Vitória S.C. facts for kids
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| Full name | Vitória Sport Clube | |||
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| Nickname(s) | Os Conquistadores (The Conquerors) Os Vimaranenses (The ones from Guimarães) Os Branquinhos (The little whites) |
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| Founded | 22 September 1922 | |||
| Ground | Estádio D. Afonso Henriques | |||
| Capacity | 30,029 | |||
| Owner | Vitória Sport Clube (majority) V Sports (Nassef Sawiris & Wes Edens) |
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| Chairman | António Miguel Cardoso | |||
| Manager | Luís Freire | |||
| League | Primeira Liga | |||
| 2024–25 | Primeira Liga, 6th of 18 | |||
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Vitória Sport Clube, often called Vitória de Guimarães, is a professional football club from Guimarães, Portugal. They play in the Primeira Liga, which is the top football league in Portugal. Their home stadium is the Estádio D. Afonso Henriques.
Vitória is not just about football. The club also has strong teams in other sports. These include athletics, volleyball, basketball, handball, water polo, swimming, jiu-jitsu, taekwondo, and kickboxing.
This club has played in Portugal's top football league for 81 seasons. This makes them the fourth club with the most seasons at the highest level. They also have a large fan base, with about 39,000 members. Their stadium usually has the fourth-best attendance in Portugal.
Vitória de Guimarães has finished third in the Primeira Liga four times. The last time was in the 2007–08 season. They have won the Taça de Portugal once, in 2012–13. They also won the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira in 1988. They have been runners-up in the Taça de Portugal six times.
The club often plays in European competitions. Their best result was reaching the quarter-finals of the 1986–87 UEFA Cup.
Vitória SC has a big rivalry with SC Braga. This match is known as the Minho derby. They also have a rivalry with Boavista FC from Porto.
Contents
History of Vitória Sport Clube
How Vitória Sport Clube Started (1913–1922)
Vitória Sport Clube began with a group of young students. They formed a football team in 1913. Some people think this is the real founding date of the club. In 1918, the club got its current name.
The official founding date is September 22, 1922. The club formed its first board of directors then. In its first year, it joined the Braga Football Association.
The 20th Century (1922–2000)
Vitória's first emblem was designed in the late 1920s. It shows Afonso Henriques, Portugal's first King. This symbol represents the club's spirit of "conquerors" who bravely fight for their goals.
After many years of hard work, Vitória won several titles in the Braga AF league. They were promoted to the Primeira Liga in 1941. In their first season, they reached the Portuguese Cup final. However, they lost 2–0 to Belenenses.
Throughout the 20th century, Vitória Sport Clube often reached the Portuguese Cup final. They played in the finals in 1942, 1963, 1976, and 1988. But they always lost, waiting for their first national trophy.
In 1980, Pimenta Machado became the club's leader. From then on, Vitória became one of Portugal's top clubs. They played in European competitions many times.
Vitória's best run in a European tournament was in the 1986–87 UEFA Cup. They reached the quarter-finals but lost to Borussia Mönchengladbach from West Germany.
Finally, in 1988, Vitória won its first national trophy. They won the Super Cup. They beat FC Porto 2–0 in total.
The New Millennium (2001–Present)
In the early 2000s, Vitória faced some challenges. They worked hard to stay in Portugal's top division.
Despite these difficulties, in the 2004–05 season, the club finished fifth in the league. This allowed them to play in the UEFA Cup. However, the next season (2005–06), they were relegated to the Segunda Liga. This was the first time since 1958. Even so, they reached the Taça de Portugal semi-final that year.
Vitória quickly returned to the top league. They finished second in the Segunda Liga under manager Manuel Cajuda. In 2007–08, they finished third, which was their best result. This earned them a spot in the 2008–09 UEFA Champions League qualifying rounds for the first time. They lost to FC Basel from Switzerland. After that, they moved to the 2008–09 UEFA Cup but lost to Portsmouth.
In 2012–13, Vitória had financial problems. They had to rely on young players. But they surprised everyone by winning their first Taça de Portugal title. They beat rivals Braga on the way to the final. In the final, they came back from 1–0 down to beat Benfica 2–1.
In 2016–17, Vitória reached the cup final again. They lost 2–1 to S.L. Benfica. In 2019–20, Vitória SC played in the UEFA Europa League. They had a notable win in Frankfurt (3-2) against Eintracht. They also drew (1-1) against Arsenal in Guimarães.
Vitória SC's 100th Birthday (2022)
To celebrate the club's 100th anniversary, an exhibition called «Vitória Sport Clube 1922-2022» was held. It showed 100 years of the club's history through photos. Fans could see many famous players and old football fields.
In the 2024–25 season, Vitória made history. After being knocked out in qualifying rounds for two years, they finally made it to the main "league phase" of the UEFA Conference League. They became the first Portuguese club to do this. Under coach Rui Borges, the team won 6 games and scored 17 goals without letting any in. They also set a new record for a Portuguese club with 9 straight wins in UEFA competitions. This record was set after a 2–1 home win against FK Mladá Boleslav. Later in the season, Vitória set another record: 13 consecutive games without losing, after a 2–2 draw against Real Betis.
Club Ownership (SAD)
In February 2023, Vitória agreed to sell 46% of its shares. This deal was worth €5 million. The buyer was V Sports, a football club holding company. It is led by billionaires Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens, who also own Premier League club Aston Villa. V Sports also offered a credit line of up to €20 million. They also planned to invest €2 million in sports facilities. Vitória's members approved this agreement on March 4, 2023. About 88% of them voted yes. However, due to UEFA rules, VSports' share had to be reduced to 29%.
President of the Board of Directors
- António Miguel Cardoso
Sports Venues
D. Afonso Henriques Stadium
Vitória plays its home games at the Estádio D. Afonso Henriques. This stadium can hold over 30,029 people. After the "Big Three" clubs, Vitória attracts the most fans to its stadium. Average attendance is close to 20,000 per game. Vitória often has higher average attendance than other clubs. This was true even when they played in the Second League in 2006/07.
Vitória SC is the fourth club in Portugal with the most fans and spectators. They have held this position for a long time. Since the 2012/13 season, they have kept their 4th place. They continue to be the fourth club with the most members and best attendance in Portugal.
Other Facilities
Vitória SC Sports Complex
This complex opened in 1997. It was named "Complexo Desportivo Dr. Alberto Pimenta Machado." The idea for it came when the club president visited Milanello, AC Milan's sports complex.
The Sports Complex is where the club's offices are. It's also where the senior football team trains. The youth teams train and play their games here too. It has 3 natural grass fields and 3 artificial fields. There's also a gym, many changing rooms, a mini stadium, and a sports hall.
Vitória SC Mini Stadium
This mini stadium is part of the Vitória Academy. It is located on Field 5. It can hold 2,500 spectators. This is the home ground for the B team and the under-19s. It also has a special presidential area, three snack bars, six changing rooms, and a technical support area.
Vimaranense Unit Sports Pavilion
This Pavilion is inside the Sports Complex. It opened in 1997 and can hold 2,500 spectators. It is the home for many Vitória SC sports. About 600 athletes use it weekly for training and competitions. From 2022/23 to 2023/24, the average number of spectators per game increased by 40%. The Pavilion was updated in summer 2024. This was done to make it even better for everyone.
Guimarães Sports City
The Guimarães Sports City is a collection of sports facilities in Guimarães. It can host big national and international events. These facilities, like the swimming pool complex and athletics track, are often used by Vitória SC athletes and teams for training.
Rivalries
Rivalry with SC Braga
The Minho derby is a big football rivalry. It is between Sporting Clube de Braga and Vitória Sport Clube. These are two of the biggest clubs in the Minho region of northern Portugal. This derby is very intense and passionate. It shows not just sports competition, but also a long history between the cities of Braga and Guimarães. This rivalry started even before Portugal became a kingdom. It has been a struggle in many parts of society, like sports, culture, and economy. Football is just one way this rivalry is shown. The Dérbi Minhoto is one of the most exciting matches in Portuguese football. Fans eagerly wait for this clash between two cities known for their history and identity.
Rivalry with Boavista FC
The match between the Conquistadores (Vitória) and the Panteras (Boavista) is a regional contest. It involves the city of Guimarães and the city of Porto. This rivalry is not as famous as some others. But it is still tense between fans of Vitorianos and Axadrezados. Each club represents the pride of its city and region. The game is always eagerly awaited. This is because of the great history and close location of the two teams.
Other Rivalries
There is also some rivalry between Braga, Boavista, Belenenses, and Vitória SC. This is because they have a similar number of titles. They are also some of the clubs with the most fans in Portugal. Many people argue about which one should be called the "4th big" club. However, these clubs are still quite far behind the "Big Three" in any sport.
Honours
| National Competitions | ||||
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| Competition | Titles | Seasons | Runners-up | |
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Taça de Portugal | 1 | 2012/13 | 1941/42, 1962/63, 1975/76,
1987/88, 2010/11, 2016/17 |
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Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira | 1 | 1988 | 2011, 2013, 2017 |
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Total Trophies | 2 | 2 Nationals | 9 Runner-up |
Players
Current Squad
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Players on Loan
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Club Staff
| Position | Staff |
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| President |  António Miguel Cardoso |
| Technical Director | Carlos Campos |
| Sporting Director | Rogério Matias |
| Director of Football | Flávio Meireles |
| Head Coach | Luís Freire |
| Assistant Head Coach | TBA |
| First-Team Coach | TBA |
| Goalkeeper Coach |  Douglas Jesus |
| Head of Scouting | TBA |
| Physiotherapist | Pedro Figueiredo Frederico Neto |
| Team Manager | Rui Carvalho |
Other Sports at Vitória SC
Handball
Vitória S.C. has a professional handball team. They play in the top division, Andebol 1.
- National Titles: 2 (1x Andebol 2, 1x Andebol 3)
Basketball
Vitória S.C. has professional men's and women's basketball teams. They play at the highest level of the sport. The men's team is in the LPB. The women's team is in the LFB.
- Men's National Titles: 4 (1x Proliga, 2x Taça de Portugal, 1x Troféu António Pratas)
- Women's National Titles: 1 (1x 1ª Divisão)
Volleyball
Vitória S.C. has professional men's and women's volleyball teams. They play at the highest level of the sport. The men's team is in the Portuguese Volleyball League A1. The women's team is in the First Division Women's Volleyball League.
- Men's National Titles: 5 (1x Campeonato Nacional I (A1), 1x Campeonato Nacional I (A2), 1x Campeonato Nacional II, 1x Taça de Portugal, 1x Taça Federação)
- Women's National Titles: 3 (2x Campeonato Nacional II, 1x Taça Federação)
Water Polo
Vitória S.C. has a semi-professional water polo team. They play in the Portuguese Waterpolo First Division.
- National Titles: 12 (5x Primeira Divisão, 1x Segunda Divisão, 2x Taça de Portugal, 4x Supertaça)
Cycling Team
Vitória S.C. used to have a professional cycling team. This was at the start of the 21st century. The team competed mainly in national races, like the famous Tour of Portugal.
Beach Soccer
Vitória SC's Beach Soccer team has not been active since 2015. Historically, they are known for being the second team to win the Beach Soccer Elite Championship. This was their only national title, won in 2011.
Images for kids
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Evolution of Vitória Sport Clube's league performances since 1938
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Mario Imbelloni
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Manuel José
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Manuel José
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Raymond Goethals
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Geninho
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Paulo Autuori
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Manuel Machado
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Jaime Pacheco
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Zoran Filipović
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Augusto Inácio
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Jorge Jesus
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Manuel Cajuda
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Nelo Vingada
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Paulo Sérgio
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Rui Vitória
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Armando Evangelista
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Sérgio Conceição
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Vítor Campelos
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José Peseiro
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Luís Castro
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Ivo Vieira
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Tiago Mendes
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João Henrique
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Moreno
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Pepa
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Paulo Turra
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Álvaro Pacheco
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Rui Borges
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Daniel Sousa
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Luís Freire
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See also
In Spanish: Vitória Sport Clube para niños
