Fortaleza Esporte Clube

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Fortaleza
Full nameFortaleza Esporte Clube
Nickname(s)Leão do Pici (Lion of the Pici)
Rei Leão do Brasil (Lion King of Brazil)
Tricolor
Clube da Garotada (Club of the Youth)
Tricolor de Aço (Steel Tricolor)
Founded18 October 1918; 105 years ago (1918-10-18)
GroundCastelão
Capacity63,903[1]
PresidentAlex Santiago
Head coachJuan Pablo Vojvoda
LeagueCampeonato Brasileiro Série A
Campeonato Cearense
2022
2021
Série A, 8th of 20
Cearense, 1st of 10 (champions)
WebsiteClub website
Current season

Fortaleza Esporte Clube, usually known as Fortaleza, is primarily a football club, but is active in other sports such as futsal, handball and basketball. Fortaleza Esporte Clube is based in Fortaleza, capital of the State of Ceará, Brazil. The club was founded on 18 October 1918.[2]

Fortaleza is one of the most traditional[clarification needed] clubs in the Northeastern region of Brazil alongside Bahia, Vitória, Santa Cruz, Sport, Náutico and Ceará, its biggest rival. The club's colors are red, blue and white.

History[edit]

On 23 February 1912, Alcides Santos founded a club called Fortaleza, and participated shortly after in the founding of the Stella Foot-Ball Club. Finally, on 18 October 1918, Fortaleza Sporting Club was born, the first denomination of the Fortaleza Esporte Clube. Its colors represent the colors of the French flag, since the founder spent time in France and decided to put the colors of the European country in the Brazilian club.

In 1920, they participated in the foundation of the Associação Cearense de Desportos. That same year they got their first Cearense Championship title.

In 1951, the Municipality of Fortaleza decided to renovate the Presidente Vargas Stadium. The idea of having a private stadium was reborn in the board since it had its own stadium during the 1920s.

In 1957, the club acquired from the land in Bairro do Pici from Mrs. Hedwing, which during the Second World War was where the American military base was in Fortaleza, called Post Command ( Command Post), hence the name Pici, transfers it to the Club of Gentilândia in exchange for the new neighborhood. It changed its name to Leão do Pici, a reference to the neighborhood where the Parque dos Campeonatos is located.

The Alcides Santos Stadium opened its doors in June 1962, beating Usina Ceará in the inaugural match.

After finishing in 4th place in the 2021 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, the club qualified for the Copa Libertadores for the first time in history. In 2023 they finished 2nd place in the Copa Sudamericana, losing to L.D.U. Quito.

Uniform[edit]

  • Home Uniform: Blue and red shirt with blue pants and white socks.
  • Away uniform: White and blue shirt with blue pants and blue socks.

Uniform Evolution[edit]

1922-1926
1926-1938
1997
2013
2014
2015-2016
2016-2017
2017
2018

Statistics[edit]

  • Campeonato Brasileiro Série A
    • Player with most goals scored: Rinaldo (23 goals)
    • Player with most goals scored in a single tournament: Rinaldo (16 goals), in 2005
  • All divisions taken in consideration
    • Player with most goals scored: Rinaldo (43 goals); in 2004 (14), 2005 (16), 2006 (11) and 2008 (2)
  • Topscorers in national competitions (cups and leagues)
  • Best Série A right-back (Bola de Prata award): Louro, in 1974

Mascot[edit]

Fortaleza mascot Juba

In the 1960s a journalist popularized the Leão, a name that came from the times of Praça dos Leões. The mascot's name is Juba.

Club structure[edit]

Headquarters[edit]

The Fortaleza Esporte Clube has its headquarters in the district of Pici, which consists of the Manoel Guimarães administrative headquarters, stadium Alcides Santos stadium, indoor trophies, Hotel Ribamar Bezerra (used for athletes), Otoni Diniz accommodation, dressing rooms, fitness center, and a modern medical department.

Castelão (Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil)

Stadiums[edit]

They play their games at Alcides Santos Stadium, with capacity for 8,300 people, Estadio Castelão, which can hold 63,903 supporters and Estádio Presidente Vargas, which has a capacity of 20,600.

Past presidents[edit]

  • Alcides Santos
  • João Gentil
  • João César
  • Ney Rebouças
  • Aírton França Rebouças
  • Péricles Mulatinho
  • José Atanásio dos Santos
  • José Nestor Falcão
  • Osvaldo Azim
  • Ezequiel Menezes
  • Jorge Mota (1999—03)
  • Clayton Alcântara Veras (2004)
  • Ribamar Bezerra (2005—06)
  • Marcello Desidério (2007—08)
  • Lúcio Bonfim (2008—09)
  • Renan Vieira (2010)
  • Paulo Arthur Magalhães (2011)
  • Osmar Baquit (2011—14)
  • Jorge Mota (2015—17)
  • Luis Eduardo Girão (2017)
  • Marcelo Paz (2017—2023)
  • Alex Santiago (2024—present)

Current squad[edit]

As of 6 March 2024[3]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Brazil BRA João Ricardo
2 DF Brazil BRA Tinga (captain)
4 DF Brazil BRA Titi (vice-captain)
6 DF Brazil BRA Bruno Pacheco
7 MF Argentina ARG Tomás Pochettino
9 FW Argentina ARG Juan Martín Lucero (4rd captain)
10 MF Brazil BRA Calebe
11 FW Brazil BRA Marinho
13 DF Chile CHI Benjamín Kuscevic (on loan from Coritiba)
15 GK Brazil BRA Bruno Guimarães
16 MF Brazil BRA Matheus Rossetto
17 MF Brazil BRA Zé Welison
18 MF Brazil BRA Luquinhas
19 DF Argentina ARG Emanuel Brítez
20 DF Brazil BRA Dudu
No. Pos. Nation Player
21 FW Brazil BRA Moisés
22 DF Brazil BRA Yago Pikachu (3rd captain)
23 GK Brazil BRA Santos
25 DF Argentina ARG Tomás Cardona
28 MF Brazil BRA Pedro Augusto
30 GK Brazil BRA Maurício Kozlinski
31 MF Brazil BRA Amorim
32 FW Brazil BRA Pedro Rocha
33 DF Argentina ARG Gonzalo Escobar
35 MF Brazil BRA Hércules
36 DF Brazil BRA Thauan Lara (on loan from Internacional)
37 MF Brazil BRA Kauan
39 FW Argentina ARG Imanol Machuca
77 FW Venezuela VEN Kervin Andrade
88 MF Brazil BRA Lucas Sasha
91 FW Brazil BRA Thiago Galhardo

Reserve team[edit]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
48 FW Brazil BRA Ryan Luka

Out on loan[edit]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
DF Brazil BRA Bernardo Schappo (on loan to Botafogo-SP until 30 November 2024)
DF Colombia COL Brayan Ceballos (no loan to Atlético Junior until 31 December 2024)
DF Brazil BRA Habraão (on loan to Chapecoense until 30 November 2024)
DF Brazil BRA João Paulo (on loan to Chapecoense until 30 November 2024)
DF Brazil BRA Marcelo Benevenuto (on loan to Coritiba until 30 November 2024)
DF Portugal POR Tobias Figueiredo (on loan to Criciúma until 31 December 2024)
DF Brazil BRA Bruno Melo (on loan to Coritiba until 31 December 2024)
No. Pos. Nation Player
MF Brazil BRA Ryan (on loan to Boavista until 30 April 2024)
MF Brazil BRA Sammuel (on loan to ABC until 30 November 2024)
MF Brazil BRA Ronald (on loan to Mirassol until 30 November 2024)
MF Brazil BRA Pedro Vitor (on loan to Remo until 31 December 2024)
FW Brazil BRA Edinho (on loan to Paysandu until 30 November 2024)
FW Brazil BRA Renato Kayzer (on loan to Criciúma until 31 December 2024)
FW Brazil BRA Igor Torres (on loan to Aparecidense until 30 November 2024)

Staff[edit]

Current staff[edit]

As of 24 February 2023.
Position Name
Coaching staff
Head coach Argentina Juan Pablo Vojvoda
Assistant head coach Argentina Nahuel Martínez
Assistant head coach Argentina Gastón Liendo
Assistant head coach Brazil Leonardo Porto
Fitness coach Argentina Luis Aspiazu
Fitness coach Brazil Émerson Santana
Fitness coach Brazil Kelmo Bonatto
Fitness coach Brazil Lucas Martins
Goalkeepers trainer Argentina Santiago Piccinini
Goalkeepers trainer Brazil Guto Albuquerque
Development analyst Brazil Henrique Bittencourt
Development analyst Brazil Leonardo Abreu
Medical staff
Team doctor Brazil Cláudio Maurício
Team doctor Brazil Glay Maranhão
Team doctor Brazil Rafael Veras
Team doctor Brazil Roberto Oliveira
Team doctor Brazil Vinícius Castelo Branco
Physiotherapist Brazil Albino Luciano
Physiotherapist Brazil Egberto Oliveira
Physiotherapist Brazil Patrício Teixeira
Physiotherapist Brazil Ranielson Xavier

Honours[edit]

National[edit]

Regional[edit]

State[edit]

  • Campeonato Cearense
    • Winners (46): 1920, 1921, 1923, 1924, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1933, 1934, 1937, 1938, 1946, 1947, 1949, 1953, 1954, 1959, 1960, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1969, 1973, 1974, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1987, 1991, 1992, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
  • Copa dos Campeões Cearenses
    • Winners (2): 2016, 2017

References[edit]

  1. ^ "CNEF - Cadastro Nacional de Estádios de Futebol" (PDF) (in Portuguese). 18 January 2016. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  2. ^ "Fortaleza". Albion Road. Archived from the original on 21 September 2008. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
  3. ^ "Elenco" [Squad] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Fortaleza EC. Retrieved 18 January 2020.

External links[edit]