{{Short description|Venezuelan football club}} {{about|the club from Maracay, Aragua, formed under this name in 2002|its origins|Deportivo Galicia}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}} {{Infobox football club | clubname = Aragua FC | image = | image_size = 150px | fullname = Aragua Fútbol Club | nickname = ''Aurirrojos'' (''Yellow and Red'')<br />''Chocolateros'' (''Chocolatiers'') | founded = {{Start date and age|2002|8|20|df=yes|p=yes}} | ground = Estadio Olímpico Hermanos Ghersi Páez | capacity = 12,000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://araguafc.com/estadio/|title=Estadio - Aragua Fútbol Club|work=araguafc.com}}</ref> | chairman = Luiyer Barreto | manager = Yoimer Segovia | league = Segunda División | season = 2024 | position = Torneo Clausura, Western Group, 4th | website = http://www.araguafc.com/ | pattern_la1 = _left | pattern_b1 = _aragua22h | pattern_ra1 = _aragua22h | pattern_sh1 = _shorts | pattern_so1 = _socks | leftarm1 = FFDD01 | body1 = F9F92B | rightarm1 = F9F92B | shorts1 = 000000 | socks1 = FFDD01 | pattern_la2 = _left | pattern_b2 = _aragua22a | pattern_ra2 = _right | pattern_sh2 = _shorts | pattern_so2 = _socks | leftarm2 = FFFFFF | body2 = FFFFFF | rightarm2 = FFFFFF | shorts2 = FFFFFF | socks2 = FFFFFF }} '''Aragua Fútbol Club''' ({{IPA|es|aˈɾaɣwa ˈfuðβol ˈkluβ}}) is a Venezuelan football team based in the city of Maracay, in the state of Aragua. The club began their existence playing in the Venezuelan Segunda División a year after the club was founded in 2002. From 2005 to 2022, Aragua played in the Primera División Venezolana.
The club's colors are yellow and red, although they were blue and white until the mid 2000s. Home games are played at the Olímpico Hermanos Ghersi in Maracay, with a 16,000 spectator capacity.{{citation needed|date=September 2025}}
Aragua won the 2004–05 Venezuelan Segunda División and the 2007-08 Copa Venezuela.
==History== For the 2002–03 season, Deportivo Galicia moved to the Estadio Olímpico Hermanos Ghersi and a new franchise named Aragua Fútbol Club was born. The team played in the Venezuelan Segunda División until the 2004–05 season, when they achieved promotion to the Venezuelan Primera División.{{fact|date=June 2025}}
Aragua F.C. made their debut in Primera División with a goalless tie against Trujillanos on 5 August 2005, and remained unbeaten during the first five games of the season. Rafael Mea Vitali scored Aragua's first goal in the top flight. Aragua ended up finishing the 2005–06 season in seventh place.{{fact|date=June 2025}}
At the start of the 2006–07 season, goalkeeper Renny Vega was called up by national team coach Richard Páez to represent the Venezuela national football team in a match against Colombia, making Vega the first player to receive an international call-up while playing for Aragua F.C.{{fact|date=June 2025}}
In 2008, led by manager Manolo Contreras, Aragua won the Copa Venezuela and automatically qualified to participate in the 2008 edition of the Copa Sudamericana, where they were eliminated in the first round by Guadalajara. At the end of the 2007–08 season, Salomón Rondón was awarded as Youth of the Year, marking the first time that an Aragua F.C. player received the distinction.{{fact|date=June 2025}}
Aragua played in Primera División until the 2022 season, in which it placed last and was relegated to Segunda División. On 3 March 2023, the club announced that it would not take part in the Segunda División season and would instead go on a one-year hiatus to solve its financial issues.<ref>{{cite web |title=Aragua FC se suma a los equipos que no jugarán en la próxima temporada del fútbol nacional |trans-title=Aragua FC joins the teams that will not play in the next season of domestic football |url=https://www.elnacional.com/deportes/aragua-fc-se-suma-a-los-equipos-que-no-jugaran-en-la-proxima-temporada-del-futbol-nacional/ |publisher=El Nacional |access-date=6 July 2023 |language=es |date=4 March 2023}}</ref> On 9 March 2024, Aragua's return to the league was confirmed, joining the second tier for the 2024 season.<ref>{{cite web |title=La Liga FutVe 2 arrancará el Torneo Apertura el sábado 16 de marzo con 16 equipos |trans-title=Liga FutVe 2 will start the Torneo Apertura on Saturday 16 March with 16 teams |url=https://www.balonazos.com/la-liga-futve-2-arrancara-el-torneo-apertura-el-sabado-16-de-marzo-con-16-equipos/ |publisher=Balonazos |access-date=9 March 2024 |language=es |date=9 March 2024}}</ref>
==Titles== *'''Venezuelan Segunda División: 1''' ::2005
*'''Copa Venezuela: 1''' ::2007
==Performance in CONMEBOL competitions==
*'''Copa Sudamericana: 1 appearance''' ::2008: First Round
==Club culture== ===Supporters=== The Aragua F.C. fans are known as ''Los Vikingos'' (The Vikings), and they traditionally occupy the western stand of the stadium, known as ''La Popular'' (The Popular).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lavinotinto.com/23-10-2011/vikingos-y-demonios-dieron-un-espectaculo/ |title=Vikingos y Demonios dieron un espectáculo |date=23 October 2011 |work=LaVinotinto.com |access-date=27 June 2013 |archive-date=26 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111026104755/http://www.lavinotinto.com/23-10-2011/vikingos-y-demonios-dieron-un-espectaculo/ |url-status=live }}</ref> They are made up of several factions that represent different cities across the state: ''Artillería Aurirroja'' (Yellow and Red Artillery), ''Cagua Aurirroja'', ''Caña de Azúcar'', ''El Limón'', ''Turmero Aurirrojo'', ''Santa Rita'', and ''Santa Rosa Aurirroja''. As is the case with supporter groups of other Venezuelan teams, the factions only exist in theory, and in practice all the supporters act as a unified body.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.araguafutbolclub.net/araguafc/un-corazon-aurirrojo-que-late-con-fuerza.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402111323/http://www.araguafutbolclub.net/araguafc/un-corazon-aurirrojo-que-late-con-fuerza.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2 April 2015 |title=Un Corazón Aurirrojo Que Late Con Fuerza |last1=Moros |first1=Ricardo |date=1 November 2010 |work=AraguaFC.net |publisher=Prensa Aragua FC |access-date=27 June 2013 }}</ref>
===Rivalries=== The club's main rival is Carabobo FC, from the neighboring state of Carabobo. The fixture is popularly known as ''El Clásico de la Autopista'' (The Highway Classic). Due to the proximity of both states' capitals, Aragua-Carabobo rivalries exist in virtually every professional sport practiced in Venezuela.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://int.soccerway.com/teams/comparison/?competition_ids%5B%5D=163&team_ids%5B%5D=4579&competition_ids%5B%5D=507&team_ids%5B%5D=2304 |title=H2H Comparison – Aragua vs. Carabobo – Teams – Soccerway |date=27 April 2013| work=Soccerway |publisher= Global Sports Media |access-date=27 June 2013}}</ref> The classic is currently "on hold" since Aragua was relegated to the Venezuelan Segunda División after the 2022 season.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.araguafc.com/principal/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=344:aragua-fc-defendio-su-casa-y-logro-un-punto-valioso&catid=9:portada |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130629094604/http://www.araguafc.com/principal/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=344:aragua-fc-defendio-su-casa-y-logro-un-punto-valioso&catid=9:portada |url-status=dead |archive-date=29 June 2013 |title=Aragua FC defendió su casa y logró un punto valioso |last1=Montes de Oca |first1=Juan |date=15 April 2012 |work=AraguaFC.com |publisher=Prensa Aragua FC |access-date=27 June 2013 }}</ref><!--
==Players== ''As of 28 June 2014.''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.araguafc.com/primera/plantilla |archive-url=https://archive.today/20141017192450/http://www.araguafc.com/primera/plantilla |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 October 2014 |title=Plantilla Primera División |publisher=araguafc.com }}</ref>
===First squad=== {{Fs start}} {{Fs player|no=1|nat=PUR|pos=GK|name=Bill Gaudette}} {{Fs player|no=2|nat=Venezuela|pos=DF|name=Francisco Fajardo}} {{Fs player|no=3|nat=Venezuela|pos=DF|name=José Yégüez}} {{Fs player|no=5|nat=Venezuela|pos=MF|name=Francisco La Mantía}} {{Fs player|no=6|nat=Venezuela|pos=DF|name=Jaime Bustamante}} {{Fs player|no=7|nat=Venezuela|pos=MF|name=Jesús Lugo}} {{Fs player|no=8|nat=Venezuela|pos=MF|name=Mauricio Parra}} {{Fs player|no=9|nat=Paraguay|pos=FW|name=Néstor Bareiro}} {{Fs player|no=10|nat=Venezuela|pos=MF|name=Gustavo Rojas}} {{Fs player|no=11|nat=Venezuela|pos=FW|name=Ronaldo Pérez}} {{Fs player|no=12|nat=Venezuela|pos=GK|name=Jean Carlos Issa}} {{Fs player|no=13|nat=Venezuela|pos=MF|name=Luis Felipe Chará}} {{Fs player|no=14|nat=Venezuela|pos=DF|name=Loren Walcott}} {{Fs mid}} {{Fs player|no=15|nat=Venezuela|pos=MF|name=Jackson López}} {{Fs player|no=16|nat=Venezuela|pos=DF|name=José Manríquez}} {{Fs player|no=17|nat=Colombia|pos=FW|name=Jarlín Quintero}} {{Fs player|no=18|nat=Venezuela|pos=MF|name=Orlando Peraza}} {{Fs player|no=19|nat=Venezuela|pos=DF|name=Rohel Briceño}} {{Fs player|no=20|nat=Venezuela|pos=MF|name=Kenny Romero}} {{Fs player|no=22|nat=Venezuela|pos=GK|name=Geancarlos Martínez}} {{Fs player|no=23|nat=Venezuela|pos=DF|name=Jean Neto}} {{Fs player|no=24|nat=Venezuela|pos=MF|name=Mauricio Montezuma}} {{Fs player|no=25|nat=Venezuela|pos=FW|name=Sergio Ortíz}} {{Fs player|no=30|nat=Venezuela|pos=GK|name=Brian Montes}} {{Fs player|no= |nat=Venezuela|pos=MF|name=Edanyilber Navas}} {{Fs player|no= |nat=Venezuela|pos=MF|name=Leswis Landaeta}} {{Fs end}}
===U20 squad=== {{Fs start}} {{Fs player|no=--|nat=Venezuela|pos=GK|name=Miguel Piedra}} {{Fs player|no=--|nat=Venezuela|pos=GK|name=Miguel Cedeño}} {{Fs player|no=--|nat=Venezuela|pos=GK|name=Rafael Bolívar}} {{Fs player|no=--|nat=Venezuela|pos=GK|name=Marfren Paracare}} {{Fs player|no=--|nat=Venezuela|pos=DF|name=Jorge Rodríguez}} {{Fs player|no=--|nat=Venezuela|pos=DF|name=Ricardo Blanco}} {{Fs player|no=--|nat=Venezuela|pos=DF|name=Luis Peña}} {{Fs player|no=--|nat=Venezuela|pos=DF|name=Whilkei Acuña}} {{Fs player|no=--|nat=Venezuela|pos=DF|name=Julio Gords}} {{Fs player|no=--|nat=Venezuela|pos=DF|name=Luis Matute}} {{Fs player|no=--|nat=Venezuela|pos=MF|name=Miguel Bello}} {{Fs player|no=--|nat=Venezuela|pos=MF|name=Carlos Carrasquel}} {{Fs mid}} {{Fs player|no=--|nat=Venezuela|pos=MF|name=Álvaro Castellanos}} {{Fs player|no=--|nat=Venezuela|pos=MF|name=Fracisco Toledo}} {{Fs player|no=--|nat=Venezuela|pos=MF|name=Luís Fernández}} {{Fs player|no=--|nat=Venezuela|pos=MF|name=Carlos Ochoa}} {{Fs player|no=--|nat=Venezuela|pos=MF|name=Mauricio Montezuma}} {{Fs player|no=--|nat=Venezuela|pos=MF|name=Kevin Medina}} {{Fs player|no=--|nat=Venezuela|pos=MF|name=José Pepe Stella}} {{Fs player|no=--|nat=Venezuela|pos=FW|name=Carlos Borges}} {{Fs player|no=--|nat=Venezuela|pos=FW|name=Francisco Zais}} {{Fs player|no=--|nat=Venezuela|pos=FW|name=Ronny Martínez}} {{Fs player|no=--|nat=Venezuela|pos=FW|name=Alessandro Maceta}} {{Fs end}}
===U18 squad=== {{Fs start}} {{Fs player|no=--|nat=Venezuela|pos=GK|name=Edgar García}} {{Fs player|no=--|nat=Venezuela|pos=GK|name=Jhose Alvarado}} {{Fs player|no=--|nat=Venezuela|pos=DF|name=John Hernández}} {{Fs player|no=--|nat=Venezuela|pos=DF|name=José Manduca}} {{Fs player|no=--|nat=Venezuela|pos=DF|name=Julio González}} {{Fs player|no=--|nat=Venezuela|pos=MF|name=Armando Ron}} {{Fs player|no=--|nat=Venezuela|pos=MF|name=Diego Ibarra}} {{Fs player|no=--|nat=Venezuela|pos=MF|name=Jonás Cárdenas}} {{Fs player|no=--|nat=Venezuela|pos=MF|name=José Castillo}} {{Fs player|no=--|nat=Venezuela|pos=MF|name=José Labrador}} {{Fs player|no=--|nat=Venezuela|pos=MF|name=Leonardo Corredor}} {{Fs mid}} {{Fs player|no=--|nat=Venezuela|pos=MF|name=Luis Correa}} {{Fs player|no=--|nat=Venezuela|pos=MF|name=Paolo Giona}} {{Fs player|no=--|nat=Venezuela|pos=MF|name=Gustavo Armada}} {{Fs player|no=--|nat=Venezuela|pos=MF|name=Pedro Valdés}} {{Fs player|no=--|nat=Venezuela|pos=MF|name=Manuel Goncalvez}} {{Fs player|no=--|nat=Venezuela|pos=MF|name=José Mur}} {{Fs player|no=--|nat=Venezuela|pos=MF|name=Williams Rodríguez}} {{Fs player|no=--|nat=Venezuela|pos=FW|name=Bryhan Vera}} {{Fs player|no=--|nat=Venezuela|pos=FW|name=Fernando Luna}} {{Fs player|no=--|nat=Venezuela|pos=FW|name=Heinderberg Carrasquel}} {{Fs player|no=--|nat=Venezuela|pos=FW|name=Orlando Nieves}} {{Fs end}} -->
==Notable managers== {{see also|Template:Aragua F.C. managers}} *{{flagicon|Argentina}} Raúl Cavalleri *{{flagicon|Venezuela}} Manolo Contreras *{{flagicon|Venezuela}} Kike García *{{flagicon|Uruguay}}{{flagicon|Venezuela}} Carlos Maldonado *{{flagicon|Venezuela}} Edson Rodríguez *{{flagicon|Venezuela}} Rafael Santana
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== <!-- per WP:ELMINOFFICIAL, choose one official website only --> *{{Official website|https://araguafc.com/}} {{in lang|es}}
{{Primera División Venezolana}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Aragua Fc}} Category:Association football clubs established in 2002 Category:Football clubs in Venezuela Category:Sport in Aragua Category:2002 establishments in Venezuela