Esporte Clube Bahia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Bahia

Full name	Esporte Clube Bahia
Nickname(s)	Tricolor Bahiaço (mix of Bahia and aço, steel) Baêa Maior do Nordeste (Biggest of Northeast) Esquadrão de aço (Steel squadron)
Founded	1 January 1931; 94 years ago (1931-01-01)
Ground	Arena Fonte Nova
Ground Capacity	50,025
SAF Owner	City Football Group (90%)
President	Emerson Ferretti
Head coach	Rogério Ceni
League	Campeonato Brasileiro Série A Campeonato Baiano
2022 2022	Série B, 3rd of 20 (promoted) Baiano, 4th of 10
Home colours Away colours Third colours

Esporte Clube Bahia is a professional football club from Salvador, the capital city of the Brazilian state of Bahia. The club is often called Tricolor because of its three colors: blue, red, and white. Bahia plays in the Campeonato Baiano, which is Bahia's state league, and also in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, the top football league in Brazil.

Bahia has won the main Brazilian league title, the Brasileirão, two times. Their first win was in 1959, when they beat the famous Santos team, which included legendary players like Pelé. Their second national title came in 1988, after a victory against Internacional. Bahia has also won their state championship a record 50 times! They have also won the Copa do Nordeste four times (in 2001, 2002, 2017, and 2021).

The club plays its home games at the Arena Fonte Nova, a modern stadium built for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Bahia has a big rivalry with Vitória, and their matches are known as Ba-Vi. In 2023, City Football Group, which owns several football clubs around the world, bought most of Bahia's shares, making them a part of a global football family.

History of Esporte Clube Bahia

How Bahia Started and Won Its First Big Title

Bahia's team in 1959, when they won their first national title.

Esporte Clube Bahia was created on January 1, 1931. It happened when players from two older clubs, Associação Atlética da Bahia and Clube Bahiano de Tênis, decided to join forces. These older clubs were stopping their football teams. Just a few years later, Bahia became the most popular football team in the Northeast region of Brazil.

In their very first year, Bahia won two championships: the Torneio Inicio and the Bahia State Championship. The first president of the club was a doctor named Waldemar Costa. The club's badge looks similar to Corinthians' badge, but instead of the São Paulo state flag, it uses the Bahia state flag.

Bahia's motto is "Nasceu para Vencer," which means "Born to Win." The team has won an amazing 50 State Championships, which is 21 more than their rival club, Vitória. Bahia was also the first Brazilian club to play in the Copa Libertadores in 1960.

Between 1959 and 1963, and again in 1968, Bahia represented the state of Bahia in the Taça Brasil. This was the competition before the current Brazilian Championship. Bahia won the title in 1959 and was the runner-up in 1961 and 1963.

The 1980s: Bahia's Golden Age and Second National Title

The 1980s were the best years for Bahia. They won their second national title in 1988. They also finished 5th in 1986 and 4th in 1990 in the national league.

In 1988, Bahia won its second Brazilian Championship against Internacional from Porto Alegre. Bahia won the first game in Salvador by 2-1. The second game in Porto Alegre at the Beira Rio Stadium ended in a 0-0 tie. These results meant Bahia won the Brasileirão, their second national title! This win allowed Bahia to play in the Copa Libertadores for the third time. It was a big surprise for many people because Bahia is from the Northeast, and Internacional is from the South, which is a richer region in Brazil.

Tough Times for the Club

In 1997, Bahia faced a tough time and was moved down to the Série B (the second division) for the first time. This happened after a 0-0 game against Juventude. In 1999, Bahia almost got back to the top league, the Série A, but they finished 3rd, which wasn't quite enough for promotion.

In 2000, due to some issues with other clubs, Bahia was invited back to the top Brazilian league. However, in 2002, the bank that sponsored the team went out of business. This led to a difficult period for Bahia. After winning the Northeast Cup in 2001 and 2002, Bahia played poorly in 2003 and was moved down to the Série B again. In 2005, things got even harder, and the club was moved down to the Série C (the third division) for the first time.

The Tricolored Phoenix Rises Again

In 2007, Bahia finished among the top four teams in the Third Division and was promoted back to the Second Division for the 2008 season. This was a great comeback! In the final game of the Third Division, Bahia needed to win against Fast Club to move forward. They scored the winning goal in the very last minute, thanks to a player named Charles. In the final round, they finished 2nd in the Third Division. Fans call this moment the "Fênix Tricolor" (Tricolored Phoenix) because it felt like Bahia was rising from the ashes, just like the mythical bird.

Even when they were in the Third Division in 2007, Bahia had the highest average number of fans at their games in all of Brazil, with 40,400 people per match! This shows how loyal their supporters are. Bahia also had the biggest average attendance in Brazil in 2004 (Second Division), and in 1988, 1986, and 1985 (First Division).

Recent Years and New Ownership

From 2010 to 2014, Bahia stayed in the top division. Around 2013, fans took a more active role in the club, leading it to support important social causes. The club started focusing on fighting racism, supporting LGBTQ+ rights, protecting indigenous lands, and improving how female fans are treated at stadiums. At the same time, they managed to lower ticket prices, earn more money, pay off some of their debts, and get better results on the field.

In 2014, they were moved down to the second division again but returned to the top league in 2016. After 22 years, Bahia also started playing in international competitions again in 2012, when they qualified for the Copa Sul-Americana. They have played in international tournaments seven more times since then, most recently in 2021. They also won the state championship in 2012, 2014, 2015, and their 50th title in 2023.

In February 2018, the intense rivalry between Bahia and Esporte Clube Vitória made headlines around the world. Nine players (four from Bahia and five from Vitória) were given red cards in a State Championship match!

In December 2022, it was announced that City Football Group, a large company that owns many football clubs, would buy most of Bahia's shares. Club members voted, and 98.6% agreed to the takeover. The deal was completed in May 2023, with City Football Group officially owning 90% of the club. Bahia became the thirteenth football club to join the City Football Group, and the third team from South America.

Club Symbols

Bahia's colors are blue, red, and white. The blue color honors the Associação Atlética da Bahia, one of the clubs that merged to form Bahia. The white color represents the Clube Baiano de Tênis, the other club. The red color comes from the Bahia state flag.

The club's mascot is called Super-Homem Tricolor, which means "Tricolor Superman." This mascot was inspired by the famous character from DC Comics. A well-known cartoonist named Ziraldo created the mascot. It was based on the team's nickname, "Esquadrão de Aço" (Steel Squad), and wears a costume very similar to the original Superman's, using the team's colors.

Bahia's Stadium

Bahia played at the Fonte Nova stadium from 1951 until November 2007. During a game in 2007, a part of the stadium collapsed. Sadly, seven people died, and more than 30 were injured.

After this tragic event, the state government decided to tear down the old stadium. A brand new stadium, the Arena Fonte Nova, was built in its place for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Bahia returned to play in the new Arena Fonte Nova in April 2013.

Some important games played at the old Fonte Nova include:

• Bahia vs. Internacional (2–1) in the 1988 Brazilian Championship Final.
• Bahia vs. Fluminense (2–1) in the 1988 Brazilian Championship Semi-finals.
• Bahia vs. Flamengo (4–1) in 2000.
• Bahia vs. Sport Recife (3–1) in the 2001 Northeast Cup Final.
• Bahia vs. Fast Club (1–0) in the 2007 Third Division, a game that helped Bahia get promoted.

Honours and Achievements

Bahia has won many titles throughout its history, showing its strength in Brazilian football.

•      record
• ^s shared record

Other Wins

• Torneio dos Campeões do Nordeste (1): 1948

Friendly Tournaments

• Copa Renner (1): 1997
• Torneio Maria Quitéria (1): 1998

Images for kids

• 

  Bahia's team, 1959. National Archives of Brazil.

See also

In Spanish: Esporte Clube Bahia para niños