FC Porto

Lore & Background

The club was founded on 28 September 1893 as Foot-Ball Club do Porto by António Nicolau de Almeida, a local port wine merchant and avid sportsman. Porto played its first matches with other Portuguese clubs, including one against Lisbon's Foot-Ball Club Lisbonense on 2 March 1894. This match had the patronage of King Carlos I and Queen Amélie of Orléans. Almeida's enthusiasm waned due to family pressure, and by the turn of the century, Porto had entered a period of inactivity. In 1906, José Monteiro da Costa returned to Porto after finishing his studies in England and, together with some associates, decided to reintroduce the practice of football in the city. On 2 August 1906, Porto was revived and Monteiro da Costa appointed its president. Shortly after, Porto rented its first ground and recruited a French coach named Adolphe Cassaigne, who would stay in the club until 1925. On 15 December 1907, Porto played its first match against a foreign team, hosting Spain's Real Fortuna. In the following month, Porto returned the visit and played its first match abroad. Four years later, the club won the inaugural staging of the José Monteiro da Costa Cup, securing its first-ever major title. In 1912, Porto joined efforts with Leixões to establish the Porto Football Association. Porto finished the first season as runners-up, behind local rivals Boavista, but in the following season the club won its first championship. By the end of the 1920–21 season, Porto had been regional champions six times in seven years, and outright winners of the Taça José Monteiro da Costa, after claiming a third consecutive victory in 1916. The 1921–22 season was marked by the creation of the first nationwide football competition – the Campeonato de Portugal. After clinching its fourth consecutive regional title, Porto defeated Sporting CP in the inaugural edition and became the first national champions. The club won it only three more times in a span of sixteen years (1925, 1932 and 1937). In 1933–34, Porto was denied participation in the Campeonato de Portugal by its football association for refusing to release players for a match between the Porto and Lisbon regional teams. In the following season, a second nationwide competition named 'Campeonato da Primeira Liga' was provisionally established. As the regional champion, Porto qualified for the first edition, winning it with 10 victories i

In Their Own Story

The air inside the Estádio da Luz is thick with anticipation as the sun sets over Lisbon, casting long shadows across the vibrant green pitch. Tens of thousands of 'Encarnados' sing in unison, their voices rising above the roar of the crowd to greet the blue-clad visitors from Porto. The referee blows the whistle, and the tension snaps into motion; it is not just a game today, but a battle for supremacy that will echo through history.

Reader's Guide

Porto is one of the 'Big Three' clubs in Portugal that have never been relegated from Primeira Liga. The club's home matches are played at the Estádio do Dragão since 2003. The club's colours are blue and white stripes with blue shorts. The club's nickname is dragões (Dragons), and supporters are called portistas. Domestically, Porto has won 31 Portuguese league titles, 20 Taças de Portugal, 4 Campeonatos de Portugal, 1 Taça da Liga, and a record 25 Supertaças Cândido de Oliveira. Porto is one of two teams to have won the league title without defeats, in the 2010–11 and 2012–13 seasons. In international competitions, Porto has won seven trophies: the European Cup/UEFA Champions League in 1987 and 2004, the UEFA Cup/Europa League in 2003 and 2011, the UEFA Super Cup in 1987, and the Intercontinental Cup in 1987 and 2004. Porto is the only Portuguese club to have won the UEFA Cup/Europa League, the UEFA Super Cup, the Intercontinental Cup, and to have achieved a continental treble of domestic league, domestic cup and European titles (2002–03 and 2010–11). The club has the fourth-most appearances in the UEFA Champions League group/league stage (27), behind Barcelona (30), Real Madrid (30) and Bayern Munich (29), ranking 9th in the all-time club ranking of the competition. At the end of the 2024–25 season, they ranked 18th in the UEFA club coefficient ranking.

Did You Know?

• Porto was founded on 28 September 1893 as Foot-Ball Club do Porto by António Nicolau de Almeida, a local port wine merchant.
• Porto's first match against a foreign team was on 15 December 1907, hosting Spain's Real Fortuna.
• Porto defeated English champions Arsenal 3–2 in a friendly match in 1948, and the associates offered the club a massive trophy made of silver and wood – the Arsenal Cup.
• Porto is one of two teams to have won the league title without defeats, in the 2010–11 and 2012–13 seasons.
• Porto is the only Portuguese club to have won the UEFA Cup/Europa League, the UEFA Super Cup, the Intercontinental Cup, and to have achieved a continental treble.