Länk FC Vilaverdense

Länk FC Vilaverdense (formerly known as Vilaverdense F.C.) is a Portuguese football club based in Vila Verde in the district of Braga.[2] They currently play in the Liga Portugal 2, the second tier of Portuguese football.

This article is about the men's football club. For the women's football club, see Vilaverdense F.C. (women).
Länk Vilaverdense
Full nameLänk FC Vilaverdense
Founded1953 (1953)
(Vilaverdense F.C.)
2020 (2020)
(as Länk FC Vilaverdense)
GroundCampo Cruz do Reguengo
Vila Verde, Portugal
Capacity1,000[1]
OwnerLänk Football Group
ChairmanIsidro Fernandes
ManagerHugo Santos
LeagueLiga Portugal 2
2022–23Liga 3, 2nd of 12 (First Stage in Serie A), 2nd of 4 (Second stage in Promotion Series Serie 1) and 3rd (promoted via play-off)
WebsiteClub website

The club is affiliated to Associação de Futebol de Braga and has competed in the AF Braga Taça. The club has also entered the national cup competition known as Taça de Portugal on occasion.[2][3]

It also competes in women's football, with a more successful team playing in the first tier, Campeonato Nacional de Futebol Feminino,[4] using the 3,000-seat Municipal Stadium.[5]

History

The club was founded in 1953 as Vilaverdense F.C. and play their home matches at Campo da Cruz do Reguengo in Vila Verde. The stadium is a 1,000 spectator all-seater.[2]

In 2020, the club's name and crest was changed following an acquisition of 90% of the club's SAD (Anonymous Shareholder Sport Association) by Länk. These changes caused some controversy. [6][7]

On 11 June 2023, In the 2022–23 season, following a strong season that had the team in the top half of the table for the majority of the time, they managed to jump to second place in Série A, in the promotion rounds finish in second place at Série 2 and qualified for the promotion play-off against B-SAD. They drew the first leg at home with 1–1 and won the second leg in Rio Maior with 0–1 and thus with an aggregate score of 1–2, secured promotion to the 2023–24 Liga Portugal 2 for the first time in history from next season.

Involvement with Länk

In 2020, a Canadian group named Länk acquired 90% of Vilaverdense's SAD, promising to improve the club's stadium. With this they changed the club's name to Länk Vilaverdense and its badge to one in black and white, removing the green used to represent Vila Verde ("Green Town"). The teams kits, however, are still green.[8] Although the acquisition was approved by the club's associates, the changes made by Länk came under heavy fire by the club's supporters and caused controversy.[6] [7]

League history
Season Level Division Section Place Movements
1990–91 Tier 5 Distritais AF Braga – 1ª divisão B
1991–92 Tier 5 Distritais AF Braga – 1ª divisão A
1992–93 Tier 5 Distritais AF Braga – 1ª divisão B
1993–94 Tier 5 Distritais AF Braga – 1ª divisão B
1994–95 Tier 5 Distritais AF Braga – Honra
1995–96 Tier 5 Distritais AF Braga – Honra
1996–97 Tier 5 Distritais AF Braga – Honra
1997–98 Tier 5 Distritais AF Braga – Honra Promoted
1998–99 Tier 4 Terceira Divisão Série A 13th
1999–2000 Tier 4 Terceira Divisão Série A 8th
2000–01 Tier 4 Terceira Divisão Série A 5th
2001–02 Tier 4 Terceira Divisão Série A 6th
2002–03 Tier 4 Terceira Divisão Série A 5th
2003–04 Tier 4 Terceira Divisão Série A 2nd Promoted
2004–05 Tier 3 Segunda Divisão Série Norte 6th
2005–06 Tier 3 Segunda Divisão Série Norte 13th Relegated
2006–07 Tier 4 Terceira Divisão Série A 14th Relegated
2007–08 Tier 5 Distritais AF Braga – Honra 1st Promoted
2008–09 Tier 4 Terceira Divisão Série A – 1ª Fase 12th Relegation Group
Tier 4 Terceira Divisão Série A – Sub-Série A2 3rd Relegated
2009–10 Tier 5 Distritais AF Braga – Honra 9th
2010–11 Tier 5 Distritais AF Braga – Honra 1st Promoted
2011–12 Tier 4 Terceira Divisão Série A – 1ª Fase 5th Promotion Group
Tier 4 Terceira Divisão Série A Fase Final 2nd Promoted
2012–13 Tier 3 Segunda Divisão Série Norte 13th
2013–14 Tier 3 Campeonato Nacional Série A 3rd
As Länk Vilaverdense
Season Level Division Section Place Movements
2021–22 Tier 4 Campeonato de Portugal Série A – 1st stage 1st Promotion Group
North zone – 2nd stage 2nd Promoted to Liga 3
2022–23 Tier 3 Liga 3 Série A – 1st stage 2nd 2nd stage
Série 2 – 2nd stage 2nd 3rd stage
3rd stage 3rd Promotion play-off and promoted to Liga Portugal 2 via play-off
2023–24 Tier 2 Liga Portugal 2

[9][10][11][12]

Players

Current squad
As of 7 September 2023

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 Portugal POR Ivo Gonçalves
3 DF Brazil BRA Laércio
4 MF Canada CAN Rohun
5 MF Mali MLI Momo Sacko
6 DF Mali MLI Bakary Konaté
7 FW Portugal POR Gonçalo Teixeira
8 MF Portugal POR Joao Caiado
9 FW Sweden SWE Simon Adjei
10 MF Portugal POR André Soares
11 FW Portugal POR Bruno Silva
12 DF Nigeria NGA Emmanuel Maviram
17 FW Guinea-Bissau GNB Ansu Fati
19 DF Portugal POR Armando Lopes
No. Pos. Nation Player
20 MF Cape Verde CPV Yannick Semedo
21 FW São Tomé and Príncipe STP Harramiz
23 MF Cape Verde CPV Ericson Silva
26 DF Portugal POR João Batista
27 DF Portugal POR Carlos Freitas
33 DF Brazil BRA França
70 FW Portugal POR Boubacar Hanne
82 GK Portugal POR Cajó
88 MF Portugal POR Lénio Neves
89 FW Portugal POR Zé Pedro
93 GK Portugal POR Rogério Santos
94 DF Brazil BRA Rafael Viegas

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
22 GK Portugal POR Hugo Costa (at Sandinenses)
— MF Brazil BRA Diogo Machado (at Oliveira do Douro)

Honours
  • AF Braga Divisão de Honra: 2010–11
  • AF Braga Taça: 1988/89, 1990/91, 1992/93, 1997/98, 2009/10

References
  1. https://www.lankfcvilaverdense.com/estadio
  2. "Vilaverdense Futebol Clube - ForaDeJogo - foradejogo.net". ForaDeJogo. Retrieved 2012-05-31.
  3. "Vilaverdense Futebol Clube – Portugal – footballzz.co.uk". ZeroZero. Retrieved 2012-05-31.
  4. "Vilaverdense Futebol Clube". Zerozero.
  5. https://www.lankfcvilaverdense.com/estadio
  6. "Vilaverdense passa a chamar-se Länk FC". BOM DIA (in European Portuguese). 2020-10-19. Retrieved 2022-11-20.
  7. "Grupo Lank promete revolucionar o Vilaverdense FC". O Vilaverdense (in European Portuguese). 2020-09-13. Retrieved 2022-11-20.
  8. "Camisa Titular LANK FC Vilaverdense 2019-20".
  9. "Portugal – Table of Honor – soccerlibrary.free.fr" (PDF). Soccer Library. Retrieved 2012-05-31.
  10. "Competitions – Portugal – footballzz.co.uk". ZeroZero. Retrieved 2012-05-31.
  11. "Competitions - ForaDeJogo - foradejogo.net". ForaDeJogo. Retrieved 2012-05-31.
  12. "AF Braga – Futebol Total". Futebol Total. Retrieved 2012-05-31.
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