Esporte Clube Bahia
Template:Short description Template:More citations needed Template:Use American English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox football club Template:C.F.G. Owned Clubs
Esporte Clube Bahia (Template:IPA) is a Brazilian professional association football club based in Salvador, the capital city of the Brazilian state of Bahia. Known mainly as the Esquadrão de Aço (Steel Squadron), the club competes in the Campeonato Baiano, Bahia's state league, and the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, the highest division of the Brazilian football league system.
Bahia has won the Brasileirão title twice: in 1959, where they defeated Santos' Santásticos with the likes of Gilmar, Mauro Ramos, Mengálvio, Coutinho, Pepe and Pelé in the final, and in 1988 over Internacional with the team sealing the title at Beira Rio, Internacional's stadium. The team has appeared in the Copa Libertadores four times, reaching the quarter-finals in 1989 – their best-ever performance. After 22 years out of international competition, Bahia returned in 2012 when they qualified for the Copa Sudamericana, an achievement repeated seven more times, the last in 2021. The club has also won their state title a record 51 times. The club also has five titles in the Copa do Nordeste, in: 2001, 2002, 2017, 2021 and 2025.
Bahia had played its home games with 66,080 people capacity Estádio Fonte Nova from 1951 to 2007, when a section of the stadium collapsed killing seven Bahia fans. The Tricolor played at the Joia da Princesa stadium in Feira de Santana in 2008, and from 2009 to 2013 at the Estádio de Pituaçu in Salvador. With the reopening of the Fonte Nova stadium in 2013 as the Arena Fonte Nova, a modern arena built for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Bahia resumed playing its matches there. The club's home uniform consists of white shirts with blue shorts and red socks. It has a fierce long-standing rivalry with Vitória, known as Ba-Vi.
In December 2022, it was announced that City Football Group, a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi United Group, had bought a majority stake of Bahia's SAF, after the takeover was approved in a voting session between club members.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The acquisition was completed in May 2023, as CFG officially acquired 90% of the club's shares.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":2">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":3">Template:Cite web</ref>
History
Early years and the first national title
The Esporte Clube Bahia was founded on the New Year's Day of 1931 when players from two clubs decided to merge. The Associação Atlética da Bahia and the Clube Bahiano de Tênis had decided to discontinue their football divisions. A few years later Bahia became the most popular team in the Northeast of Brazil.Template:Citation needed
In the club's first year, Bahia won the Torneio Inicio and Bahia State Championship. The first Bahia president was Waldemar Costa, a doctor. Bahia's crest is based on Corinthians'Template:Citation needed. Bahia's state flag, created by Raimundo Magalhães, was used in place of the São Paulo state flag.
The team was founded with the motto "Nasceu para Vencer" (Born to Win). Bahia won 50 State Championships, 21 more than the Vitória (their rival club), and was the first club to participate in Taça Libertadores da America in 1960.
Between 1959 and 1963, and in 1968, the club represented the state of Bahia in Taça Brasil (the precursor of the Brazilian Championship), winning the title in 1959 and finishing as runner-up in 1961 and 1963.
The 1980s and the second national title
The 1980s were the best in Bahia's history. Bahia won their second national title in 1988, finishing 5th in 1986 and 4th in 1990.
In 1988, Bahia won its second Brazilian Championship against the Internacional from Porto Alegre Bahia won the first leg in Salvador by 2–1. The second leg ended in an 0–0 tie-in Porto Alegre at the Beira Rio Stadium. After these results, Bahia won the Brasileirão, their second national title. The championship gave Bahia the right to play Copa Libertadores for the third time. It was a shock for the southern press Template:Citation needed because Salvador is in the Northeast and the victory was over the Internacional, a team from southern Brazil, the region that has the highest Human Development Index in the country.
Dark years
In 1997, Bahia was relegated to the Série B for the first time in its history after a 0–0 draw against the Juventude at the Fonte Nova stadium. In 1999 Bahia was close to being promoted to the Série A again. Bahia had a very good season but finished in 3rd place, which was not enough to see them promoted.
In 2000, due to bribery scandals involving clubs such as the São Paulo and the Internacional, the team returned to the Brazilian First Division, invited by the Clube dos 13, along with the Fluminense, which was made a scapegoat for the controversy and was nationally victimized by the media (see Copa João Havelange).
In 2002 the bank that had sponsored the team went bankrupt and the Bahia began a descent down the Brazilian football pyramid. After the title of the Northeast Cup in 2001 and 2002, Bahia performed poorly in 2003 and was relegated to the Série B for the second time in the club's history. In 2004, the team was close to getting promoted to the Série A again, finishing 4th. In order to be promoted, Bahia would have to win the final match against the Brasiliense, but the referee Paulo César de Oliveira was assigned to that match and many people Template:Who say he was all but fair on that day. In 2005, the club again competed in the Série B, finishing in 18th place, and was relegated to the Série C for the first time in the club's history.
Fênix tricolor (tricolored phoenix)
Bahia finished 2007 among the first four teams of the Third Division and was promoted to the Second Division for the 2008 season. The Bahia began strongly, but in the last game of the 3rd stage of the Série C against the already-eliminated Fast Club, Bahia needed a win to advance to the final. The victory came in the last minute of the game with a goal scored by Charles. In the final, the team finished the third division in 2nd place, only losing the title in the final round.Template:Citation needed This moment is called the "Fênix Tricolor" amongst Bahia fans.Template:Citation needed The phoenix represents Bahia rising from the ashes.
Despite playing in the Third Division of Brazilian football in 2007, Bahia had the largest average attendance in Brazil: 40,400 people per match.Template:Citation needed No club in the Third, the Second, or even the First Division was able to match it.Template:Citation needed However, this is not unusual for Bahia, having also achieved the biggest average attendance in Brazil in 2004 (Second Division), 1988 (First Division), 1986 (First Division), and 1985 (First Division).Template:Citation needed
Recent years and CFG takeover
From 2010 to 2014 Bahia remained in the first division. In 2013, a fan takeover lead the club to pursue more left-wing and socially engaged politics, focusing on racism, LGBTQ rights, the demarcation of indigenous lands and the treatment of female fans in football stadiums. At the same time, they have managed to reduce ticket prices, increase revenues, pay off some of the debt that was crippling the club and improve their results on the pitch.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2014 they were relegated to the second division again but came back in 2016. After 22 years out of international competition, Bahia returned in 2012 when they qualified for the Copa Sul-Americana, and seven more times, the last in 2021. In addition, they won the 2012, 2014, 2015 state championship and in 2023 he won his 50th title.
In February 2018 the intense rivalry between Bahia and Esporte Clube Vitória drew international attention when nine players (four from Bahia and five from Vitória) were shown the red card in a State Championship match.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In December 2022, it was announced that City Football Group, a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi United Group, had bought majority stake of Bahia, following a voting session between club members that saw 98.6% of voters accept the takeover.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> The acquisition was completed in May 2023, as CFG officially acquired 90% of the club's shares, with the original administration keeping the remaining 10% of shares, as well as full rights over club heritage items, including shirt colors and the emblem.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> Bahia became the thirteenth football club to join City Football Group, and the third South American team to ever do so, following Montevideo City Torque and parent club Club Bolívar.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3" />
Symbols
Template:Commons Bahia's colors are blue, red, and white. The blue color pays homage to the Associação Atlética da Bahia; white, to the Clube Baiano de Tênis; and red for the Bahia state flag. The club's mascot is called Super-Homem Tricolor (Tricolor Superman), created by Ziraldo in 1979 based on the club's nickname "Esquadrão de Aço" (Steel Squad) and wears a costume very similar to the original Superman's costume.
Stadium
Bahia played at the Fonte Nova stadium from its inauguration in 1951 until November 2007. During the game against the Vila Nova (during Bahia's promotion campaign) a part of the stadium collapsed. Seven people died and more than 30 were injured.
After that episode, the state government declared that the stadium would be demolished. A new stadium was built on the site for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Some notable games at the Fonte Nova:
- Bahia : Internacional 2–1 (Série A – Final – 1988)
- Bahia : Fluminense 2–1 (Série A – Semi-finals – 1988)
- Bahia : Flamengo 4–1 (Série A – 2000)
- Bahia : Sport Recife 3–1 (Northeast Cup – Final – 2001)
- Bahia : Fast Club 1–0 (Série C – 3rd Stage – 2007)
In April, Bahia was back to the Arena Fonte Nova
League record
National league
|
|
|
- 40 seasons in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A
- 10 seasons in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série B
- 2 seasons in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série C
Regional leagues
|
|
|
|
|
Honours
Official tournaments
| National | ||
|---|---|---|
| Competitions | Titles | Seasons |
| Campeonato Brasileiro Série A | 2 | 1959, 1988 |
| Regional | ||
| Competitions | Titles | Seasons |
| Copa do Nordeste | 5 | 2001, 2002, 2017, 2021, 2025 |
| State | ||
| Competitions | Titles | Seasons |
| Campeonato Baiano | 51 | 1931, 1933, 1934, 1936, 1938 (I), 1940, 1944, 1945, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1952, 1954, 1956, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1967, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2023, 2025 |
| Taça Estado da Bahia | 3Template:Sup | 2000, 2002, 2007 |
- Template:Legend
- Template:Sup shared record
Others tournaments
International
- Friendship Cup (1): 1959
- Copa Renner (1): 1997
National
- Torneio Quadrangular de Salvador (7): 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954-I, 1960, 1961-I, 1961-II
- Torneio Octávio Mangabeira (1): 1951
- Torneio Triangular Luis Viana Filho (1): 1971
- Torneio Maria Quitéria (1): 1998
Regional and Inter-state
- Zona Norte-Nordeste da Taça Brasil (3): 1959, 1961, 1963
- Torneio dos Campeões do Nordeste (1): 1948
State
- Torneio Início da Bahia (9): 1931, 1932, 1934, 1937, 1938, 1951, 1964, 1967, 1979
Runners-up
- Campeonato Brasileiro Série A (2): 1961, 1963
- Campeonato Brasileiro Série C (1): 2007
- Torneio Heleno Nunes (1): 1984
- Copa do Nordeste (5): 1997, 1999, 2015, 2018, 2020
- Campeonato Baiano (23): 1941, 1955, 1957, 1963, 1964, 1969, 1972, 1985, 1989, 1992, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2024
- Taça Estado da Bahia (2): 2004, 2006
Performance in CONMEBOL competitions
- Copa Libertadores: 4 appearances
- Copa Sudamericana: 9 appearances
Current squad
First team
Template:Updated Template:Fs start Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs mid Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs end
Youth team
Template:Fs start Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs mid Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs end
Out on loan
Template:Fs start Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs mid Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs player Template:Fs end
Current staff
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Coaching staff | |
| Head coach | Template:Flagicon Rogério Ceni |
| Assistant head coach | Template:Flagicon Nelson Simões |
| Assistant head coach | Template:Flagicon Leandro Macagnan |
| Assistant head coach | Template:Flagicon Charles Hembert |
| Performance coordinator | Template:Flagicon António Bores |
| Fitness coach | Template:Flagicon Danilo Augusto |
| Fitness coach | Template:Flagicon Roberto Nascimento |
| Goalkeepers trainer | Template:Flagicon Eduardo Varjão |
Managers
- Template:Flagicon Carlos Volante (1959)
- Template:Flagicon Paulo Amaral (1967–68)
- Template:Flagicon Manuel Fleitas Solich (1970–71)
- Template:Flagicon Sylvio Pirillo (1972)
- Template:Flagicon Evaristo de Macedo (1973)
- Template:Flagicon Zezé Moreira (1978–79)
- Template:Flagicon Aymoré Moreira (1981–82)
- Template:Flagicon Paulinho (1985), (1987)
- Template:Flagicon Evaristo de Macedo (1988–89)
- Template:Flagicon René Simões (1989)
- Template:Flagicon Candinho (1990–91)
- Template:Flagicon Gílson Nunes (1992)
- Template:Flagicon Joel Santana (1994)
- Template:Flagicon Júlio César Leal (1995)
- Template:Flagicon Geninho (1997)
- Template:Flagicon Evaristo de Macedo (1998)
- Template:Flagicon Joel Santana (1999)
- Template:Flagicon Evaristo de Macedo (2001)
- Template:Flagicon Candinho (2002–03)
- Template:Flagicon Evaristo de Macedo (2003)
- Template:Flagicon Lula Pereira (Aug 18, 2003 – Oct 27, 2003)
- Template:Flagicon Edinho (Oct 28, 2003 – Dec 18, 2003)
- Template:Flagicon Vadão (Jan 11, 2004 – Dec 17, 2004)
- Template:Flagicon Zetti (April 19, 2005 – June 20, 2005)
- Template:Flagicon Mauro Fernandes (April 7, 2006 – July 26, 2006)
- Template:Flagicon Lula Pereira (Oct 16, 2006 – Dec 5, 2006)
- Template:Flagicon Paulo Comelli (Dec 4, 2007 – June 2, 2008)
- Template:Flagicon Arturzinho (June 4, 2008 – Feb 2, 2009)
- Template:Flagicon Ferdinando Teixeira (Oct 4, 2008 – Dec 15, 2008)
- Template:Flagicon Alexandre Gallo (Dec 16, 2008 – July 7, 2009)
- Template:Flagicon Paulo Comelli (July 8, 2009 – Aug 1, 2009)
- Template:Flagicon Sérgio Guedes (Aug 2, 2009 – Sep 28, 2009)
- Template:Flagicon Paulo Bonamigo (Sep 29, 2009 – Dec 3, 2009)
- Template:Flagicon Renato Gaúcho (Dec 13, 2009 – Aug 10, 2010)
- Template:Flagicon Márcio Araújo (Aug 11, 2010 – Dec 2, 2010)
- Template:Flagicon Rogério Lourenço (Dec 7, 2010 – Feb 7, 2011)
- Template:Flagicon Vágner Benazzi (Feb 17, 2011 – April 10, 2011)
- Template:Flagicon Renê Simões (April 14, 2011 – Sep 2, 2011)
- Template:Flagicon Joel Santana (Sep 4, 2011 – Feb 2, 2012)
- Template:Flagicon Paulo Roberto Falcão (Feb 7, 2012 – July 20, 2012)
- Template:Flagicon Caio Júnior (July 21, 2012 – Aug 27, 2012)
- Template:Flagicon Jorginho (Aug 28, 2012 – April 7, 2013)
- Template:Flagicon Joel Santana (April 8, 2013 – May 13, 2013)
- Template:Flagicon Cristóvão Borges (May 17, 2013 – Dec 9, 2013)
- Template:Flagicon Marquinhos Santos (Dec 12, 2013 – July 28, 2014)
- Template:Flagicon Gilson Kleina (Aug 13, 2014 – Nov 11, 2014)
- Template:Flagicon Charles Fabian (2014)
- Template:Flagicon Sergio Soares (2015)
- Template:Flagicon Charles Fabian (2015)
- Template:Flagicon Doriva (2016)
- Template:Flagicon Guto Ferreira (2016–2017)
- Template:Flagicon Jorginho (2017)
- Template:Flagicon Preto Casagrande (2017)
- Template:Flagicon Paulo César Carpegiani (Oct 2017 - Dec 2017)
- Template:Flagicon Guto Ferreira (Dec 2017 - Jun 2018)
- Template:Flagicon Enderson Moreira (Jun 2018 - Mar 2019)
- Template:Flagicon Roger Machado (Apr 2019 - Sep 2020)
- Template:Flagicon Mano Menezes (Sep 2020 - Dec 2020)
- Template:Flagicon Dado Cavalcanti (Dec 2020 - Aug 2021)
- Template:Flagicon Diego Dabove (Aug 2021 - Oct 2021)
- Template:Flagicon Guto Ferreira (Oct 2021 - Jun 2022)
- Template:Flagicon Enderson Moreira (Jun 2022 - Oct 2022 )
- Template:Flagicon Eduardo Barroca (Oct 2022 - Nov 2022)
- Template:Flagicon Renato Paiva (Jan 2023 - Sep 2023)
- Template:Flagicon Rogério Ceni (Sep 2023 - )
See also
References
External links
Template:Commons category Template:Wiktionary
Template:Esporte Clube Bahia Template:City Football Group Template:Campeonato Brasileiro Série A Template:C13 Template:Authority control