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| Full name | América Futebol Clube | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nicknames | Mecão (Big America) Dragão (Dragon) | ||
| Founded | 14 July 1915; 110 years ago (1915-07-14) | ||
| Ground | Arena das Dunas | ||
| Capacity | 31,375 | ||
| SAF Owner | Hype S/A (80%) | ||
| President | Hermano Morais | ||
| League | Campeonato Brasileiro Série D Campeonato Potiguar | ||
| 2024 2024 [pt] | Série D, 18th of 64 Potiguar, 1st of 8 (champions) | ||
| Website | www | ||
América Futebol Clube, commonly referred to asAmérica de Natal, is a Brazilian professional club based inNatal,Rio Grande do Norte founded on 14 July 1915. It competes in theCampeonato Brasileiro Série D, the fourth tier ofBrazilian football, as well as in theCampeonato Potiguar, the top flight of the Rio Grande do Nortestate football league.
América wonCampeonato do Nordeste (Brazilian Northeast Championship) in 1998, defeatingEsporte Clube Vitória by a 3–1 score in the final match. It is the only Football Team in Rio Grande do Norte to obtain titles outside the state as in 1973, became the undefeated winner of Taça Almir de Albuquerque, which involved teams from North-Northeast of Brazil and is the only club from Rio Grande do Norte to participate in an international championship, theCopa Conmebol in 1998.
América's greatest rival isABC, also fromNatal.
América is the second-best-ranked team from Rio Grande do Norte inCBF's national club ranking, at 61st overall.[1]
The team was founded on July 14, 1915. The first official match played in the state of Rio Grande do Norte was América 3-0 ABC, on June 22, 1919 valid for the firstCampeonato Potiguar de Futebol, organized at that time by the Liga de Desportos Terrestres. The club's first title came in 1919. The club won theLiga de Desportos Terrestres, defeatingCentro Esportivo Natalense andABC, becoming the first Campeonato Potiguar champions.
On November 7, 1928, through Law 707 the club was the first to be recognized as a State Public Utility instrument.
América had been licensed team of theFederação Norteriograndense de Futebol (FNF) for 5 years, between 1960 and 1965, thus the team did not participate in official competitions. Instead, the team committed to the construction of its official ground at Rodrigues Alves Avenue, bourough of Tirol, Natal.
In 1973, América won the Torneio Norte-Nordeste. In 1974 América was crowned undefeated state champions, playing 20 matches with 12 wins and 8 ties. Between 1987 and 1992, América won 5 state championships, only losing in 1990.
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In 1996, the team from Rio Grande do Norte was runner-up of the Brazilian Championship Second Division and became eligible to participate in the First Division in the following year. In its return to the main division, América ended in 16th place, ahead of other powerful teams, such asCorinthians andFluminense. In 1998, however, the club failed to remain in the First Division. In 1998, América achieved its greatest glory, becoming champions ofCampeonato do Nordeste, defeatingVitória in the final match on July 4, 3-1, with goals fromBiro-Biro,Paulinho Kobayashi and Carioca. América's team at that time consisted of the following players: Gabriel; Gilson, Paulo Roberto (André), Lima and Rogerinho; Montanha, Carioca, Biro-Biro and Moura; Paulinho Kobayashi and Leonardo (Vanderlei).
In October, 2003 the city counsellor Hermano Morais published in theDiário Oficial do Município, the Law n° 5.493, recognizing América Futebol Clube, as an instrument of the City's Public Utility.
In 2005, the club was promoted to theCampeonato Brasileiro Second Division, after finishing in second in thethird division. América had the best forward of the competition, Paulinho Marília, who scored 10 goals.
On November 25, 2006, América once again managed to qualify for the Brazilian Championship First Division, after a 2-2 tie with championsAtlético Mineiro, atMineirão, with a record crowd of 74,694 (largest crowd of the year in Brazil), fighting back after conceding two early goals. At the end of the game, América crossed the stadium applauded by Atlético's fans. The club finished in fourth in theCampeonato Brasileiro Second Division.
In the following year, América was relegated after adisastrous performance in the Série A, obtaining only 17 points out of 114 possible points, and finishing the championship 24 points behind the second-to-last placed team,Paraná. After two seasons struggling against relegation in the Série B, América eventually was relegated to the Série C in 2010, but gained promotion to the Série B again in 2011.
In 2014, they achieved a big comeback againstFluminense a 5-2 victory in Rio de Janeiro after losing 3-0 in Natal in the Copa do Brasil competition, reaching the quarterfinals.In 2022 he was champion of theCampeonato Brasileiro Série D
The team played in a 10,900 capacity stadium namedBarrettão in the town of Ceará-Mirim while the Dunas stadium was built for the 2014 World Cup. The Machadao stadium was demolished in 2011.
América's home stadium was theEstádio Dr. João Cláudio Vasconcelos Machado (Machadão) stadium, which had a maximum capacity of 42,000 fans.
On June 10, 2006, América beat, by 3-1, its greatest rival, ABC Futebol Clube, in the first derby match played at ABC's own stadium. The derby is known asO Grande Clássico (The Great Derby).
The first color used by América-RN was blue. They started adopting the current red and white kit in 1920.
The first mascot was a "red devil", which was based on the mascot ofAmérica-RJ. In the mid-1990s, the mascot was changed to a dragon.
| National | ||
|---|---|---|
| Competitions | Titles | Seasons |
| Campeonato Brasileiro Série D | 1 | 2022 |
| Regional | ||
| Competitions | Titles | Seasons |
| Copa do Nordeste | 1 | 1998 |
| State | ||
| Competitions | Titles | Seasons |
| Campeonato Potiguar | 39 | 1919, 1920, 1922, 1924, 1926, 1927, 1930, 1931, 1946, 1948, 1949, 1951, 1952, 1956, 1957, 1967, 1969, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1996, 2002, 2003, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2019, 2023, 2024, 2025 |
| Copa Rio Grande do Norte | 1 | 2006 |
