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 | Álvaro Navarro | ||
| League | Primera División | ||
| 2023 | 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 known for its many sports, but football (soccer) and basketball are the most important. They have won many big awards in Uruguay and even 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. Their best international result was in 2014. They reached the semi-finals of the Copa Libertadores, which is a huge South American football tournament. They have won the top Uruguayan football league, the Uruguayan Championship, four times: in 1976, 1987, 1991, and 2007-08. The 1976 win was very special because it broke a 44-year streak where only Nacional or Peñarol had won the title.
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Club History: How it All Started
The club began on March 15, 1913, and was first called Club Atlético Defensor. Later, in 1989, it joined with Sporting Club Uruguay and changed its name to Defensor Sporting Club. They were part of the very first professional football league season in Uruguay back in 1932.
Defensor Sporting has often played in the Copa Libertadores. This means they have represented Uruguay many times in big international competitions. The club is also famous for finding and training many talented players. These players often become successful around the world. Some well-known 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 win the national championship in 1976. He created a special way of playing football that is still seen in some teams and coaches today. In September 2007, a group called the IFFHS even named Defensor Sporting the "World's Club Team of the Month."
Home Ground: Estadio Luis Franzini
Defensor Sporting plays its home games at its own stadium, called Estadio Luis Franzini. This stadium can hold up to 18,000 fans! It first opened on December 31, 1963. You can find it in the Parque Rodó area of Montevideo.
Big Games: Club Rivalries
Defensor Sporting has a strong rivalry with Danubio. This is because both clubs are the next biggest teams in Uruguay after the two historical giants, Peñarol and Nacional. Games between Defensor and Danubio are known as the "Clásico de los medianos." This means "Classic of the Mediums" in Spanish.
Club Achievements: Trophies and Wins
This section shows all the important titles and competitions Defensor Sporting has won.
| Type | Competition | Titles | Winning years |
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| 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 / 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 (Cups) |
Copa AUF Uruguay | 2 |
2022, 2023
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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 International Tournaments (CONMEBOL)
Defensor Sporting has often played in big international football tournaments organized by CONMEBOL. These competitions bring together top clubs from all over South America.
- Copa Libertadores: 17 appearances
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- 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: 1 appearance
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- 2012: Runner-up
- Copa Sudamericana: 8 appearances
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- 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: 2 appearances
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- 1995: First Round
- 1997: First Round
Team Uniforms: Kit Evolution
      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 Team Players
Here are the players who are currently part of the Defensor Sporting football team.
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Players on Loan
Sometimes players are loaned to other teams for a while. Here are some Defensor Sporting players who are currently playing for other clubs.
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Famous Former Players
Many great players have played for Defensor Sporting over the years. Here is one of them:
Diego Jaume
Well-Known Coaches
These are some of the important coaches who have managed Defensor Sporting:
- 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
