S.C. Braga facts for kids
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| Full name | Sporting Clube de Braga | |||
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| Nickname(s) | Os Arcebispos (The Archbishops) Os Arsenalistas (The Arsenalists) Arsenal do Minho (Minho's Arsenal) Minhotos (Those from Minho) Os Guerreiros do Minho (The Minho Warriors) Braguistas (supporters) |
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| Founded | 19 January 1921 | |||
| Ground | Estádio Municipal de Braga | |||
| Capacity | 30,360 | |||
| Owner | Qatar Sports Investments (29.6%) Sundown Investments Limited (17.04%) |
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| President | António Salvador | |||
| Manager | Carlos Carvalhal | |||
| League | Primeira Liga | |||
| 2023–24 | Primeira Liga, 4th of 18 | |||
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Sporting Clube de Braga, often called Braga, is a famous Portuguese sports club. It comes from the city of Braga. The club is best known for its men's professional football team. This team plays in the Primeira Liga, which is the top football league in Portugal. They play their home games at the Estádio Municipal de Braga.
Braga was started on January 19, 1921. Fans call them Braguistas or Os Arsenalistas. This nickname comes from their red and white shirts. These shirts look a lot like those worn by the English club Arsenal. Since 2003, Braga has played at the Estádio Municipal de Braga. Before that, they played at the Estádio 1º de Maio. That old stadium is now used by the club's reserve team.
In the 2000s, Braga became one of Portugal's top five clubs. They have had great success in European competitions. Braga won the last UEFA Intertoto Cup in 2008. They are the only Portuguese club to win this cup. In 2011, they reached the final of the UEFA Europa League. This made them known as the fourth strongest club in Portugal.
At home, Braga has won seven other trophies. They won the Taça de Portugal three times: in 1966, 2016, and 2021. They also won the Taça da Liga three times: in 2013, 2020, and 2024. Braga has a big rivalry with Vitória de Guimarães. Their matches are called the Derby do Minho.
In 2010, Braga played in the 2010–11 UEFA Champions League for the first time. They got there by finishing second in the league in 2009–10. This was their best league finish ever. Braga is also known for finding and training young football players. They focus a lot on their youth system.
Contents
Club History and Beginnings
The idea for Sporting Clube de Braga started in 1919. This was two years before the club was officially formed. A group of people from Braga liked the Lisbon-based club Sporting CP. So, they decided to name their new club Sporting Clube de Braga.
Kit Colours and Nicknames
At first, Braga's team wore green and white shirts. These were just like Sporting CP's famous "Stromp kit". But in 1921, some fans also liked Benfica, another Lisbon club. To make everyone happy, they kept the name Sporting CP. But they changed their kit to red and white. This was to honour Benfica.
Until 1945, Braga's kit was a red shirt with white shorts and socks. After World War II, the club changed its kit again. They adopted the red and white style of the English club Arsenal. This change happened for their reserve team in 1945–46. The first team started using it in 1946–47.
One story says the club president, José Antunes Guimarães, loved Arsenal. He had business in London and wanted the team to look like Arsenal. Another story says their Hungarian coach, József Szabó, asked for the change. In 1947, Braga won the Second Division title in their new kit. This helped them reach the First Division for the first time. They even called their youth team Arsenal de Braga.
Club Emblem and Supporters
Braga's club emblem shows the city of Braga's shield. On it, you can see Mother Mary and baby Jesus. The blue colour from the city's shield was changed to red. At the top of the emblem is a golden crown. The name "Sporting Clube de Braga" is written on it. Many fans believe Mother Mary brings them good luck.
Fans of Braga are called Arsenalistas because of their team's home kit. It looks like the kit of the English club Arsenal. They are also known as Bracarenses. This name comes from the ancient city of Bracari, which is now Braga.
The Minho Derby Rivalry
The Minho derby is a very important match for Braga fans. It is played against their nearby rival, Vitória de Guimarães. This match is more than just football. It shows how people from these two northern cities see each other. It is one of Portugal's most intense games. Young children under 13 need an adult with them to enter.
This rivalry started a long time ago. Braga was the old capital of Gallaecia. It was also the largest Portuguese city when the Kingdom of Portugal was formed. At that time, Guimarães became the home of the King. But Braga stayed important for trade and religious power.
Braga's European Adventures
In the 1960s and 1970s, Braga started to play in European competitions. Their recent success in Europe began in the 2004–05 UEFA Cup. They finished fifth in the league that season. In the 2006–07 UEFA Cup, they reached the last 16 teams. They lost to Tottenham Hotspur in a high-scoring game.
Braga won the 2008 UEFA Intertoto Cup. They reached the UEFA Cup last 16 again in the 2008–09 season. They lost by just one goal to Paris Saint-Germain.
In the 2009–10 season, Braga finished second in the league. This was their best league finish ever. It also meant they got to play in the UEFA Champions League for the first time. They beat strong teams like Celtic and Sevilla to reach the group stage. On September 15, 2010, Braga played Arsenal in their first Champions League group match. They lost 6–0.
Braga finished third in their Champions League group. This meant they moved into the UEFA Europa League. They made it all the way to the final in Dublin. But they lost to fellow Portuguese team FC Porto by one goal.
Trophy Wins and Recent Success
Braga won the Taça da Liga for the first time in 2013. They beat Porto with a goal from Alan. Two years later, they lost the Taça de Portugal final to Sporting CP. But in 2016, they won their first Taça de Portugal in 50 years. They beat Porto in a penalty shootout.
In the 2019–20 season, Braga had four different managers. One of them, Rúben Amorim, led them to win the league cup. They beat Porto again, with Ricardo Horta scoring the winning goal.
On July 28, 2020, Carlos Carvalhal became the new head coach. He had been away from the club for 14 years. He led the team to the league cup final again, but they lost. However, they won the 2021 Taça de Portugal Final 2–0 against Benfica. After the 2021–22 season, he left. Artur Jorge took over as coach.
On October 10, 2022, Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) bought a large part of the club's shares. QSI is owned by the Emir of Qatar. This season ended with Braga finishing third in the league. They returned to the Champions League after 11 years. They also set new club records for points (78), wins (25), and goals (75).
Braga's success in the 2000s has been huge. They have played in the UEFA Champions League. They won the Taça de Portugal twice more, in 2016 and 2021. They also reached the UEFA Europa League final in 2011. The club has also built new, modern training facilities. All this has made Braga known as the fourth biggest football club in Portugal. They are now seen as a "big club" alongside the famous Big Three.
League and Cup History: Recent Seasons
Here's a look at Braga's performance in recent league and cup seasons:
| Season | League | Cup | League Cup | Europe (UEFA) | Notes | |||||||||
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| Div. | Pos. | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts | Result | Result | Competition | Result | ||
| 2019–20 | 1st | 3rd | 34 | 18 | 6 | 10 | 61 | 40 | 60 | R5 | W | Europa League | L32 | |
| 2020–21 | 4th | 34 | 19 | 7 | 8 | 53 | 33 | 64 | W | RU | Europa League | L32 | ||
| 2021–22 | 4th | 34 | 19 | 8 | 7 | 52 | 31 | 65 | R5 | R3 | Europa League | QF | ||
| 2022–23 | 3rd | 34 | 25 | 3 | 6 | 75 | 30 | 78 | RU | QF | Europa League
Europa Conference League |
GS
L32 |
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| 2023–24 | 4th | 34 | 21 | 5 | 8 | 71 | 50 | 68 | R5 | W | Champions League
Europa League |
GS
L32 |
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Club Trophies and Honours
Braga has won several important trophies in its history.
National Competitions
League Titles
- Segunda Divisão (Second Division)
- Winners (2): 1946–47, 1963–64
Cup Titles
- Taça de Portugal (Portuguese Cup)
- Winners (3): 1965–66, 2015–16, 2020–21
- Taça da Liga (League Cup)
- Winners (3): 2012–13, 2019–20, 2023–24
- Taça Federação Portuguesa de Futebol
- Winners (1): 1976–77 (First Division)
International Competitions
- UEFA Intertoto Cup
- Winners (1): 2008 (Outright Winners)
Players and Staff
Current Squad
Here are the players currently in Braga's main team:
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Players on Loan
Some players from Braga are currently playing for other teams for a short time:
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Club Staff Members
Here are some of the key people working for the club:
| Position | Staff |
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| Manager |  Carlos Carvalhal |
| Assistant Managers | André Cunha |
| First-Team Coach | João Cardoso |
| First-Team Goalkeeper Coach | Orlando Silva Eduardo Carvalho |
| Fitness Coach | Ernesto Peixoto |
| Chief Scout |  Paulo Meneses |
| Scout | Ernesto Peixoto |
| Youth Chief Scout | José Luís Antunes |
| Head of Medical | Vítor Moreira |
Images for kids
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One of the first matches played in Arsenal-style kits against R C Celta Vigo
See also
In Spanish: Sporting Clube de Braga para niños
