Ituano Futebol Clube, commonly referred to as simply Ituano, is a Brazilian association football club in Itu,

São Paulo São Paulo (, ; Portuguese for 'Saint Paul') is the most populous city in Brazil, and is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous and wealthiest Brazilian state, located in the country's Southeast Region. Listed by the Ga ...

. They currently play in the Série B, the second tier of Brazilian football, as well as in the

Campeonato Paulista Série A1 The Campeonato Paulista Série A1, commonly known as Campeonato Paulista, nicknamed Paulistão, is the top-flight professional football league in the Brazilian state of São Paulo. Run by the FPF, the league is contested between 16 clubs and ty ...

, the top flight of the São Paulo state football league. Founded on May 24, 1947, Ituano won the

São Paulo State League The Campeonato Paulista Série A1, commonly known as Campeonato Paulista, nicknamed Paulistão, is the top-flight professional football league in the Brazilian state of São Paulo. Run by the FPF, the league is contested between 16 clubs and typ ...

twice. The club's home colours are red and black and the team mascot is a rooster.

History

The club was founded on May 24, 1947, by employees of Estrada de Ferro Sorocabana (Sorocabana Railroad), based in Itu. When founded the club was originally known as Associação Atlética Sorocabana. In the 1960s, the club changed its name to Ferroviário Atlético Ituano and in the 1990s the club again changed its name, this time to Ituano Futebol Clube. In 1977 a group of sportsmen of Itu unified the football of the city around Ferroviário Atlético Ituano (FAI) and reactivated the Liga Ituana de Futebol (Ituano Football League). In 1978 the club played in Série A3 the third level of the São Paulo state professional football championship. They were promoted to the

Campeonato Paulista The Campeonato Paulista Série A1, commonly known as Campeonato Paulista, nicknamed Paulistão, is the top-flight professional football league in the Brazilian state of São Paulo. Run by the FPF, the league is contested between 16 clubs and ty ...

, the top-flight professional football league in São Paulo in 1989 after clinching the Série A2 championship. In 2002, Ituano became one of the few teams from outside the São Paulo metroplex area to win the

. Juninho Paulista, a former player from the club's academy and former Brazilian international, became the club's president in 2010. Juninho joined in a player-president capacity helping the team avoid relegation on the final day of the 2010 season with the decisive goal in a 3–2 victory. In 2014, Ituano won the Campeonato Paulista, defeating the storied Santos Futebol Clube on penalty kicks. In 2019,

Arsenal An arsenal is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, or issued, in any combination, whether privately or publicly owned. Arsenal and armoury (British English) or armory (American English) are mostly ...

signed young winger Gabriel Martinelli from the club and he quickly became a first-team regular.

Stadium

Ituano's stadium is Estádio Novelli Júnior, inaugurated in 1947. The stadium has a capacity of 18,000 people.

Mascot

The club mascot is a cock wearing the team kit. The nickname was received in 1957 when Sorocabana played against Club Atlético Ituano (Third Division champions in 1954–55, who have no connection with the current Ituano FC). On this occasion Sorocabana lost the match but the supporters said that the team had fought like a cock and from there the club received its nickname.

Rivalries

Ituano's biggest rival is

Paulista Futebol Clube Paulista Futebol Clube, or Paulista as they are usually called, is a Brazilian football team from Jundiaí, in São Paulo, founded on 17 May 1909. They currently play in the Paulistão Segunda Divisão, the fourth tier of the São Paulo stat ...

and they contest the Briga de Galo. Other major rivals are Ponte Preta and São Bento, representing the cities of

Campinas Campinas (, ''Plains'' or ''Meadows'') is a Brazilian municipality in São Paulo State, part of the country's Southeast Region. According to the 2020 estimate, the city's population is 1,213,792, making it the fourteenth most populous Brazilian ...

and Sorocaba, respectively.

Players

Current squad

Out on loan

Honours

Domestic competitions

* Campeonato Brasileiro Série C **Winners (2):

2003 File:2003 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The crew of STS-107 perished when the Space Shuttle Columbia Space Shuttle Columbia disaster, disintegrated during reentry into Atmosphere of Earth, Earth's atmosphere; SARS became an 2002– ...

, 2021 *

**Winners (2): 2002,

2014 File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...

Campeonato Paulista do Interior The Campeonato Paulista Série A1, commonly known as Campeonato Paulista, nicknamed Paulistão, is the top-flight professional football league in the Brazilian state of São Paulo. Run by the FPF, the league is contested between 16 clubs and t ...

**Winners (2): 2017, 2022 * Copa Paulista **Winners (1): 2002 * Campeonato Paulista Série A2 **Winners (1): 1989

References

External links

Official Website

Current Squad
{{Campeonato Paulista Association football clubs established in 1947 Football clubs in São Paulo (state) 1947 establishments in Brazil