Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras

Football club infobox
clubname = Palmeiras


fullname = Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras
nickname = "Verdão" (Big Green);
"Palestra"
"Alviverde" (The Green Whites)
"Porco" (Pig)
"Academia de Futebol" (The Football Academy)
founded = August 26, 1914
ground = Palestra Itália (Parque Antártica),
São Paulo, Brazil
capacity = 32,436 [http://www.futebolpaulista.com.br/estadio.php?cod=18] . "Federação Paulista de Futebol", article "Estádio_Palestra_Itália". Accessed on January 03, 2008.]
chairman = Afonso Della Monica
manager = Vanderlei Luxemburgo
league = Campeonato Brasileiro Série A
season = 2007
position = Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, 7th
pattern_la1=_adidasstripeswhite
pattern_b1=_cucitureb
pattern_ra1=_adidasstripeswhite
pattern_sh1 = _adidasonwhite
pattern_so1 = _3_stripes_white
leftarm1=005000
body1=005000
rightarm1=005000
shorts1=005000
socks1=005000
pattern_la2=_adidasstripesgreen
pattern_b2=_greenarc
pattern_ra2=_adidasstripesgreen
pattern_sh2 = _adidasstripesongreen
pattern_so2 = _3_stripes_green
leftarm2=CCFF00
body2=CCFF00
rightarm2=CCFF00
shorts2=CCFF00
socks2=CCFF00

Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras, usually called Palmeiras, is a Brazilian football team from São Paulo. The team was founded on August 26, 1914, as Società Sportiva Palestra Italia but changed to the current name on September 14, 1942. It is one of the most popular and traditional Brazilian clubs.

History

Foundation and name

Palmeiras was founded by Luigi Cervo, Vicenzo Ragognetti, Luigi Emanuele Marzo and Ezequiel Simone, four Italian men who were members of the Italian-speaking community of São Paulo and was initially named "Società Sportiva Palestra Italia". Its original colors were red, white and green (those of Italy). The name change occurred during World War II. Brazil entered the war supporting the allies and its dictatorship forced Palestra Italia to change its name because of the reference to Italy. The original badge (a white ornamental "P" in a shield) is still present in the current one and the club has used red as a third colour (mostly in friendship games during the club's 75th anniversary).

Several other clubs whose names alluded to enemy foreign countries either disappeared (like Germania) or were renamed during the same period. Another Brazilian club that was once also called "Palestra Italia" is Cruzeiro Esporte Clube, from Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais. However Palmeiras was the original Palestra Italia, since it was founded about a decade before Cruzeiro.

Champion of The Century

In its history, the club has won 22 championships of the State of São Paulo and 5 Rio-São Paulo Tournament, but the most important titles have been 6 national league titles ( 4 Campeonato Brasileiros and 2 Torneios Roberto Gomes Pedrosa), 4 national cups (1 Brazil Cup, 2 Taças Brasil and 1 Brazilian Champion's Cup), 1 Libertadores Cup, 1 Mercosur Cup and the 1951 Copa Rio . Palmeiras is recognised as one of Brazil's most victorious clubs. In 1999, the Club was claimed by Federação Paulista de Futebol 'Champion of The 20th Century' in Brazil.

First World Champion Club

Palmeiras asked FIFA to consider them as the first Club World Champion due to their victory in 1951 Copa Rio.Which is absolutely unnecessary, as this competition was organized under FIFA's supervision, ordered by its former president, Mr. Jules Rimet. The competition was held in Rio de Janeiro with only major south-american and european clubs.cite web | title = Comitiva deixa Fifa com uma certeza: Verdão é campeão mundial | url=http://ultimosegundo.ig.com.br/esportes/futebol/2007/05/27/comitiva_deixa_fifa_com_uma_certeza_verdao_e_campeao_mundial_802793.html | language = Portuguese | accessdate = 2007-09-28 | publisher=Ultimo Segundo iG/Gazeta Esportiva ]

Ups and downs

The club has had a rather irregular history alternating between periods of intense success and failure. In the 1960s and early 1970s for instance, the club collected trophies, having played several times the Libertadores Cup and won the Brazilian Championship (Campeonato Brasileiro) twice (1972/73). Then the club found itself in a fifteen-year hiatus without any significant trophies until 1992 when the club signed a sponsorship deal with Italian dairy giant Parmalat; the deal lasted for eight years and quickly turned Palmeiras into Brazil's richest club, allowing the club to purchase many valuable assets for their squad such as Edmundo, Zinho and Edilson. During the Parmalat era (which started in 1992) Palmeiras won the Brazilian Championship twice (1993/94), the Brazilian Cup (1998), the Mercosur Cup (1998) and the Libertadores Cup (1999). Palmeiras went to Division 2 in 2003 but came back to Division 1 the following year as the Division 2 champions.

Libertadores Cup Winners

Famous coach Luiz Felipe Scolari led the team to one of the club's most important titles: The 1999 Libertadores Cup. The final match was against Deportivo Cali from Colombia. Important players from that team were World Cup winner goalkeeper Marcos, as well as Alex de Souza, Evair, Paulo Nunes and Cesar Sampaio.

Palmeiras is the Brazilian club with the most participations in Copa Libertadores (13), winning it once (1999) and reaching the finals in other three times (1961, 1968 and 2000).

Current Years

Parmalat sponsorship ended in 2000 and left the club in dire straits. After a mildly irregular season in 2001 — the biggest achievement was a Libertadores Cup semifinal against Boca Juniors— the club faced its worst year ever in 2002 and was relegated to the Second Division, which it won in the following year, returning to the First Division in 2004. Ever since its comeback, the club has been on the rise. The 2004 and 2005 seasons were rather successful when the team qualified for the Libertadores Cup. The 2006 season was not good since the team finished the Campeonato Brasileiro in the 16th position, followed by a 7th position in 2007 season.

In 2008 Palmeiras made a partership contract with Traffic, a Sports Marketing Agency. Besides that, the club made some big investments on some big name players and also on coach Vanderley Luxemburgo. This new strategy paid up, since the club won for the 22nd time the Paulista Championship.

Honours (61)

Continental Championships (2)

*Libertadores Cup: 1999
*Mercosur Cup: 1998

International Tournaments (17)

*
*Firenze Cup (Italy): 1963
*Ramon de Carranza (Spain): 1969, 1974, 1975
*Euro-America Cup: 1991, 1996
*Nagoya Cup: 1994
*Brazil-Italy Cup: 1994
*Brazil-Japan Cup: 1967
*Naranja Cup (Spain): 1995
*Lev Yashin Tournament: 1994
*Kirin Cup: *1978
*Italian Imigration Cup: 1975
*Mar del Plata Cup: 1972
*João Havelange Cup: 1966

'*"Kirin Cup was shared with Borussia Mönchengladbach"

National Competitions (21)

*Campeonato Brasileiro First Division: 1972, 1973, 1993, 1994
*Torneio Roberto Gomes Pedrosa: 1967, 1969
*Brazilian Cup: 1998
*Taça Brasil: 1960, 1967
*Champions' Cup: 2000
*Rio-São Paulo Tournament: 1933, 1951, 1965, 1993, 2000
*Rio-São Paulo Champions Cup: 1926, 1934, 1942, 1947
*Torneio Maria Quitéria: 1997
*Campeonato Brasileiro Second Division: 2003

Regional Competitions (30)

*Campeonato Paulista: 1920, 1926, 1927, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1936, 1940, 1942, 1944, 1947, 1950, 1959, 1963, 1966, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1993, 1994, 1996, 2008 (22 times)
*Campeonato Paulista Extra: 1926, 1938
*Taça dos Invictos (The Invincibles Cup): 1933/1934, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1989

Youth competitions (2)

*Super Copa São Paulo de Juniores: 1995
*Torneo Internazionale Under 19 Bellinzona (Switzerland): 2007

tadium

Palmeiras plays home games at the Palestra Itália Stadium. In the past its capacity was listed as 35,000 spectators. However, even though its grandstands have been extended in the late 1990s, currently it seats 29,173 people [http://www.futebolpaulista.com.br/estadio.php?cod=18] . 'Federação Paulista de Futebol", article "Estádio_Palestra_Itália". Accessed on January 03, 2008.] due to regulations enforcing improved safety and comfort. The venue is also known as "Parque Antártica" because the area was a park built by Antarctica Paulista Company in the beginning of the last century, being acquired by Palmeiras in 1920.

Local derbies against São Paulo or Corinthians, however, are usually played in São Paulo's Morumbi stadium. The club has recently signed a deal with a local electricity company, "AES Eletropaulo", to improve its lighting system. There is planned for 2008 a substitution in the grass used at the stadium, as it has been a constant complaint by the club's players. The reform will force Palmeiras to play in foreign ground on the mean time. Directors have hinted that the team will probably play at stadiums that are not in the city of São Paulo. The club has recently announced a reformulation on the stadium, that will improve its capacity (max number of seats and more). The outlook are the Palestra Itália will be the most modern stadium of South America.

Club colours

Palmeiras first kit is of green jerseys, white shorts and green socks. Palmeiras first jersey was green with a horizontal white band across, with a red and white Savoy cross as crest ["Almanaque do Futebol Paulista 2000", by José Jorge Farah Neto and Rodolfo Kussarev Jr., published by Editora Panini Brasil and A Bola da Bola, page 414.] . Palmeiras have played in blue shirts twice as a tribute to the Italian National Team.

Since 2007 Palmeiras has also been using a third jersey, which is a light yellow shirt with a dark green shorts and socks.

upporters

* According to Placar magazine, [ [http://paginas.terra.com.br/esporte/rsssfbrasil/miscellaneous/torcidas.htm#s12 RSSSF] ] Palmeiras has one of the four largest supporting bases in Brazil, with fans in all Brazilian states.
* The club's official mascot is a green parakeet. However, during the mid-1940s, fans of Palmeiras' rival São Paulo, would refer to the team as "Pig," and soon after, other teams would follow.,cite web | title =Palmeiras| url=http://noticias.uol.com.br/pelenet/palmeiras/ficha.jhtm | accessdate =2008-09-28 | publisher=Pelé.net |language=Portuguese] Although the parakeet is the official mascot, fans will refer to and yell: "PORCO!" (Pig) enthusiastically during matches, as the pig became their better known mascot.
* The 2002 relegation was the worst moment in the club's history, but attendances were high throughout 2003 in the second division.
* Traditionally, Palmeiras is a club supported by the Italian descendants. Nowadays, however, the club is supported by every kind of people.
* Palmeiras biggest ultra is "Mancha Alvi-Verde" (in English: "White and Green Stain"). There are other smaller ultras, such as: "Acadêmicos da Savóia" "Porks Alviverde", "Núcleo 1914", and "TUP" (which is the oldest ultra, but is suffering of lack of membership).
* According to the last research (Datafolha 2007) Palmeiras is tied with São Paulo as the third most supported team in Brazil.

Rivals

Palmeiras' biggest rival is Corinthians. The rivalry between the two clubs is considered one of the most intense in the world, and their matches are known as "The Paulista Derby". São Paulo FC is another direct rival; the games between the two clubs are called "Choque Rei" ("Clash King").

Palmeiras B team

Palmeiras has a "second" team that plays the third division of the Paulista Championship (Série A3).

Cultural references

Palmeiras was featured heavily in the film O Casamento de Romeu e Julieta where the rivalry between Palmeiras and Corinthians plays a major role in the plot.

Players

Current squad

football squad player|no=3|nat=Brazil|pos=DF|name=Gustavo"(vice-captain)"football squad player|no=12|nat=Brazil|pos=GK|name=Marcos "(captain)"

Copa Sudamericana 2008 squad

football squad player|no=3|nat=Brazil|pos=DF|name=Gustavo"(vice-captain)"football squad player|no=12|nat=Brazil|pos=GK|name=Marcos "(captain)"

Out on loan

2008 Transfers

In

* Alex Mineiro from flagicon|Brazil Atlético-PR
* Élder Granja from flagicon|Brazil Internacional
* Jorge Preá from flagicon|Brazil Pelotas
* Diego Souza from flagicon|Portugal Benfica
* Allan from flagicon|Brazil Associação Portuguesa de Desportos
* Lenny from flagicon|Brazil Fluminense
* Léo Lima from flagicon|Brazil Flamengo
* Henrique from flagicon|Brazil Coritiba
* Denílson from flagicon|USA Dallas
* Kléber from flagicon|UKR Dynamo Kyiv (Loan)
* Sandro Silva from flagicon|BRA Mirassol
* Fabinho Capixaba from flagicon|BRA Mirassol
* Jumar from flagicon|BRA Paraná Clube
* Jefferson from flagicon|BRA Guaratinguetá
* Maicosuel from flagicon|BRA Cruzeiro
* Evandro from flagicon|BRA Goiás
* Thiago Cunha from flagicon|BRA Santa Cruz
* Jéci flagicon|BRA from Coritiba
* Gladstone flagicon|BRA from Sporting
* Roque Júnior from Free agent

Out

* Edmundo to flagicon|Brazil Vasco da Gama
* Rodrigão to flagicon|Brazil Atlético Paranaense (Loan return)
* Marcel to flagicon|Brazil Corinthians
* Paulo Sérgio to flagicon|Brazil Grêmio (Loan)
* Luís to flagicon|Brazil Ituano (Loan)
* Vinícius to flagicon|Brazil Ituano (Loan)
* Thiago Gomes to flagicon|Brazil Vitória (Loan)
* Enílton to flagicon|Brazil Sport (Loan)
* Caio to flagicon|Germany Eintracht Frankfurt
* Bruno Farias to flagicon|Brazil Marília
* Luiz Henrique to flagicon|Brazil São Caetano (Loan return)
* William to flagicon|Brazil Ipatinga (Loan)
* Marcelo Costa to flagicon|Brazil Ipatinga (Loan)
* Osmar to flagicon|Brazil Ipatinga (Loan)
* Makelele to flagicon|Brazil Grêmio
* Dininho to flagicon|Brazil Flamengo
* Valmir to flagicon|Brazil Vasco da Gama
* Nen to flagicon|Brazil Atlético Mineiro
* Amaral to flagicon|Brazil Atlético Mineiro
* Alex Afonso to flagicon|USA Miami FC
* Henrique to flagicon|Spain Barcelona
* Diego Cavalieri to flagicon|England Liverpool
* Jorge Valdivia to flagicon|UAE Al-Ain

Reserve Team

Notable players

Notable managers

Current staff

:"As of 13 February 2008."

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