Real Estelí FC

The club was founded in 1960 as Estelí FC, adding Real to its name in 1961. Estelí FC plays at the Estadio Independencia, one of the biggest stadiums in Nicaragua, with a capacity of 4,800. The club is known by the nickname, El Tren del Norte (Train of the North), coming as it does, from the northern region of Las Segovias.

Real Estelí has finished in the top five of Nicaragua's top flight every year since 1986. In that time, they have also achieved traditionally high attendance numbers. However, it took time for the club's burgeoning popularity to translate into championships.

The club under Leonidas "Cascarilla" Rodriguez and Honduran Roy Posas were able to win the club first silverware, winning both the League and cup double. Players that contributed with players such as Otoniel Olivas, Salvadoran Julio "El Cura" Barahona, Honduran Samuel Nunez, and Ramon "ElChino" Mejia then added another in 1999. Nonetheless, their fierce rivals Diriangén FC remained the dominant power in Nicaraguan football.

This began to change in 2002–2003. The two clubs met for a two-legged tie to determine the year's champion. Diriangén won the first leg 1–0, but Real Estelí answered by winning the return match 3–0, claiming the title 3–1 on aggregate. That was the last year Nicaragua determined their championship with a "long season"; for 2003–2004, the league adopted an Apertura/Clausura format. Real Estelí won both tournaments, and each time they defeated Diriangén in the finals.

The following September, Real Estelí made history in Nicaraguan football by eliminating favorites Real España in the First Round of the Copa Interclubes UNCAF. They thus became the first Nicaraguan football team in history to advance to the second round of the tournament.

Back home, Diriangén won the next two championships, but quickly gave way to Real Estelí, who embarked on their dominant run of eight championships in a row from 2006 to 2014. Then, after a brief interruption by Walter Ferretti, Estelí won two more.

Real Estelí FC has finished in the top five of Nicaragua's top division every year since 1986 and has achieved some of the highest attendances in the league during this period.

In 2023 CONCACAF Central American Cup, Making their first appearance in the modified Tournament, Real Esteli finished second in group, where they defeated highly rated opponents FAS, Xelaju and Olimpia, The club only loss was against Independiente who toped the group. In the Quarter Final, Real Estelí Made history by winning their two legs series against Concacaf heavyweight Saprissa 3-2. Not only becoming the first Nicaraguan club to defeat Saprissa but also the first Nicaraguan to qualify to the semi final of an international tournament. In the semi-finals against Independiente drew both legs 1–1 but ended up losing on penalties at TBD.

As of October 2023[2]

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  NCA Douglas Forvis 2 DF  NCA Francisco Vallecillo 3 DF  NCA Marvin Fletes 7 FW  NCA Byron Bonilla 8 MF  NCA Marlon López 9 FW  NCA Henry Garcia 10 MF  NCA Harold Medina 11 MF  NCA Juan Barrera 13 FW  COL Arley Bonilla 14 MF  ARG Fabián Monserrat 15 MF  NCA Oscar Soto 16 MF  NCA Osmin Salinas

No. Pos. Nation Player 17 DF  NCA Joel Obando 18 DF  COL Leyvin Balanta 19 DF  NCA Evert Martinez 21 FW  NCA Cristian Flores 22 GK  NCA Cesar Salandia 23 DF  NCA Oscar Acevedo 24 FW  ARG Abel Rodriguez 26 DF  BRA Emerton Da Silva 27 DF  NCA Josué Quijano 28 MF  NCA Bancy Hernandez 34 DF  NCA Joab Gutierrez

• Dshon Forbes (capped for Nicaragua)[3]

• CONCACAF Champions League: 6 appearances

Best: Group stage in 4 times

2009 : Preliminary Round

2012 : Preliminary Round

2013 : Group stage

2014 : Group stage

2015 : Group stage

2017 : Group stage

2021: Round of 16

• CONCACAF League: 5 appearances

Best: Quarter-finals in 2020

2017 CONCACAF League: Round of 16

2019 CONCACAF League: Round of 16

2020 CONCACAF League: Quarter finals

2021 CONCACAF League: Round of 16

2022 CONCACAF League: Preliminary Round

• CONCACAF Central American Cup: 1 appearances

Best: Semi-finals in 2023

2023 CONCACAF Central American Cup: Semi-finals

• Copa Interclubes UNCAF: 5 appearances

Best: Quarter-finals in 2004

2000 : First Round

2003 : First Round

2004 : Quarter-finals

2006 : First Round

2007 : First Round

Record versus other nations

As of 15 April 2021

The Concacaf opponents below = Official tournament results: (Plus a sampling of other results)

Opponent	Last Meeting	G	W	D	L	F	A	PTS	+/-
Aguila	26 – Sept – 2012	2	1	0	1	1	1	3	0
Alajuelense	2 – Dec – 2020	7	0	0	7	3	23	0	-20
Árabe Unido	1996	2	0	1	1	1	2	1	-1
Atlético Marte	15 – Dec – 1991	1	0	0	1	0	3	0	-3
Columbus Crew SC	15 April 2021	2	0	0	2	0	5	0	-5
Comunicaciones	6 – Dec – 1991	1	0	0	1	0	15	0	-15
Dallas	24 – Aug – 2016	2	0	1	1	2	3	1	-1
Diriangén	2003	1	0	1	0	1	1	1	0
FAS	2003	1	0	0	1	1	2	0	-1
Herediano	24 – Nov – 2020	1	1	0	0	1	0	3	1
Montreal Impact	2 – Oct – 2008	2	0	1	1	0	1	1	-1
Motagua	10 – Dec – 2020	3	0	1	2	3	7	1	-4
Olimpia	24 – Sept – 2013	2	0	0	2	0	2	0	-2
Real España	29 – Sept – 2004	4	0	2	2	5	14	2	-9
Saprissa	26 – Aug – 2014	7	0	2	5	2	12	2	-10
Santa Tecla	6 – Aug – 2019	2	1	0	1	2	2	1	0
Sporting Kansas City	23 – Sept – 2014	4	0	2	2	2	7	2	-5
Suchitepéquez	13 – Sept – 2016	2	0	1	1	1	2	1	-1
Tauro	1992	2	0	0	2	1	7	0	-6
Toronto	2 – Aug – 2011	2	0	0	2	2	4	0	-2
UANL	18 – Sept – 2012	2	0	1	1	1	5	1	-4
Totals				0

• Campeonato Nacional/Primera División de Nicaragua: 1991, 1998–99, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2019 Clausura, 2019 Apertura, 2020 Clausura, Apertura 2020, 2022 Apertura, 2023 Clausura
• Copa de Nicaragua: 1991

• Real Estelí Baloncesto

• Real Estelí FC | Sitio Oficial