Vasco da Gama

CR_Vasco_da_Gama

Club de Regatas Vasco da Gama (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈklubi dʒi ʁeˈgatɐʃ ˈvaʃku dɐ ˈgɐ̃mɐ]), commonly referred as Vasco da Gama or simply Vasco, is a professional sports club based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Originally a rowing club, Vasco is mostly known for its football team, who currently competes in the Brasileirão Série A, the top tier of Brazilian football league and in the Cariocão Série A, the top tier of Rio de Janeiro state football league.

Named Vasco da Gama 400 years after 1498 European-Asian sea route, the club was founded on 21 August 1898 as a rowing club by Brazilian workers and Portuguese immigrant tradesmen, and created its football department on 26 November 1915. Vasco da Gama have played their home matches in São Januário stadium since 1927, and also in Maracanã stadium since 1950. Vasco da Gama is one of the most widely supported teams in Brazil and the Americas. According to census and polls, Vasco is the fifth-most supported club in Brazil, with more than 15 million supporters. Due to its history of diversity and mobilization, the club became a symbol of anti-racism and anti-xenophobia in Brazilian sport.

In national football, Vasco da Gama has won 4 Brasileirão, one Copa do Brasil, 24 Cariocão, and three Torneio Rio–São Paulo. In international club football, the club has won one Copa Libertadores and one South American Championship of Champions. Vasco da Gama holds many long-standings rivalries, most notably the Clássico dos Milhões with Flamengo, a club rivalry original of rowing in 1900s and extended to football in 1920s.