Associação Portuguesa de Desportos

Traditional club from São Paulo founded by the Portuguese community in 1920. Owner of Canindé Stadium, it marked an era in São Paulo football and revealed stars like Dener.

History

Associação Portuguesa de Desportos was founded on August 14, 1920, from the merger of five clubs linked to the Portuguese community in São Paulo. It quickly established itself as one of the main forces in São Paulo football, winning the São Paulo Championship in 1935 and 1936. In the 1950s, Portuguesa experienced a great period with victories in the Rio–São Paulo Tournament in 1952 and 1955, a time when it became known for its beautiful football and international tours that earned it the fame of ambassador of Brazilian football abroad. In 1973, it shared with Santos the title of the São Paulo Championship, in one of the most controversial finals in the tournament's history. In 1996, Portuguesa reached the final of the Brazilian Championship, being defeated by Grêmio, at the peak of a talented generation. In the following decades, the club alternated between divisions of Brazilian football, but remains one of the clubs with the largest fanbase and tradition in São Paulo, playing its matches at Canindé Stadium.