América Futebol Clube (AM)

América (AM)

Full name	América Futebol Clube
Founded	1939
Ground	SESI (Capacity: 5,000)
League	Campeonato Brasileiro Série C
2010	Campeonato Brasileiro Série D, 2nd (promoted)
Home colours Away colours

América Futebol Clube, usually known simply as América, América (AM) or América de Manaus (briefly known as Manaos), is a Brazilian football club from Manaus, Amazonas state.

History

The club was founded as América Futebol Clube on August 2, 1939 by the brothers Arthur and Amadeu Teixeira Alves, and named after the Rio de Janeiro club of the same name.^[1] In the beginning, the club's only players were Dom Bosco School students.^[2]

América won four state championships in a row from 1951 to 1954.^[3]

América competed in 1981 in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série C, which was named Taça de Bronze (Bronze Trophy) at the time. The club was eliminated in the first stage, by Izabelense of Pará state.^[4]

On May 14, 2010, the club name was changed to Manaos Futebol Clube, in order to popularize it amongst the people of Amazonas. The colors were changed from red and white to green (representing the Amazon Forest), and black (representing the Rio Negro (Black River)). However, on June 21, 2010, the board of directors, motivated by the lack of financial investments expected with the identity change, reverted back to the club's original name, América.

They finished as the 2010 Série D runners-up after being defeated in the final by Guarany de Sobral.

Achievements

• Campeonato Amazonense:
  • Winners (6): 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1994, 2009

• Torneio Início do Campeonato Amazonense:
  • Winners (4): 1955, 1965, 1986, 1996

• Série D:
  • Runners-up (1): 2010

Stadium

Main article: Vivaldão

América's home stadium is Estádio Vivaldo Lima, usually known as Vivaldão^[2], inaugurated in 1970, with a maximum capacity of 43,000 people. ^[5]

The club also owns a training ground, named Centro Social Urbano do Parque 10 de Novembro, sometimes called CSU. ^[1] América sometimes trains at the Campo do Formigão training ground.^[6]

Symbols

The club's official anthem lyrics was composed by Daniel Sales, in 1998, and is named "América do meu Coração", meaning "América of my Heart". ^[7] América's mascot is a devil,^[8] named Diabo Rubro, which means Red Devil. ^[9] The club is nicknamed Mequinha, which means Little América.^[1]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} Especial Placar - 500 Times do Brasil, São Paulo: Editora Abril: 2003.
2. ^ ^{a b} (Portuguese) América Futebol Clube (AM) at Arquivo de Clubes
3. ^ Campeonato Amazonense at RSSSF
4. ^ 1981 Campeonato Brasileiro Série C (Taça de Bronze) at RSSSF
5. ^ (Portuguese) Estádio Vivaldo Lima (Vivaldão) at Templos do Futebol
6. ^ (Portuguese) América Futebol Clube (AM) profile at fansite. Archived 2009-10-25.
7. ^ (Portuguese) América's anthem at América Futebol Clube (AM) fansite. Archived 2009-10-25.
8. ^ Enciclopédia do Futebol Brasileiro, Volume 1 - Lance, Rio de Janeiro: Aretê Editorial S/A, 2001.
9. ^ (Portuguese) América Futebol Clube (AM) at Times Brasileiros

External links

• (Portuguese) Official website