Defensor Sporting facts for kids
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| Full name | Defensor Sporting Club | ||
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| Nickname(s) | El Violeta La Viola El Tuerto El Defe La Farola La Cometa |
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| Founded | 15 March 1913 | ||
| Ground | Estadio Luis Franzini, Montevideo, Uruguay |
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| Capacity | 16,000 | ||
| Chairman | Alberto Ward | ||
| Coach | Ignacio Ithurralde | ||
| League | Primera División | ||
| 2024 | Primera División, 4th of 16 | ||
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Defensor Sporting Club is a famous sports club from Montevideo, Uruguay. It was started in 1913. This club is well-known for its football (soccer) and basketball teams. They have won many important titles in Uruguay and have also done well in international games.
Defensor Sporting is the third most successful club in Uruguay. They have won 24 official titles. Only Peñarol and Club Nacional de Football have won more. In 2014, their football team reached the semi-finals of the Copa Libertadores. This is a very big tournament for South American clubs. They have won the top Uruguayan football league, the Uruguayan Championship, four times. These wins were in 1976, 1987, 1991, and 2007-08. Their 1976 win was special because it broke a 44-year streak of wins by Nacional and Peñarol.
Contents
- Club History: How Defensor Sporting Started
- Home Ground: Estadio Luis Franzini
- Club Rivalries: The "Classic of the Mediums"
- Club Achievements: Trophies and Titles
- Playing in CONMEBOL Tournaments
- Team Uniforms Through the Years
- Current Football Team Players
- Famous Coaches of Defensor Sporting
- See also
Club History: How Defensor Sporting Started
The club began on March 15, 1913, as Club Atlético Defensor. It was mainly a soccer club. In 1989, it joined with Sporting Club Uruguay, which was a basketball club. After this, the name changed to Defensor Sporting Club. They played in Uruguay's first professional football league season in 1932.
Defensor Sporting has often played in the Copa Libertadores. They have represented Uruguay many times in international competitions. The club is known for finding and training talented young players. Many of these players have become successful around the world. Some famous players who started at Defensor include Sebastián Abreu, Martín Cáceres, and Maxi Pereira.
A legendary coach named Prof. José Ricardo de León led Defensor to their first national championship in 1976. He created a special way of playing football. In September 2007, the club was even named the "World's Club Team of the Month" by the IFFHS.
Home Ground: Estadio Luis Franzini
Defensor Sporting plays its home football games at its own stadium. It is called Estadio Luis Franzini. The stadium can hold 16,000 fans. It first opened on December 31, 1963. You can find it in the Parque Rodó area of Montevideo.
Club Rivalries: The "Classic of the Mediums"
Defensor Sporting has a strong rivalry with Danubio. This is because both clubs are the next biggest in Uruguay after Peñarol and Nacional. Games between Defensor and Danubio are called the "Clásico de los medianos." This means "Classic of the Mediums" in Spanish.
Club Achievements: Trophies and Titles
Defensor Sporting has won many important titles over the years.
National League Titles
| Type | Competition | Titles | Winning years |
|---|---|---|---|
| National (League) |
Primera División | 4 | 1976, 1987, 1991, 2008 |
| Segunda División | 2 | 1950, 1965 | |
| Segunda División (1903-1914) | 1 |
1914
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| Divisional Tercera Extra | 1 |
1913
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Half-Year and Short Tournament Wins
| Type | Competition | Titles | Winning years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Half-year / Short tournament (League) |
Torneo Apertura | 4 |
1994, 2007, 2010, 2017
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| Torneo Clausura | 4 |
1997, 2009, 2012, 2013
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National Cup Wins
| Type | Competition | Titles | Winning years |
|---|---|---|---|
| National (Cups) |
Copa AUF Uruguay | 3 |
2022, 2023, 2024
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| Liguilla Pre-Libertadores | 8 |
1976, 1979, 1981, 1989, 1991, 1995, 2000, 2006
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| Campeonato Nacional General Artigas | 1 |
1960
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| Torneo Cuadrangular | 1 |
1957
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Playing in CONMEBOL Tournaments
Defensor Sporting has played in many international tournaments organized by CONMEBOL. These are competitions for clubs in South America.
Copa Libertadores
They have appeared 17 times in the Copa Libertadores. Their best result was reaching the semi-finals in 2014. They also reached the quarter-finals in 2007 and 2009.
- 1977: Group Stage
- 1980: Group Stage
- 1982: Group Stage
- 1990: Round of 16
- 1992: Round of 16
- 1994: Round of 16
- 1996: Round of 16
- 2001: Group Stage
- 2006: First Round
- 2007: Quarter-finals
- 2009: Quarter-finals
- 2012: Group Stage
- 2013: First Stage
- 2014: Semi-finals
- 2018: Group Stage
- 2019: Third Qualifying Stage
- 2024: First Qualifying Stage
U-20 Copa Libertadores
- 2012: Runner-up
Copa Sudamericana
They have played 8 times in the Copa Sudamericana. They reached the quarter-finals in 2007 and 2015.
- 2005: Second Round
- 2007: Quarter-finals
- 2008: Round of 16
- 2010: Round of 16
- 2015: Quarter-finals
- 2017: First Stage
- 2018: Second Stage
- 2023: First Stage
Copa CONMEBOL
- 1995: First Round
- 1997: First Round
Team Uniforms Through the Years
      1913
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1915–present
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1922–25
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 1989 away
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1960s–1980s & 1993
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 2001 away
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Current Football Team Players
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Famous Coaches of Defensor Sporting
Many talented coaches have led Defensor Sporting over the years. Here are some of them:
Hugo Bagnulo (1952–1957; 1960–1961)- Gregorio Pérez (1983–1984)
- Juan Ahuntchaín (1996)
- Ricardo Ortiz (1996–1997)
- Juan Tejera (2004–2005)
- Jorge da Silva (2005–2009)
- Gustavo Ferrín (2009–2010)
- Pablo Repetto (2010–2011)
- Gustavo Díaz (2011–2012)
- Tabaré Silva (2012–2013)
- Fernando Curutchet (2013–2014)
- Mauricio Larriera (2015–2016)
- Eduardo Acevedo (2016–2018)
See also
In Spanish: Defensor Sporting Club para niños
