América Futebol Clube (MG)

América Futebol Clube (also known as América Mineiro or simply América) is a Brazilian football team from the city of Belo Horizonte, capital city of the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. Founded in 1912, the club preserves its name and crest since its inception. The original home kit colours are white and green only; the black color was incorporated in the 1970s.[1] The team also played with a red home kit between 1933 and 1942, as a protest to the introduction of professionalism.[2] It hosts its matches at Independência stadium, being the only professional club in Belo Horizonte to have its own stadium.[3] The club has the third largest fan base among the teams from Minas Gerais.[4][5]

For other uses, see América Futebol Clube (disambiguation).

América Mineiro
Full nameAmérica Futebol Clube
Nickname(s)Coelho (Rabbit)
FoundedApril 30, 1912 (1912-04-30)
GroundArena Independência
Capacity23,018
SAF OwnerAmérica Futebol Clube (MG) (100%)
PresidentAlencar da Silveira
Head coachFabián Bustos
LeagueCampeonato Brasileiro Série A
Campeonato Mineiro
2022
2022		Série A, 10th of 20
Mineiro, 2nd of 12
WebsiteClub website

América is one of the most traditional and successful teams from Minas Gerais. It has won the state championship 16 times, and finished as runners-up in another 16 occasions. The first 10 victories were in a row, between 1916 and 1925, being the national record of successive accomplishments (together with ABC); the most recent was in 2016. Other major accomplishments were the Brazilian Second Division in 1997 and 2017, South-Minas Cup in 2000, and Brazilian Third Division in 2009.

The club has a long reputation in forming young talents in football.[6] Among others, it has revealed the world-class players Tostão, Éder Aleixo, Yuji Nakazawa, Gilberto Silva, Fred, Danilo and Richarlison. América has won the three most important junior tournaments in Brazil: São Paulo Juniors Cup (1996), Brazilian Championship U-20 (2011) and Belo Horizonte Juniors Cup (2000 and 2014).

History

On 30 April 1912, a group of young men who played football purely for the love of the game decided to turn their team into a football club.[7] In the first meeting, the founders decided that the name of the club would be América Foot-Ball Club,[8] and the colors would be green and white.[7] The first matches were played on the mayor's field.[7] In 1913, América and Minas Gerais Futebol Clube fused, and the club changed its colors to green, white and black.[9] Between 1916 and 1925, the team won ten state championships in a row.[9]

América's team, 1971. National Archives of Brazil.

In 1933, as a protest to the professionalization of Brazilian football, the club changed its colors to red and white.[7] In 1943, the club professionalized its football division, and returned to its previous colors.[7] In 1948, América won its first state championship as a professional club.[9]

In 1997, América won the Série B for the first time,[10] and in 2000, the club won the Copa Sul-Minas first edition, beating Cruzeiro in the final.[11] In 2004, after a poor performance in the Série B, América was relegated to the Campeonato Brasileiro Série C,[12] and in 2007, the club finished in Campeonato Mineiro's last position, and was relegated to the following year's Campeonato Mineiro Módulo II.[13] América won the Série C in 2009, beating ASA in the final.[14] The following year, the team was fourth at Série B and returned to the top level of the Brazilian championship after ten years.[15] On 14 June 2013, América signed a cooperation contract with the Tahitian Football Federation to develop under-20 national players.[16]

Symbols

The club's official anthem was composed by Vicente Motta. There are also two other anthems: The unofficial anthem, which was composed by Fernando Brant and Tavinho Moura, and the supporters' anthem, whose lyrics were composed by Márcio Vianna Dias and sung by Fernando Ângelo.[17] América's mascot, was created by the cartoonist Fernando Pierucetti, and is a red-eyed white cartoon rabbit with clearly protruding teeth.[9]

Derbies

América's greatest rivals are Cruzeiro and Atlético Mineiro.[18] The derby between América and Atlético Mineiro is known as O Clássico das Multidões (The Derby of the Masses),[8] and was first played on November 15, 1913, in a friendly game that ended in a 1–1 draw.[19]

Honours

National
Winners (2): 1997, 2017
Runners-up (1): 2020
Winner (1): 2009

Regional
Winner (1): 2000

State
Winners (16): 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1948, 1957, 1971, 1993, 2001, 2016
Runners-up (17): 1915, 1930, 1931, 1942, 1949, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1964, 1965, 1973, 1992, 1995, 1999, 2012, 2021, 2023
Winner (1): 2005
Runners-up (3): 1977, 1980, 1984
Winner (1): 2008

Youth competitions
Winner (1): 2011
Winner (1): 1996
Winners (2): 2000, 2014
Runner-up (1): 1995

Women's
Winners (3): 2016, 2017, 2018

Current squad
As of 6 September 2023[20]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Brazil BRA Matheus Cavichioli
3 DF Brazil BRA Iago Maidana
4 DF Brazil BRA Wanderson
5 MF Argentina ARG Emmanuel Martínez
6 DF Brazil BRA Marlon
7 MF Brazil BRA Matheusinho
8 MF Brazil BRA Juninho (captain)
9 FW Brazil BRA Wellington Paulista
10 MF Argentina ARG Martín Benítez
11 FW Brazil BRA Felipe Azevedo
12 GK Brazil BRA Jori
14 GK Brazil BRA Mateus Pasinato
16 MF Brazil BRA Alê
17 FW Uruguay URU Gonzalo Mastriani
18 DF Brazil BRA Júlio
20 DF Brazil BRA Daniel Borges (on loan from Botafogo)
21 MF Brazil BRA Lucas Kal
22 DF Brazil BRA Danilo Avelar
23 MF Uruguay URU Javier Méndez
25 DF Brazil BRA Marcinho (on loan from Pafos)
26 DF Argentina ARG Esteban Burgos
No. Pos. Nation Player
28 MF Brazil BRA Breno
29 FW Brazil BRA Pedrinho (on loan from Lokomotiv Moscow)
30 DF Brazil BRA Nicolas Vichiatto
33 DF Brazil BRA Éder
37 FW Brazil BRA Everaldo (on loan from Corinthians)
44 FW Brazil BRA Adyson
45 DF Brazil BRA Ricardo Silva
47 FW Brazil BRA Paulinho Bóia (on loan from Metalist Kharkiv)
65 FW Brazil BRA Rodrigo Varanda (on loan from Corinthians)
75 MF Brazil BRA Rodriguinho
78 FW Brazil BRA Renato Marques
79 FW Brazil BRA Renato Kayzer (on loan from Fortaleza)
80 MF Ecuador ECU Juan Cazares
87 FW Brazil BRA Mikael (on loan from Salernitana)
93 GK Uruguay URU Washington Aguerre
99 FW China CHN Aloísio

Youth team

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
62 GK Brazil BRA Natan
70 DF Brazil BRA Rafael Barcelos
No. Pos. Nation Player
72 MF Brazil BRA Paulinho

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
— GK Brazil BRA Cássio (at Náutico until 30 November 2023)
— DF Brazil BRA Gustavo Marques (at Benfica B until 30 June 2024)
— DF Brazil BRA Thalys (at São José-RS until 30 November 2023)
— MF Brazil BRA Flávio (at Mirassol until 30 November 2023)
No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF Brazil BRA Gustavinho (at Grêmio until 31 December 2023)
— FW Brazil BRA Carlos Alberto (at Botafogo until 31 December 2023)
— FW Brazil BRA Dadá Belmonte (at Chornomorets Odesa until 30 June 2024)
— FW Brazil BRA Rodolfo (at Novorizontino until 30 November 2023)

First-team staff
Position Name Nationality
Head coach Fabián Bustos  Argentina
Assistant manager Diogo Giacomini  Brazil
Assistant manager Régis Angeli  Brazil
Fitness coach Jonas Neves  Brazil
Fitness coach Lucas Itaberaba  Brazil
Fitness coach William Matos  Brazil
Goalkeeping coach Marcos Gontijo  Brazil
Goalkeeping coach Silvio Jardim  Brazil

Notable players

Notable managers

References
  1. "História Do Uniforme" [Jersey history] (in Portuguese). América Futebol Clube. Retrieved January 8, 2016.
  2. Miguel Jabur. "América Vermelho (1930-1942)" [Red America (1930–1942)] (in Portuguese). Acervo do América. Retrieved May 18, 2015.
  3. Miguel Jabur. "A história do Estádio Independência" [The history of Independência stadium] (in Portuguese). Acervo do América. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
  4. "MG tem torcida de todo o país, e RS é o estado mais fechado a times de fora" [Minas Gerais has supporters from teams from all over the country. Rio Grande do Sul is the state more closed to outsider teams] (in Portuguese). Globoesporte.com. August 30, 2014. Retrieved January 4, 2015.
  5. "Flamengo e Corinthians lideram levantamento de torcidas no país" [Flamengo and Corinthians lead the ranking of number of supporters] (in Portuguese). UOL. October 4, 2004. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
  6. Vinícius Las Casas (April 29, 2013). "América se notabiliza na formação de talentos no futebol" [America becomes renowned in forming talents in football] (in Portuguese). Hoje em Dia. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  7. "América Mineiro" (in Portuguese). Arquivo de Clubes. Archived from the original on December 23, 2009. Retrieved August 28, 2008.
  8. "América x Atlético" (in Portuguese). Clássicos do Futebol Brasileiro. Retrieved August 28, 2008.
  9. Enciclopédia do Futebol Brasileiro Lance Volume 1. Rio de Janeiro: Aretê Editorial S/A. 2001. p. 118. ISBN 85-88651-01-7.
  10. "Brazil 1997 Championship – Second Level (Série B)" (in Portuguese). RSSSF. February 18, 2000. Archived from the original on October 8, 2007. Retrieved August 28, 2008.
  11. "Copa Sul-Minas 2000" (in Portuguese). RSSSF. August 25, 2008. Archived from the original on October 11, 2007. Retrieved August 28, 2008.
  12. "Brazil 2004 Championship – Second Level (Série B)" (in Portuguese). RSSSF. December 5, 2004. Archived from the original on April 12, 2008. Retrieved August 28, 2008.
  13. "Minas Gerais State Championship 2007" (in Portuguese). RSSSF. May 30, 2007. Archived from the original on December 10, 2007. Retrieved August 28, 2008.
  14. "América-MG vence o ASA e conquista o título da Série C" (in Portuguese). UOL Esporte. September 19, 2009. Retrieved September 19, 2009.
  15. "América-MG segura empate, no sufoco, e garante retorno à Série A" [America-MG secure ties with difficulties and returns to the first division] (in Portuguese). UOL. November 27, 2010. Retrieved May 6, 2015.
  16. "América e Taiti iniciam parceria Três atletas sub-20 devem fazer período de adaptação no clube" [América and Tahiti start partnership. Three athletes are in adaptation period in the club] (in Portuguese). América Futebol Clube. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  17. "Hinos do América" (in Portuguese). América Futebol Clube (MG) official website. Archived from the original on March 29, 2008. Retrieved August 28, 2008.
  18. "De férias, Alex Mineiro pode voltar ao futebol brasileiro" (in Portuguese). Último Segundo iG. December 15, 2006. Archived from the original on May 11, 2008. Retrieved August 28, 2008.
  19. "América x Atlético – Resultadoa" (in Portuguese). Clássicos do Futebol Brasileiro. Retrieved October 6, 2008.
  20. "Elenco masculino" [Men's team] (in Brazilian Portuguese). América FC. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
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