Sporting Clube de Portugal

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.

Altough losing their debut match against Cruz Negra, in the first derby against Sport Lisboa (now SL Benfica) Sporting won 2–1. In 1907-08 finished second in the regional championship. In 1910, the year José Alvalade was elected president, Sporting won the portuguese tennis, pole vault, shot put and long jump championships.

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 (in which Sporting will feature). 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 outside 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 champion 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.

Current Football Squad (2004/05 season)

This is the full squad for the 2004/2005 season.

External links

• Official site