Real Esteli Fútbol Club is a
NicaraguaNicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
n
footballAssociation football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
club playing in the top national league, the Campeonato Nacional de Fútbol de Primera División (First Division National Championship). The club play out of their home stadium,
Estadio IndependenciaEstadio Independencia is a multi-use stadium in Estelí, Nicaragua. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home stadium to Real Estelí. The stadium holds 4,800 people....
, based in the northern city of
EstelíEstelí, officially Villa de San Antonio de Pavia de Estelí is a city and municipality within the Estelí department. It is the third largest city in Nicaragua, an active commercial center in the north and is known as "the Diamond of the Segovias."...
.
Real Esteli is the second most successful club in Nicaragua (behind
Diriangén FCDiriangén FC is a Nicaraguan football team playing at the top level. It is based in Diriamba. Their home stadium is Estadio Cacique Diriangén. It is the most successful club in Nicaragua's football history and it shares a feisty rivalry with Nicaragua's second big club, Real Estelí-Current...
), earning a combined 10 national Apertura/Clausura championships.
History
The club was founded in 1960 as
Estelí FC, but acquired its current name in 1961. Real Estelí FC plays at the
Estadio IndependenciaEstadio Independencia is a multi-use stadium in Estelí, Nicaragua. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home stadium to Real Estelí. The stadium holds 4,800 people....
, one of the biggest stadiums in Nicaragua, with a capacity of 4,800. The club is known by the nickname,
El Tren del Norte (
Train of the North), coming as it does, from the northern region of Las Segovias.
The club made history in Nicaraguan and Central American Football in 2004, eliminating favorites Real España in the First Round of the
Copa Interclubes UNCAFThe UNCAF Club Tournament was an annual international football competition held in the UNCAF region . The competition was open to the leading domestic club teams in the region. The winners of each national league qualified automatically. It also provided qualification places for the CONCACAF...
, becoming the first Nicaraguan football team in history to advance to the second round of the tournament.
Real Estelí FC has finished in the top five of Nicaragua's top division every year since 1986 and has achieved some of the highest attendances in the league during this period.
Crest
The club crest consists of a crown, representing 'Real' (meaning 'Royal'). Similar crowns can be seen on the crests of many other clubs with the prefix 'Real', such as Spanish clubs
Real BetisReal Betis Balompié S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Seville, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. Founded on 12 September 1907, it currently plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadio Benito Villamarín....
,
Real ZaragozaReal Zaragoza, S.A.D. is a Spanish association football team from Zaragoza in Spain. Founded on 18 March 1932, Real Zaragoza have spent the majority of their 78 year history in the Spanish top-flight. Real Zaragoza are Spain's 9th highest ranked team in overall league points...
and
Real Madrid C.F.Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
The two gold stars of the crest mark the first two national championships won by the club (in 1991 and 1999), while the red and white striped shield represents the club colours as used on team shirts. The logo was redesigned and digitalised in 2000 by Nakor'd J. García and Michael D. Raney (current President/CEO of the World Football Organization), based on the original design by Arnulfo Rivera Zeledón and Johnny Herrera Vallejos.
'El Clásico' rivalry
There is often a fierce rivalry between the two strongest teams in the national league, where the game between Real Estelí and
Diriangén FCDiriangén FC is a Nicaraguan football team playing at the top level. It is based in Diriamba. Their home stadium is Estadio Cacique Diriangén. It is the most successful club in Nicaragua's football history and it shares a feisty rivalry with Nicaragua's second big club, Real Estelí-Current...
has become known as
El Clásico (
The Classic).
Current squad
Squad Changes Apertura 2011
In: José Flores Bedoy -
Transferred from Dorados Sinaloa
Out: Juan José Tablada -
Transferred to Managua F.C.Managua Futbol Club is a Nicaraguan professional football club based in Managua, Nicaragua. The team was promoted to the first division for the first time in their history in 2010.-Current squad:-Squad Changes 2011 Apertura:...
Raul LeguiasRaúl Moisés Leguías Ávila is a football forward who currently plays Primera División de Nicaragua team Real Esteli F.C..-Career:...
-
Transferred to Managua F.C.Managua Futbol Club is a Nicaraguan professional football club based in Managua, Nicaragua. The team was promoted to the first division for the first time in their history in 2010.-Current squad:-Squad Changes 2011 Apertura:...
Domestic
- Primera División de Nicaragua
Primera División de Nicaragua is the top division of the Federación Nicaragüense de Fútbol, it was created in 1933. It is played in two parts, Torneo de Apertura and Torneo de Clausura. In each there is a play-off of the top 4 teams in a 2-leg semi-final and final...
: 10
- 1991, 1999, 2003, 2003 A, 2004 C, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 C, 2011 C.
- Copa de Nicaragua
The Copa de Nicaragua is the top knockout tournament of the Nicaragua football.-Winners:*1983 : Deportivo Masaya*1984 : FC San Marcos*1991 : Real Estelí*1995 : FC San Marcos*1996 : Diriangén FC bt Real Estelí...
: 1
- 1991.
- Finalisima: 1
- 2009.
Performance in CONCACAF competitions
- CONCACAF Champions League
The CONCACAF Champions League is the annual international club football championship for teams from the CONCACAF region ....
: 2 appearances
-
- Best: Preliminary Round in 2008
- 2008 : Preliminary Round
- 2011 : Preliminary Round
- Copa Interclubes UNCAF
The UNCAF Club Tournament was an annual international football competition held in the UNCAF region . The competition was open to the leading domestic club teams in the region. The winners of each national league qualified automatically. It also provided qualification places for the CONCACAF...
: 5 appearances
-
- Best: Quarterfinals in 2004
- 2000 : First Round
- 2003 : First Round
- 2004 : Quarter Final
- 2006 : First Round
- 2007 : First Round
Jersey sponsors
| Period |
Kit manufacturer |
Shirt partner |
| 1998–2001 |
Galaxia |
| 2000-2008 |
Enitel |
| 2008–Present |
Movistar Movistar is a major Spanish mobile phone operator owned by Telefónica Móviles. It operates in Spain and in many Latin American countries. It is the largest carrier in Spain with 22 million customers and 41.58% of market share. Its principal competitor in Latin America is America Movil...
|
| 2008–Present |
La Curacao |
| 2011–Present |
Yahoo! |
Notable players
Néstor Ariel Holweger (2005) Víctor Hugo Sánchez
Hugo SilvaRafael Hugo Fernández Silva is a Spanish actor.-Early life:Silva was born in San Blas, Madrid, Spain. He began working as an electrician but, with his mother's encouragement, soon decided to try to be an actor...
Clayton da Cunha (2009)
Fernando MarquesJosé Fernando Marqués Martín is a Spanish footballer who plays for Parma F.C. in Italy, as a midfielder.-Club career:...
Rafael Costa Santos Henry Barrientos Juan Pablo Chacon (2008-2010) Milciades Mines Azarías Alvaro Hidalgo Sabino Soto
Carlos AlvarengaCarlos Alvarenga is a Paraguayan footballer currently playing for Sport Huancayo of the Primera División in Peru....
Julio Caesar Barahona Chica Batres Cacaraca Luis Coreas
René Domínguez (1999) Juvenal Miguel Ángel Riquelme (1999) Mauricio Alvarez (1978–79) Selvin Álvarez Adam Amador Manuel Ayala Mariano Crisanto Meléndez
Eugenio Dolmo Flores (2003-04) Oswaldo Funnes
Oscar Lagos (2006-07) Adolfo Linares Mandingo
Elmer MejiaElmer Mejia is an Honduran footballer who currently plays for Real Esteli F.C.....
(2004-) Vanny Mejía Hommer Miranda Fredal Murillo Samuel Padilla
Portillo Sargento Riera Rodríguez Caneiro Meylin Soto Tecate Joaquín Vega (1978–79) Alejandro Leroy Woods Armando Chafirra Sergio Chamorro (1999–06)
Salvador Dubois LeivaSalvador Dubois Leiva is a Retired Nicaraguan footballer, who is consider one of the players to have played for the Nicaragua national football team and Honduran powerhouse C.D. Motagua.-External links:*http://www.manfut.org/museos/sf-DuboisSalvador.html...
Ali Farach Jerónimo Flores Rosendo Flores Noel Gámez Harold Jarquín Iván Kauffmann Alberto López (Jalapa) Arístides Medrano
Carlos MendietaCarlos Mendieta y Montefur was a Cuban politician and Provisional President of Cuba.A chief opponent of Gerardo Machado, Mendieta was installed as provisional President of Cuba in 1934 by a coup led by Fulgencio Batista. During his presidency, women gained the right to vote and the Platt Amendment...
(2005-) Omar "La Araña" Molina Alfredo Núñez Danilo Núñez
Ramón Otoniel OlivasRamón Otoniel Olivas Ruiz is a Retired Nicaraguan footballer, who is consider one of the best players to have played for the Nicaragua national football team.-External links:...
Glenn Omier Narciso Sotomayor
Danny "La Pantera" TéllezDanny Ernesto Téllez Murillo is a Nicaraguan footballer, Who played for the Nicaragua national football team and several Clubs AT home and Abroad.-External links:* * * *...
Carmelo Terán Leonel Urtecho Julio Villalta
Raúl LeguíasRaúl Moisés Leguías Ávila is a football forward who currently plays Primera División de Nicaragua team Real Esteli F.C..-Career:...
Barú Santiago Otero Díaz Francisco Pérez Baho Jonas Matersson
Notable Coaches
Rigoberto Núñez (1961) Leonidas Rodríguez Rodríguez (1991)
Ramón Otoniel OlivasRamón Otoniel Olivas Ruiz is a Retired Nicaraguan footballer, who is consider one of the best players to have played for the Nicaragua national football team.-External links:...
(2004–08) Roy Posas (2009)
Ramón Otoniel OlivasRamón Otoniel Olivas Ruiz is a Retired Nicaraguan footballer, who is consider one of the best players to have played for the Nicaragua national football team.-External links:...
(2010-)
External links
- http://www.concacaf.com/view_article.aspx?id=4288
- http://www.realestelifc.com