Monagas S.C. facts for kids
| Full name | Monagas Sport Club | ||
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| Nickname(s) | Guerreros de Guarapiche Los Guerreros Chaima Los Azulgranas |
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| Founded | September 23, 1987 | ||
| Ground | Estadio Monumental de Maturín | ||
| Capacity | 51,796 | ||
| Chairman | Nicolás Fernández | ||
| Manager | Tony Franco | ||
| League | Primera División | ||
| 2023 | Primera División, 11th of 15 | ||
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Monagas Sport Club is a professional football team from Venezuela. They play in the top league, called the Primera División. The team is based in Maturín and plays its home games at the Estadio Monumental de Maturín. People often call them “Los Guerreros del Guarapiche” (The Warriors from the Guarapiche). This nickname comes from how their players never give up, and from the Guarapiche River that flows through their city.
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History of Monagas Sport Club
Monagas Sport Club was started on September 23, 1987. Some of the people who helped create it were Joaquín (Fariñas) da Silva, Ramón Ramírez, Enrique Polo, Rubén León, Francisco "Paco" Espinoza, and Luis Enrique Rodríguez.
The team's very first official game was on May 22, 1988, against "Unión Deportivo Puerto la Cruz." Before that, they played some friendly matches against other teams. Monagas Sport Club began in the second division of Venezuelan football. They won their first official league game with a score of 4–0 against "Unión Deportivo Puerto La Cruz."
In 1990, the club moved up to the first division, which is the highest level of football in Venezuela. Since then, Monagas Sport Club has worked hard to stay in this top league.
A Difficult Season: 2006–07
The 2006–2007 season was very tough for Monagas Sport Club. They had a lot of bad results. Because of this, several coaches tried to help the team, including Franco Fasciana, Del Valle Rojas, and Bernardo Redín, before Alí Cañas took over. Some players even left the team before the season ended, and the club's president, Ramón Caballero, also stepped down.
At the end of that season, Monagas Sport Club was in a position where they would normally be moved down to a lower league. However, the Venezuelan Primera División decided to make the league bigger, going from 10 to 18 teams. This change gave Monagas Sport Club a second chance, and they were allowed to stay in the top division.
The Amazing Year: 2017
The year 2017 was a fantastic one for Monagas Sport Club! They played in the Primera División and did very well. In the first part of the season, called the Torneo Apertura, they finished 6th and made it to the knockout stage.
- In the quarter-finals, they beat Zamora with a total score of 6–2 over two games.
- Then, in the semi-finals, they played against Carabobo. The total score was 1–1, but Monagas won because they scored a goal away from home.
- In the final, Monagas faced Caracas. The first game was in Maturín on June 25, and Monagas won 1–0. The second game was in Caracas on July 2, and Monagas lost 2–1. But, because of the away goal rule (they scored one goal in Caracas), the total score was 2–2, and Monagas won their first short-tournament title! This win also meant they qualified for the Copa Libertadores, a very big international competition.
Later that year, in the Serie Final, Monagas played against Deportivo Lara, who had won the second part of the season (Torneo Clausura). Monagas lost the first game 1–0 in Maturín on December 13. But they won the second game 2–0 in Cabudare on December 17. This made the total score 2–1, and Monagas Sport Club became the Venezuelan champions for the very first time!
Home Stadium
The Estadio Monumental de Maturín is the home stadium for Monagas Sport Club. It is located in the city of Maturín, in Monagas state. This stadium is the largest in Venezuela, with space for 51,796 fans! It is where Monagas Sport Club plays all its home football matches. The stadium was built to host games for the Copa America Venezuela 2007, a major international football tournament.
El Monumental opened on June 24, 2007. The very first game played there was between Monagas Sport Club and Zamora Fútbol Club. Monagas won that game 2–0, with goals scored by Edder Farías.
Before 2007, from 1987, Monagas Sport Club played their games at the Estadio Alexander Botinni in Maturín.
Team Sponsor
The main sponsor of Monagas Sport Club is La Lotería de Oriente. This is a public lottery from Maturín. For many years, the president of the lottery, Willy Farías, has also been in charge of the football club as its president.
Team Achievements
Monagas Sport Club has won some important titles:
- Primera División: 1 (2017)
- Torneo Apertura: 1 (2017)
- Torneo Clausura: 0
- Segunda División: 1 (2015)
Playing in International Competitions
Monagas Sport Club has also played in big football tournaments against teams from other countries in South America, organized by CONMEBOL.
- Copa Libertadores: 2 appearances
- 2018: Group stage
- 2023: Group stage
- Copa Sudamericana: 4 appearances
- 2002: Second stage
- 2003: Preliminary round
- 2012: First stage
- 2019: First stage
Current Players
First Team Squad
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Club Leadership
Presidents of Monagas SC
Over the years, many people have served as president of Monagas Sport Club. Here is a list of those who have held this important role:
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Managers of Monagas SC
The manager (or coach) is in charge of the team on the field. Here is a list of the coaches who have led Monagas SC since 1987:
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See also
In Spanish: Monagas Sport Club para niños
