Atlas F.C. facts for kids
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| Full name | Atlas Fútbol Club | ||
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| Nickname(s) | Los Rojinegros (The Red and Blacks) Los Zorros (The Foxes) La Academia (The Academy) La Furia (The Fury) Las Margaritas (The Daisy Flowers) |
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| Short name | ATS | ||
| Founded | August 15, 1916 | ||
| Ground | Estadio Jalisco | ||
| Capacity | 56,713 | ||
| Owner | Grupo Orlegi | ||
| Chairman | José Riestra | ||
| Manager | Gonzalo Pineda | ||
| League | Liga MX | ||
| Clausura 2025 | Regular phase: 14th Final phase: Did not qualify |
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Atlas Fútbol Club is a professional football team from Guadalajara, Mexico. They play in Liga MX, which is the top football league in Mexico. The club started in 1916 and plays its home games at Estadio Jalisco.
Atlas has won three league titles and four national cups. They were very successful in the 1950s and 60s. More recently, they became one of the few teams to win two championships in a row, known as "bicampeones," in Mexican football.
Atlas has a big rivalry with their city rivals, C.D. Guadalajara. This match is called El Clásico Tapatío.
Contents
Club History: Atlas's Journey
Atlas Football Club was founded in a bar in Guadalajara, Mexico. A group of friends decided to start a football team in August 1916. They had friends who studied at Ampleforth College in England. They chose the name "Atlas" after the Titan from Greek mythology. The club's colors, red and black, were inspired by Ampleforth College. Red stands for the blood of Saint Lawrence, and black represents his martyrdom. Saint Lawrence is also the patron saint of Atlas.
Early Wins and First League Title
Atlas won its first major trophy, the Copa MX, in the 1945–46 season. They beat Atlante in the final. In the same year, they won the Supercup against Veracruz. Four years later, Atlas won their second Copa MX in the 1949–50 season. The very next year, in the 1950–51 season, Atlas won its first league title. They won twelve out of 22 matches that season.
However, just two years later, Atlas was moved down to a lower league. But they quickly returned to the top league the following season.
The Talented Team of the 1990s
In the late 1990s, Atlas had a "golden age" with coach Ricardo La Volpe. They had many promising young players like Rafael Márquez, Daniel Osorno, and Pavel Pardo. This team was very talented and reached the final in 1999. However, they lost to Deportivo Toluca in a penalty shootout after a thrilling 5–5 draw.
Playing in the Copa Libertadores
Atlas played in the Copa Libertadores for the first time in 2000. This is a big international club tournament in South America. They played against teams from different countries. Atlas did well, even beating Club America 6–3 in one match. They made it to the quarter-finals but were eventually knocked out by Palmeiras.
Atlas returned to the Copa Libertadores in 2008. They won a coin toss to qualify for the main tournament! They finished first in their group, even beating famous teams like Boca Juniors and Colo-Colo. They reached the quarter-finals again, where they faced Boca Juniors. After a 2–2 draw in the first game, Boca won the second game 3–0, ending Atlas's run.
In 2015, Atlas played in the Copa Libertadores once more. They had a historic 1–0 victory against Atletico Mineiro in Brazil. This win ended a 37-year undefeated home streak for that club in the Copa Libertadores. Despite this, Atlas finished last in their group and left the competition.
Recent Championships
On December 12, 2021, Atlas ended a 70-year wait for a league title. They defeated Club León in a penalty shootout at Estadio Jalisco, winning their second league championship.
On March 5, 2022, during a match between Atlas and Querétaro, a riot happened between fans. Many people were injured. As a result, the Liga MX punished Querétaro. Atlas was given a 3–0 win for the game, which had to be stopped.
Atlas won its third league championship on May 29, 2022, against Pachuca. They won the first game 2–0. Even though they lost the second game 2–1, they won the overall series 3–2. This made them only the third team in league history to win two championships in a row!
Youth Academy: Developing Stars
Atlas is well-known for having a very successful youth academy. Over the past few decades, many players who trained at Atlas have gone on to have great professional careers. Young players often join the Atlas academy because they know they have a good chance to play for the main team. This is because the club believes in giving young players opportunities.
Even though Atlas has won the league championship only three times, their academy is famous for developing players for the Mexico national football team. Some famous players who came from Atlas include Rafael Márquez, Andrés Guardado, Pável Pardo, and Oswaldo Sánchez. The club's younger teams have also won many titles both in Mexico and internationally.
Estadio Jalisco: Atlas's Home Ground
Atlas plays its home games at the Estadio Jalisco. This stadium is the third largest in Mexico and was built on January 31, 1960. It has hosted many important matches and famous teams. For example, Pelé's Brazil played there in 1970.
The stadium hosted 8 games during the 1970 FIFA World Cup. It also hosted 9 games during the 1986 FIFA World Cup. These included group stage matches, and even quarter-finals and semi-finals.
Supporters and Rivalry: The Faithful Fans
Atlas fans are known as La Fiel, which means "The Faithful." The main organized fan group is called La Barra 51. This name remembers Atlas's first championship in 1951. The fans have earned their nickname "The Faithful" by supporting the team for many years, even when they didn't win many big trophies.
Some famous supporters of Atlas include Guadalajara natives like boxer Canelo Álvarez and singer Peso Pluma.
The Clásico Tapatío Rivalry
Atlas has a strong rivalry with their city neighbors, C.D. Guadalajara, also known as Chivas. Their derby match is called the Clásico Tapatío. It is said to be the oldest football derby in Mexico, starting way back in 1916.
The first match between the two teams was a friendly game shortly after Atlas was founded. It ended in a 0–0 draw. The first competitive match was in 1917, and Atlas won 2–1. However, Chivas complained about the refereeing. They were so upset that they refused to play in the next tournament unless the head referee resigned. When he didn't, Chivas did not join the tournament.
Chivas has won more of the Guadalajara derbies. Out of 35 competitive games, Chivas has won 16, while Atlas has won 9. Eight games have ended in a draw.
Honours: Atlas's Trophies
Atlas FC has won several important titles throughout its history.
National Titles
- Liga Mayor/Primera División/Liga MX (Top League): 3 titles (1950–51, Apertura 2021, Clausura 2022)
- Copa México/Copa Presidente/Copa MX (National Cup): 4 titles (1945–46, 1949–50, 1961–62, 1967–68)
- Campeón de Campeones (Champions of Champions): 5 titles (1946, 1950, 1951, 1962, 2022)
Promotion Division Titles
- Segunda División (Second Division): 3 titles (1954–55, 1971–72, 1978–79)
- Campeón de Campeones de la Segunda División (Second Division Champions of Champions): 1 title (1972)
Amateur Titles
- Liga Occidental De Jalisco: 5 titles (1917–18, 1918–19, 1919–20, 1920–21, 1935–36)
See also
In Spanish: Atlas Fútbol Club para niños
