Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas

Full name	Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas
Nickname(s)	Fogão (The Great Fire) A Estrela Solitária (The Lone Star) O Glorioso (The Glorious One)
Founded	July 1, 1894 (1894-07-01), as a rowing club August 12, 1904 (1904-08-12), as a football club
Stadium	Estádio Olímpico João Havelange
Ground Capacity	17,250
President	Carlos Eduardo Pereira
Head coach	Jair Ventura
League	Campeonato Brasileiro Série A
2015	Série B, 1st (promoted)
Website	Club home page
Home colors Away colors Third colors

Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas (Portuguese pronunciation: [bɔtaˈfoɡu dʒi futʃiˈbɔw i ʁeˈɡataʃ]; Botafogo Football and Regatta), also known as Botafogo and familiarly as A Estrela Solitária (The Lone Star), is a Brazilian sports club based in Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro. Although they compete in a number of different sports, Botafogo is mostly known for its association football team. It plays in the Campeonato Carioca,^{[nb 1]} the state of Rio de Janeiro's premier state league and the Brasileirão Série A. It was appointed by FIFA to the group of the biggest clubs in the twentieth century.^[1]

In addition, the club has some of the top records of Brazilian football, as the largest number of unbeaten matches: 52 games between 1977 and 1978;^[2] the matches unbeaten record in the Brazilian Championship games: 42, also between 1977 and 1978;^[3] the largest number of players participations in total matches of the Brazil national football team (considering official and unofficial games): 1,094 participations^[4] and the largest number of players assigned to the Brazilian national team for World Cup.^[5] The club is still responsible for the greatest victory ever recorded in Brazilian football: 24-0 against Sport Club Mangueira in 1909.^[6]

History

Formation and merger

On July 1, 1894, Club de Regatas Botafogo was founded.^[7]

On August 12, 1904, another club was founded in the neighbourhood: the Electro Club, the name first given to the Botafogo Football Club. The idea came during an algebra lesson at Alfredo Gomes College, when Flávio Ramos wrote to his friend Emmanuel Sodré: "Itamar has a football club in Martins Ferreira Street. Let's establish another one, in Largo dos Leões, what do you think? We can speak to the Wernecks, to Arthur César, Vicente and Jacques". And so the Electro Club was founded. But this name wouldn't last. After a suggestion from Dona Chiquitota, Flávio's grandmother, the club finally became the Botafogo Football Club, on September 18 of the same year. The colours? Black and white., just like Juventus FC, the team of Itamar Tavares, one of the club's founders. And the badge, drawn by Basílio Vianna Jr., in Swiss style with the BFC monogram. The Botafogo Football Club would soon become one of the strongest football teams in Rio de Janeiro, winning the championships of 1907, 1910, 1912 and more.^[8]

The same name, the same location, the same colours and the most important thing: the same supporters. It seemed that the destiny of both clubs was to become one. And so it happened: on December 8, 1942 they finally merged. It was after a basketball match between both clubs, when Botafogo Football Club player Armando Albano died suddenly, that the idea began to become truth. At the tragic occasion, the president of Club de Regatas Botafogo, Augusto Frederico Schmidt (also a major Brazilian poet) spoke: "At this time, I declare to Albano that his last match ended with the victory of his team. We won't play no longer the time left on the clock. We all want the young fighter to leave this great night as a winner. This is how we salute him". Eduardo Góis Trindade, Botafogo Football Club's president said: "Between the matches of our clubs, only one can be the winner: Botafogo!". And then Schmidt declared the fusion: "What else do we need to our clubs become one?". And so they did: Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas finally became true. The Football Club's badge became black, and the monogram substituted by Clube de Regatas' lone star.^[9]

On the field

The team won the Campeonato Carioca in 1907, 1910 and 1912. In 1909 the team beat Mangueira 24–0, which remains the highest score in Brazilian football. They won further state titles in 1930, 1932, 1933, 1934 and 1935.^[10]

In the 1940s, after the creation of "Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas", the best player of the team was Heleno de Freitas. However, Heleno did not win a championship for Botafogo. He scored 204 goals in 233 matches but went to Boca Juniors in 1948, the year Botafogo won its 9th state championship.

They won the Campeonato Carioca in 1957, 1961 and 1962, and in 1968 they won Serie A.^[11]

1989 ended a period of 21 years without a title when the club won the state championship, retaining the trophy in 1990.^[11]

In the 1990s, Botafogo won Copa Conmebol (the precursor of the current Copa Sudamericana)^[12]

Botafogo would be relegated to the Second Division after ranking last in the Brazilian League of 2002. In 2003, Botafogo ranked second in Brazil's Second division (after Palmeiras) and returned to the First Division.

In 2006, the club won for the 18th time the Rio de Janeiro State Championship. Nowadays, Botafogo is the only club to win titles in three different centuries, including the state championship of rowing in 1899.

Stadium

Their home ground is the Estádio Olímpico João Havelange, which is known as the Estádio Nilton Santos for Botafogo matches.^[13]

Estádio Nilton Santos, also known as Engenhão.

Rivals

Its biggest rivals are from the same city: Fluminense, Flamengo and Vasco da Gama.

Symbols

Lone Star

The Lone Star (Estrela Solitária) is currently present in Botafogo's flag and crest. This star was the principal symbol of Club de Regatas Botafogo. After the two Botafogos merged, the Lone Star became one of the most important symbols of Botafogo's football team.

Flag

The old flag of Club de Regatas Botafogo was white with a small black square which contained the Lone Star. The Football Club had a flag with nine black and white stripes with the club's crest localized in the center. Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas then based its flag on the two old clubs. The flag has five black and four white stripes, with a black square at the upper left side with the Lone Star.

Uniform

Their primary uniform consists of a black jersey with vertical white stripes, black shorts and grey socks. Their secondary uniform is all white. An all black uniform may also be used. The socks, although traditionally grey, may also be black or even white on rare occasions.

Mascots

In 1948 a stray dog named Biriba, known for urinating on the players, was the mascot that led them to the Campeonato Carioca.^[14] For some time before the adoption of Manequinho as mascot, Botafogo had Donald Duck as their mascot, associated with the team fans' fiery temper (as well as, notoriously, 1940s idol Heleno de Freitas). Due to image rights problems with the Walt Disney Company, Donald did not become an official mascot.

Financial situation

In 2006 Botafogo had Supergasbras and Alê as sponsors, the arrangement during that year earned the team $3.2 million (R$7.2 million).^[15] The next year, Botafogo managed to sign the sixth highest sponsorship deal in Brazil^[16] the new sponsor Liquigás, a Petrobrás subsidiary paid the club $3.9 million (R$7.8 million) under the terms of the 1-year contract.^[15] In 2008 not only the agreement with Liquigás was renewed for another year but it also became more lucrative since the sponsorship was raised to around $5 million (R$10.2 million).^[17]

Botafogo generated in 2007 the 12th biggest revenue for all Brazilian Football clubs, that year's revenues totalled $20.8 million (or R$41.1 million) but Botafogo had a net loss of $1.9 million (or R$3.7 million).^[18][19] Also at the end of 2007 Botafogo had total debts of $106.1 million (or R$209.7 million).^[20]

Honours

International

• Copa CONMEBOL:

1993

• Recopa Sudamericana:

Runners-up: 1994

• Copa Libertadores:

Semifinalist: 1963, 1973

• Tournament of Paris:

1963

Domestic

• Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: 2

1968,^[21]1995

Runners-up: 1962, 1972, 1992

3rd Place: 1963, 1971

4th place: 1969, 1981, 1989, 2013

• Campeonato Brasileiro Série B:

2015

Runners-up: 2003

Regional

• Torneio Rio-São Paulo: 4

1962, 1964, 1966, 1998

• Campeonato Carioca: 20

1907, 1910, 1912, 1930, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935*, 1948, 1957, 1961, 1962, 1967, 1968, 1989, 1990, 1997, 2006, 2010, 2013

• Taça Guanabara: 8

1967, 1968, 1997, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2015

• Taça Rio: 9

1975, 1976, 1989, 1997, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013

(*)The only to win four times in a row

Current squad

As of 15 September 2016^[22]

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

No. Position Player GK Helton Leite GK Jefferson (Captain) GK Saulo GK Sidão DF Emerson DF Emerson Silva (on loan from Atlético Mineiro) DF Joel Carli DF Renan Fonseca DF Diego DF Diogo Barbosa DF Luis Ricardo DF Marcinho DF Victor Luis (on loan from Palmeiras) DF Alemão (on loan from Bragantino) MF Airton MF Bruno Silva MF Camilo MF Dierson

No. Position Player MF Dudu Cearense MF Matheus Fernandes MF Rodrigo Lindoso MF Fernandes MF Gegê MF Gervasio Núñez MF Leandro MF Damián Lizio MF Juan Manuel Salgueiro FW Anderson Aquino FW Gustavo Canales FW Luís Henrique FW Geovane Maranhão (on loan from Madureira) FW Neílton (on loan from Cruzeiro) FW Rodrigo Pimpão FW Sassá FW Vinicius Tanque

Out of team

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

No. Position Player DF John Lennon DF Guilherme DF Igor Rabello DF Renan Lemos MF Andreazzi MF Dedé

No. Position Player MF Dill MF Fabiano MF Lucas Zen FW Tássio FW Murilo

Out on loan

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

No. Position Player GK Milton Raphael (to Macaé) DF Matheus Menezes (to América) DF Erick (to América) DF Jean (to Botafogo–PB) DF Igor Rabello (to Náutico) MF Mauro (to Volta Redonda) MF Andrade (to Bangu)

No. Position Player MF Jeferson Paulista (to Rio Claro-SP) MF Marquinho (to Atlético Goianiense) MF Octávio (to Tupi) FW Andre Luis (to Boavista) FW Paulo Ricardo (to Boavista) FW Vinícius Tanquinho (to Volta Redonda)

First-team staff

Position	Name
Head coach	Jair Ventura
Assistant coach	Emílio Faro
Fitness coach	Ednílson Goes
Goalkeeping coach	Jorcey Santos
Medical staff	Luís Fernando Medeiros

Records

Golden Ball winners:

• Didi: 1958
• Garrincha: 1962

Most appearances
#	Name	Matches	Goals	Year
1.	Nílton Santos	723	11	1948–64
2.	Garrincha	612	243	1953–65
3.	Waltencir	453	6	1967–76
4.	Quarentinha	444	306	1954–64
5.	Manga	442	394*	1959–68
6.	Carlos Roberto	442	15	1967–76
7.	Geninho	422	115	1940–54
8.	Jairzinho	413	186	1962–74, 1981
9.	Wágner	412	503*	1993–02
10.	Osmar	387	4	1970–79
11.	Juvenal	384	12	1946–57
12.	Gérson dos Santos	371	2	1945–56
13.	Wilson Gottardo	354	13	1987–90, 1994–96
14.	Roberto Miranda	352	154	1962–73
15.	Pampolini	347	27	1955–62
16.	Mendonça	340	116	1975–82
	* goalkeeper.

Most goals
#	Name	Goals	Matches	G/M
1.	Quarentinha	306	444	0,68
2.	Carvalho Leite	261	303	0,86
3.	Garrincha	243	612	0,39
4.	Heleno de Freitas	209	235	0,88
5.	Nilo	190	201	0,94
6.	Jairzinho	186	413	0,45
7.	Octávio Moraes	171	200	0,85
8.	Túlio Maravilha	159	223	0,71
9.	Roberto Miranda	154	352	0,43
10.	Dino da Costa	144	176	0,81
11.	Amarildo	136	231	0,58
12.	Paulinho Valentim	135	206	0,65
13.	Nílson Dias	127	301	0,42
14.	Mendonça	116	340	0,34
15.	Geninho	115	422	0,27
16.	Didi	114	313	0,36
17.	Zezinho	110	174	0,63
18.	Pascoal	105	158	0,66
19.	Patesko	102	242	0,42
20.	Gérson	96	248	0,39

• Note: numbers don't count matches played in Torneio Início.
• Source: RSSSF Brasil – Botafogo

Managers

Notes

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas.

Look up Botafogo in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• Official Website
• Canal Botafogo
• Vestiario Alvinegro
• Grupo Mais Botafogo
• Botafogo page at Globo