C.S. Marítimo

The team that won the first Championship of Madeira (1916–17)

Marítimo was founded on 20 September 1910 as Club Português de Sport Marítimo, by Cândido Fernandes de Gouveia. The club adopted the red and green colours of the new Republican flag of Portugal to distinguish themselves from rivals Club Sports da Madeira, who used the blue and white colours of the old monarchy flag which had been replaced 15 days earlier. The name Marítimo, meaning Maritime in English, was used to reflect the fact that many of the team's players were workers of the nearby Funchal docks, a prominent employer at the time. The first ever match for Marítimo was a 2–1 win against Santa Clara, a select team composed of workers of the Western Telegraph Company. Soon after they began playing teams of sailors from visiting British ships. José Rodrigues Barrinhas, an old-fashioned attacking centre-half, made a name for himself in these games and in matches against rivals CS Madeira.

In 1921–22, the Portuguese clubs started playing a new national competition.[3] The Campeonato de Portugal, played on a knock-out-basis (similar to the current Taça de Portugal), was the first national competition. After competing in the regional championships, the regional winners competed together to pick the Champion of Portugal. Marítimo make 13 appearances in the 17 editions of the competition.[4] After several attempts, the club finally won the Campeonato de Portugal in 1925–26.[5] In the semi-final against Porto, Marítimo won 7–1, and in the final against Belenenses Marítimo won 2–0. It was after this great achievement that Marítimo was called "The Greatest of the Islands".

In the early 1930s, the club faced a serious financial crisis, although this did not affect its supremacy in the regional competitions. However, in 1934, a new national competition called Primeira Liga was created, in which teams outside the continental territory were excluded. Nevertheless, in 1938–39 the teams from the islands started to participate in the Taça de Portugal, after the champions of Madeira and Azores played a qualification round between themselves. Being excluded from competing in the Primeira Liga, the club continued playing in regional competitions. It was in this period that Marítimo won many of the Regional Championships. In 1950, the team went through an amazing tour of Africa in which they made some great achievements.[6]

The team that won the Championship of Portugal (1925–26)

After arduous negotiations with the Portuguese Football Federation, it was established that the winner in the regional championship of 1972–73 could play a qualifying round with the last of the Segunda Divisão and the first of the Terceira Divisão. Marítimo won that regional championship and started to participate in the national championships. They therefore became the first team from a Portuguese island to participate in the national championship. Maritimo's record of 35 Madeira Championships won between 1916 and 1973 still stands.[7]

The consequences of long years without being able to compete regularly in national competitions were visible in the beginning. The fact that the island was not able to put teams in national competitions showed the discrepancies in terms of infrastructures and organization between the regional and national reality. Yet in the 1976–77 season the club wins the II Divisão and rises to the Portuguese First Division, remaining there for over three seasons. Due to the existing semi-professionalism and some logistical difficulties, the club is relegated to Second Division in 1980–181, rising immediately next season, winning for the second time the II Divisão. After two seasons the club returns to Primeira Liga in the 1982–83 season. Since then the club has remained in the Primeira Liga, consolidating its status as a team that consistently finishes in the top ten and competes for European qualification.

Until the early 1990s, the club's best result was 9th in the 1987–88 season.[8] The entry of a young coach, ambitious Brazilian Paulo Autuori, allied to greater internal organization and attractive attacking football, so that in the 1991–92 campaign the club reached seventh place, staying just outside European qualification. The 1992–93 season saw a "wonder-trio" (Ademir, Edmilson and Jorge Andrade) drive the club to have the third best attack of the league, with 56 goals. European qualification came in the final round, with a 3–2 victory against Boavista. Again the club was a pioneer, being the first island team to achieve qualification for European competitions, under the 5th place achieved. That same season is also notable for the home wins against Sporting (4–2) and Gil Vicente (7–0).

In 1994–95, another great achievement was made when the club qualified to the Taça de Portugal finals for the first time in its history, after defeating Porto in the semi-finals 1–0. Marítimo disputed the final against Sporting, but lost 2–0. Six years later, in the 2000–01 season, Marítimo achieved the final again, after defeating Boavista in the semi-final 1–0. This time Marítimo played the final against Porto, losing again 2–0. However, as of 2023, Marítimo still remain the only club from Madeira to have reached the Portuguese Cup final.

From the 2001–02 to the 2014–15 season, the club has finished in the top ten of the table, with the exception of the 2006–07 season, where they finished eleventh. In the 2014–15 season, Maritimo reached the League Cup final for the first time ever, beating Porto in the semi-final but then losing to Benfica 2–1. The following season they repeated this feat, playing against Benfica again, but losing 6–2. The best ever league finish Maritimo have obtained was 5th place, first obtained in 1992–93, and since then they have finished another five times in that position, most recently in the 2011–12 season. In the 2012–13 season, Marítimo qualified for the Europa League group stages for the first time ever, finishing third with a win against Club Brugge and two draws against Newcastle United.

• 
  1910–1916
• 
  1917–1998
• 
  1999–2022
• 
  2022–present

Since the very beginning of the club's history, red and green have been the official colours. In 1910, the club adopted the red and green colours of the new Republican flag of Portugal to distinguish themselves from rivals Club Sports da Madeira, who used the blue and white colours of the old monarchy flag which had been replaced 15 days after the clubs foundation, following the 5 October 1910 revolution.[9]

Although there is no date or author, the first crest clearly refers to the maritime origins of the club, which is stated in the paddle, the float, the harpoon, and the anchor. The ball in the badge represents the sport played in the club.[10]

For the 1916–17 season, a new crest was created by José Inês Ramos, a designer at an Embroidery House in Funchal.[11] The new crest maintains the maritime roots of the club, expressed in the ship's wheel. However a Lion was included in the new crest, which was to symbolize the strength of the new Champion of Madeira. Since then the crest has remained the same, with only some minor graphical changes over the years. The crest was updated again in 1999 to a modern version, following the formation of the SAD organisation, however the classic logo remained on the team jerseys until 2008. In 2022, the club announced the return of the classic crest, used from 1916 to 1999, as the primary logo.[12]

Kit evolution

1910

1950

1985

1994

2008

2012

2016

2018

2020

Marítimo are known throughout the Portuguese speaking world and have significant fan bases in the former Portuguese colonies of Brazil, Angola, and Cape Verde, as well as areas with significant Portuguese communities such as the Northeastern United States, Canada, the United Kingdom (specifically Jersey and London) and South Africa.[13]

The club also has a big fans base in Venezuela, where sister club Marítimo de Venezuela of Caracas have won several national Championships. The club was founded in 1959 by Portuguese immigrants living in Caracas, who based their new club on their favourite team from back home in Madeira. Even today, strong ties are kept between both clubs and supporters from either side of the Atlantic Ocean. A similar situation is present in Cape Verde, where Marítimo do Porto Novo play in the same green and red stripes when competing in the Santo Antão Island League (South).

Closer to home, the club has a proud reputation of being one of the most supported clubs in Portugal after the "big three", and the most popular club on their home island of Madeira, outranking local rivals Nacional and União. The club has over 10,000 registered members (sócios) and three predominant groups of Ultras, the Esquadrão Maritimista, Ultras Templários and Fanatics 1910.

There are several famous fans of Marítimo who have publicly declared their support for the team on various occasions, such as the multimillionaire businessman Joe Berardo and Madeira's Regional Governor, the controversial politician Alberto João Jardim.

The club was used a political vehicle in the 1970s during Madeira's fight for freedom and autonomy from mainland Portugal. Governor Jardim proclaimed his support of the club in order to gain votes and the backing from the people of Madeira, while the people in turn supported Marítimo as a symbol of their pride and allegiance to Madeira.

Marítimo Stadium

Previously playing at the Campo do Almirante Reis until they moved out in 1935, Marítimo currently play their home games at the Estádio do Marítimo, the municipality stadium of Funchal. The stadium was originally built by rival club Nacional but came into the hands of the local Government after the club fell into a financial crisis. Although uniquely picturesque the stadium was rapidly aging, despite numerous face lifts over the years.

In October 2006, it was announced that the club would construct a new state-of-the-art stadium in the Praia Formosa area of West Funchal. However, after several delays and a political war over funding and planning, the stadium plans were put on hold indefinitely, adding to a list of set-backs that stretch well over a decade. The fact that archrivals Nacional were allowed to construct a new stand and training facility at their Estádio da Madeira (with government backing) angered Marítimo's fans even more.

A year later, on 14 September 2007, an agreement between the club's directors and the Madeiran government (of whom own a 40% share of the club) was reached to use the site of the current Estádio dos Barreiros as the location of a brand new, reconstructed commercial stadium. Work began on the new stadium on 20 July 2009, with the realigning of the pitch and demolition of the Bancada Nascente, reducing the capacity to 5,000 seats in the Bancada Central stand. Initial plans indicated that the stadium would be completed by 2011 but following the 2010 flooding disaster, the local government withdrew its funding and construction was halted. The club continued to use the stadium with only the Bancada Central (main stand) usable as the other three sides of the pitch were incomplete. On 25 March 2013, the club opened a new museum and club shop adjacent to the stadium.

After a four-year hiatus, the local government pledged €12 million towards the project and construction of the stadium resumed in May 2014. The initial work focused on finishing the three stands that had been left incomplete from the previous work and so a further reduction in capacity was made, bringing the number of usable seats to just 4,000. The new stands were finished and open to the public in January 2015, with the first game being played in front of 7,000 spectators on 18 January against Braga. The following week, demolition started on the main stand to make way for the completion of the stadium project. The current capacity of the stadium is 9,500, which will be boosted to 10,600 once the construction of the stands is complete (2 December).

The club also own the Campo da Imaculada Conceição, a small stadium in the north of Funchal. The land it stands on was purchased by supporters and donated to the club who thus constructed the stadium, which was officially inaugurated on 3 October 1965. Situated adjacent to the club's Complexo Desportivo, the ground is used for B team-matches and for training sessions.

Like many other Portuguese clubs, Marítimo operates several sports teams outside of the football team. Although they are most recognisably successful in professional volleyball (See Marítimo volleyball), the club also field a prominent handball team (See Marítimo handball), a National Championship-winning women's basketball team and a popular futsal team (See Marítimo futsal). Other sports groups within the organisation include athletics, figure skating, fishing, futsal, karate, kart racing, rallying, rhythmic gymnastics, roller hockey, rugby union and swimming.

• Madeira derby
• C.S. Marítimo B
• C.S. Marítimo C
• C.S. Marítimo de Venezuela
• C.S. Marítimo (futsal)
• C.S. Marítimo (handball)
• C.S. Maritimo (volleyball)

• Calisto, Luís (2001). Bola e Mergulhança (in Portuguese). Funchal: Tribuna da Madeira.
• Rodrigues, Deodato (2000). História do Club Sport Marítimo 1910–2000 (in Portuguese). Funchal: Diário de Notícias da Madeira.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Club Sport Marítimo.

• Official website (in Portuguese)
• Maritimo Expat Fan Website