America Football Club (Rio de Janeiro)

{{short description|Brazilian association football club}} {{other uses|América Football Club (disambiguation)}} {{Use American English|date=November 2012}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2012}}  {{Infobox football club | clubname = America | image = America Football Club (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) logo.svg | image_size = 180px | alt = logo | fullname = America Football Club | nickname = ''AFC'' ''Mecão'' ''Diabo'' (Devil) ''Rubro Carioca'' (Rio's Reds) ''Sangue'' (Blood) | founded = {{Start date and age|df=yes|1904|09|18}} | ground = Estádio Giulite Coutinho | capacity = 13,544 | mgrtitle = Head coach | manager = Leandrão | chrtitle = President | chairman = Romário | league = {{Brazilian football updater|America-RJ}} | season = {{Brazilian football updater|America-RJ2}} | position = {{Brazilian football updater|America-RJ3}} | website = {{URL|http://www.americario.com.br/}} | pattern_b1 = _americarj26h | pattern_ra1 = _americarj26h | pattern_la1 = _americarj26h | pattern_sh1 = _americarj26a | pattern_so1 = | leftarm1 = E00000 | body1 = E00000 | rightarm1 = E00000 | shorts1 = FFFFFF | socks1 = E00000 | pattern_b2 = _americarj26a | pattern_la2 = _americarj26a | pattern_ra2 = _americarj26a | pattern_sh2 = _americarj26h | pattern_so2 = | leftarm2 = FFFFFF | body2 = FFFFFF | rightarm2 = FFFFFF | shorts2 = FFFFFF | socks2 = FFFFFF | pattern_b3 = | pattern_la3 = | pattern_ra3 = | pattern_sh3 = | pattern_so3 = | leftarm3 = | body3 = | rightarm3 = | shorts3 = | socks3 = | American = true }}

thumb|250px|America F.C. team in 1929. thumb|250px|Estádio Giulite Coutinho thumb|250px|Former club headquarters thumb|250px|Team photo from the 2009 season thumb|250px|Team photo from the 2008 season

'''America Football Club''', usually abbreviated to '''America-RJ''' or simply '''America''', is a Brazilian football team based in the city of Rio de Janeiro, in the northern neighborhood of Tijuca. The team competes in Campeonato Carioca Série A2, the second tier of the Rio de Janeiro state football league.

Founded on 18 September 1904, the club competed in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A several times, winning the state championship seven times. The club's home stadium is the Estádio Giulite Coutinho, which has a capacity of 16,000. They play in red shirts, white shorts and red socks.

The football anthem composer Lamartine Babo was a supporter of America.<ref name="lamrtinebabo">{{cite web | title = Lamartine Babo | url=http://www.e-biografias.net/modules/news/article.php?storyid=245 | language = pt | access-date = June 2, 2008 | publisher=E-Biografias }} {{dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> America's mascot is a devil. America also sponsors a beach American football team, the America Red Lions.<ref name="americaredlions">{{cite web|title=Histórico Red Lions |url=http://www.redlions.com.br/historia.php |language=pt |access-date=July 8, 2008 |publisher=América Red Lions |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071205131630/http://www.redlions.com.br/historia.php |archive-date=December 5, 2007 }}</ref>

==History== On 18 September 1904, Alberto Koltzbucher, Alfredo Guilherme Koehler, Alfredo Mohrsted, Gustavo Bruno Mohrsted, Henrique Mohrsted, Jayme Faria Machado and Oswaldo Mohrsted founded America Football Club.<ref name="foundation">{{cite web | title = America Football Club | url=http://www.campeoesdofutebol.com.br/hist_americarj.html | language = pt | access-date = June 2, 2008 | publisher=Campeões do Futebol | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080615211105/http://www.campeoesdofutebol.com.br/hist_americarj.html| archive-date= June 15, 2008 | url-status= live}}</ref> In 1905, America, together with Bangu, Botafogo, Petrópolis, Fluminense and Futebol Atlético Clube founded Liga de Football do Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro Football League), which was the first football federation of Rio de Janeiro.<ref name="foundation"/> In 1913, the club won the state championship for the first time.<ref name="campeonatocarioca1913">{{cite web|title=Rio de Janeiro Championship 1913 |url=http://paginas.terra.com.br/esporte/rsssfbrasil/tables/rj1913.htm |language=pt |access-date=June 2, 2008 |publisher=RSSSF Brasil |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080313211933/http://paginas.terra.com.br/esporte/rsssfbrasil/tables/rj1913.htm |archive-date=March 13, 2008 }}</ref>

For the 1971 season, the club competed in the national Championship's first edition, finishing in 11th place.<ref name="campeonatobrasileiroseriea1971">{{cite web|title=Brazil 1971 Championship – Primeiro Campeonato Nacional de Clubes |url=http://paginas.terra.com.br/esporte/rsssfbrasil/tables/br1971.htm |language=pt |access-date=June 2, 2008 |publisher=RSSSF Brasil |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071031041357/http://paginas.terra.com.br/esporte/rsssfbrasil/tables/br1971.htm |archive-date=October 31, 2007 }}</ref>

The yellow star just above their emblem represents their win in the Tournament of the Champions (Torneio dos Campeões) in 1982, which was a tournament organized by CBF to serve as a preview to the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A tournament. Flamengo declined the invitation so America, the team with the best record after the selected teams, was invited to fill the spot. America won the tournament by beating Guarani in overtime at Maracanã stadium.<ref name="torneiodoscampeoes">{{cite web|title=Campeonatos |url=http://www.america-rj.com.br/campeonatos.php |language=pt |access-date=December 19, 2008 |publisher=America Football Club |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090121201407/http://america-rj.com.br/campeonatos.php |archive-date=January 21, 2009 |url-status=dead |df=mdy }}</ref>

In 2006, America was the runner-up of Taça Guanabara. America played the final against Botafogo.<ref name="campeonatocarioca2006">{{cite web | title = Rio de Janeiro State League 2006 | url = http://paginas.terra.com.br/esporte/rsssfbrasil/tables/rj2006.htm | language = pt | access-date = June 2, 2008 | publisher = RSSSF Brasil | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080602013432/http://paginas.terra.com.br/esporte/rsssfbrasil/tables/rj2006.htm | archive-date = June 2, 2008 | url-status = dead | df = mdy-all }}</ref>

In 2008, America suffered a major blow by being relegated to the Second Division of the Campeonato Carioca. However, they won the Second Division in 2009, thus being promoted to the first level in 2010.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sidneyrezende.com/noticia/65479+com+romario+em+campo+america+bate+artsul+e+e+campeao+da+serie+b+do+rio |title=Com Romário em campo, America bate Artsul e é campeão da Série B do Rio |publisher=Sidney Rezende |author=Luiz Maurício Monteiro |date=November 25, 2009 |language=pt |access-date=November 28, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091129143940/http://www.sidneyrezende.com/noticia/65479%2Bcom%2Bromario%2Bem%2Bcampo%2Bamerica%2Bbate%2Bartsul%2Be%2Be%2Bcampeao%2Bda%2Bserie%2Bb%2Bdo%2Brio |archive-date=November 29, 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref> However, the club was relegated again in 2011 and wouldn't return to the top flight until 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://espn.uol.com.br/noticia/527476_emocao-e-alegria-america-vence-e-volta-a-primeira-divisao-do-rio-depois-de-quatro-anos|title=Emoção e alegria: América vence e volta à Primeira Divisão do Rio depois de quatro anos|publisher=ESPN|access-date=2015-07-16}}</ref> The team has since been a yo-yo club<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ganhador.com/2018/rio-de-janeiro-chora-rebaixamento-do-america/|title=Rio de Janeiro chora rebaixamento do America|publisher=Ganhador|date=2018-03-06|lang=pt|access-date=2024-12-23}}</ref> and, as of 2024, is in the second tier of Rio de Janeiro football.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.terra.com.br/esportes/futebol/entenda-o-regulamento-da-taca-santos-dumont-e-saiba-a-classificacao-do-america-rj-na-serie-a2-do-carioca,13472e500ff8db2dcea1212745c14d56t8dkb94j.html|title=Entenda o regulamento da Taça Santos Dumont e saiba a classificação do América-RJ na Série A2 do Carioca|publisher=Terra|date=2024-05-18|lang=pt|access-date=2024-12-23}}</ref>

==Honours==

===Official tournaments===

{| class="wikitable" |- ! colspan="3"|National |- ! style="width:260px"|Competitions ! style="width:80px"|Titles ! style="width:380px"|Seasons |- ! style="text-align:center"|Torneio dos Campeões | bgcolor="gold" style="text-align:center"| '''1''' |align="left"|1982 |- ! colspan="3"|Inter-state |- ! style="width:260px"|Competitions ! style="width:80px"|Titles ! style="width:380px"|Seasons |- ! scope=row |Taça Ioduran | bgcolor="gold" style="text-align:center"| '''1'''{{sup|s}} |1917 |- ! colspan="3" |State |- !Competitions !Titles !Seasons |- ! style="text-align:center" |Campeonato Carioca ! style="text-align:center"| '''7''' |align="left"|1913, 1916, 1922, 1928, 1931, 1935, 1960 |- ! style="text-align:center" |Campeonato Carioca Série A2 ! style="text-align:center"| '''3''' |align="left"|2009, 2015, 2018 |} * {{legend|gold|record}}

===Others tournaments===

====International==== *Peruvian Press (1): 1955 *Bogotá Quadrangular (1): 1961 *Medellin Quadrangular (1): 1961 *International Soccer League (1): 1962 *Torneio Internacional Negrão de Lima (1): 1967 *TAP Cup (1): 1973 *Costa Dorada–Terragona Tournament (1): 1983 *Haiti Triangular (1): 1998

====National==== *Torneio Quadrangular Presidente Costa e Silva (1): 1968 *Torneio Luís Viana Filho (1): 1968

====Inter-state==== *Taça Ioduran (1): 1917 *Taça dos Campeões Estaduais Rio–São Paulo (1): 1935

====State==== *Taça Guanabara (1): 1974 *Taça Rio (1): 1982 *Third Round of the Campeonato Carioca (1): 1955 *Torneio Extra (2): 1938, 1952 *Torneio Relâmpago (1): 1945 *Taça Jayme de Carvalho (1): 1976 *Troféu João Ellis Filho (1): 2010 *Torneio Início (1): 1949 *Taça Santos Dumont (1): 2019 *Taça Corcovado (1): 2017 *Torneio Extra Capital (1): 2013

===Runners-up=== *Campeonato Carioca (8): 1911, 1914, 1917, 1921, 1929, 1950, 1954, 1955 *Copa Rio (1): 2025 *Campeonato Carioca Série A2 (3): 1906, 2017, 2019

==Current squad== According to the CBF register.[https://web.archive.org/web/20100802112621/http://www.cbf.com.br/php/acumulado.php?c=00001RJ] thumb|200px|America 2020 shirt. {{Fs start}} {{Fs player|nat=Brazil|pos=FW|name=Romário}} {{Fs player|nat=Brazil|pos=GK|name=Luis Henrique}} {{Fs player|nat=Brazil|pos=GK|name=Felipe Eduardo}} {{Fs player|nat=Brazil|pos=DF|name=Matheus Menezes|other=on loan from Botafogo}} {{Fs player|nat=Brazil|pos=DF|name=Erick|other=on loan from Botafogo}} {{Fs player|nat=Brazil|pos=DF|name=Marcão}} {{Fs player|nat=Brazil|pos=DF|name=Enric}} {{Fs player|nat=Brazil|pos=DF|name=Fábio Braz}} {{Fs player|nat=Brazil|pos=DF|name=Wagner Diniz}} {{Fs player|nat=Brazil|pos=MF|name=PH}} {{Fs player|nat=Brazil|pos=MF|name=Muniz}} {{Fs player|nat=Argentina|pos=MF|name=Matías Sosa}} {{Fs player|nat=Brazil|pos=MF|name=Darlan}} {{Fs mid}} {{Fs player|nat=Brazil|pos=MF|name=Victor Pucinelli}} {{Fs player|nat=Brazil|pos=MF|name=Leandro Aguiar}} {{Fs player|nat=Brazil|pos=MF|name=Thiago Accioli}} {{Fs player|nat=Brazil|pos=MF|name=Ramon Fraga}} {{Fs player|nat=Brazil|pos=MF|name=Richarlyson}} {{Fs player|nat=Brazil|pos=FW|name=Russo}} {{Fs player|nat=Brazil|pos=FW|name=Renato}} {{Fs player|nat=Brazil|pos=FW|name=Marcelinho Quarterole}} {{Fs player|nat=Brazil|pos=FW|name=Igor}} {{Fs player|nat=Brazil|pos=FW|name=Daniel}} {{Fs player|nat=Brazil|pos=FW|name=Romarinho}} {{Fs player|nat=Brazil|pos=FW|name=Jean}} {{Fs end}}

==Top goalscorers== #Luisinho Lemos : 311 #Edu : 212 #Maneco : 187 #Plácido: 167 #Carola : 158 #Chiquinho : 102

==Highest attendances== #America 1–4 Flamengo, 147.661(139,599 people seated), April 4, 1956 #America 0–2 Fluminense, 141,689 (120,178 people seated), June 9, 1968 #America 1–2 Vasco, 121,765 (104,775 people seated), January 28, 1951 #America 1–0 Flamengo, 104,532, April 25, 1976 #America 5–1 Flamengo, 102,002 (94,516 people seated), April 1, 1956 #America 2–1 Bonsucesso, 101.363, July 25, 1973 #America 2–0 Fluminense, 100,635 (92,516 people seated), March 17, 1956 #America 2–1 Fluminense, 98,099, December 18, 1960 #America 1–0 Fluminense, 97,681, September 22, 1974 #America 0–1 Fluminense, 96,035, April 27, 1975 #America 4–2 Benfica (POR), 94,642 (87,686 people seated), July 3, 1955 #America 1–1 Flamengo, 93,393, May 19, 1969

==Mascot== One controversial aspect of the club is the official mascot: the Diabo (devil), depicted as a red demon complete with horns, pointy beard, curled moustache, a long fat arrow-pointed tail, hooved feet and a black cape. The club's old stadium was nicknamed ''Caldeirão do Diabo'' ("Devil's Cauldron"). In 2006 some of the club's fans, supported by then-manager Jorginho who is an Evangelical Christian, attempted to replace the diabo with a bald eagle, claiming that the devil was "unlucky". However, as the "diabo" is a traditional part of the club's story and with the original mascot the club conquered its greatest achievements and there was no change in the club's fortunes with the new mascot, the replacement was abandoned and it was considered that Jorginho's opinion was motivated by "religious fanaticism".<ref name="mascot">{{cite web | title = Técnico do America veta palavrões e diabo como mascote | url = http://www.planetagol.com.br/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=12753 | language = pt | access-date = October 19, 2008 | publisher = Planeta Gol | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110706153917/http://www.planetagol.com.br/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=12753 | archive-date = July 6, 2011 | url-status = dead }}</ref>

==Clubs named after America== America is the Brazilian club with the largest number of other clubs named after it. It has homonyms in Natal, São José do Rio Preto, Três Rios, Manaus, Teófilo Otoni and Fortaleza.<ref name="enciclopedialance">{{cite book | title = Enciclopédia do Futebol Brasileiro Lance Volume 1 | publisher = Aretê Editorial S/A | location = Rio de Janeiro | year = 2001| isbn = 85-88651-01-7 | page = 120}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20050403192527/http://www.america-rj.com.br/ Official site] (archived 3 April 2005) *[https://web.archive.org/web/20060830175154/http://www.americafootballclub.com/ History, news and fans] (archived 30 August 2006) *[http://www.rsssfbrasil.com/miscellaneous/mattitame.htm Full information on Matches when America won titles] – RSSSF Brazil *[http://www.rsssfbrasil.com/miscellaneous/attamerica.htm Best attendances in matches of America (RJ)] – RSSSF Brazil

{{DEFAULTSORT:America Football Club}} Category:Association football clubs established in 1904 Category:Football clubs in Rio de Janeiro (city) Category:America Football Club (Rio de Janeiro) Category:1904 establishments in Brazil