Esporte Clube Vitória

Football club infobox
clubname = Vitória


fullname = Esporte Clube Vitória
nickname = "Leão da Barra" ("Lion from Barra")
founded = 1899
ground = Estádio Barradão, Salvador, Brazil
capacity = 32,000
chairman = Jorge Sampaio
manager = Vágner Mancini
league = Campeonato Brasileiro Série A
season = 2007
position = Campeonato Brasileiro Série B
4th (promoted)
pattern_la1=_redshoulders|pattern_b1=_blackhoops|pattern_ra1=_redshoulders| leftarm1=000000|body1=FF0000|rightarm1=000000|shorts1=000000|socks1=000000
pattern_la2=_lineonwhite|pattern_b2=_redwhitevertical|pattern_ra2=_lineonwhite
leftarm2=000000|body2=FFFFFF|rightarm2=000000|shorts2=FFFFFF|socks2=FFFFFF

pattern_la3=|pattern_b3=_redshoulders|pattern_ra3=
leftarm3=000000|body3=000000|rightarm3=000000|shorts3=000000|socks3=000000

Esporte Clube Vitória, usually known simply as Vitória, is a Brazilian football team from Salvador in Bahia, founded on May 13, 1899.

Vitória's home games are played in the club's own stadium (Manoel Barradas, capacity 32,000 [ [http://www.fussballtempel.net/conmebol/listeconmebol.html www.fussballtempel.net] ] ). They play in red and black horizontal striped shirts, black shorts and black socks. The stripes have changed in time: they are sometimes vertical, sometimes horizontal, sometimes wide, sometimes narrow.

History

The club was founded on May 13, 1899, by the brothers Artur and Artêmio Valente. They were from a traditional Bahia family, and discovered football during their studies in England. Initially, however, Vitória was a cricket club named Club de Cricket Victoria.

On May 22, 1901, Vitória played its first football match, at Campo da Pólvora, against International Sport Club, a team whose players were English seamen. Vitória beat International 3-2. Two months after that match, Vitória changed its original colors, which were black and white, to red and black, which are still in use.

On September 13, 1903, Vitória beat Paulista settlement São Paulo-Bahia 2-0. This match was the club's first professional match.

In 1908, Vitória won its first title ever. The club won the Campeonato Baiano.

In 1998, was founded the Vitória S/A (short for "Vitória Sociedade Anônima"), which is an incorporated company created to manage the club's professional football businesses.

In 2004, Vitória, after a poor campaign, was relegated to the Brazilian Second Division.

In 2005, the club disputed the Brazilian Second Division, ending in 17th, being relegated to the Third Division.

In 2006, Vitória was sub-champion of the Third Division, being promoted to the Brazilian Second Division.

In 2007, Vitória played the Brazilian Second Division and was promoted back to the Brazilian First Division after finishing in 4th place. This means the club managed to return from the lowest Brazilian division to its original place in the First Division in only two years.

Titles

Major competitions

* Campeonato do Nordeste in 1997, 1999 and 2003.
* 24 state championships (in 1908, 1909, 1953, 1955, 1957, 1964, 1965, 1972, 1980, 1985, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008).
* Brazilian Championship runner-up in 1993.
* Campeonato Brasileiro Série B runner-up in 1992.
* Campeonato Brasileiro Série C runner-up in 2006.

Other competitions

* Torneio Maria Quitéria: 1996

Youth competitions

* Dallas Cup: 1996 and 1997.
* Taça Belo Horizonte de Juniores: 1994.

Famous Players

* Andrada
* Bebeto
* Dida
* Dudu Cearense
* Edilson
* Mário Sérgio
* Matuzalém
* Obina
* Osni
* Dejan Petković
* Quarentinha
* Ricky
* Victor Hugo Aristizabal
* Siri
* Túlio
* Vampeta
* Flavio Maestri
* Alex Alves
* Joãozinho

Current squad

First Team

Fs player|no=|nat=COL|pos=GK|name=Julián Viáfara"(on loan from Atlético Paranaense)"Fs player|no=|nat=BRA|pos=GK|name=Gléguer"Fs player|no=|nat=BRA|pos=DF|name=Carlos Alberto"(on loan from Atlético Paranaense)"Fs player|no=|nat=BRA|pos=DF|name=Thiago Gomes"(on loan from Palmeiras)"Fs player|no=|nat=BRA|pos=MF|name=Renan"(on loan from São Paulo)"Fs player|no=|nat=BRA|pos=FW|name=Rodrigão"(on loan from Atlético Paranaense)"Fs player|no=|nat=ARG|pos=FW|name=Mariano Trípodi"(on loan from Santos)"

2008 Season Transfers

List of Brazilian football transfers 2008

Mascot

The club's mascot is a lion named Lelê Leão (Lion), and, according to Vitória's official site, his objective is to stimulate the club's supporters and players on match days.

Ultras

* [http://www.jovemrubronegro.com.br Jovem Rubro-Negro]
* [http://www.leoesdafiel.com.br Leões da Fiel]
* [http://www.osimbativeis.com.br Os Imbatíveis]

References

External links

* [http://www.ecvitoria.com.br/ Official Site]
* [http://www.leaodabarra.com.br/ Leaodabarra.com]