot.
Ponte Preta Supporters and Symbols
Fans of Ponte Preta are called "pontepretanos." There is even another club in Brazil, in Maceió, that uses a similar name and colors. A futsal team in Norway is also named "Ponte Preta."
Ponte Preta's mascot is a female monkey (macaca). She wears the club's home uniform. This mascot started as a way to make fun of the club. This was because Ponte Preta was one of the first Brazilian football clubs to have black players. At that time, black players were often not allowed in other championships. But Ponte Preta took this insult and made it their own symbol of pride.
Basketball Team
Besides football, Ponte Preta also had a very strong female basketball team in the early 1990s. This team was so good that it won the World Club Championship twice!
See also
In Spanish: Associação Atlética Ponte Preta para niños
