Botafogo FR

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Template:Short description Template:Use British English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox football club

Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas (Template:IPA; Botafogo Football and Rowing) is a Brazilian football club based in the neighborhood of Botafogo, in the city of Rio de Janeiro. Although it competes in a number of different sports, Botafogo is mostly known for its association football team. It plays in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, the top tier of the Brazilian football league system, and in the state of Rio de Janeiro's premier state league.

The club is among Brazil's "Big 12 Clubs" having won the Brazilian Championship three times (1968, 1995, 2024), the Copa Libertadores in 2024, and the Copa CONMEBOL in 1993. In addition, the Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas has some of Brazilian football's most notable records, including most unbeaten matches: 52 games between 1977 and 1978; the most unbeaten matches in the Brazilian Championship: 42, also between 1977 and 1978; and the most players called up to the Brazilian national team in World Cups. The club holds the record for the greatest victory ever recorded in Brazilian football: 24–0 against Sport Club Mangueira in 1909.

In 2000, Botafogo finished 12th in a vote by subscribers of FIFA Magazine for the FIFA Club of the Century.<ref name="fifaum">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2024, Botafogo was ranked 5th in the world in the IFFHS Men's Club World Ranking, making it the highest-ranked club from South America.<ref name="IFFHSRank2024">IFFHS. "IFFHS Men's Club World Ranking 2024 – The Top 500." 9 December 2024. Retrieved 18 August 2025.</ref>

In 2025, the club qualified for the FIFA Club World Cup and pulled off a major upset by defeating European champions Paris Saint-Germain 1–0 in the group stage, advancing to the knockout rounds.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Botafogo was also named as one of five finalists for the 2025 Ballon d’Or Men’s Club of the Year award, being the only non-European club in the category.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

History

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Formation and merger

On 1 July 1894, the Club de Regatas Botafogo was founded in Rio de Janeiro as a rowing club.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The founders of Botafogo football team.

On 12 August 1904, another club was founded in the neighborhood: the Electro Club, the name first given to the Botafogo Football Club. The idea came during an algebra lesson at Alfredo Gomes College.Template:Citation needed The Electro Club was founded, but its name did not last. After a suggestion from Dona Chiquitota, Flávio's grandmother, the club finally became the Botafogo Football Club, on its 18 September. The colors were black and white like those of Juventus FC, (who took the colours from Notts County F.C., the oldest team in the world.) the team of Itamar Tavares, one of the club's founders. Its badge was drawn by Basílio Vianna Jr., in Swiss style with the BFC monogram. The Botafogo Football Club would soon become one of the strongest football teams in Rio de Janeiro, winning the championships of 1907, 1910, 1912 and more.<ref name="gazetaesportivaelectrobotafogo">Template:Cite web</ref>

With the same name, the same location, the same colours and most importantly the same supporters, it seemed inevitable that the clubs would merge. They did so on 8 December 1942, after a basketball match between both clubs, when the Botafogo Football Club player Armando Albano died suddenly, that the idea of a merger began. On this tragic occasion, the president of the Club de Regatas Botafogo, Augusto Frederico Schmidt, spoke: "At this time, I declare to Albano that his last match ended with the victory of his team. We won't play the time left on the clock. We all want the young fighter to leave this great night as a winner. This is how we salute him." Eduardo Góis Trindade, the president of the Botafogo Football Club said: "Between the matches of our clubs, only one can be the winner: Botafogo!." And then Schmidt declared the fusion: "What else do we need for our clubs to become one?." The Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas finally came into being. The Football Club's badge became black, and the monogram substituted by the Clube de Regatas' lone star.<ref name="history1942">Template:Cite web</ref>

On the field

Rare photo, in XX century beginning
The team of 1910

The team won the Campeonato Carioca in 1907, 1910 and 1912. In 1909 the team beat Mangueira 24–0, which remains the highest score in Brazilian football.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They won further state titles in 1930, 1932, 1933, 1934 and 1935.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 1930 Botafogo won its 4th Carioca title.

In the 1940s, after the creation of the Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas, the team's best player was Heleno de Freitas. However, Heleno did not win a championship for Botafogo. He scored 204 goals in 233 matches, but went to the Boca Juniors in 1948, the year Botafogo won its 9th state championship.

Garrincha, Joy of the people

They won the Campeonato Carioca in 1957, 1961 and 1962, and in 1968 they won Serie A, becoming the first carioca club to win the Brazilian league.<ref name=swaytroph>Template:Cite web</ref>

1989 ended a period of 21 years without a title when the club won the state championship, retaining the trophy in 1990.<ref name=swaytroph/>

In the 1990s, Botafogo won Copa Conmebol (the precursor of the current Copa Sudamericana).<ref>Rsssf.com Template:Webarchive</ref> And in 1995 they won the Brazilian League for the second time in club's history, after drawing 1–1 the second leg of the Final against Santos FC at São Paulo.

Botafogo would be relegated to the Second Division after ranking last in the Brazilian League of 2002. In 2003, Botafogo ranked second in Brazil's Second division (after Palmeiras) and returned to the First Division.

In 2006, the club won the Rio de Janeiro State Championship for the 18th time, and again in 2010 and 2013 with the iconic players Loco Abreu and Clarence Seedorf, respectively.

In the 2020 edition of the Série A, Botafogo performed poorly and ended the championship in the last position, causing the club's relegation to the Série B for their third time in history.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Nowadays, Botafogo is the only club to have won titles in three different centuries, including the state championship for rowing in 1899.

The SAF Era

At the beginning of 2020, Botafogo underwent a series of internal audits to spin off its football division as a for-profit corporate entity, owned by the club, but which could be portioned and sold to investors. This was due to unprecedented legislation allowing for football clubs to be operated as corporations, and would be a solution to the severe financial crisis the club had faced for decades. Relegation to the Série B, however, delayed these plans.

2021 saw Botafogo's debt reach one billion real. They placed 6th in the Rio de Janeiro State Championship, after a penalty decision lost to the also relegated Vasco da Gama. The club was off to a middling start to the Série B season, but bounced back after the hiring of manager Enderson Moreira, who was able to bring Botafogo back to the top tier of Brazilian football, as champions of the 2021 edition of Série B. It was Botafogo's second Série B title.

Meanwhile, the incoming administration had begun internal restructuring, hiring executive Jorge Braga for the brand-new post of CEO and downsizing its workforce considerably. Botafogo entered into a partnership with the investment firm XP Inc. to seek out potential buyers for its football division, which was in the process of becoming its own corporate entity. Congress had recently passed the Sociedade Anônima de Futebol (SAF) law, allowing foreigners to purchase shares in Brazilian football clubs for the first time in history.

Having averted complete financial disaster by returning to Série A, the country's top competitive tier, Botafogo finalized its transition into the SAF legal structure. The social club remained as an entity, owning 100% of Botafogo SAF's shares. In January 2022, it came to light that American investor John Textor, owner of a majority stake in Premier League club Crystal Palace F.C., was in talks to purchase a majority share of Botafogo. In February 2022, the club announced the acquisition of 90% of the shares of Botafogo's football division by Textor's holding company Eagle Holdings and the start of a new era for the club.

Textor's first major move in charge of the club was the dismissal of Enderson Moreira in favor of Portuguese manager Luís Castro. Castro signed with Botafogo in March 2022, and the team had to hurry to build their squad for the 2022 Campeonato Brasileiro.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Botafogo finished that year's league edition in 11th place, guaranteeing a spot in the 2023 Copa Sudamericana.

At the 2023 Campeonato Brasileiro, Botafogo, then thought of as a team that at most would fight for a spot in the top 6,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> shocked everyone by coming in first place after only 3 rounds, then leading the league by 13 points after 19 matches and on course to have the greatest first half of a season in Brazilian football history. In June 2023, coach Luís Castro accepted an offer from Al Nassr of the Saudi Pro League,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> paving the way for the arrival of Portuguese manager Bruno Lage.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> However, due to poor results and controversies,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Lage was dismissed after about 3 months.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> For the remainder of the 2023 season, with the coaching position vacant, Botafogo's SAF leadership decided to promote two fan favorites to key positions in the team's management: a former coach of Botafogo's U-23 team, Lúcio Flávio, was appointed interim coach, with former Argentine defender Joel Carli as his assistant.

Constant change of managers caused Botafogo to have the biggest title collapse in football history, as the team won only 2 of their last 17 fixtures, not only losing the title to Palmeiras but dropping to 5th in the table and losing the automatic qualification spot for the Copa Libertadores. A round of 16 exit in the Copa do Brasil, a quarterfinal exit in the Copa Sudamericana, and a disappointing Campeonato Carioca made the year one of the most painful seasons in the club's history.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The total debt owned by the club has been reduced and now sits at around 730 million reais.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Stadium

The team's home ground is the Estádio Olímpico Nilton Santos, named in honor of Nilton Santos, a former club player and two-time world champion with the Brazil national football team, regarded as one of the greatest left-backs of all time.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The stadium is commonly called Engenhão by fans, in reference to the neighbourhood of Engenho de Dentro, where it is located. The stadium was built for the 2007 Pan American Games and it also hosted the 2016 Summer Olympics.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Estádio Olímpico Nilton Santos, home of Botafogo

Other stadiums used by the club during its history are:

Voluntários da Pátria Street Stadium (1909)

Rivals

Template:More citations needed section Its biggest rivals are the other most important Rio clubs: Fluminense, Flamengo, and Vasco da Gama.

The derby with Fluminense is known as the "Clássico Vovô" (Grandfather Derby) for it being the oldest derby in the whole of Brazilian football. The teams faced each other for the first time in 1905.

The matches with Vasco are known as the "Clássico da Amizade" (Friendship Derby) because the supporters of both clubs have been friends historically. It has been one of the less violent derbies in the city.

The derby against Flamengo, "The Rivalry Derby", is the biggest one for Botafogo. The clubs' rivalry extends beyond the pitch, to the fans and the clubs' boardrooms. Players who participate in these matches usually become club idols. Some examples include Garrincha, Manga, Jairzinho, Túlio Maravilha, and more recently Loco Abreu and Jefferson. Flamengo's biggest star Zico once said that in his childhood, Botafogo was the club he hated more than any other because of the Glorioso's dominance in the derby.

From outside the city, the club also has a historic rivalry with Santos FC since the 1960s.

Symbols

File:Bota badges.jpg
Historical badges

Lone Star

The Lone Star (Estrela Solitária) is currently present in Botafogo's flag and crest. This star was the principal symbol of Club de Regatas Botafogo. After the two Botafogos merged, the Lone Star became one of the most important symbols of Botafogo's football team. It was originally meant to represent the planet Venus, also known as the Morning Star, which was often seen at sunrise by the rowing squad as they practiced very early in the morning.

Flag

Flag of Botafogo Football Club since its founding, in 1904. When merged with Club de Regatas Botafogo, in 1943, the flag of the football club was adopted in new Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas.

The old flag of Club de Regatas Botafogo was white with a small black square which contained the Lone Star. The Football Club had a flag with nine black and white stripes with the club's crest localized in the center. Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas then based its flag on that of the two old clubs. The flag has five black and four white stripes, with a black square at the upper left side with the Lone Star.

Uniform

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Their primary uniform consists of a black jersey with vertical white stripes, black shorts and grey socks. Their secondary uniform is all white. An all black uniform may also be used. The socks, although traditionally grey, may also be black or even white on rare occasions.

Invidiual record

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Mascots

Biriba in 1940s, the mascot that really existed
Manequinho, one of the mascots of the club

The dog Biriba is one the most traditional mascots of Botafogo, in 1948 this real stray dog, known for invading the field, was the mascot that led them to the Campeonato Carioca title.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Another Botafogo's mascot is Manequinho, an urinating boy originating from a replica of Brussels' Manneken Pis statue that stands near Botafogo's headquarters, which on occasion had a Botafogo jersey put onto by supporters of the team.<ref>Paixão de torcedor faz surgir o mascote do Botafogo, o Manequinho</ref> The first mascot was Donald Duck, who cartoonist Lorenzo Mollas drew in the early 1940s wearing Botafogo's jersey, but it was never officially adopted due to rights issues.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Honours

The club has some of Brazilian football's top records, including most unbeaten matches: 52 games between 1977 and 1978,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> most unbeaten games in the Brazilian Championship: 42, also between 1977 and 1978,<ref name="42jg">Template:Cite web</ref> most player participations in total matches of the Brazil national team (considering official and unofficial games): 1,094 participations,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and the most players assigned to the Brazil national team for the World Cup.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Official tournaments

Continental
Competitions Titles Seasons
Copa Libertadores 1 2024
Copa CONMEBOL 1 1993
National
Competitions Titles Seasons
Campeonato Brasileiro Série A 3 1968, 1995, 2024
Campeonato Brasileiro Série B 2Template:Sup 2015, 2021
Inter-state
Competitions Titles Seasons
Torneio Rio–São Paulo<ref name="Rio-São Paulo">Template:Cite web</ref> 4 1962, 1964, 1966, 1998
State
Competitions Titles Seasons
Campeonato Carioca 21 1907, 1910, 1912, 1930, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1948, 1957, 1961, 1962, 1967, 1968, 1989, 1990, 1997, 2006, 2010, 2013, 2018

Others tournaments

International

  • Brazil-Colombia Trophy (1): 1954
  • Colombia International Tournament (1): 1960
  • Costa Rica Triangular Tournament (1): 1961
  • Mexico City International Tournament (2): 1962, 1968
  • Tournoi de Paris (1): 1963
  • La Paz Football Association Golden Jubilee Tournament (1): 1964
  • Ibero-American Tournament (1): 1964
  • Panamaribo Cup (1): 1964
  • Sports Newspapers Circle Cup (1): 1966
  • Carranza Cup of Buenos Aires (1): 1966
  • Lima City Cup (1): 1967
  • Caracas Triangular Trophy (3): 1967, 1968, 1970
  • Geneva Tournament (1): 1984
  • Bern Tournament (1): 1985
  • Costa Rica Pentagonal Tournament (1): 1986
  • Troféu Ciudad de Palma de Mallorca (1): 1988
  • Vera Cruz Friendship Tournament (1): 1990
  • Xerox Super Cup (1): 1991
  • Torneio Internacional Triangular Eduardo Paes (1): 1994
  • Nippon Ham Cup (1): 1996
  • III Tournament of President of Russia (1): 1996
  • Teresa Herrera Trophy (1): 1996
  • Copa Peregrino (1): 2008

National and Inter-state

  • Taça dos Campeões Estaduais Rio–São Paulo (2): 1930, 1961
  • Torneio Triangular de Porto Alegre (1): 1951
  • Torneio Quadrangular do Rio de Janeiro (1): 1954
  • Torneio Quadrangular de Belo Horizonte (1): 1964
  • Torneio Quadrangular de Teresina (1): 1966
  • Torneio Independência do Brasil (1): 1974
  • Torneio Ministro Ney Braga (1): 1976
  • Torneio 23º Aniversário de Brasília (1): 1983
  • Copa Rio-Brasília (1): 1996
  • Troféu Osmar Santos (2): 2023, 2024
  • Troféu João Saldanha (1): 2024

State

Runners-up

Youth team

Awards

Fita Azul do Futebol Brasileiro (Brazilian Football Blue Ribbon) was an award given for the club which succeeds in an excursion out of the country.

Players

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Current squad

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Botafogo B and Youth Academy

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Other players under contract

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Out on loan

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Club staff

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Position Staff
Head Coach Template:Flagicon Davide Ancelotti
Assistant Coach Template:Flagicon Andy Mangan
Template:Flag icon Cláudio Caçapa
Template:Flagicon Luis Tevenet
Fitness Coach Template:Flag icon Ygor Vianna
Template:Flagicon Luca Guerra
First-Team Goalkeeper Coach Template:Flag icon Marcelo Grimaldi
Analysis and observation Template:Flag icon Léo Coelho

Records

World Best Players
# Name Year
1. Template:Flagicon Didi 1958
2. Template:Flagicon Garrincha 1962
World Cup Champions
# Name Year
1. Template:Flagicon Nílton Santos 1958, 1962
2. Template:Flagicon Didi 1958, 1962
3. Template:Flagicon Garrincha 1958, 1962
4. Template:Flagicon Amarildo 1962
5. Template:Flagicon Zagallo 1962
6. Template:Flagicon Jairzinho 1970
7. Template:Flagicon Paulo Cezar Caju 1970
8. Template:Flagicon Roberto Miranda 1970
Carvalho Leite, one of the greatest players of the 1930s and the 2nd. topscorer in club history with 261 goals.
Most appearances
# Name Matches Goals Year
1. Template:Flagicon Nílton Santos 723 11 1948–64
2. Template:Flagicon Garrincha 612 243 1953–65
3. Template:Flagicon Jefferson 459 * 2003–2005 and 2009–2018
4. Template:Flagicon Valtencir 453 6 1967–76
5. Template:Flagicon Quarentinha 444 306 1954–64
6. Template:Flagicon Manga 442 * 1959–68
7. Template:Flagicon Carlos Roberto 442 15 1967–76
8. Template:Flagicon Geninho 422 115 1940–54
9. Template:Flagicon Jairzinho 413 186 1962–74, 1981
10. Template:Flagicon Wágner 412 * 1993–02
11. Template:Flagicon Osmar 387 4 1970–79
12. Template:Flagicon Juvenal 384 12 1946–57
13. Template:Flagicon Gérson dos Santos 371 2 1945–56
14. Template:Flagicon Wilson Gottardo 354 13 1987–90, 1994–96
15. Template:Flagicon Roberto Miranda 352 154 1962–73
16. Template:Flagicon Pampolini 347 27 1955–62
17. Template:Flagicon Mendonça 340 116 1975–82
* goalkeeper.
Garrincha playing for Botafogo in a 2–0 win against Barcelona in the 1964 Copa Iberoamericana at Buenos Aires.
Most goals
# Name Goals Matches G/M
1. Template:Flagicon Quarentinha 306 444 0,68
2. Template:Flagicon Carvalho Leite 261 303 0,86
3. Template:Flagicon Garrincha 243 612 0,39
4. Template:Flagicon Heleno de Freitas 209 235 0,88
5. Template:Flagicon Nilo 190 201 0,94
6. Template:Flagicon Jairzinho 186 413 0,45
7. Template:Flagicon Octávio Moraes 171 200 0,85
8. Template:Flagicon Túlio Maravilha 159 223 0,71
9. Template:Flagicon Roberto Miranda 154 352 0,43
10. Template:Flagicon Template:Flagicon Dino da Costa 144 176 0,81
11. Template:Flagicon Amarildo 136 231 0,58
12. Template:Flagicon Paulinho Valentim 135 206 0,65
13. Template:Flagicon Nílson Dias 127 301 0,42
14. Template:Flagicon Mendonça 116 340 0,34
15. Template:Flagicon Geninho 115 422 0,27
16. Template:Flagicon Didi 114 313 0,36
17. Template:Flagicon Zezinho 110 174 0,63
18. Template:Flagicon Paschoal 105 158 0,66
19. Template:Flagicon Patesko 102 242 0,42
20. Template:Flagicon Gérson 96 248 0,39
  • Note: numbers do not count matches played in Torneio Início.
  • Source: RSSSF Brasil – Botafogo

Managers

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Notes

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Other sports

Basketball

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See also

References

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