Sporting Cristal
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| Full name | Club Sporting Cristal S.A.C | ||
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| Nickname(s) | "Los Cerveceros", "Los Bajopontinos", "Los Rimenses", "Los Celestes" |
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| Founded | December 13, 1955 | ||
| Ground | Estadio San Martín de Porres, Lima (Capacity: 18,000) |
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| President | Francisco Mujica Serelle | ||
| D.T. |  Juan Carlos Oblitas |
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| League | Primera División Peruana | ||
| 2008 | 2nd Overall | ||
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Sporting Cristal is a Peruvian football team based in the district of Rímac, in the department of Lima playing in the Peruvian First Division. The club was founded on December 13, 1955. The team's original name was Sporting Tabaco but it was renamed when a local beer production company bought it. Sporting Cristal has won the league title fifteen times being the Peruvian team with the third-most domestic titles. All its titles have been won in the professional era. It is one of the most popular football teams in Peru—along with Universitario de Deportes and Alianza Lima—. It is also the youngest of the three. In 1997, it became the second Peruvian football club to reach the final of the Copa Libertadores.
Sporting Cristal plays their home games at the Estadio San Martin de Porres but they also play at the Estadio Nacional when playing against other big Peruvian clubs such as Universitario de Deportes or Alianza Lima. They also use the Estadio Nacional when playing international competitions such as Copa Libertadores or Copa Sudamericana.
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[edit] History
In 1954, the English proprietors of beer company Backus and Johnston from the district of Rímac, decided to sell their firm to Peruvian capitalists. Once the deal was closed and the beer company was in the hands of Peruvians, the new owners decided to form a local football club to represent the company.
Ricardo Bentín Mujica, with the support of his wife, was the man who put in the most work in order to achieve the company's goal. However, there was already a club from Rímac who was playing in the Peruvian First Division known as Sporting Tobacco. This club had never won a national championship and they were in dire economic crisis. Bentín decided to buy this club and search for a lot so that the club could develop and be able to play in the national league. The club found a lot in the neighborhood of La Florida of 137,000 m².
Everything turned out well for Bentín, until the FPF frowned upon this attempt. This problem was overcome and on December 13, 1955 the club was founded as it is known today and renamed Sporting Cristal . The club from the Rímac district debuted in 1956 in the national league and won their first national title that same year. They were known, among journalists, as the club that was born a champion (nació campeon). The team managed to win more titles over the years and was known as one of the best football clubs in Peru behind Universitario de Deportes and Alianza Lima. A few years later the club eliminated the word Backus from their name to demonstrate their economic independence.
In 1997, the team, led by Uruguayan coach Sergio Markarián, reached the finals of the Copa Libertadores where they faced the Brazilian club Cruzeiro. The first leg was a home game where they ended in a scoreless draw and in the second leg they lost 1-0. This is the closest a Peruvian team has reached the Copa Libertadores Final since 1972, when Universitario de Deportes had a similar fate playing against Club Atlético Independiente.
Recent head coaches include Juan Carlos Oblitas and Paulo Autuori. Peruvian filmmaker Francisco Lombardi was the club's president throughout most of the successful 1990s.
Sporting Cristal changed the shirt color from blue to light blue. During a brief period between 1978 & 1981, the shirt went back to being blue. But in 1982 they went back to being light blue, the color which now identifies the club.
[edit] Supporters
Cristal has two ultras or barra bravas known as Extremo Celeste and Fuerza Oriente. Extremo Celeste was formed in 1991 when a group of young fans from Fuerza Oriente decided to form a new group for young energetic supporters. Extremo Celeste has become one of the biggest barras bravas in Peru.
[edit] Players
[edit] Current Squad
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[edit] Notable players
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*Naturalized Peruvians
[edit] Top Goalscorers in First Division
| Year | Player | Goals | Nationality |
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| 1954 | Vicente Villanueva | 14 | |
| 1961 | Alberto Gallardo | 18 | |
| 1962 | Alberto Gallardo | 22 | |
| 1980 | Oswaldo Ramírez | 18 | |
| 1983 | Juan Caballero | 29 | |
| 1991 | Raúl Horacio Baldessari | 25 |  |
| 1994 | Flavio Maestri | 25 | |
| 1995 | Julinho | 23 |  |
| 1998 | Nilson Esidio | 25 | |
| 2003 | Luis Alberto Bonnet | 20 | |
| 2008 | Miguel Ximénez | 32 |  |
[edit] Presidential history
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[edit] Managerial History
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[edit] Achievements
- Copa Libertadores: 26 appearances
- Runners-up (1): 1997
- Copa CONMEBOL: 1 appearance
- Quarterfinalist (1): 1994
- Copa Marlboro
- Winners (1): 1988
[edit] External links
- Sporting Cristal Official Club Website
- El Cristal con que te miro Fan Website
- SportingCristal.org Fan Website
- SaludCristal Fan Website
