FC Porto - History
Full name: Futebol Clube do Porto
Nickname(s): Dragões (The Dragons) / Azuis e Brancos (Blue and Whites)
Founded: September 28, 1893
Ground: Estádio do Dragão (Dragão Stadium)
Capacity: 50,399
Chairman: Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa
September, 1893. Out of nothing, as a secret ambition unfolded by a tough and inflexible reality, F.C. Porto has been founded. António Nicolau d´Almeida, a fine sportsman and an expert Oporto Wine trader, invited, in the quality of F.C. Porto president, F.C. Lisbonense to a football match. It was the first appearance in a football match for the club, the most ancient page written in more than an hundred years of history.
Deep and insightful enthusiasm marked the years that followed F.C. Porto foundation. The goal of José Monteiro da Costa was to unite the efforts of the local community with the strong English representation in Oporto. This led to extinction of Grupo Recreativo «O Destino» in favour of F.C. Porto. It was the beginning of a solid structure.
The founders were men strongly determined to engender a symbol, a crest or an icon, in which future generations would have pride on. Their remarkable initiative is still remembered. Blue and white were the colours chosen, as meaning of pureness, calmness and stillness of mind. The colours were represented, at that early time, in the Portuguese flag.
F.C. Porto evolved its purposes to national and universal goals. In the first crest, the symbol was, of course, a football ball with the F.C.P. initials. Twenty years later the Oporto city shield becomes a vital part of the F.C. Porto badge. In 1948, the 3-2 victory over Arsenal, at the time known as the best team in the world, was a proof of the blue and whites’ potential.
Over the years, F.C. Porto grew as the conquests were becoming bigger and as its purposes were becoming greater. The symbol of a region astounded the country and surprised the world. The 1980’s were probably the most memorable decade. In 1987 and 1988, F.C. Porto conquered the European Cup, the Intercontinental Cup and the European Supercup – an outstanding deed, a proof of the success of a special approach to sports. Few years later, F.C. Porto achieved a goal that no other club in Portugal dared to accomplish. Five championships in a row was a remarkable act, another great page in the clubs’ history.
Nowadays, the world changed and Portugal too has evolved. Sports reality is now more complex, but F.C. Porto remains at the top. The club remained winning and the dynamics persisted. F.C. Porto is now represented all over the country and all over the world.
The Centro de Treinos e Formação Desportiva PortoGaia and the Estádio do Dragão are modern infrastructures of world class. The future shines, as the club conquered the UEFA Cup, in the season 2002/03, the UEFA Champions League, in 2003/04, and the Intercontinental Cup, in 2004.
