CR Vasco da Gama

Club de Regatas Vasco da Gama, () also known as Vasco da Gama or simply Vasco, is a Brazilian professional sports club based in Rio de Janeiro, in the neighborhood of Vasco da Gama. It was founded on August 21, 1898 (although the professional football department started on November 5, 1915), by Portuguese immigrants, and still has a strong fanbase among the Portuguese community of Rio de Janeiro. It is one of the most popular clubs in Brazil, with more than 23 million supporters. Although it competes in a number of different sports, Vasco is mostly known for its football team. It currently plays in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série B, the second tier of Brazilian football league system and in the Campeonato Carioca, the state of Rio de Janeiro's premier state league.
Its charter defines the club as a "sportive, recreative, educational, assistant and philanthropic non-profit organization of public utility".
The home stadium is São Januário, with a capacity of 21,880, the third biggest in Rio de Janeiro (after Maracanã and Engenhão. Some matches (especially the city derbies) are played at the Maracanã (capacity of about 80,000). Vas I play in black shirts with a white diagonal sash that contains a cross pattée, black shorts and black socks.
Vasco became world-famous for forming two of the greatest Brazilian teams ever in the 1940s and 1950s, and after playing in two World Club championships in '90s.
History.
Foundation.
In the late 19th century, rowing was the most important sport in Rio de Janeiro. At this time, four young men – Henrique Ferreira Monteiro, Luís Antônio Rodrigues, José Alexandre d'Avelar Rodrigues and Manuel Teixeira de Souza Júnior – who did not want to travel to Niterói to row with the boats of Gragoatá Club, decided to found a rowing club.
On August 21, 1898, in a room of the "Sons of Talma Dramatic Society", 62 members (mostly Portuguese immigrants) formed the Club de Regatas Vasco da Gama (Vasco da Gama Rowing Club). 
Inspired by the celebrations of the 4th centenary of the first sail from Europe to India, the founders chose to name to club in honor of Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama.
Football was included only after fusion with Lusitania Clube, another mostly Portuguese immigrants club. Beginning in the lower leagues, Vasco became champion of the league B in 1922 and ascended to league A. In its first championship in League A – in 1923, Vasco became champion with a team including whites, blacks and "mulatto" players of different social classes.
Overcoming social & class inequality.
Football in Brazil at that time was a sport for the elites, and Vasco da Gama's racially diverse squad didn't appease them. In 1924 Vasco da Gama was pressured by the Metropolitan League to ban some players who were not considered adequate to play in the aristocratic league, notably because they were black or mulato and/or poor. After Vasco refused to comply with such a ban, the other big teams, including Fluminense, Flamengo and Botafogo created the Metropolitan Athletic Association and prohibited Vasco from participating unless it complied with their racist demands.
The former President of Vasco, José Augusto Prestes, responded with a letter that became known as the Historic Response, ("Resposta Histórica"), which revolutionized the practice of sports in Brazil. After a few years, the racism barriers fell. Vasco da Gama had led the move toward a more inclusive football culture, forward-thinking not employed by leaders from Fluminense, Flamengo and Botafogo.
Even though the club was not the first to field black players, it was the first one to win a league with them, which led to an outcry to ban "blue-collar workers" from playing in the league - a move that in practice meant barring blacks from playing.
In 1925 Vasco was readmitted into the "elite" league, with its black and mulatto players. By 1933, when football became professional in Brazil, most of the big clubs had black players.
Sporting Achievements.
The Victory Express, the South American Club championship and the Intercontinental Rivadavia Correa Meyer tournament.
Between 1944 and 1953, the club was nicknamed "Expresso da Vitória" (Victory Express), as Vasco won several competitions in that period, such as the Rio de Janeiro championship in 1945, 1947, 1949, 1950, and 1952, and the South American Club Championship, the world's first ever continental club tournament, in 1948. In 1953, Vasco da Gama won its first intercontinental trophy, the Torneio Intercontinental Octogonal Rivadavia Correa Meyer. Players such as Ademir de Menezes, Moacyr Barbosa, Bellini and Ipojucan starred in Vasco's colors during that period.
The Super-Superchampions Generation(56-59).
In 1956, the Vascaínos became Rio de Janeiro champions and Little World Cup runner-up, losing the title to Di Stefano's Real Madrid, which Vasco would beat in a friendly shortly after the end of the tournament, becoming the first non-european club to defeat a European Champion. In 1957, this generation toured Europe and won 10 consecutive matches, including yet another victory against European champion Real Madrid (4-3), which sealed the Paris Tournament title - this match was the first ever, at a competitive level, between two continental champions. It also was the only international tournament Real didn’t win between 1955 and 1960. Vasco would also beat Athletic Bilbao (champion of the Spanish League and Cup in the previous year) by winning the traditional Teresa Herrera Trophy, and Barcelona (champion of the Spanish Cup a week earlier) inside Les Corts, with a historic scoreline of 2-7, the second worst defeat ever suffered at home by the Catalan team, and largest in international matches. Benfica (Portuguese champion and Latin Cup runner-up) was also a victim of Vasco on this tour, another impressive result, 5-2, in Lisbon. 
In early 1958, just before the World Cup, Vasco won the Rio-São Paulo Tournament, the most important championship in Brazil at the time, which in this edition included teams such as Santos of Pelé, Botafogo of Garrincha, Flamengo of Zagallo and Fluminense of Telê Santana. After this memorable title, three Vasco players had important parts in the campaign for the first Brazil World Cup title: Vavá (who scored five goals in the World Cup, including two in the final) and defenders Orlando and Bellini (the best defending pair of the tournament, Bellini was still the brazilian captain). After the World Cup, the team then won the greatest Carioca Championship of all time. In an epic competition against Flamengo of Zagallo and Botafogo of Garrincha and Nilton Santos (it needed two extra tiebreaker tournaments to decide the champion), Vasco became the carioca "super-superchampion" of 1958.
In 1959, the team went on to beat great European teams like Italian champion Milan and Atletico de Madrid (European Cup semi-finalist on that year) in the Metropolitano. Vasco was also Rio-São Tournament runner-up this year, only behind Santos of Pelé. Still in 1959, five Vasco players were called up for the 1959 Copa America: Paulinho, Orlando, Bellini and Coronel (defenders) and Almir (striker). Brazil would end the tournament unbeaten (four wins and two draws) with almost always four Vasco players as starters. Despite the good campaign, Argentina would keep the title, after ending the tournament with an extra victory.
Vasco, together with Botafogo, was the club that most gave players to the Brazilian team in that period. Most football lovers think this Vasco was one of the best clubs of the world at the time, and maybe the best in 1957-1958.
1998 Copa Libertadores.
After winning the Campeonato Brasileiro in 1997, beating Palmeiras in the final, Vasco started its "Projeto Tóquio", and invested US$10 million to win the 1998 Copa Libertadores. Vasco da Gama won the Copa Libertadores in its Centenary Year, and 50 years after winning its first south american trophy (South American Championship of Champions Clubs), beating Barcelona of Ecuador in the final.
1998 Toyota Intercontinental Cup.
By winning 1998 Copa Libertadores, Vasco da Gama faced the UEFA Champions League winners Real Madrid at 1998 Intercontinental Cup, in Tokyo, Japan, losing 2–1.
2000 FIFA Club World Championship.
By winning the 1998 Copa Libertadores, Vasco entered the inaugural 2000 FIFA Club World Championship held in Brazil. They beat Manchester United of England, Necaxa of Mexico, and South Melbourne of Australia in the group stage to reach the final. It finished 0–0 after extra time in an all-Brazilian clash with Corinthians, but Vasco lost 3–4 in the penalty shootout.
Copa Mercosul.
Also in 2000, Vasco won the Copa Mercosur against Palmeiras in a historic match. Trailing 3–0 at the end of first-half, with Palmeiras scoring 2 goals in less than a minute, Vasco managed to score 3 goals to level the match at 3–3, with 10 players after one of the players got a red card. In the 93rd minute, Romário scored a decisive goal and Vasco won the match (4-3). The match is still considered one of the best games in Brazilian history.
2000 Copa João Havelange.
Vasco won the Copa João Havelange in 2000. Seen as a controversial competition organized by Clube dos 13 rather than CBF, Vasco took on São Caetano and drew the game 1–1 when disaster struck in São Januário Stadium. Vasco won the second leg 3–1 to lift the trophy.
2008 Campeonato Brasileiro.
The team finished the championship in a disastrous 18th place and was relegated to the second division for the first time since its foundation, 110 years before. Until then, it had been one of only six clubs to have never been relegated from the first division, along with Cruzeiro, Flamengo, Santos and São Paulo, (though the last two didn't participate in the 1979 Brazilian Championship's 1st division, in order to avoid conflicts with Paulista Championship schedule.)
2009 Campeonato Brasileiro.
Vasco secured their return to Serie A in their first attempt, sealing promotion on November 7 with a 2–1 victory over Juventude at Maracanã.
2011: The Redemption Year.
After failing to win the Copa do Brasil, Vasco da Gama found success in 2011, lifting that year's trophy. Victory came against Coritiba in the 2011 Copa do Brasil final. Vasco came second in the 2011 Brazilian Série A, enjoying an excellent campaign. The club also ended the year as semifinalists in the Copa Sudamericana, a competition that saw the club defeat Palmeiras, Aurora and Universitario in historic fashion before being eliminated by Universidad de Chile. The season was dubbed the "Redemption Year of Vasco da Gama", with many lauding Vasco as one of Brazilian football's elite teams once again.
2012: Campeonato Brasileiro and Libertadores.
In 2012, Vasco was a finalist in the two final rounds of the Campeonato Carioca, after beating Flamengo in the two semifinals. Vasco saved their best performances in that year for the Copa Libertadores. After a good campaign the team was eliminated in the quarterfinals by Corinthians, who landed an 88th-minute goal to snatch victory. In the Brazilian Championship, the team set the record for 54 consecutive rounds in the G4 (continuing from the 2011 and 2012 seasons), although they did ultimately did not qualify for the Libertadores the following year.
2013-present, mixed results.
After a good season in 2012, Vasco started their 2013 poorly and were hampered by financial issues. By the end of the year, the club had been relegated for the second time. After one season in the Serie B, the team gained promotion. That didn't last long, as they were relegated again in the 2015 edition, placing eighteenth. Once again, they were promoted after one season in the B-level league, and in the 2020 season they were relegated again.
Other sports.
Although best known as a football, rowing and swimming club, Vasco da Gama is actually a comprehensive sports club. Its basketball section, CR Vasco da Gama Basquete (three times Brazilian Champion and four times South-American Champion) produced current NBA player Nenê. The club is also the first Brazilian club to play against an NBA team, against San Antonio Spurs, in 1999, in the McDonald's Championship final. Its rowing team is one of the best of Brazil and of the continent, which swimmers regularly represent Brazil in international competitions. Vasco da Gama also has a four-times National Champion women's soccer team as well. Vasco's beach soccer team is one of the best in the world, being once World Champion, three times South-American Champion and many times National Champion. In addition to these, Vasco has many other sports with World, South Americans and Brazilians titles.
Honours.
 Unbeaten champions
Stadium.
Vasco da Gama's stadium is Estádio São Januário, inaugurated in 1927, with a maximum capacity of 35.000 people. The National Championship games have a maximum capacity of 21.880 people, for security reasons.
Rivals.
Vasco's biggest rivals are from the same city: Fluminense, Botafogo and Flamengo, with the latter being its biggest rival. The games between Vasco and Flamengo ("Millions Derby") are the most watched in Brazil. The matches are usually played in the Maracanã, and reunite two of the biggest crowds of Rio de Janeiro.
Kit evolution.
Vasco da Gama is one of the oldest Brazilian clubs and has had several different kits in its history. Vasco da Gama's first kit, used in rowing, was created in 1898, and was completely black, with a left diagonal sash.
Vasco da Gama's first football kit, created in 1916, was completely black, and was easily identified because of the presence of a white tie and a belt.
In 1929, the club's kit was changed. The tie and the belt were removed. However, the kit remained all-black.
In the 1930s, the home kit's color was changed again. The kit became black with a white right diagonal sash.
In 1945, the kit's color was changed to white, and a black diagonal sash was introduced. The sash was introduced because the club's manager at the time, the Uruguayan Ondino Viera liked the sash used in his previous club's kit, River Plate, of Argentina, and adopted this pattern in Vasco da Gama's away kit. So, both kits had a right diagonal sash.
In 1988, the sash located on the back of the shirt was removed.
In 1998, the kit design was changed again. This kit became very similar to the 1945 one. However, a thin red line was placed around the sash.
Vasco has currently three kits. The home shirt's main color is black with a white sash. The short and the socks are black. The away kit is similar to the home kit, but the main color is white, the sash is black, and the shorts and socks are white. In 2009–10 the third kit was all white, with a red "cross of the Knights Templar". In 2010, the away kit changed to black in honor of 1923's team, which gave up playing for having black players, which were not allowed to play with white players at that time. This was one of the most important steps in the club's history, the fight against racism and discrimination. The current, third kit brings the symbol of an open hand with "Respect & Equality" in the left chest, and "Democracy and Equality" in the shirt collar.
Since July 2009, after breaking the partnership with Champs, the official jerseys are produced by Penalty.
Logo and flag.
The eight stars on the badge and flag signify: 1- South American Championship of Champions: 1948; 2- Copa Libertadores: 1998; 3- Copa Mercosur: 2000; 4- Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: 1974; 5- 1989; 6- 1997; 7- 2000; 8- The Unbeaten Championship of Earth-and-sea of 1945.
Anthems.
Vasco's official anthem was composed in 1918, by Joaquim Barros Ferreira da Silva, it was the club's first anthem. There is another official anthem, created in the 1930s, called "Meu Pavilhão" (meaning "My Pavilion"), whose lyrics were composed by João de Freitas and music by Hernani Correia. This anthem replaced the previous one. The club's most popular anthem, however, is an unofficial anthem composed by Lamartine Babo in 1942.
Supporters.
Vasco da Gama is the second most supported football club in Rio de Janeiro, and varies between the third and fifth most supported in Brazil. The club's support is very diverse stretching across social class lines, however the core of most Vasco da Gama support lies within the working class of the Northern Zone of Rio de Janeiro and Rio outskirt cities like Niterói. Vasco da Gama have significant support in other regions in Brazil notably the Northeastern and North regions as well as strongholds in southern Minas Gerais, Espirito Santo and in Santa Catarina (in South Region). Vasco also have a huge support in Distrito Federal.
Vasco da Gama have many celebrity supporters, including (soccer player), (journalist – TV Globo), Rodrigo Santoro (actor), (actor), Marcos Palmeira (actor), Juliana Paes (actress), (actor), Paulinho da Viola (singer), Roberto Carlos (singer), Erasmo Carlos (singer), Martinho da Vila (singer), Fernanda Abreu (singer), (model), (model), Sergio Cabral Filho (Rio de Janeiro State former governor), Eduardo Paes (Rio de Janeiro mayor), Nelson Piquet (Formula 1 former champion), amongst others.
Vasco da Gama's "torcidas organizadas" have a strong friendship with "torcidas organizadas" of Atlético Mineiro, Palmeiras, Grêmio and Bahia. This alliance, having the 25 year friendship of torcidas "Força Jovem Vasco", "Mancha Verde do Palmeiras" and "Galoucura do Atlético Mineiro", utilize the code name "D.P.A. – Dedos Para o Alto".
Clubs named after Vasco.
Due to Vasco's tradition, several clubs are named after it, including Associação Desportiva Vasco da Gama, of Acre state, founded in 1952, Vasco Esporte Clube, of Sergipe state, founded in 1931, Esporte Clube Vasco da Gama, of Americana, São Paulo state, founded in 1958, Vasco Sports Club, which is an Indian football club founded in 1951, and CR Vasco da Gama Football Club, which is a South African football club founded in 1980. Tomazinho Futebol Clube, from São João de Meriti, Rio de Janeiro state, founded in 1930, has a logo strongly inspired by Vasco's logo, and share the same colors.