Sport Club Corinthians Paulista () is a Brazilian sports club based in the
Tatuapé
Tatuapé (, from Tupi Guarani "path of the armadillo", or "short way") is a district in the subprefecture of Mooca, in São Paulo, Brazil. It is divided by a railway and the eight lane Radial Leste highway cutting the district into two, northern a ...
district of
São Paulo
São Paulo (, ; Portuguese for ' Saint Paul') is the most populous city in Brazil, and is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous and wealthiest Brazilian state, located in the country's Southeast Region. Listed by the Ga ...
. Although competing in a number of different sports, Corinthians is mostly known for its professional
association football
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...
team that plays in the
Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, the top tier of the
Brazilian football
Football is the most popular sport in Brazil and a prominent part of the country’s national identity. The Brazil national football team has won the FIFA World Cup five times, the most of any team, in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002. Brazil an ...
, as well as in the
Campeonato Paulista Série A1, the first division of the traditional in-state competition.
Founded in 1910 by five railway workers inspired by the
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
-based
Corinthian Football Club
Corinthian Football Club was an English amateur football club based in London between 1882 and 1939.
Above all, the club is credited with having popularised football around the world, having promoted sportsmanship and fair play, and having ch ...
, Corinthians has become one of the most successful
Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
ian clubs, having won the
national title seven times, in addition to three
Copa do Brasil
The Copa do Brasil ( en, Brazil Cup) is a knockout football competition played by 92 teams, representing all 26 Brazilian states plus the Federal District. It is the Brazilian domestic cup and the Brazilian equivalent of the FA Cup, Taça de P ...
trophies, one
Supercopa do Brasil
The Supercopa do Brasil ( en, Brazil Super Cup) is a Brazilian association football trophy organized by the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF). It is contested between the champions of the Campeonato Brasileiro and the winners of the Copa d ...
and a record 30
São Paulo State
SAO or Sao may refer to:
Places
* Sao civilisation, in Middle Africa from 6th century BC to 16th century AD
* Sao, a town in Boussé Department, Burkina Faso
* Saco Transportation Center (station code SAO), a train station in Saco, Maine, U.S. ...
championships. On the international stage, the club won the inaugural
FIFA Club World Championship
The FIFA Club World Cup is an international men's association football competition organised by the ''Fédération Internationale de Football Association'' ( FIFA), the sport's global governing body. The competition was first contested in 200 ...
in
2000
File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from S ...
, winning it for the second time in
2012
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gat ...
after being crowned
Copa Libertadores de América champions for the first time that same year.
The club's home kit traditionally features white shirts and black shorts, accompanied by white socks. Their traditional crest was introduced in 1939 by modernist painter
Francisco Rebolo featuring the
São Paulo state
SAO or Sao may refer to:
Places
* Sao civilisation, in Middle Africa from 6th century BC to 16th century AD
* Sao, a town in Boussé Department, Burkina Faso
* Saco Transportation Center (station code SAO), a train station in Saco, Maine, U.S. ...
flag in a shield, two oars, and an anchor representing the club's early success in nautical sports. Since 2014, Corinthians has played its
home matches at the
Arena Corinthians
Neo Química Arena, previously known as Arena Corinthians, is a sports stadium located in São Paulo, Brazil, owned, operated and used by Corinthians. It has a seating capacity of , making it the fifth-largest stadium used by teams in the t ...
, one of the venues in the
2014 FIFA World Cup, having hosted the
opener on 12 June 2014 and a total of six matches during the tournament.
The club was listed by ''
Forbes
''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also r ...
'' in 2017 as the most valuable football club in the
Americas
The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World.
Along with th ...
, worth $576.9 million. The club is one of the most widely supported teams in the world and the second most in
Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
, with over 30 million fans.
History
![SCCP 1914](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6d/SCCP_1914.png)
In 1910, the top clubs were formed by people who were part of the upper classes. Among them were
Club Athletico Paulistano,
São Paulo Athletic Club
São Paulo Athletic Club - officially these days Clube Atlético São Paulo, but generally referred to as SPAC, is a Brazilian sports club founded on 13 May 1888 by Charles William Miller and several English immigrants, being one of the first a ...
, & Associação Atlética das Palmeiras. Lower-class society, excluded from larger clubs, founded their own minnow clubs and only played "floodplain" football.
Bucking the trend, a group of five workers of the São Paulo Railway, more precisely Joaquim Ambrose and Anthony Pereira (wall painters), Rafael Perrone (shoemaker), Anselmo Correia (driver) and Carlos Silva (general laborer), residents of the neighbourhood of
Bom Retiro. It was 31 August 1910 when these workers were watching a match featuring a London-based club touring Brazil,
Corinthian F.C. After the match, while the group returned home, the men spoke of partnerships, business ideas, and general dreams of grandeur. In the mind of each one surfaced a great idea: the foundation of a club, after several exchanges in a lively argument, a common ground led those athletes the same dream. The arguments led to the conclusion that they would meet the next day to make a dream into reality.
![Corinthians 1914 lineup](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2e/Corinthians_1914_lineup.jpg)
On 1 September 1910 and in anticipation of heavy rains, the group agreed to meet after sundown in public sight. That night at 8:30pm, on Rua José Paulino ("Rua dos Imigrantes" (Immigrants Street), underneath the glow of an oil lamp the five workers reunited alongside their guest and neighbors from
Bom Retiro. That night the club was founded, alongside its board of directors, who elected Miguel Battaglia as the first Club President.
Corinthians played their first match on 10 September 1910, away against
União da Lapa, a respected amateur club in São Paulo; and despite being defeated by 1–0, this match would mark the beginning of a successful era as an amateur club.
On 14 September,
Luis Fabi scored Corinthians' first goal against ''Estrela Polar'', another amateur club in the city, and Corinthians won their first game 2–0.
With good results and an increasing number of supporters, Corinthians joined the
Liga Paulista, after winning two qualifying games, and played in the
São Paulo State Championship for the first time, in 1913. Just one year after joining the league, Corinthians was crowned champion for the first time (in 1914), and were again two years later. There were many fly-by-night teams popping up in São Paulo at the time, and during the first practice held by Corinthians a banner was placed by the side of the field stating "This One Will Last".
![Teleco1933](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/08/Teleco1933.jpg)
The year of 1922, the Centennial of Brazilian Independence, marks the start of Corinthians hegemony in the
São Paulo State Championship. As football was almost exclusively played at
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply Rio, is the capital of the state of the same name, Brazil's third-most populous state, and the second-most populous city in Brazil, after São Paulo. Listed by the GaWC as a ...
and
São Paulo
São Paulo (, ; Portuguese for ' Saint Paul') is the most populous city in Brazil, and is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous and wealthiest Brazilian state, located in the country's Southeast Region. Listed by the Ga ...
by that time, the two state champions were considered to be the two top clubs in Brazil. After defeating the
Rio de Janeiro State Championship champion of that year,
América, Corinthians joined the company of the great teams in Brazil.
The same year also marked the first of three State Championships in a row, something that happened again in 1928–30 and 1937–39.
Corinthians seemed destined to win State Championships in threes; after six years without being a champions, they came won three more from 1937 the 1939. The 1940s were a more difficult time; and the club would win a championship in 1941 and would only win their next in 1951.
At the beginning of the 1950s Corinthians made history in the São Paulo Championship. In 1951, the team composed of Carbone, Cláudio, Luisinho, Baltasar and Mário scored 103 goals in thirty matches of the São Paulo Championship, registering an average of 3.43 per game. Carbone was the top goal-scorer of the competition with 30 goals. The club would also win the São Paulo Championships of 1952 and 1954. In this same decade, Corinthians were champions three times of the Rio-São Paulo Championship (1950, 1953 and 1954), the tournament that was becoming most important in the country with the increased participation of the greatest clubs from the two most important footballing states in the country.
In 1953, in a championship in Venezuela, Corinthians won the Small Cup of the World, a championship that many consider as a precursor of the Worldwide Championship of Clubs. On the occasion, Corinthians, substituting for
Vasco da Gama, went to Caracas, the Venezuelan capital and recorded six consecutive victories against
Roma (1–0 and 3–1),
Barcelona
Barcelona ( , , ) is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within ci ...
(3–2 and 1–0) and Selection of Caracas (2–1 and 2–0). The club would also win the Cup of the Centenary of São Paulo, in the same year (1954).
![Roberto Rivelino 1974](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/73/Roberto_Rivelino_1974.jpg)
After the triumphs in the São Paulo Championship and the Rio-São Paulo of 1954, Corinthians had a lengthy title drought. The breakthrough finally came when they won the São Paulo state championship in 1977, breaking a string of 23 years without a major title.
Under the leadership of
Sócrates
Sócrates Brasileiro Sampaio de Souza Vieira de Oliveira (19 February 1954 – 4 December 2011), simply known as Sócrates, was a Brazilian footballer who played as a midfielder. His medical degree and his political awareness, combined with sty ...
,
Wladimir and
Casagrande, Corinthians were the first Brazilian club in which players decided about concentração, a common Brazilian practice where the football players were locked up in a hotel days before a game, and discussed politics. (In the early 1980s, military dictatorship, after two decades, ended in Brazil). In 1982, before the election of government of São Paulo State, the team wore a kit with the words: DIA 15 VOTE (Vote on 15th), trying to motivate the biggest number of fans to vote.
In 1990, Corinthians won their first
Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, beating their rivals,
São Paulo
São Paulo (, ; Portuguese for ' Saint Paul') is the most populous city in Brazil, and is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous and wealthiest Brazilian state, located in the country's Southeast Region. Listed by the Ga ...
in the final at the opponents' own stadium,
Estádio do Morumbi
Estádio Cícero Pompeu de Toledo, widely known as Morumbi (), is a football stadium located in the eponymous district in São Paulo, Brazil. It is the home of São Paulo Futebol Clube and its formal name honors Cícero Pompeu de Toledo, who ...
.
[Campeonato Brasileiro Série A 1990 at RSSSF](_blank)
In the following year, Corinthians beat
Flamengo
Clube de Regatas do Flamengo (; English: ''Flamengo Rowing Club''), more commonly referred to as simply Flamengo, is a Brazilian sports club based in Rio de Janeiro, in the neighborhood of Gávea, best known for their professional football ...
and won the
Supercopa do Brasil
The Supercopa do Brasil ( en, Brazil Super Cup) is a Brazilian association football trophy organized by the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF). It is contested between the champions of the Campeonato Brasileiro and the winners of the Copa d ...
.
[Supercopa do Brasil at RSSSF](_blank)
In the
1995
File:1995 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: O.J. Simpson is acquitted of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman from the year prior in "The Trial of the Century" in the United States; The Great Hanshin earthquake str ...
, the club won the
Copa do Brasil
The Copa do Brasil ( en, Brazil Cup) is a knockout football competition played by 92 teams, representing all 26 Brazilian states plus the Federal District. It is the Brazilian domestic cup and the Brazilian equivalent of the FA Cup, Taça de P ...
for the first time, beating
Grêmio in the final at the
Estádio Olímpico Monumental
Estádio Olímpico Monumental (''Monumental Olympic Stadium'', in English), also known as Estádio Olímpico de Porto Alegre (''Porto Alegre Olympic Stadium'') and Estádio Olímpico (''Olympic Stadium'') until 1980, is a football stadium in the ...
in
Porto Alegre
Porto Alegre (, , Brazilian ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. Its population of 1,488,252 inhabitants (2020) makes it the twelfth most populous city in the country and the center of Brazil's fif ...
.
[Copa do Brasil 1995 at RSSSF](_blank)
In the same decade, the club won the
state championship in 1995, 1997 and 1999,
[Campeonato Paulista at RSSSF](_blank)
and won the national championship again in 1998 and in 1999.
In 2000, the club won the first
FIFA Club World Cup, beating
Vasco da Gama on penalties in the final.
In 2001 and in 2003
and the
Copa do Brasil in 2002, beating
Brasiliense in the final.
[Copa do Brasil 2002 at RSSSF](_blank)
Between 1990 and 2005, the club also won the
Ramón de Carranza Trophy
The Ramón de Carranza Trophy ( es, Trofeo Ramón de Carranza) is a pre-season football tournament organised by Cádiz City Hall, in memory of its former mayor, Ramón de Carranza – after whom the Cádiz F.C. stadium used to be named as well ...
in 1996, the
Rio-São Paulo Tournament in 2002, the
São Paulo Youth Cup in 1995, 1999, 2004, and 2005, and the
Dallas Cup in 1999 and 2000.
The club's situation in early 2004 was among the most difficult in their history. Bad administration, lack of money and terrible campaigns both in the 2003 Brazilian Championship and in the 2004 São Paulo State Championship caused their millions of supporters to worry. Fortunately, some young players and a new manager
Tite helped the team to improve from their terrible start. At the end of the championship, Corinthians finished in 5th place and gained entry to the
Copa Sudamericana (a minor continental championship).
This situation was one of the factors which enabled Corinthians' president,
Alberto Dualib, to convince the club's advisors to sign a controversial deal with an international fund of investors called
Media Sports Investment
Media Sport Investment Limited (MSI) was a London-based international investment fund that was headed by the Iranian-born, British-educated, businessman Kia Joorabchian. It has attracted considerable attention for its partnership between 2004 and 2 ...
. The deal granted the company a large degree of control over the club for 10 years in exchange for large financial investments in return. This has brought many quality players to the team, such as
Carlos Tevez
Carlos Alberto Tevez (; born 5 February 1984) is an Argentine professional football manager and former player. A quick, tenacious, powerful, hard-working and dynamic forward in his prime, Tevez was capable of playing as a striker, as a wing ...
,
Roger
Roger is a given name, usually masculine, and a surname. The given name is derived from the Old French personal names ' and '. These names are of Germanic origin, derived from the elements ', ''χrōþi'' ("fame", "renown", "honour") and ', ' ( ...
,
Javier Mascherano
Javier Alejandro Mascherano (born 8 June 1984) is an Argentine professional football coach and former player who is the head coach of the Argentina national under-20 team. As a player, he played as a centre-back or defensive midfielder, most not ...
and
Carlos Alberto.
Despite the MSI investments, Corinthians experienced a slow start in the 2005 state championship, but managed to improve as it progressed, eventually managing to finish second. Their start to the Brazilian championship during 2005 was difficult, too, but after
Daniel Passarella
Daniel is a masculine given name and a surname of Hebrew origin. It means "God is my judge"Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 68. (cf. Gabriel—"God is my strength"), ...
's dismissal (due to an unexpected 5–1 loss to Corinthians' rivals, São Paulo), the club finished the championship round well, and were eventually crowned Brazilian Champions for the fourth time, after a controversial annulment of eleven games due to a
betting scandal.
The relationship between Corinthians' managers and the MSI president,
Kia Joorabchian
Kiavash Joorabchian ( fa, کیاوش جورابچيان) is an Iranian-born British-educated businessman largely involved in association football.
In the register of directorships at Companies House in London, Joorabchian gives two nationalities ...
was not good, and after being eliminated in the
Copa Libertadores, the club experienced a crisis which was responsible for the bad performances for the rest of 2006. Eventually, the partnership came to an end.
On 2 December 2007, following a 1–1 draw away to
Grêmio, Corinthians were relegated to the
second division
In sport, the Second Division, also called Division 2 or Division II is usually the second highest division of a league, and will often have promotion and relegation with divisions above and below. Following the rise of Premier League style compet ...
.
![Corinthians Club World Cup 2012](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/68/Corinthians_Club_World_Cup_2012.jpg)
Corinthians, who won promotion to the top division of Brazilian football for 2009 by winning the
Serie B tournament, signed with three-time
FIFA Player of the Year
Several sports leagues honour their best player with an award called Player of the Year (POY) . In the United States, this type of award is usually called a Most Valuable Player award.
Association football
In association football, this award is he ...
Ronaldo. In 2009, led by Ronaldo, Corinthians won their 26th
Campeonato Paulista and their third Copa do Brasil. Confirming the club's good moment, Corinthians finished the Campeonato Brasileiro 2010 in 3rd place, granting their place on the subsequent Copa Libertadores.
After being eliminated from the South American tournament by the relatively less traditional
Deportes Tolima
Club Deportes Tolima S.A., commonly known as Deportes Tolima, or simply as Tolima, is a Colombian professional football club based in Ibagué, Tolima Department that currently plays in the Categoría Primera A.
Founded in 1954, the club has wo ...
, though, Corinthians saw Ronaldo retire from football. To replace him, the club signed with other 2006 national squad veteran
Adriano
Adriano or Adrião is the form of the Latin given name ''Hadrianus'' commonly used in the Italian language; the form Adrian is used in the English language. Notable people with the name include:
* Adriano Banchieri, Italian composer, music theor ...
. In 2011, Corinthians won their fifth national title.
On 4 July, after reaching the final of the
2012 Copa Libertadores undefeated, Corinthians won its first title after a two-match final against 6-time champions
Boca Juniors by drawing 1–1 in Argentina and winning 2-0 at the
Estádio do Pacaembu
Estádio Municipal Paulo Machado de Carvalho, colloquially known as Estádio do Pacaembu (), is an Art Deco stadium in São Paulo, located in the Pacaembu neighborhood. The stadium is owned by the Municipal Prefecture of São Paulo. The stadium w ...
in
São Paulo
São Paulo (, ; Portuguese for ' Saint Paul') is the most populous city in Brazil, and is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous and wealthiest Brazilian state, located in the country's Southeast Region. Listed by the Ga ...
, becoming the ninth Brazilian side to win the Copa Libertadores. The club won the
2012 FIFA Club World Cup
The 2012 FIFA Club World Cup (officially known as the FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2012 presented by Toyota for sponsorship reasons) was a football tournament that was played from 6 to 16 December 2012. It was the ninth edition of the FIFA Club World ...
after defeating English club
Chelsea
Chelsea or Chelsey may refer to:
Places Australia
* Chelsea, Victoria
Canada
* Chelsea, Nova Scotia
* Chelsea, Quebec
United Kingdom
* Chelsea, London, an area of London, bounded to the south by the River Thames
** Chelsea (UK Parliament consti ...
1–0 on 16 December 2012.
Visual identity
Colours
![Evolução Uniforme Corinthians](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b4/Evolu%C3%A7%C3%A3o_Uniforme_Corinthians.png)
Even though the club has been recognized by the colors black and white for most of their history, the first Corinthians' kit originally consisted of cream shirts and black shorts. Back then, the choice of colors proved wrong, as the cream color would gradually fade white when the shirts were washed, representing a cost a recently created club could not afford. Thus, early after the foundation, the official shirt colors were changed to white. In 1954 the traditional black with thin white stripes uniform was introduced, and became the alternative uniform since then.
Badge
The Corinthians' shirt had no badge or crest until 1913, when the club joined the
Liga Paulista, that mandated that every club in the competition should have one in their uniforms. A simple composition of the letters C (Corinthians) and P (Paulista) was hastily created and embroidered on the players uniforms for the upcoming matches, thus being considered the club's first ''de facto'' badge.
[1913: Nasce o Mosqueteiro corintiano](_blank)
- Lance1, 28 May 2010
Unlike the kit, the badge went through several changes over the years. In 1914,
lithographer
Lithography () is a planographic method of printing originally based on the immiscibility of oil and water. The printing is from a stone (lithographic limestone) or a metal plate with a smooth surface. It was invented in 1796 by the German a ...
Hermogenes Barbuy, brother of then-player
Amilcar Barbuy designed the club's first official badge, which premiered at a friendly against
Torino
Turin ( , Piedmontese: ; it, Torino ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in Northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital from 1861 to 1865. T ...
(
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
), in São Paulo.
[1914 - O primeiro título e o primeiro ídolo](_blank)
- Lance!, 29 May 2010 In 1919, the round shield with the São Paulo state flag was introduced, and modified in 1939 by modernist painter Francisco Rebolo, a former reserve player of the club in the 1920s, to include a string, an anchor and two oars, representing the early success the club achieved in nautical sports. Thereafter, the badge passed through small changes over time, specifically in the flag and in the frame.
In
1990
File:1990 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1990 FIFA World Cup is played in Italy; The Human Genome Project is launched; Voyager I takes the famous Pale Blue Dot image- speaking on the fragility of humanity on Earth, astrophysicist ...
, a yellow star was added above the badge to celebrate Corinthians' first national title. The same would occur when achieving the national titles in
1998
1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''.
Events January
* January 6 – The ''Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for frozen water, in soil in permanently s ...
,
1999
File:1999 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The funeral procession of King Hussein of Jordan in Amman; the 1999 İzmit earthquake kills over 17,000 people in Turkey; the Columbine High School massacre, one of the first major school shoot ...
and
2005, and a larger star was introduced in
2000
File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from S ...
after winning the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup. The stars remained as part of the badge until 2011, when the board decided the badge would not present any stars in the future.
Badge evolution
File:SCCorinthians Paulista 1910.png, The first badge adopted by Corinthians (1913)
File:SCCorinthians Paulista 1914.png, The second badge, re-discovered by historians in 2011 (1914)
File:Corinthians Paulista 1914-16.png, The first official badge, designed by lithographer Hermogenes Barbuy (1914–1916)
File:Corinthians Paulista 1916.png, A first revision of the Barbuy's badge (1916)
File:Corinthians Paulista 1916-19.png, A second revision of the Barbuy's badge (1916–1919)
File:Corinthians Paulista 1919-39.png, The round shield including the São Paulo state flag (1919–1939)
File:Corinthians Paulista 1970-79.png, Inclusion of the anchor and oars by modernist painter Francisco Rebolo (1939–1979)
File:Sport Club Corinthians Paulista Logo.png, Current version (1979–present)
Kit suppliers and sponsors
Nike
Nike often refers to:
* Nike (mythology), a Greek goddess who personifies victory
* Nike, Inc., a major American producer of athletic shoes, apparel, and sports equipment
Nike may also refer to:
People
* Nike (name), a surname and feminine give ...
is the manufacturer of the club's kit since 2003. Previous manufacturers have been:
Topper (1980–1989, 1999–2002),
Finta (1990–1994) and
Penalty
Penalty or The Penalty may refer to:
Sports
* Penalty (golf)
* Penalty (gridiron football)
* Penalty (ice hockey)
* Penalty (rugby)
* Penalty (rugby union)
* Penalty kick (association football)
* Penalty shoot-out (association football)
A p ...
(1995–1998).
In 2017, Corinthians and Nike have reached a 12-year U$115 million deal to renew their partnership until 2029
Previous main sponsors have been: Bombril (1982), Cofap (1983), Citizen (1984),
Bic (1984), Corona (1984), Kalunga (1985–1994), Suvinil (1995–1996), Banco Excel (1996–1998),
Embratel
Embratel is a major Brazilian telecommunications company headquartered in Rio de Janeiro. The company was the long distance arm of Telebras until it was bought by the U.S. company MCI Communications for 2.65 billion reais during the 1998 break ...
(1998), Batavo (1999–2000; 2009),
Pepsi
Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink manufactured by PepsiCo. Originally created and developed in 1893 by Caleb Bradham and introduced as Brad's Drink, it was renamed as Pepsi-Cola in 1898, and then shortened to Pepsi in 1961.
History
Pepsi wa ...
(2000–2004),
Samsung
The Samsung Group (or simply Samsung) ( ko, 삼성 ) is a South Korean multinational manufacturing conglomerate headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea. It comprises numerous affiliated businesses, most of them united under the ...
(2005–2007), Medial Saúde (2008),
Hypermarcas (2009–2012),
Iveco (2012),
Caixa (2012–2017),
Banco BMG (2019–2021) and
Neo Química (2021–).
Facilities
Stadiums
Early grounds
The first playing ground Corinthians used was located in the neighborhood of
Bom Retiro (where the club was founded in 1910), in a vacant lot owned by a firewood seller, from which it got its nickname: Campo do Lenheiro ("Lumberjack's field"). It was the time of the floodplain and the players themselves had to clean and flatten the lawn.
In January 1918, Corinthians inaugurated its first official football field, Ponte Grande, on the banks of
Tiete River. The land was leased from the municipality under the influence of the intellectual
Antonio de Alcantara Machado, one of the first to approach the club workers. It was built by the players and fans in a community helping system. The Corinthians played their games there until 1927, upon the completion of their first stadium. It was then donated to
São Bento.
Parque São Jorge
In 1926, the club purchased
Parque São Jorge ("Saint George's Park"), located within the
Tatuapé
Tatuapé (, from Tupi Guarani "path of the armadillo", or "short way") is a district in the subprefecture of Mooca, in São Paulo, Brazil. It is divided by a railway and the eight lane Radial Leste highway cutting the district into two, northern a ...
district of the city, belonging to then rivals Esporte Clube Sírio, After purchasing, President Ernesto Cassano decided to reform the stage, with financial support from the members.
The renovated Parque São Jorge, still without floodlights, was inaugurated on 22 July, in a friendly game against
América-RJ that ended in a 2-2 draw. The land purchased included a Syrian farm - hence the nickname Fazendinha ("Little Farm"), still used today. It was from here that the Corinthians began to develop and could build up its headquarters.
Due to their growing number of fans,
Estádio Alfredo Schürig (the official name of "Fazendinha") and the commissioning of city-owned Pacaembu in the 1940s, from the 1950s the stadium was mostly used for Academy level competitions and friendly matches. The last first team match played there was a friendly against
Brasiliense on 3 August 2002. Since 1997, it is also the home ground of the
professional women's football team.
Pacaembu
The club has established a relationship with
Paulo Machado de Carvalho Stadium, which belongs to the municipality of
São Paulo
São Paulo (, ; Portuguese for ' Saint Paul') is the most populous city in Brazil, and is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous and wealthiest Brazilian state, located in the country's Southeast Region. Listed by the Ga ...
and is best known as Pacaembu Stadium, inaugurated in 1940 as the largest stadium in
Latin America
Latin America or
* french: Amérique Latine, link=no
* ht, Amerik Latin, link=no
* pt, América Latina, link=no, name=a, sometimes referred to as LatAm is a large cultural region in the Americas where Romance languages — languages derived f ...
with a capacity of more than 70,000 people, in a double-fixture that pitted rivals
Palestra Italia against
Coritiba
Coritiba Foot Ball Club, commonly known as Coritiba and colloquially referred to as "Coxa-Branca" or "Coxa", is a Brazilian football club from Curitiba, capital city of the Brazilian state of Paraná. Founded in 1909, it is the oldest f ...
in the preliminary match and then current three-time state champion Corinthians against
Atlético Mineiro
Atlético, Spanish for ''athletics'', or Athletico in English, may refer to:
Sports Teams Athletico
*Athletico SC (Lebanon), a Lebanese football academy
*Athletic Bilbao, or Atletico Bilbao, Basque students athletic club (also forming Athletic Cl ...
, in a match Corinthians won by 4–2. Currently, the Pacaembu has capacity for up to 40,000 spectators.
Arena Corinthians
In 2009 there were some conjectures that the government of São Paulo could make a deal for a 30-year allotment of Pacaembu, but it never materialized, even though it was the club's directors preference, with projects designed to that matter.
After
Estádio do Morumbi
Estádio Cícero Pompeu de Toledo, widely known as Morumbi (), is a football stadium located in the eponymous district in São Paulo, Brazil. It is the home of São Paulo Futebol Clube and its formal name honors Cícero Pompeu de Toledo, who ...
, then named as the city's host in the World Cup, failed to comply to FIFA's standards, a new project to create a home for Corinthians emerged as a possibility. In August 2010 the president of
CBF,
Ricardo Teixeira, along with Governor of
São Paulo state
SAO or Sao may refer to:
Places
* Sao civilisation, in Middle Africa from 6th century BC to 16th century AD
* Sao, a town in Boussé Department, Burkina Faso
* Saco Transportation Center (station code SAO), a train station in Saco, Maine, U.S. ...
,
Alberto Goldman, and the mayor of
São Paulo
São Paulo (, ; Portuguese for ' Saint Paul') is the most populous city in Brazil, and is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous and wealthiest Brazilian state, located in the country's Southeast Region. Listed by the Ga ...
,
Gilberto Kassab announced that the opening ceremony of the
World Cup of Brazil would be held in the new Corinthians Stadium to be built in the district of Itaquera, in the eastern part of São Paulo city.
On 1 September 2020 (Corinthians' 110th anniversary) a special event live from the stadium was held to announce the Arena's new name. It was officially renamed Neo Química Arena, part of a 20-year partnership with
Hypera Pharma, Brazil's largest pharmaceutical company. Neo Química is Hypera's generic drugs division, which already served as Corinthians' main sponsor during the 2010 and 2011 seasons. The full contract is expected to be around R$300–320 million.
Training facilities
CT Joaquim Grava
Corinthians inaugurated their state-of-the-art training facilities in September, 2010 during the celebrations of the club's 100th anniversary. The training facilities were named after long-time associate and consulting medical doctor,
Joaquim Grava, that oversaw the medical department construction.
The training facilities feature a 32 bedroom hotel for the players, a bio-mechanics complex (Lab Corinthians-R9. named after Brazilian legend
Ronaldo), a center for player rehabilitation and therapy (CePROO, named after fan and journalist
Osmar de Oliveira), basketball and volleyball courts (approved by
FIBA
The International Basketball Federation (FIBA ; French: ) is an association of national organizations which governs the sport of basketball worldwide. Originally known as the (hence FIBA), in 1989 it dropped the word ''amateur'' from its nam ...
and
FIVB for official matches), as well as other amenities.
An extension to be used by the Academy teams is currently under construction.
Club culture
Supporters
The Corinthians fanbase is fondly called Fiel ("The Faithful"), starring memorable moments like the "Corinthian Invasion" (
pt / ''Invasão Corinthiana'') in 1976, when more than 70,000 Corinthians Fans traveled from São Paulo to Rio de Janeiro to watch the match against
Fluminense
Fluminense Football Club (), known as Fluminense, is a Brazilian sports club best known for its professional football team that competes in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, the first tier of Brazilian football and the Campeonato Carioca, th ...
at Maracana Stadium, in that year's national championship semifinals, as well as having one of the biggest average attendances in the country. Fans being famous for being passionate about the team and loyal supporters motivated the club to make a tribute documentary to their fans, named "Faithful" (
pt / ''Fiel''), highlighting the fans' support in one of the most difficult moments in the club's history: the relegation to national second division in 2007. Similar initiatives would be made in the next years, reflecting other moments in the club's history in that the fanbase was essential.
Integral to the club culture are the fan organizations ("torcidas organizadas") such as Gaviões da Fiel ("The Hawks of the Faithful"), founded in 1969 by fans attempting to recover political and administrative control of the club and now the largest of such organizations in Brazil with almost 100,000 associates. Camisa 12 ("The 12th Shirt", founded in 1971), Estopim da Fiel ("Faithful's Fuse", 1979), Coringão Chopp ("Corinthians Draught Beer", 1989), Pavilhão Nove ("Pavillion Nine", 1990), and Fiel Macabra ("Macabre Faithful", 1993) are other important fan organizations that have been actively supporting social and cultural activities representing the club.
Many of the groups above have established branches for fans living outside of São Paulo city, out-state and even internationally. Most are also involved in the
Brazilian Carnival
The Carnival of Brazil ( pt, Carnaval do Brasil, ) is an annual Brazilian festival held the Friday afternoon before Ash Wednesday at noon, which marks the beginning of Lent, the forty-day period before Easter. During Lent, Roman Catholics and s ...
festivities, most famously Gaviões da Fiel, one of the most important
Carnival of São Paulo
The Carnival of São Paulo ( pt, Carnaval de São Paulo) is a major Brazilian Carnival. It takes place in the Anhembi Sambadrome of São Paulo
São Paulo (, ; Portuguese for ' Saint Paul') is the most populous city in Brazil, and is the cap ...
Parade
samba school
A samba school ( pt, Escola de samba) is a dancing, marching, and drumming (Samba Enredo) club. They practice and often perform in a huge square- compounds ("quadras de samba") and are devoted to practicing and exhibiting samba, an Afro-Brazilian ...
s, having won the contest for 4 times, the most among football team organizations.
Rivalries
Derby Paulista
![Palestra Itália x Corinthians - Anos 20](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ac/Palestra_It%C3%A1lia_x_Corinthians_-_Anos_20.jpg)
Derby Paulista is a crosstown fixture between Corinthians and
Palmeiras
Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras (), commonly known as Palmeiras, is a Brazilian professional football club based in the city of São Paulo, in the district of Perdizes. Palmeiras is one of the most popular clubs in South America, with around ...
, consistently cited as one of the greatest rivalries worldwide by sources including
FIFA and
CNN
CNN (Cable News Network) is a multinational cable news channel headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable news channel, and presently owned by ...
. Palmeiras was founded by a group of Italians who were formerly members of Corinthians.
Since 1914, when that treasonous act was taken upon these former supporters, a deep-seated hatred was born.
[ The Derby atmosphere is fierce on and off the pitch, as violence is a norm between the clubs.
]
Clássico Majestoso
Clássico Majestoso is a crosstown fixture between Corinthians and São Paulo
São Paulo (, ; Portuguese for ' Saint Paul') is the most populous city in Brazil, and is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous and wealthiest Brazilian state, located in the country's Southeast Region. Listed by the Ga ...
. The Derby dates back to 1935, at the final re-founding São Paulo after being thrice defunct. Corinthians possesses the largest number of supporters in the state (25 Million), whereas São Paulo's lies in second place (16 Million). The Clássico's most memorable match for Corinthians is the 1990 Campenato Brasileiro finals, which led to Corinthians first national title.
Clássico Alvinegro
Clássico Alvinegro is a regional fixture between Corinthians and Santos.'Alvinegro' is given after the colors worn by both teams, black and white (''Alvi'', from Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
''albus'', white, and ''negro'', black). The Classico reached one of its highest stages for Corinthians supporters when Corinthians met Santos in the Semi-Finals of Libertadores 2012. Corinthians won 2-1 on aggregate.
Other rivalries
Derby dos Invictos (Derby of the Undefeated), Corinthians and Portuguesa is a crosstown rivalry. Corinthians vs Ponte Preta is an in-state rivalry that peaked in the 1977 Campeonato Paulista final, which led to Ponte Preta's greatest Paulista Finish (runner-up). Classico das Multidões (Classic of The Masses) is an inter-state rivalry pegging the two most supported teams in Brazil: Corinthians and Flamengo
Clube de Regatas do Flamengo (; English: ''Flamengo Rowing Club''), more commonly referred to as simply Flamengo, is a Brazilian sports club based in Rio de Janeiro, in the neighborhood of Gávea, best known for their professional football ...
. Corinthians and Vasco led to great match ups and some rivalry recently, mostly after Vasco winning the Brasileirão in 1997
File:1997 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The movie set of ''Titanic'', the highest-grossing movie in history at the time; '' Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', is published; Comet Hale-Bopp passes by Earth and becomes one of ...
and 2000
File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from S ...
, and Corinthians in 1998
1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''.
Events January
* January 6 – The ''Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for frozen water, in soil in permanently s ...
and 1999
File:1999 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The funeral procession of King Hussein of Jordan in Amman; the 1999 İzmit earthquake kills over 17,000 people in Turkey; the Columbine High School massacre, one of the first major school shoot ...
. Their greatest match coincided with the first FIFA Club World Cup in 2000, with a Corinthians victory in the penalty shootout. Corinthians also won the 2011 Brasileirão
Eleven or 11 may refer to:
*11 (number), the natural number following 10 and preceding 12
* one of the years 11 BC, AD 11, 1911, 2011, or any year ending in 11
Literature
* ''Eleven'' (novel), a 2006 novel by British author David Llewellyn
*'' ...
in the last round of the season, two points over the runners-up Vasco. Corinthians saved Vasco from their usual runner-up fate by defeating the cariocas in 2012 Libertadores Quarter-finals.
Symbology
Musketeer
Corinthians' official mascot is the Musketeer, a symbol of bravery, audacity and fighting spirit. The adoption of that character recalls the first years of the club.
In 1913 most of the leading football clubs in São Paulo State founded the APEA (Paulista Athletic Sports Association). The depleted Paulista League was left with only Americano, Germania and Internacional, known as the "three musketeers" of São Paulo football. Corinthians joined the three as D'Artagnan
Charles de Batz de Castelmore (), also known as d'Artagnan and later Count d'Artagnan ( 1611 – 25 June 1673), was a French Musketeer who served Louis XIV as captain of the Musketeers of the Guard. He died at the siege of Maastricht in the ...
, being the fourth and most adored musketeer, just like in Alexandre Dumas, père's novel ''The Three Musketeers
''The Three Musketeers'' (french: Les Trois Mousquetaires, links=no, ) is a French historical adventure novel written in 1844 by French author Alexandre Dumas. It is in the swashbuckler genre, which has heroic, chivalrous swordsmen who fight ...
''. To be accepted in that "musketeers universe", Corinthians had to show their bravery. As there was many other teams who coveted the spot in the Liga Paulista, Corinthians participated in a selective tournament against Minas Gerais and São Paulo, two other great teams of Paulista amateur football at that time. The Corinthian team beat Minas 1–0 and São Paulo 4–0, earning acceptance into the group and acquiring the right to participate in the Special Division of the Paulista League in the following year.
Saint George
An important symbol for Corinthians is Saint George
Saint George (Greek: Γεώργιος (Geórgios), Latin: Georgius, Arabic: القديس جرجس; died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was a Christian who is venerated as a saint in Christianity. According to tradition he was a soldie ...
/(Ogum
Ogun or Ogoun (Yoruba: Ògún, Portuguese: Ogum, Gu; also spelled Oggun or Ogou; known as Ogún or Ogum in Latin America) is a spirit that appears in several African religions. He attempted to seize the throne after the demise of Obatala, who r ...
). Saint George
Saint George (Greek: Γεώργιος (Geórgios), Latin: Georgius, Arabic: القديس جرجس; died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was a Christian who is venerated as a saint in Christianity. According to tradition he was a soldie ...
is one of the most revered Catholic Saint
In religious belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of holiness, likeness, or closeness to God. However, the use of the term ''saint'' depends on the context and denomination. In Catholic, Eastern Orth ...
s in Brazil, a nation with a blend of cultures. The collusion between African & European cultures is seen in Brazil's definition of São Jorge as a mash between Catholicism & Western African Mythology. The comparison may be drawn the entities similar characteristics; St George, the soldier who protects those who pray to him; Ogum
Ogun or Ogoun (Yoruba: Ògún, Portuguese: Ogum, Gu; also spelled Oggun or Ogou; known as Ogún or Ogum in Latin America) is a spirit that appears in several African religions. He attempted to seize the throne after the demise of Obatala, who r ...
God of War who serves the communities who believe in him. it is this warrior demeanor that made Corinthians fans indebted to São Jorge.
Corinthians began as a small team for the lower classes of São Paulo, even though they obtained initial success. Lack of respect for the working class forced Corinthians to leave their São Paulo State Football League in protest. after multiple championships Timão made its largest leap in prestige in the founding of a Corinthians' Headquarters, 1926. The creation of said headquarters became the first fusion of Timão & São Jorge. The land purchased for the headquarters was formerly Parque São Jorge (St. George Park) at 777 Rua São Jorge, Tatuapé, São Paulo, SP.
Corinthians support for São Jorge became fanatical during the decade of the 60's, Between 1954 and 1977, Corinthians failed to add to its gallery of conquests and the Corinthian Nation lived the hardest moments of its history. While the stream struggled in the 60's, fan recanted that they were blessed by a "Santo Guerreiro" (Warrior Saint). In the early 60's the lack of success lingered in the minds of fans & gave birth to a utilization of the blessings of São Jorge. this caused Corinthians to erect a chapel
A chapel is a Christian place of prayer and worship that is usually relatively small. The term has several meanings. Firstly, smaller spaces inside a church that have their own altar are often called chapels; the Lady chapel is a common ty ...
in honor of the saint, in order to strengthen the clubs resolve via mysticism. 1969, after the death of two players Lidu & Eduardo, the funeral was held in Capela São Jorge, & strengthened the clubs identity at a time when championships were non-existent. 1974 Paulista Final, after a heart-wrenching loss to arch-rival Palmeiras, composer Paulinho Nogueira recorded "Oh Corinthians", a song that had popular commercial success at the time. In the verses of the composition dedicated to the suffering Corinthians could not miss the quote to the patron Saint George:
"...Oh, são 20 anos de espera. Mas meu São Jorge me dê forças, para poder um dia enfim, descontar meu sofrimento em quem riu de mim".
''("... Oh, It's been 20 years of waiting, but my St. George gives me strength to be able to one day finally cashing in my suffering upon those who laughed at me.'')"
Corinthians' 2011 third kit was burgundy colored & featured São Jorge slaughtering a dragon in a dark watermark across the right side of the chest. The utilization of São Jorge's image on the shirt is the practice of São Jorge's Prayer.
Board of directors
Current administration
Former presidents
Players and staff
First-team squad
Academy
Note: Academy players registered for 2022 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A
The 2022 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A (officially the Brasileirão Assaí 2022 for sponsorship reasons) was the 66th season of the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, the top level of professional football in Brazil, and the 19th edition in a doub ...
matches
Out on loan
}
}
Technical staff
''As of December 9, 2022'':
Football honours and statistics
Honours
Recent seasons
See also
* Corinthians (women's football)
* Corinthians (futsal)
* Corinthians (beach soccer)
* Corinthians (basketball)
* Corinthians Steamrollers (american football)
* Corinthians (rugby)
Notes
References
External links
*
Acervo SCCP – all matches and history of Corinthians
Committee for Preservation of Corinthians' Memories
{{DEFAULTSORT:Corinthians
Multi-sport clubs in Brazil
Football clubs in Brazil
Football clubs in São Paulo (state)
Football clubs in São Paulo
Association football clubs established in 1910
C
C
C
1910 establishments in Brazil
Copa do Brasil winning clubs
Campeonato Brasileiro Série A winning clubs