Futebol Clube do Porto, commonly referred to as FC Porto or simply Porto, is one of the most iconic and successful football clubs in Portugal. Founded in 1893, the club is based in Porto, Portugal, and plays its home matches at the famous Estádio do Dragão, which has a seating capacity of over 50,000.
FC Porto has an illustrious history, having won 28 Primeira Liga titles, 17 Taca de Portugal titles, 2 UEFA Champions League titles, and numerous other domestic and international trophies. The club enjoyed its most successful era under legendary manager José Mourinho, who led Porto to an unprecedented UEFA Cup and Champions League victories in 2003 and 2004, respectively.
Known for its attacking style of play, the club has nurtured some of football’s greatest talents, including Deco, Ricardo Carvalho, Radamel Falcao, and Jackson Martinez. Despite facing stiff competition from the likes of Benfica and Sporting CP in the Portuguese League, FC Porto continues to be a dominant force in Portuguese football, with a global fan base and a rich tradition that continues to influence Portuguese and world football.
FC Porto is one of the most renowned football clubs in the world, with one of the highest average home attendances in Portugal. The club states that its global fan base includes more than 200 officially recognised branches of the FC Porto Supporters Club (FPSC), in at least 24 countries. The club capitalizes on this support through its worldwide summer tours. Accountancy firm and sports industry consultants Deloitte estimate that FC Porto has 46 million fans worldwide. The club has a significant social media following, with over 3 million Facebook followers as of July 2023. A 2014 study showed that FC Porto had the most loyal fans in the Primeira Liga.
FC Porto was founded in 1893 as Foot-Ball Club do Porto by António Nicolau de Almeida, an enthusiastic sportsman who became fascinated with football during his studies in England. Initially, the club played friendly matches and cup competitions, but on 15 August 1921, they competed in their first official match; wearing their iconic blue and white colours, they defeated Sporting CP with a score of 2–1.
In the 1950s, FC Porto started to rise to prominence in Portuguese football. The appointment of José Maria Pedroto as manager marked an upturn in the club's fortunes. Pedroto led the team to Primeira Liga victories in 1956 and 1959. The club continued to regularly secure top-three league positions and won the Taca de Portugal in 1968, marking their first cup victory in 16 years.
On 26 May 2004, José Mourinho announced that he was leaving the club to manage Chelsea in the Premier League. However, he left a lasting legacy, having led the club to two consecutive Primeira Liga titles, a Taca de Portugal, and the UEFA Cup. Jesualdo Ferreira took over as manager in 2006, and despite initial criticism, he led the club to three consecutive Primeira Liga titles. The club continued to enjoy success in the following years, including a memorable treble in the 2010–2011 season under the leadership of André Villas-Boas.
Originally funded by the Porto Commercial Association, FC Porto was officially established in 1893. The club didn't become a limited company until the 20th century when shares began to be sold to local supporters. In the early years, the club's finances were managed by its founder members. However, in 1926, the Vidal Pinheiro family took over the majority ownership of the club, investing significantly to save the club from financial challenges. The family's tenure lasted until 1955, when Américo de Sá assumed control of the club after a significant investment.
Américo de Sá was a prominent figure in the club's history. His son, António de Sá, was promoted to the board in 1961, but died three years later. The position of chairman passed to Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa in 1982, who had been a part of the board since 1976. Da Costa went on to become the longest-serving president in the history of FC Porto and European football, with his presidency still ongoing.
Throughout the years, FC Porto has seen several attempts for takeovers. However, none have been successful as the club maintains a strong financial position, largely due to its successful football business model, which involves the development and sale of players. The club's ownership structure has remained stable, with the majority of shares still held by the club members, while a portion of the shares are traded on Euronext Lisbon. The club's finances are managed by a board of directors, led by the president, Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa.
FC Porto is one of the most successful clubs in Europe in terms of trophies won. The club's first trophy was the Campeonato de Portugal, which they won in 1921–22. In 1934–35, the club won their first Primeira Divisão title and won the Taça de Portugal for the first time in the following year. Since then, they have gone on to win a remarkable 29 top-division titles and their total of 17 Taça de Portugal wins is impressive. Those titles have meant the club has appeared multiple times in the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira; of those appearances, FC Porto have won a record 22.
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Worldwide
Wikipedia - FC Porto: A comprehensive overview of the history, achievements, and notable figures of FC Porto. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FC_Porto
UEFA - FC Porto: Detailed profile of FC Porto, including its performance in UEFA competitions. https://www.uefa.com/teamsandplayers/teams/club=50168/profile/index.html
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