Deportivo Miranda F.C. facts for kids
 |
|||
| Full name | Deportivo Miranda Fútbol Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Los Petareños Los del bloque Parroquiales |
||
| Founded | 18 August 1948 | ||
| Ground | Estadio Brígido Iriarte Caracas, Venezuela |
||
| Capacity | 23,940 | ||
| Chairman | Angel Hernandez | ||
| Manager | Lino Parrella | ||
| League | Segunda División | ||
| 2016 | 19th, Primera División (Relegated) | ||
|
|
|||
Deportivo Miranda Fútbol Club is a football team from Caracas, Venezuela. It has had several names over the years, including Deportivo Italia Fútbol Club, Deportivo Italchacao, Deportivo Petare Fútbol Club, and Petare Fútbol Club. The club started in 1948 as "Deportivo Italia F.C.".
After 50 years, in 1998, it joined with "Deportivo Chacao F.C." and was known as Deportivo Italchacao for eight years. This team has won the top Venezuelan football league five times. They have also won the Copa de Venezuela three times.
Contents
Club History
How the Team Started
The team was created in August 1948 by a group of Italian immigrants. They wanted to have a football team for their community in Venezuela. The team was called "Deportivo Italia".
In the 1960s, Deportivo Italia became a very important football team in Venezuela. People often called them "Los Azules" (which means "The Blues"). This nickname came from their blue team shirts, which were inspired by the Italy national team's colors.
Many Europeans moved to Venezuela after World War II. This led to the creation of football teams for different immigrant groups. For example, the Portuguese had "Deportivo Portugues", and the Spanish had "Deportivo Galicia".
At first, "Los Azules" did not win many games. But in 1958, a new management team led by the D'Ambrosio family took over. This started a "golden age" for the team. Between 1961 and 1972, Deportivo Italia won awards almost every year.
The Golden Era with Mino D'Ambrosio
In 1958, Mino D'Ambrosio and his brother Pompeo D'Ambrosio took charge of Deportivo Italia. Under their leadership, the "Azzurri" (another name for "The Blues") became one of the best teams in Venezuela. This "D'Ambrosio Golden Era" lasted until 1978.
During this time, they won four national championships. They also had a famous victory in 1971, known as the Little Maracanazo. The team also won the Copa Venezuela three times: in 1961, 1962, and 1970.
The 1960s were truly the best years for "Los Azules". They won national championships in 1961, 1963, and 1966. Their coach during some of these wins was the famous Orlando Fantoni. Their fourth championship came in 1972. They were also runners-up in the league several times.
Deportivo Italia also played well in friendly games against European teams. They even beat Milan from Italy in 1968. They were the first Venezuelan team to reach the second round of the Copa Libertadores in 1964.
First Time in Copa Libertadores
Venezuela's first appearance in the "Copa Libertadores de America" was in 1964. Deportivo Italia, as the Venezuelan champion of 1963, represented the country. The team's manager, Mino D'Ambrosio, brought in three new Brazilian players to strengthen the squad.
The first match was on March 8, 1964, against "Bahia" from Brazil. It ended in a 0-0 tie. The second match saw Deportivo Italia win 2-1. The first goal for a Venezuelan team in the Copa Libertadores was scored by Jaime of Deportivo Italia on April 7, 1964.
The "Little Maracanazo"
In 1971, Deportivo Italia, who were the Venezuelan champions, played against Fluminense FC, the champions of Brazil. The match took place at the famous Maracana stadium in Brazil. Deportivo Italia won 1-0 with a goal from their defender Tenorio.
This victory was a huge surprise. The Caracas newspaper El Universal wrote that it was a night Fluminense fans would never forget. Deportivo Italia, a smaller team, did what no other team had done for over a year: beat Fluminense at their home stadium. This win is still considered one of the greatest in Venezuelan football history.
The team that played that night included goalkeeper Vito Fasano, who made amazing saves. Defenders like Carlos "Chiquichagua" Marín and Freddie Elie also played a big part. This historic win is known as the "Little Maracanazo" because it was a huge upset, similar to the famous "Maracanazo" in World Cup history.
Deportivo Italchacao Era
After Mino D'Ambrosio passed away in 1980, Deportivo Italia struggled to stay at the top. In 1996, the team faced financial problems. They made an agreement with the Mayor of Chacao Municipality in Caracas.
Later, in 1998, the club changed its name to Football Club Deportivo Italchacao, s.a.. This was done to keep the team's history and colors alive. The Italian company Parmalat also invested in the team.
Deportivo Italchacao became the champion of Venezuela in the 1998–1999 season. They beat Deportivo Táchira in the final. This win added another star to the club's logo. They also got to play in the 1999 Pre-Libertadores tournament.
In the 1999–2000 season, Italchacao finished as runner-up in the national championship. This allowed them to play in the "Pre-Libertadores" tournament again in 2000. In the 2000–2001 season, they played in the Copa Club Merconorte 2001. They won 4 out of 6 matches in their group but were eliminated due to goal difference.
Return to Deportivo Italia
For the 2006/2007 season, the team went back to its original name, Deportivo Italia Fútbol Club. In 2008, with coach Eduardo Saragó, Deportivo Italia won the "Torneo Apertura". This win helped them qualify for the 2010 Copa Libertadores.
In the 2009/2010 season, the team finished third in the league. This earned them a spot in the "Pre-Libertadores" tournament for 2011.
Becoming Deportivo Petare
In the summer of 2010, Deportivo Italia changed its name to "Deportivo Petare". This was part of a plan with the Sucre Municipality and local businesses. The goal was to create a social project in Petare. They wanted to help young people from the community become professional footballers.
The club also hoped to get more fans from Petare, as their attendance was low. There was some disagreement about this name change from the Italian community in Caracas. Five years later, the club changed its name again, simply to "Petare Fútbol Club".
Deportivo Miranda
On February 9, 2023, the club changed its name once more. For the 2023 season, they became Deportivo Miranda.
Home Stadium
The club plays its home games at the Estadio Olímpico de la UCV in Caracas. This stadium can hold 23,940 people.
Club Achievements
National Titles
- Primera División Venezolana (Top League)
- Winners (5): 1961, 1963, 1966, 1972, 1999 (as Deportivo Italchacao)
- Copa de Venezuela (Cup Competition)
- Winners (3): 1961, 1962, 1970
Current Players
|
|
Copa Libertadores Appearances
The club has played in the Copa Libertadores de America seven times. This is a major South American football tournament.
- Best Performance: They reached the Quarter-finals in 1969.
- Most Famous Win: On March 3, 1971, in Rio de Janeiro, Deportivo Italia beat Fluminense (the Brazilian champions) 1-0.
- Best Home Win: On March 5, 1969, in Caracas, they beat Unión Magdalena (Colombia) 2-0.
- Best Away Win: On March 1, 1966, in Lima, they beat Alianza Lima (Peru) 2-1.
Key Matches in Copa Libertadores
Here are some of Deportivo Italia's notable matches in the Copa Libertadores:
- 1964 Copa Libertadores:
* Preliminary: Deportivo Italia 2:1 Bahia (Brazil) * First Round: Deportivo Italia 1:0 Barcelona (Ecuador)
- 1966 Copa Libertadores:
* First Round: Deportivo Italia 3:1 Alianza Lima (Peru) * First Round: Deportivo Italia 2:1 Universitario (Peru)
- 1969 Copa Libertadores:
* First Round: Deportivo Italia 2:0 U.D.Canarias (Venezuela) * First Round: Deportivo Italia 2:1 Deportivo Cali (Colombia) * First Round: Deportivo Italia 2:0 Unión Magdalena (Colombia)
- 1971 Copa Libertadores:
* First Round: Deportivo Italia 1:0 Fluminense (Brazil) - This was the famous "Little Maracanazo".
- 2010 Copa Libertadores:
* Deportivo Italia tied one match 2-2 with Cruzeiro from Brazil in the group stage.
See also
In Spanish: Deportivo Miranda Fútbol Club para niños
