Description
Founded on 1 July 1906, Sporting is one of the “Três Grandes” (Big Three) clubs in Portugal, along with rivals S.L. Benfica and FC Porto, that have never been relegated from the top flight of Portuguese football, Primeira Liga, since 1934. Sporting are nicknamed Leões (Lions) and Verde e Brancos (Green and Whites). The club’s anthem, “A Marcha do Sporting” (Sporting’s March), was written in 1955. In March 2019, Sporting reported having more than 80,500 paying members, with the rest of them, 98,400, without their fees paid in full.[1]
Sporting are the third most decorated Portuguese football team, with a total of 50 trophies, including one international title, the 1963–64 European Cup Winners’ Cup. Domestically, they have won 18 Primeira Liga titles, 17 Portuguese Cups (Taça de Portugal), 4 Championship of Portugal (a record tied with Porto), 2 Taça da Liga and 8 Portuguese Super Cup trophies.[2] Internationally, Sporting are currently ranked 31st in UEFA club rankings.[3]
