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C.D. Santa Clara

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Santa Clara
Full nameClube Desportivo Santa Clara
NicknameOs Açorianos (The Azoreans)
Founded1921; 105 years ago (1921)
GroundEstádio de São Miguel,
Ponta Delgada, Portugal
Capacity12,500
PresidentBruno Vicintin
Head coachPetit
LeaguePrimeira Liga
2025–26Primeira Liga, 13th of 18
Websitecdsantaclara.com Edit this at Wikidata
Current season

Clube Desportivo Santa Clara is a Portuguese professional football club from Ponta Delgada, Azores. As the most successful football team from the Azores Islands, they are the only team from the archipelago to compete in a UEFA competition, having qualified for the UEFA Intertoto Cup and the UEFA Europa Conference League.

Santa Clara is the only club from the Azores to have competed in the top division of the Portuguese Liga, being thus the westernmost top-flight club in Europe. They compete in the Primeira Liga, the Portuguese first division football league. Santa Clara's kit manufacturer is Umbro and their main sponsor is Lebull. The main local rivals are CD Operário from Lagoa on the same island of São Miguel. Other major rivals are C.S. Marítimo and C.D. Nacional, from the island of Madeira.

History

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Santa Clara reached the Primeira Liga for the first time by coming third in the 1998–99 Liga de Honra, but were instantly relegated back in last place. The team bounced back by winning the 2000–01 Segunda Liga under Manuel Fernandes and later Carlos Manuel. Fernandes, who left for Sporting CP in January 2001, returned in October.[1]

Despite coming 14th in their first top-flight season, Santa Clara were chosen by UEFA to play in the 2002 UEFA Intertoto Cup when Vitória S.C. withdrew, needing the summer to renovate their Estádio D. Afonso Henriques for UEFA Euro 2004.[2] They beat Armenia's Shirak FC 5–3 on aggregate in the first round before falling 9–2 to Czechs FK Teplice in the second.[3] Santa Clara were relegated in 2003,[4] and then spent the next 15 years in the second tier, with the lowest point being 2014–15 when the club came 19th, saving themselves from relegation with three games remaining.[5]

In 2018, Carlos Pinto's Santa Clara team ended their exile by finishing second to C.D. Nacional, and he subsequently left.[6] His successor João Henriques led Santa Clara to two consecutive 10th-placed finishes, their best results for position and points (43) in their history. He left in July 2020, having secured a third consecutive top-flight season for the first time in club history.[7] Under his successor Daniel Ramos in 2020–21, the club finished a best-ever sixth to qualify for the inaugural UEFA Conference League.[8]

Santa Clara defeated KF Shkupi (North Macedonia) and NK Olimpija Ljubljana (Slovenia) before falling to FK Partizan (Serbia) in the Conference League playoffs.[9] Ramos left unexpectedly in October 2021 with the team in 15th.[10] Mário Silva concluded the season with the team in 7th, earning a two-year contract extension, as well as taking the team to the semi-finals of the Taça da Liga (at FC Porto's expense) for the first time.[11] Silva was sacked in January 2023 with the team 15th after as many games;[12] the form did not improve under successors Jorge Simão and Danildo Accioly and Santa Clara finished last, ending five years in the top flight.[13]

The following season, under new manager Vasco Matos, Santa Clara were crowned champions of the 2023-24 Liga Portugal 2, securing their promotion back to the top flight of Portuguese football. The 2024-25 Primeira Liga season saw Santa Clara finish with a club record 57 points, good enough for 5th place and qualification to the 2025-26 UEFA Conference League for the second time in club history.

Stadium

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Santa Clara play in the 12,500-seat Estádio de São Miguel in Ponta Delgada, the largest city in the Azores.[14] Prior to this, the club also used Campo Municipal Jácome Correia to host home games.[15]

Honours

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Players

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Current squad

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As of 29 June, 2026[16]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK  BRA Gabriel Batista
2 DF  MOZ Diogo Calila
4 DF  POR Pedro Pacheco
5 DF  BRA Guilherme Romão (on loan from Atlético Goianiense)
7 FW  BRA Elias Manoel (on loan from Botafogo)
8 MF  POR Pedro Ferreira
11 FW  BRA Brenner Lucas
12 GK  BRA Neneca
17 FW  POR João Costa
21 DF  POR Frederico Venâncio
23 DF  BRA Sidney Lima
26 FW  BRA Fernando
No. Pos. Nation Player
27 FW  BRA Vitinho
32 DF  BRA MT
39 FW  POR Gonçalo Paciência
42 DF  BRA Lucas Soares
44 DF  BRA Marcos Victor (on loan from Bahia)
46 FW  BRA Rildo
49 FW  BRA Welinton Torrão
65 MF  CPV Djé
70 FW  BRA Vinícius Lopes
78 MF  BRA Andrey
94 DF  BRA Henrique Silva

Out on loan

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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
3 DF  BRA Alysson (at Farense until 30 June 2026)
9 FW  BRA Jader Gentil (at Cuiabá until 30 June 2026)
13 DF  BRA Douglas Borel (at Oliveirense until 30 June 2026)
16 MF  POR Miguel Pires (at Leiria until 30 June 2026)
18 MF  BRA Matheusinho (at Ceará until 31 December 2026)
19 FW  POR Bruno Almeida (at Farense until 30 June 2026)
22 DF  BRA Edney (at Portimonense until 30 June 2026)`
No. Pos. Nation Player
31 GK  BRA Denivys (at União de Santarém until 30 June 2026)
36 DF  BRA Thauan Lara (at Portimonense until 30 June 2026)
41 MF  BRA Dani Borges (at Leiria until 30 June 2026)
48 MF  BRA Mateus Sarará (at Portimonense until 30 June 2026)
50 FW  BRA Wendel Silva (at Ceará until 30 June 2026)
52 FW  POR Henrique Pereira (at Chaves until 30 June 2026)

International players

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Pauleta played for Santa Clara in 1991 at youth level before moving on to bigger clubs where he would become one of the best Portuguese strikers of all time.

Coaching staff

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Position Name
Manager Portugal Vasco Matos
Assistant manager Portugal João Batista
Portugal João Pereira
First-team coach Portugal Leandro Pires
Goalkeeper coach Brazil Luciano Oliveira
Fitness coach Brazil Rogério Juidecce
Portugal João Gavazzo
Analyst Portugal Nicolau Carvalho
Physiotherapist Brazil André Rocha
Portugal Diogo Moniz
Portugal Bruno Viveiros
Portugal Jony Xavier
Portugal Francisco Silva Cabral
Physiologist Portugal Rafael Gregório
Chief scout Portugal Diogo Fonseca
Scout Portugal Hugo Melo
Manuel Sousa
Sporting director Portugal Paulo Clemente
Squad planner Brazil Rafael Andrade
Academy manager Portugal Leandro Rodrigues
Portugal Luís Pires
Kit manager Portugal Alfredo Arruda

Managers

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  • Portugal Vasco Matos (1 July 2023 – 31 January 2026)
  • Portugal Petit (3 February 2026 – present)

League and cup history

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Season Div. Pos. Pl. W D L GS GA P Cup League Cup Notes
1982–83 3DS 7 3012612 423930 Round 2
1983–84 3DS 7 3012711 383231 Round 2
1984–85 3DS 10 3011613 322628 Round 2
1985–86 3DS 4 301488 342036 Round 2
1986–87 3DS 2 301686 542940 Round 1 Promoted
1987–88 2DS 20 3851320 195123 Round 3 Relegated
1988–89 3DS 10 3413912 353235 Round 2
1989–90 3DS 1 341897 544145 Round 2 Promoted
1990–91 2DS 14 3412917 405633 Round 2 Relegated
1991–92 3DS 5 3415910 553439 Round 2
1992–93 3DS 14 3481412 274030 Round 1
1993–94 3DS 13 3410915 285229 Round 1
1994–95 3DS 18 343922 207015 Round 1
1995–96 3DS 1 261673 481555 Round 1 Promoted
1996–97 2DS 2 341969 673663 Round 3
1997–98 2DS 1 341885 603165 Round 4 Promoted
1998–99 2H 3 3413137 533755 Round 5 Promoted
1999–00 1D 18 3471017 355031 Round 5 Relegated
2000–01 2H 1 342077 603767 Round 3 Promoted
2001–02 1D 14 3491015 324637 Round 5
2002–03 1D 17 3481115 395435 Round 5 Relegated
2003–04 2H 13 3411914 414442 Round 3
2004–05 2H 15 3411617 394939 Round 4
2005–06 2H 6 3413129 453251 Round 4
2006–07 2H 4 3015510 343150 Round 4
2007–08 2H 10 3010713 315037 Round 4 Round 1
2008–09 2H 3 301578 453252 Round 5 Round 1
2009–10 2H 4 3013125 452951 Round 4 First Group Stage
2010–11 2H 9 3010812 262938 Round 3 First Group Stage
2011–12 2H 12 3081012 293834 Round 2 Second Group Stage
2012–13 2H 11 42151413 554859 Round 4 Round 2
2013–14 2H 15 4213920 384648 Round 3 Round 2
2014–15 2H 19 46102115 334251 Round 2 Round 1
2015–16 2H 16 46151219 495257 Round 3 Round 1
2016–17 2H 10 42161214 424260 Round 4 Round 2
2017–18 2H 2 38 19 9 10 55 40 66 Round 5 Round 2 Promoted
2018–19 1D 10 34 11 9 14 43 45 42 Round 4 Round 2
2019–20 1D 9 34 11 10 13 36 41 43 Round 5 Round 3
2020–21 1D 6 34 13 7 14 44 36 46 Quarter-finals
2021–22 1D 7 34 9 13 12 38 54 40 Round 3 Semi-finals
2022–23 1D 18 34 5 7 22 26 58 22 Round 3 Group stage Relegated
2023–24 2D 1 34 21 10 3 48 19 73 Quarter-finals First round Promoted
2024–25 1D 5 34 17 6 11 36 32 57 Fifth round Quarter-finals Best league finish
2025–26 1D 13 34 9 9 16 32 41 36 Fifth round Quarter-finals

European record

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UEFA club competition record

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Season Competition Round Opponent Home Away Aggregate
2002–03 Intertoto Cup R1 Armenia Shirak 2–0 3–3 5–3
R2 Czech Republic Teplice 1–4 1–5 2–9
2021–22 Europa Conference League 2QR North Macedonia Shkupi 2–0 3–0 5–0
3QR Slovenia Olimpija Ljubljana 2–0 1−0 3−0
PO Serbia Partizan 2–1 0–2 2–3
2025–26 Conference League 2QR Croatia Varaždin 2–0 1–2 3–2
3QR Northern Ireland Larne 0–0 3–0 3–0
PO Republic of Ireland Shamrock Rovers 1–2 0–0 1–2

UEFA coefficient

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Correct as of 21 May 2025.[17]

Rank Team Points
129Portugal F.C. Arouca12.453
130Portugal Gil Vicente F.C.12.453
131Portugal C.D. Santa Clara12.453
132Portugal F.C. Paços de Ferreira12.453
133Portugal Rio Ave F.C.12.453

References

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  1. ↑ "Manuel Fernandes já orientou treino do Santa Clara" (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 3 October 2001. Archived from the original on 6 June 2022. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  2. ↑ "Santa Clara substitui minhotos na Taça Intertoto" [Santa Clara replaced Minho Province team in Intertoto Cup]. Record (in Portuguese). 9 May 2002. Archived from the original on 27 August 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  3. ↑ "Santa Clara eliminado da Intertoto" [Santa Clara eliminated from the Intertoto]. Record (in Portuguese). 13 July 2002. Archived from the original on 27 August 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  4. ↑ "Carlos Alberto Silva de saída" [Carlos Alberto Silva leaving]. Record (in Portuguese). 28 May 2003. Archived from the original on 27 August 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  5. ↑ "Trofense-Santa Clara, 0-0: Insulares garantem permanência" [Trofense 0-0 Santa Clara: Islanders guarantee survival]. Sábado (in Portuguese). 6 May 2015. Archived from the original on 3 June 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  6. ↑ "Carlos Pinto deixa o Santa Clara após subida à I Liga" [Carlos Pinto leaves Santa Clara after promotion to the I Liga]. Público (in Portuguese). 14 May 2018. Archived from the original on 6 June 2022. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  7. ↑ "João Henriques sai do Santa Clara depois de duas épocas de recordes" [João Henriques leaves Santa Clara after two record-breaking seasons]. Observador (in Portuguese). 24 July 2020. Archived from the original on 26 July 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  8. ↑ "Liga: Santa Clara garante qualificação europeia" [Liga: Santa Clara guarantee European qualification] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 19 May 2021. Archived from the original on 27 August 2023. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
  9. ↑ Salvador, Rui (26 August 2021). "Santa Clara perde com Partizan e Paços de Ferreira derrotado em Londres. Falham fase de grupos da Liga Conferência" [Santa Clara lose to Partizan and Paços de Ferreira defeated in London. They miss the Conference League group stage]. Observador (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 18 July 2023. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  10. ↑ "Daniel Ramos abandona Santa Clara rumo a "grande oportunidade"" [Daniel Ramos abandons Santa Clara for a "great opportunity"]. Público (in Portuguese). 5 October 2021. Archived from the original on 18 July 2023. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  11. ↑ "Santa Clara renova com o treinador Mário Silva por duas épocas" [Santa Clara renew with manager Mário Silva for two seasons]. Observador (in Portuguese). 19 May 2022. Archived from the original on 18 July 2023. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  12. ↑ "Mário Silva deixa comando técnico do Santa Clara" [Mário Silva leaves the helm of Santa Clara]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 6 January 2023. Archived from the original on 8 January 2023. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
  13. ↑ ""Ninguém da administração do Santa Clara vai a lugar nenhum"" ["Nobody from the Santa Clara administration is going anywhere"]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 20 May 2023. Archived from the original on 18 July 2023. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  14. ↑ klaiber-it.de, Timo Klaiber. "Estádio de São Miguel". Europlan-Online. Retrieved 2025-01-15.
  15. ↑ "Estádio Municipal Jácome Correia comemora 75 anos". Açoriano Oriental (in Portuguese). 27 January 2021. Retrieved 28 September 2025.
  16. ↑ "Plantel" (in Portuguese). CD Santa Clara. Archived from the original on 2023-12-04. Retrieved 2023-09-27.
  17. ↑ "Club coefficients". UEFA. 30 June 2024. Retrieved 24 May 2025.
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