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| Full name | Club Independiente Santa Fe[1][2][3] | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Los Cardenales (TheCardinals) El Expreso Rojo (The Red Express) Los Leones (The Lions) El Primer Campeón (The First Champion) | |||
| Founded | 28 February 1941; 84 years ago (1941-02-28) | |||
| Ground | Estadio El Campín | |||
| Capacity | 36,343[4] | |||
| Owner | Perlun S.A.S. (52%) | |||
| Chairman | Luis Eduardo Méndez | |||
| Manager | Jorge Bava | |||
| League | Categoría Primera A | |||
| 2024 | Primera A, 2nd of 20 | |||
| Website | independientesantafe | |||
Club Independiente Santa Fe, known simply asSanta Fe, is a Colombian professionalfootball team based inBogotá, that currently plays in theCategoría Primera A. They play their home games at theEl Campín stadium. Santa Fe is one of the three most successful teams in Colombia, winning eighteen titles, which include nine national championships (most recently in2016), fourSuperliga Colombiana, twoCopas Colombia, and international titles such as oneCopa Sudamericana, oneSuruga Bank Championship, and oneCopa Simón Bolívar. Santa Fe is one of the three clubs that has played every championship in the Categoría Primera A.[5]
Santa Fe became the first Colombian team to win theCopa Sudamericana, and the first and only Colombian team to win an official tournament outside America. The club was recognized as one of the ten best clubs in the world in 2015 by theIFFHS,[6] occupying the seventh position and being the best ranked of South America.[7]
Santa Fe has a fierce rivalry withMillonarios who share the same stadium. The game is considered one of the most famous derbies inSouth America and is known asEl Clásico Bogotano orEl Clásico Capitalino.
Independiente Santa Fe was officially founded on February 28, 1941, as an amateur football team. The club's founders were mainly graduates from theGimnasio Moderno and of a high social class. Santa Fe was at first going to be a team based on ex-students of Gimnasio Moderno, but later incorporated players from other schools. The primary objective of the club was to participate in a local tournament hosted by the Sports Association of Bogotá. Their first recorded game was against Universal, a match that ended in a goalless draw. The team ended the tournament as runner-up with 20 points, being beaten by Legión Militar Deportiva de los Taxis Rojos, a representative of a transportation company.[8][9]
In 1942, Santa Fe was coached byJack Greenwell, formerBarcelona player and coach, notable for having won three times theCopa del Rey and the1939 South American Championship withPeru. That year Santa Fe played in the first division of the A.D.B., which was canceled in the middle of that year. That same year also reached the final of theTorneo deCundinamarca, which lost againstAmérica de Cali. Jack Greenwell died on November 20 of that year.[10]
On 21 May 1948 was established in Colombia theDIMAYOR, which would serve to manage Colombian professional football. They agreed to hold thefirst professional championship for the second half of the year. On August 15, Santa Fe played its first game in the professional championship againstDeportes Caldas, a match that ended 3–3. Santa Fe finished the league as the first champion of theColombian first division, winning 12 of 18 games, drew 3 and also lost 3. The team was able to score 57 goals for and received 29 goals. The goalscorer of the team was theSpanish Argentine Jesús María Lires with 20 goals, second goalscorer of the tournament.[11]
Next year Santa Fe was third, five points behind the champion, local rivalsMillonarios. Seeking for a new title, Santa Fe took advantage of the events ofEl Dorado signing ArgentinesHéctor Rial andRené Pontoni (the former became a star ofReal Madrid years later), as well the EnglishmenNeil Franklin andGeorge Mountford fromStoke City, andCharlie Mitten fromManchester United.[12] However, the signings did little, as Santa Fe was not into the top three for about ten years, being their worst the1954 campaign where they finished last with just five points.
In 1958, Santa Fe got its second title after finishing first with 48 points. They got its third title just two after years with 61 points. Getting this title, Santa Fe became the second Colombian club appearing at theCopa Libertadores. In that tournament, Santa Fe was placed in the preliminary round with Ecuadorian clubBarcelona. The first match was a 3–0 victory for Santa Fe and the second game was a 2–2 draw. In the next round, Santa Fe eliminated Bolivianclub Jorge Wilstermann. Santa Fe drew 2–2 with Jorge Wilstermann on point aggregate and 3–3 on aggregate score, so the winner was decided by a draw of lots. In the semifinals, Santa Fe faced Brazilian clubPalmeiras. The home leg was a 2–2 draw, but Santa Fe lost 4–1 in the away leg.
Santa Fe's first success in the 2000s came late, when the team won theCopa Colombia, beatingDeportivo Pasto in the finals. Since then, Santa Fe has had a successful period. Santa Fe got its seventh league title in the2012 Torneo Apertura, 37 years after its last league title. Santa Fe was second in the First Stage of the tournament with 29 points. In the semifinals, they were grouped withBoyacá Chicó,Itagüí andLa Equidad. Santa Fe advanced to the finals with 14 points. Santa Fe facedDeportivo Pasto in the finals. The first match ended in a 1–1 draw and the second was a 1–0 victory for Santa Fe. They got its firstSuperliga Colombiana title the next year and were runners-up in the2013 Torneo Apertura, won byAtlético Nacional. In itsCopa Libertadores appearance, they got into Semifinals. They began the tournament in the Second Stage, facingCerro Porteño,Deportes Tolima andReal Garcilaso, where they finished first with 14 points and unbeaten. They eliminatedGrêmio in the Round of 16 and Real Garcilaso in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, they were eliminated byOlimpia, with an aggregate score of 2–1.
In the2014 Torneo Apertura, Santa Fe was fourth on the First Stage, advancing to Quarterfinals. There Santa Fe eliminatedOnce Caldas with an aggregate score of 5–3. In the semifinals, the team facedAtlético Nacional. The first match ended in a 1–0 win for Santa Fe. However, Nacional got a comeback with a 2–0 win, thus eliminating Santa Fe. In the Torneo Finalización, Santa Fe was first with 31 points. In the semifinals, the team was placed in a group withAtlético Huila, Atlético Nacional andOnce Caldas. Santa Fe placed first in the group, advancing to the finals where they facedIndependiente Medellín. Santa Fe won the first match and drew in the second, with an aggregate score of 3–2, winning its 8th title. That year, Santa Fe was runner-up in theCopa Colombia, losing the finals againstDeportes Tolima with an aggregate score of 3–2.
In the2014 Copa Libertadores, Santa Fe played againstMonarcas Morelia in the First Stage, drawing 2–2 on aggregate score and advancing to the next round due toaway goals rule. In the Second Stage, the team was last of its group, in which they facedAtlético Mineiro,Club Nacional andZamora, winning only one match of six.
The2015 season had a great start for the team, as they qualified for the2015 Copa Sudamericana after winning2015 Superliga Colombiana in which they faced 2014 Torneo Apertura winnersAtlético Nacional. However, in the 2015 Torneo Apertura, the team can not advance to the knockout phase after placing ninth with 31 points. In the Torneo Finalización, the team was 8th with the same number of points as the last tournament, however this time it was enough to advance to the next round. There the team was eliminated byJunior, whom also defeated them months later in theCopa Colombia Finals.
The international season of the team began with itsCopa Libertadores participation. The team started in the Second Stage, where they facedAtlético Mineiro,Colo-Colo andClub Atlas. Santa Fe placed 1st with 12 points. In the Round of 16, they played against Argentine teamEstudiantes de La Plata. They lost the away match 2–1, but with a 2–0 victory in home the team advanced to the quarterfinals. There the team faced Brazilian clubInternacional. The team got a 1–0 victory in the home game, but lost 2–0 in the away match.
Santa Fe got its first international title in the2015 Copa Sudamericana. They eliminated EcuadorianLDU Loja in the First Stage and UruguayanNacional in the Second Stage. In the Round of 16 they eliminated EcuadorianEmelec onaway goals after drawing 2–2 on aggregate score. In the quarterfinals they won 2–1 on aggregate to ArgentineIndependiente and in the semifinals they also advanced on away goals after drawing 1–1 with ParaguayanSportivo Luqueño. In the finals they faced ArgentineHuracán. After drawing 0–0 in both matches, the winner had to be decided onpenalties. There Santa Fe won 3–1, thus getting the first international title of the club and qualifying for the2016 Copa Libertadores,2016 Recopa Sudamericana and2016 Suruga Bank Championship. Santa Fe'sWilson Morelo tied with three footballers as top goalscorers of the tournament with five goals.
In the2016 Torneo Apertura, Santa Fe placed fourth, advancing to the next round. There, Santa Fe was eliminated byCortuluá with an aggregate score of 2–3. In the2016 Copa Libertadores, the team advanced to the Second Stage after eliminateOriente Petrolero with an aggregate of 1–6. However, they were eliminated in the Second Stage after placing third in a group consisting ofCerro Porteño,Cobresal (who were last) andCorinthians.
The first badge of Santa Fe was designed by Ernesto Gamboa and Gonzalo Rueda with a clear British influence. Highlighting the Bogotá flag colors, red and yellow, combined to form theHoly Cross, a symbol of faith and respect, referring to the name of the club.
There are many versions about the origin of the colors of the uniform. The most commonly accepted version is that Luis Robledo, one of the founders of the Independiente Santa Fe who was educated in England, was a fan ofArsenal, thus gives the team the red and white, which from 1941 became the symbol of the club.
Although historically the uniform of Santa Fe has been red and white, the club has used other colors in its uniform.
| Period | Kit manufacturer | Shirt partner |
|---|---|---|
| 1980–89 |  Saeta | Arroz Futura Caja Social de Ahorros Hotel Cosmos Milo |
| 1990–91 | Torino | Madame Colette Snacks ColpalPostobón |
| 1992–95 | Saeta | Águila Club Colombia Konga |
| 1996 |  Adidas | Avianca Costeña |
| 1997–99 |  Topper | Águila |
| 2000 | FSS | |
| 2001–03 |  Patrick | |
| 2004 |  Runic | |
| 2005 |  Lotto |  Samsung |
| 2006 | Puma | |
| 2007 | SSW | Águila |
| 2008 | Puma | |
| 2009–10 |  Umbro | ÁguilaETB |
| 2011 | Croydon | |
| 2012 | Aguardiente Néctar AKT ASISTA | |
| 2013 | Aguardiente Néctar ASISTA BodytechCanal Capital Honda Pierre D'Agostiny | |
| 2014 | Aguardiente Néctar ASISTA Bodytech Bogotá Humana Canal Capital Honda Loteria de Bogotá | |
| 2015 | Bodytech Bogotá HumanaHuaweiHondaPostobón | |
| 2016 | Aguardiente NéctarHuaweiPostobón | |
| 2017 | Huawei Aguardiente NéctarPostobón INCAP | |
| 2018 | Huawei Aguardiente Néctar SMART | |
| 2019 | Kappa | Honor Aguardiente Néctar BetPlay HV Multiplay |
| 2020 | Hyundai Aguardiente Néctar BetPlay Colanta Ron Santa Fe Cerveza Águila |
The stadiumNemesio Camacho, also known asEl Campín, located inBogotá, is the venue where Independiente Santa Fe plays their home games. Its capacity is 36,343.[13] Santa Fe's supporters traditionally tend to sit in the southernmost half of the stadium.
El Campín was inaugurated on August 10, 1938, at 57th Street with 30, having started its construction in 1935 on the initiative of the mayor of Bogotá,Jorge Eliecer Gaitán. The structure was handled by theGerman engineer Frederick Leder Müller. The stadium was designed to hold 10,000 spectators. The opening match was held in the1938 Bolivarian Games, facing theColombia national football team and theEcuador national football team, with a 2–1 defeat for the local team.
In 1951, the year that Santa Fe begins to use it to its home games, the stadium expanded its capacity to 39,000 spectators. The second extension of El Campín occurred in 1952 with a dramatic transformation. The total capacity changed to 62,500 spectators, but was limited to 48,000 for security. The last major modification was made for the qualifying matches for the2010 World Cup in South Africa and for the2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
Other grounds that have been used by Independiente Santa Fe for their home games have been: theEstadio Alfonso López Pumarejo, its first ground, theEstadio Municipal Los Zipas and theEstadio Luis Carlos Galán Sarmiento.
In the late 1990s, the most notoriousBarra brava of Santa Fe,La Guardia Albi-Roja Sur (White-Red South Guard) was created. It was one of the first fan-led organizations in Colombia that was fully formalized. In 2005, La Guardia Albirroja Sur made one of the largest soccer team's flag in the world. The flag, named theLienzo de Fe was 350 meters long and 38 meters high, covering the southern end of theEstadio El Campín, the half of the stadium, where the team's fans locate in home games.
Santa Fe has a fierce rivalry with intercity teamMillonarios, who also play in the same stadium as them. During this match Millonarios fans locate themselves in the northern part of the stadium much like Santa Fe's in the south.
| Type | Competition | Titles | Seasons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic | Categoría Primera A | 9 | 1948,1958,1960,1966,1971,1975,2012–I,2014–II,2016–II |
| Copa Colombia | 2 | 1989,2009 | |
| Superliga Colombiana | 4 | 2013,2015,2017,2021 | |
| Continental | Copa Sudamericana | 1 | 2015 |
| Suruga Bank Championship | 1 | 2016 | |
| Copa Simón Bolívar | 1s | 1970 |
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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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The following players were chosen to represent their country at theFIFA World Cup while contracted to Independiente Santa Fe.
Carlos Aponte (1962)Héctor González Garzón (1962)Jaime Silva (1962)Hernando Tovar (1962)Francisco Zuluaga (1962)Eduardo Niño (1990)
Juan Manuel Peña (1994)Léider Preciado (1998)
Édison Méndez (2014)Carlos Valdés (2014)Camilo Vargas (2014)Source:BDFA
| R | Player | P | Career | App. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alfonso Cañón | MF | 1964–1976, 1981 | 504 |
| 2 |  Omar Pérez | MF | 2009–2017 | 367 |
| 3 | Carlos Rodríguez | DF | 1956–1966 | 359 |
| 4 | Agustín Julio | GK | 1997–2004 | 353 |
| 5 | James Mina | GK | 1973–1984 | 346 |
| 6 | William Morales | DF | 1981–1994 | 322 |
| 7 | Hernando Cuero | DF | 1981–1990, 1992 | 313 |
| 8 | Manuel Córdoba | FW | 1987–1993, 1997 | 296 |
| 9 | Rafael Pacheco | DF | 1973–1980 | 296 |
| 10 | Ernesto Díaz | MF | 1971–1975, 1977–1979, 1984–1986 | 287 |
Last updated on: 21 January 2018
| R | Player | P | Career | Gls. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alfonso Cañón | MF | 1964–1976, 1981 | 146 |
| 2 | Léider Preciado | FW | 1998, 2001, 2004, 2005–2008 | 126 |
| 3 | Alberto Perazzo | FW | 1959–1963 | 98 |
| 4 | Osvaldo Panzutto | FW | 1959–1963 | 93 |
| 5 | Germán Antón | FW | 1948–1952, 1957, 1959 | 91 |
| 6 | Omar Devani | FW | 1965–1968 | 82 |
| 7 | Adolfo Valencia | FW | 1988–1993, 1995–1996, 2002 | 78 |
| 8 | Omar Pérez | MF | 2009–2017 | 77 |
| 9 | Héctor Céspedes | FW | 1975–1980, 1982, 1984 | 73 |
| 10 | Ernesto Díaz | MF | 1971–1975, 1977–1979, 1984–1986 | 72 |
Last updated on: 21 January 2018
Independiente Santa Fe Femenino is the women's football section of Independiente Santa Fe and they currently play in theColombian Women's Football League, the top level women's football league in Colombia. The club is the most successful team in the Colombian women's football league with two titles, won in2017 and2019.[16]
Like the institution's male counterpart, who were the first Colombian professional football champions in 1948, the women's team obtained the honor of being the first club to win the Colombian Women's Football League with their title in 2017.
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