Santa Cruz Football Club

Santa Cruz Football Club is a centenary club from Santa Cruz do Sul, in Rio Grande do Sul. A traditional presence in the divisions of the Campeonato Gaúcho, it is the main representative of the Rio Pardo Valley.

History

Founded in 1913 in Santa Cruz do Sul, a city with strong German heritage in the interior of Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Cruz Football Club is one of the oldest clubs still active in Rio Grande do Sul. It plays its home matches at Estádio dos Plátanos, known for its characteristic trees that give the location its name. Over more than a century, the club has competed in several editions of the Campeonato Gaúcho, alternating seasons between the elite and the access divisions of state football. In recent years, it has returned to the first division of Rio Grande do Sul, facing the Grenal duo and other clubs from the interior. Santa Cruz plays an important role in the development of players and in the sports representation of the Rio Pardo Valley region, maintaining historical regional rivalries with clubs from the center of the state.