América Futebol Clube

América Futebol Clube, known simply as América Mineiro, is a Brazilian football club based in Belo Horizonte, the capital of Minas Gerais state. Founded on April 30, 1912, the club has kept its original name and crest ever since. Its traditional home colors are white and green; black was added in the 1970s. Between 1933 and 1942, the team wore red kits as a protest against the introduction of professionalism. Today, América plays its home matches at the Independência stadium.

América boasts the third-largest fan base among Minas Gerais clubs and is one of the state's most traditional and successful teams. They have won the Campeonato Mineiro 16 times, finishing runners-up another 16. Their first 10 state titles came consecutively from 1916 to 1925, a national record shared with ABC. The most recent state championship was in 2016. Other major honors include the Brazilian Série B in 1997 and 2017, the Copa Sul-Minas in 2000, and the Brazilian Série C in 2009.

The club has a strong reputation for developing young talent. Among the world-class players who came through their youth system are Tostão, Éder Aleixo, Yuji Nakazawa, Gilberto Silva, Fred, Danilo, and Richarlison. América has also won Brazil's three most important junior tournaments: the Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior (1996), the Brazilian U-20 Championship (2011), and the Belo Horizonte Juniors Cup (2000 and 2014).[edit]

América Futebol Clube was founded on April 30, 1912, by a group of young men from Belo Horizonte's elite. The club's first decade was spectacular: from 1916 to 1925, they won ten consecutive Campeonato Mineiro titles, a feat unmatched in Brazilian football until ABC matched it decades later. That run established América as a powerhouse in Minas Gerais.

The 1930s brought turbulence. In 1933, as Brazilian football turned professional, América's board decided to protest by abandoning their traditional white and green for red kits. For nine seasons, the team played as the "Rubro" América, a visual declaration against the commercialization of the sport. They returned to white and green in 1942.

América spent most of the 20th century as a state-level force but struggled nationally. They reached the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A's top half only sporadically. The club's first national title came in 1997, when they won the Série B. Relegation followed, but they bounced back to win the Série C in 2009. A second Série B title in 2017 returned them to the top flight, where they have since established themselves as a steady Série A presence. In 2022, América finished 6th, qualifying for the Copa Libertadores group stage for the first time since 2001.

Beyond the first team, América's youth academy has been a pipeline for Brazilian football. Tostão, the genius of the 1970 World Cup-winning team, began here. Éder Aleixo, with his thunderous left foot, emerged in the 1970s. More recently, Gilberto Silva, Fred, Danilo, and Richarlison all honed their craft at the club's CT (training center) before moving to Europe. The academy's junior teams have won the Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior, the Brazilian U-20 Championship, and the Belo Horizonte Juniors Cup.[edit]