CR Vasco da Gama facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Vasco da Gama

Full name	Club de Regatas Vasco da Gama
Nickname(s)	Gigante da Colina (Giant of the Hill) Camisas Negras (Black Shirts) Cruzmaltino (because of the Maltese Cross) O Legítimo Clube do Povo (The Real People's Club) Vascaínos or Cruzmaltinos (supporters)
Founded	21 August 1898; 126 years ago (1898-08-21)
Stadium	São Januário Maracanã
Ground Capacity	21,880 78,838
SAF owner	777 Partners (suspended) Club de Regatas Vasco da Gama (100%)
President	Pedrinho
Head coach	Rafael Paiva
League	Campeonato Brasileiro Série A Campeonato Carioca
2022 2022	Série B, 4th of 20 (promoted) Carioca, 3rd of 12
Home colors Away colors Third colors

Club de Regatas Vasco da Gama, often called Vasco da Gama or just Vasco, is a famous sports club from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Even though it started as a rowing club and plays many sports, it's best known for its men's football (soccer) team. This team plays in Brazil's top league, the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, and in the main league for the state of Rio de Janeiro, the Campeonato Carioca.

The club is named after Vasco da Gama, a Portuguese explorer who found a sea route to India in 1498. It was founded in 1898 by Brazilian workers and Portuguese immigrants. Vasco started its football team in 1915 and was one of the first clubs in Brazil to have professional players in 1933. Vasco is also known for its youth academy, which has helped many international football stars like Romário, Philippe Coutinho, and Roberto Dinamite become great players.

Vasco da Gama has won many important titles. Nationally, they have won the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A four times and the Copa do Brasil once. In international club football, they won the Copa Libertadores once and the Copa Mercosur once. They have also won the Campeonato Carioca 24 times in their home state. A special team from Vasco, known as Expresso da Vitória (Victory Express), won many state titles between 1945 and 1952. This team also won the South American Championship of Champions in 1948, becoming the first club champion of a continent.

Vasco da Gama is one of the most popular clubs in Brazil and the Americas. They play their home games at São Januário stadium, which opened in 1927. Sometimes, they also play at the larger Maracanã stadium. Vasco has big rivalries with other Rio de Janeiro clubs like Flamengo, Fluminense, and Botafogo. The rivalry with Flamengo, called O Clássico dos Milhões (the Derby of Millions), is one of the biggest in Brazilian football.

History of Vasco da Gama

How Vasco Began

In the late 1800s, rowing was a very popular sport in Rio de Janeiro. Four young men wanted to start a rowing club closer to home.

So, on August 21, 1898, 62 people, many of them Portuguese immigrants, created the Club de Regatas Vasco da Gama (Vasco da Gama Rowing Club). They named the club after the famous Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama. The club's colors were chosen as black and white. Black stood for the unknown seas Vasco da Gama explored, and white for his successful journey. Their first uniform had these colors split down the middle, with the Order of Christ Cross in the center. This cross was like the one on the sails of Vasco da Gama's ship.

In 1915, Vasco merged with another sports club, Lusitania Sport Clube. This led to the start of Vasco's football team. Their first football game was on May 3, 1916, which they lost 10–1.

Fighting for Fairness in the 1920s

In the 1920s, football in Brazil was mostly for rich people. Vasco da Gama had a team with players from different backgrounds and races, which some people didn't like. Some players even had to take a reading and writing test before they could play.

Vasco won its first top league title in 1923, with a team that included white, black, and mixed-race players from all social classes.

In 1924, other big teams tried to force Vasco to remove some of its players, especially those who were black or poor. Vasco refused to do this. Because of their refusal, other major teams like Fluminense, Flamengo, and Botafogo formed a new league and tried to stop Vasco from joining.

Vasco's former President, José Augusto Prestes, wrote a famous letter called the Historic Response (Resposta Histórica). This letter changed sports in Brazil forever. After a few years, the unfair rules against players of different races were removed. Vasco became known as "Clube de todas as raças" (Club of all races). They helped make football more welcoming for everyone.

Even though Vasco wasn't the first club to have black players, they were the first to win a league with them. This caused some people to try and ban "blue-collar workers" (meaning black players) from the league.

In 1925, Vasco was allowed back into the main league with all its players. By 1933, when football became professional in Brazil, most big clubs had black players.

On April 21, 1927, Vasco's own stadium, São Januário, opened with a match against Santos. On April 26, 1931, Vasco had a huge 7–0 win over their rivals Flamengo. This was their biggest win against Flamengo in the early days of football.

The "Victory Express" (1944–1953)

Between 1944 and 1953, Vasco was known as the Expresso da Vitória (Victory Express). This team won many titles, including the Rio de Janeiro championship in 1945, 1947, 1949, 1950, and 1952. They also won the South American Club Championship in 1948. This was the first-ever continental club tournament in the world! Famous players from this era included Ademir de Menezes, Moacyr Barbosa, and Bellini.

The Super-Superchampions (1956–1959)

In 1956, Vasco won the Rio de Janeiro championship again. They also played against Di Stefano's Real Madrid and became the first non-European club to beat a European champion in a friendly match. In 1957, this team went on a tour in Europe and won 10 games in a row. They beat European champion Real Madrid again, winning the 1957 Tournoi de Paris title. This was the first time two continental champions played each other in a competitive match. They also beat other strong European teams like Athletic Bilbao and Barcelona.

In 1958, Vasco won the Rio-São Paulo Tournament, which was the most important championship in Brazil at the time. After this, three Vasco players helped Brazil win its first FIFA World Cup title: Vavá, Orlando, and Bellini. Vasco then won the 1958 Campeonato Carioca in an exciting "super-superchampion" final.

First National League Title in the 1970s

In 1970, with star players like Roberto Dinamite, Vasco won the regional title after 12 years. In 1974, they won their first national league title, the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A. Roberto Dinamite was the top scorer that year. Vasco was the first team from Rio to win this national league.

A Golden Era (1997–2000)

After winning the Brazilian Championship in 1997, Vasco aimed to win the 1998 Copa Libertadores. They succeeded in their 100th anniversary year, beating Barcelona of Ecuador 4–1 in the finals. This was 50 years after their first South American trophy.

Winning the Copa Libertadores meant Vasco played in the 1998 Intercontinental Cup against European champions Real Madrid, losing 2–1.

In 2000, Vasco played in the first 2000 FIFA Club World Championship in Brazil. They reached the final but lost to Corinthians in a penalty shootout.

Vasco also had an amazing 2000 Copa Mercosur campaign. In the final against Palmeiras, Vasco was losing 3–0 at halftime but made an incredible comeback, scoring four goals to win 4–3. This game is still remembered as one of the best in Brazilian football history.

Vasco also won the Copa João Havelange in 2000. After a fence collapsed in their stadium during one of the final matches, the game was replayed. Vasco won the rescheduled game 3–1 at the Maracanã.

Ups and Downs (2001–Present)

After 2001, Vasco had some difficult years. They finished lower in the league and almost got relegated a few times. In 2006, they reached the Copa do Brasil final but lost to Flamengo.

In 2008, Vasco was relegated to the second division for the first time ever. However, they quickly returned to the top league in 2009, winning the Serie B championship.

In 2011, Vasco won the Copa do Brasil for the first time, which was a big achievement. They also had a great season in the league, finishing second. This year was called "Vasco's Redemption Year" because they showed they were still one of Brazil's top teams.

In 2012, Vasco returned to the Copa Libertadores after 12 years. They reached the quarterfinals but were knocked out by Corinthians.

From 2013 to 2021, Vasco faced more challenges, being relegated three more times. However, each time they managed to get promoted back to the top league. In 2015 and 2016, they won the Campeonato Carioca state championship twice in a row.

In 2022, a company called 777 Partners bought a large part of Vasco da Gama. This helped the club financially. On November 6, 2022, Vasco secured its return to Série A after two years away.

Vasco's Identity

Club Logo

Vasco's first logo was created in 1898. The current logo, with a diagonal stripe, was adopted in the 1920s. It has a black background with a white diagonal stripe. In the middle, there's a sailboat, and the letters CR and VG are placed around it.

The logo has changed a bit over the years, but it still looks similar to the 1920s design. The newest logo, from 2021, made the sailboat's sails and flag more curved and added more detail to the waves.

Since 2017, Vasco can use the word "Royal" before its name, "Real Club de Regatas Vasco da Gama." This is a special honor given by the head of the Portuguese Royal House.

Team Uniforms

Vasco da Gama's kit evolution

Vasco da Gama has had many different uniforms throughout its history. The first uniform for rowing in 1898 was mostly black with a white diagonal stripe.

Vasco's first football uniform in 1916 was all black, with a white tie and belt. These were removed in 1929. In the 1930s, the home uniform changed to black with a white diagonal stripe.

In 1945, the home uniform became white with a black diagonal stripe. The stripe was added because the team's manager liked the striped uniform of an Argentine club, River Plate. So, both home and away uniforms had a diagonal stripe.

In the 1970s, the Order of Christ Cross on the uniform was changed to the cross pattée, which is still used today.

Today, Vasco has three uniforms. The home uniform is mainly black with a white stripe, black shorts, and black socks. The away uniform is white with a black stripe, white shorts, and white socks. The third uniform changes sometimes. Since 2020, the uniforms are made by Kappa (brand).

Club Songs

Vasco has an official anthem from 1918. Another official anthem, "Meu Pavilhão" (meaning My Pavilion), was created in the 1930s. However, the most popular club song is an unofficial one made by Lamartine Babo in 1942.

Royal Recognition

Since 2017, Vasco has been allowed to use the word "Royal" in its name, "Real Club de Regatas Vasco da Gama." This special title was given by the head of the Portuguese Royal Family, Duarte Pio, Duke of Bragança. It renews a royal recognition that Vasco had enjoyed before.

Vasco's Stadium

São Januário in 2020

Vasco da Gama's main stadium is São Januário, which opened in 1927. It can hold up to 21,880 people for national matches. For bigger games or important international matches, Vasco sometimes uses the Maracanã, which can hold 78,000 people.

Vasco's Supporters

Vasco da Gama is the second most supported club in Rio de Janeiro state. It's also one of the top five most supported clubs in all of Brazil, with over 15 million fans.

Vasco fans come from all walks of life, but many supporters live in the working-class areas of Rio de Janeiro and nearby cities. Vasco also has many fans in other parts of Brazil, especially in the Northeast and North regions. In April 2023, a survey showed that Vasco has some of the most "fanatic" fans among the big clubs in Brazil.

Main Fan Groups (torcidas organizadas)

Famous Supporters

Vasco's Trophies

Vasco's first trophy was the 1923 Campeonato Carioca. This win was very important because the team had many black players, which helped fight against racism in Brazilian football. For many fans, the club's most important achievement isn't a trophy, but the Resposta Histórica (Historic Response). This was a letter sent in 1924 where Vasco refused to remove its black players from the league.

Vasco was the first Brazilian team to win an international tournament. They were also the first club in the world to win a continental-level tournament, the South American Championship of Champions in 1948. In 1957, they were also the first club to win an intercontinental tournament against another continental champion, beating Real Madrid in the 1957 Tournoi de Paris.

The 1990s were Vasco's most successful decade in terms of trophies. During this time, they won two Campeonato Brasileiro titles, four Campeonato Carioca, one Torneio Rio–São Paulo, one Copa Libertadores, and one Copa Mercosul.

•      record
• ^s shared record

Other Trophies

Inter-state

• Taça dos Campeões Estaduais Rio–São Paulo: 1936

State

• Taça Guanabara (13): 1965, 1976, 1977, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2016, 2019
• Taça Rio (10): 1984, 1988, 1992, 1993, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2017, 2021
• Torneio Municipal (4): 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947
• Torneio Relâmpago (2): 1944, 1946
• Torneio Extra (2): 1973, 1990
• Copa Rio (2): 1992, 1993
• Other Campeonato Carioca rounds (9): 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1980, 1981, 1988, 1997
• Torneio Início (10): 1926, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1942, 1944, 1945

Friendly Tournaments

• Teresa Herrera Trophy (1): 1957
• Trofeo Ciudad de Sevilla (1): 1979
• Festa d'Elx Trophy (1): 1979
• Colombino Trophy (1): 1980
• Ramón de Carranza Trophy (3): 1987, 1988, 1989
• Ciutat de Barcelona Trophy (1): 1993
• Trofeo Ciudad de Zaragoza (1): 1993
• Troféu Ciudad de Palma de Mallorca (1): 1995
• Los Angeles Golden Cup (1): 1987
• Trofeo Bortolotti (1): 1997

Vasco's Performance Over the Years

Key:

	Campeonato Brasileiro Série A (Top League)
	Campeonato Brasileiro Série B (Second League)
	Promoted
	Relegated

Brazilian Championship Year 1959 Position 3rd Year 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 Position – – – – – 2nd – 12th 3rd 17th Year 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 Position 17th 12th 7th 14th 1st 19th 12th 19th 4th 2nd Year 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 Position 8th 5th 10th 6th 2nd 11th 15th 10th 5th 1st Year 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 Position 14th 11th 3rd 15th 12th 20th 18th 1st 10th 7th Year 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Position 1st 11th 15th 17th 16th 12th 6th 10th 18th 1st Year 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Position 11th 2nd 5th 18th 3rd 18th 3rd 7th 16th 12th Year 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 Position 17th 10th 4th 15th TBD

Copa do Brasil Year 1989 Position 12th Year 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 Position – 10th 12th 3rd 3rd 4th 16th 14th 4th 10th Year 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Position 13th – 8th 8th 19th 10th 2nd 17th 3rd 3rd Year 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Position 6th 1st – 5th 11th 6th 12th 23rd 14th 17th Year 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 Position 21st 14th 39th 33rd 4th South American Championship / Copa Libertadores Year 1948 1975 1980 1985 1990 1998 1999 2001 2012 2018 Position 1st 16th 8th 18th 6th 1st 16th 6th 7th 26th Tournoi de Paris / Intercontinental Cup / FIFA Club World Cup Year 1957 1998 2000 Position 1st 2nd 2nd

Vasco Players

First Team Squad

No. Position Player 1 GK Léo Jardim (vice-captain) 2 DF José Luis Rodríguez 3 DF Léo 4 DF Maicon 5 MF Souza 6 DF Lucas Piton 7 FW David (on loan from Internacional) 8 MF Jair 10 MF Dimitri Payet 11 MF Philippe Coutinho (on loan from Aston Villa) 12 DF Victor Luis 13 GK Keiller (on loan from Internacional) 17 FW Emerson Rodríguez (on loan from Inter Miami) 18 MF Paulinho 20 MF Juan Sforza

No. Position Player 21 FW Jean Meneses 25 MF Hugo Moura 26 MF Maxime Dominguez 27 MF Pablo Galdames 28 FW Adson 31 FW Rossi 32 DF Robert Rojas (on loan from River Plate) 37 GK Pablo 38 DF João Victor 66 DF Leandrinho 77 FW Rayan 85 MF Mateus Carvalho 90 FW Alex Teixeira 96 DF Paulo Henrique 99 FW Pablo Vegetti (captain)

Young Talent from the Academy

No. Position Player 14 MF Estrella 16 FW Maxsuell 19 FW GB 29 DF Paulinho Babilônia 33 DF Lyncon

No. Position Player 40 GK Phillipe Gabriel 44 DF Luiz Gustavo 58 MF Lucas Eduardo 72 FW Bruno Lopes 98 MF JP

Players on Loan to Other Clubs

No. Position Player 5 MF Patrick De Lucca (on loan at Ceará until 30 November 2024) 9 FW Clayton (on loan at Rio Ave until 30 June 2025) 15 FW Figueiredo (on loan at Coritiba until 30 November 2024) 22 DF Manuel Capasso (on loan at Olimpia until 31 December 2024) 23 MF Zé Gabriel (on loan at Coritiba until 30 November 2024) 24 GK Halls (on loan at Vila Nova until 30 November 2024) 45 DF Riquelme (on loan at Sport Recife until 30 November 2024) 55 GK Alexander (on loan at Ypiranga until 30 November 2024)

No. Position Player 57 GK Cadu (on loan at Portuguesa-RJ until 30 November 2024) 70 FW Serginho (on loan at Criciúma until 31 December 2024) 88 MF Cauan Barros (on loan at Amazonas until 30 November 2024) FW Erick Marcus (on loan at Ludogorets until 30 June 2025) FW Luca Orellano (on loan at Cincinnati until 31 December 2024) FW Lucas Oliveira (on loan at ABC until 30 November 2024) FW Paixão (on loan at Polissya Zhytomyr until 30 June 2025) FW Vinícius Paiva (on loan at Ituano until 30 November 2024)

Club Staff

Coaching and Medical Team

• Head coach: Rafael Paiva (interim)
• First-team goalkeeping coach: Mateus Famer
• First-team fitness coach: Cyro Bueno, Marcelo Arouca
• Medical staff: Ricardo Bastos, Rodrigo Sasson
• Academy director: Rodrigo Dias

Management Team

• Associative club (69% SAF):
  • Chairman: Pedrinho
  • Vice-chairman: Paulo Cesar Salomão

• 777 Partners (31% SAF): Joshua Wander, Andres Blazquez, Donald Dransfield, Nicolas Maya, Steven W. Pasko
• Football director: Marcelo Sant'Ana
• Technical director: Felipe Jorge Loureiro
• Football manager: Clauber Rocha

Top Scorers in Vasco History

Rank	Player	Years	Goals
1.	Roberto Dinamite	1971–79, 1980–89, 1991–93	702
2.	Romário	1985–88, 2000–02, 2005–06, 2007–08	326
3.	Ademir Menezes	1942–45, 1948–56	301
4.	Pinga	1953–61	250
5.	Russinho	1924–34	225
6.	Ipojucan	1944–54	225
7.	Vavá	1952–58	191
8.	Sabará	1952–64	165
9.	Lelé	1943–48	147
10.	Valdir Bigode	1992–94, 2002–04	143
11.	Edmundo	1992, 1996–97, 1999–00, 2003, 2008	138

Vasco's Rivalries

Vasco's biggest rivals are the other football clubs in Rio de Janeiro: Flamengo, Botafogo, and Fluminense. Vasco is also disliked by fans of some other clubs across Brazil.

Vasco's biggest rivalry is against Flamengo. This match is called the Clássico dos Milhões (Derby of the Millions). It's usually played at the Maracanã stadium. The name comes from the fact that Flamengo and Vasco have the largest fan bases in Rio de Janeiro and two of the biggest in Brazil. The teams first played in 1922.

Vasco also has a strong local rivalry with Fluminense. Their matches are known as Clássico dos Gigantes (Giants Derby). This name comes from the many important matches between the two clubs, like the 1984 Brazilian Championship final, which Fluminense won. That final had a huge crowd of 128,781 people!

The Clássico da Amizade (Friendship Derby) is the rivalry between Vasco and Botafogo. It's called the "Friendship Derby" because it's seen as a milder rivalry. Vasco has won many more games against Botafogo, and there haven't been as many decisive matches between them. Still, Botafogo is a cross-city rival, and their games usually attract big crowds. The first match between them was in 1923, with Vasco winning 3–1.

Matches between Vasco and America are known as Clássico da Paz (Peace Derby). America used to be one of the top clubs in Rio, but its performance has declined. In 2011, Vasco beat America 9–0, which was one of the biggest wins in any derby.

Vasco's Influence and Legacy

Because of Vasco's long history and traditions, several other clubs around the world are named after it. These include Associação Desportiva Vasco da Gama in Acre, Brazil, Vasco Esporte Clube in Sergipe, Brazil, and Vasco Sports Club in India. Even a South African club, CR Vasco da Gama Football Club, is named after them. Also, Tomazinho Futebol Clube in Rio de Janeiro has a logo and colors very similar to Vasco's.

Other Sports at Vasco

Vasco da Gama is known for more than just football and rowing. It's a club that plays many different sports! Its basketball team, CR Vasco da Gama Basquete, has won the Brazilian Championship three times and the South American Championship four times. A famous player from their basketball team is Nenê, who played in the NBA. Vasco was also the first Brazilian club to play against an NBA team, the San Antonio Spurs, in 1999.

Vasco's rowing team is one of the best in Brazil and South America. Their swimmers often represent Brazil in international competitions. Vasco da Gama also has a women's football team that has won the National Championship four times. Their beach soccer team is one of the best globally, having won the World Champion title once and the South American Championship three times. Vasco has won many other titles in various sports at World, South American, and Brazilian levels.

Images for kids

• 

  2007 Vasco shirt

See also

In Spanish: Club de Regatas Vasco da Gama para niños