O Fortaleza Esporte Clube é um clube de Fortaleza (CE), fundado em 1918 e apelidado de Leão do Pici. Foi campeão da Série B em 2018 e vice da Copa Sul-Americana em 2023.
Fortaleza Esporte Clube
Fortaleza Esporte Clube is one of the main clubs in Ceará, founded in 1918. Champion of Serie B in 2018 and the Northeast Cup in 2019, it was runner-up in the South American Cup in 2023.
History
Fortaleza was founded on October 18, 1918, in the capital of Ceará, with the name Fortaleza Sporting Club. The nickname Lion of Pici comes from the neighborhood where the club's training center is located, around Alcides Santos Stadium. The team is one of the main protagonists of the Clássico-Rei, the main rivalry in Ceará football, against Ceará. Throughout its history, it has won several state titles and competed in national and regional competitions. In 2018, Fortaleza was champion of Serie B of the Brazilian Championship and returned to Serie A in 2019. That same year, it won the Northeast Cup. In the following years, the club established itself among the elite teams of the country and began competing in Conmebol competitions. In 2023, it reached the final of the South American Cup and lost to LDU on penalties.