Sporting
Clube de Portugal, often known outside Portugal as Sporting Lisbon, is a
sports club that is best known for having one of the best football teams in
Portugal. It was established in 1902 as Sport Club de Belas, which became
Campo Grande Sporting Club in 1904. It was only in 1906 that it received its
current name.
Não se pode dizer que se tenha iniciado muito bem, perdendo no primeiro jogo
contra o Cruz Negra, mas na primeira partida contra o eterno rival, também
lisboeta, Sport Lisboa, chamado actualmente de Sport Lisboa e Benfica,
venceu por 2-1. Em 1907-1908 consagra-se vice-campião regional. Em 1910, no
ano em que José Alvalade assumiu a presidência, foi campeão de Ténis, Salto
à vara, Lançamento do peso e de Salto em comprimento.
Among Portuguese clubs, Sporting has the best football infrastructure. It
boasts a new stadium, Estádio José Alvalade XXI, built for the 2004 European
Football Championship, that will host the 2005 UEFA Cup final. Sporting also
has a world-class football training facility (Academia Sporting in Alcochete)
where Portugal trained during the Euro 2004.
Sporting has developed many top footballers in recent years; some of the
most notable are Paulo Futre (Retired), Luis Figo (Real Madrid CF),
Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United FC) and Aldo Duscher (Deportivo la
Coruna) and also others that failed to make an impression oustide Portugal,
such as former FC Barcelona players Ricardo Quaresma (who joined FC Porto in
2004) and Simão Sabrosa (joined SL Benfica in 2001). Hugo Viana, the only
returning to Sporting, joined on loan from Newcastle United in 2004. The
club captured 18 titles, 13 cups and won the Cup Winners' Cup in 1964, their
only european win.
Sporting has numerous sections other than football, among them athletics,
swimming, handball, table tennis, and Rink hockey. |
