Santa Cruz Futebol Clube
| Full name | Santa Cruz Futebol Clube | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicknames | Cobra Coral (Coral Snake) Terror Do Nordeste (Terror of the Northeastern Region) O Mais Querido (The most dear) Time de Guerreiros (Team of Warriors) Time do Povo (People's Team) Clube da Multidão (Crowd Club) | |||
| Founded | 3 February 1914 | |||
| Stadium | Estádio do Arruda | |||
| Capacity | 60,044 | |||
| Owner(s) | Cobra Coral Participações S/A (90%) Associação civil Santa Cruz Futebol Clube (10%) | |||
| President | Bruno Rodrigues | |||
| Head coach | Claudinei OLiveira | |||
| League | Campeonato Brasileiro Série C Campeonato Pernambucano | |||
| 2025 2025 | Série D, 2nd of 64 (promoted) Pernambucano, 3rd of 10 | |||
| Website | santacruzpe.com.br | |||
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Santa Cruz Futebol Clube, better known as Santa Cruz, and sometimes just Santa, is a Brazilian multisport club based in the city of Recife. Founded on 3 February 1914, it is nicknamed "O Mais Querido das Multidões" (The Most Beloved of the Crowds)
Among its main achievements are a Campeonato Brasileiro – Série C and a Copa do Nordeste. Among its state titles, 29 Campeonato Pernambucano stand out, including three editions designated as Supercampeonato Pernambucano, making it the only three-time Pernambuco Super Champion. It also has five wins in the now defunct Copa Pernambuco. In addition to its main titles, Santa Cruz also won the 1979 Fita Azul, a soccer honor given to Brazilian clubs that went on friendly tours abroad and returned undefeated. At the official international level, it has participated in a CONMEBOL competition, the 2016 Copa Sudamericana.
In the Campeonato Brasileiro – Série A, its best finish was in 1960 and 1975, when it came in fourth place. Between 1969 and 1983, Santa Cruz won nine state titles out of fifteen contested. During this fruitful period for the club, considered the best in its history, players such as Givanildo, Nunes, Fumanchu, and Ramón shone. In 1972, in the midst of its golden age, the Estádio do Arruda was inaugurated.
With many outstanding strikers in its history, seven with over 100 goals, Santa Cruz was the first club in the Northeast Region, of Brazil and the twelfth in Brazil to reach the milestone of 10,000 goals scored.
Its official colors are black, white and red. It usually plays its matches at its Estádio do Arruda, the sixth largest in Brazil and the second largest privately owned stadium. As the second most popular club in Pernambuco, its two biggest sporting rivals are Sport Club do Recife, with whom it plays the Clássico das Multidões (Derby of the Multitudes), and Clube Náutico Capibaribe, with whom it plays the Clássico das Emoções (Derby of Emotions).