C.F. União

Clube de Futebol União, commonly known as União or União da Madeira, was a Portuguese football club based in Funchal, Madeira, notable for its six appearances in the Portuguese top-flight Primeira Liga, between the 1989–90 and 1991–92 seasons, the 1993–94 and 1994–95 seasons^{[1][2][3][4][5]} and most recently in the 2015–16 season.^[6]

União da Madeira

Full name	Clube de Futebol União
Nickname(s)	União da Bola (Union of the ball) Unionistas (Unionists)
Founded	1 November 1913; 110 years ago (1913-11-01) (as União Futebol Clube)
Dissolved	23 November 2021; 2 years ago (2021-11-23)
Ground	Campo do Adelino Rodrigues, Funchal
Capacity	3,000
Home colours Away colours

The club was originally founded on 1 November 1913, thus being one of the oldest football clubs in Portugal,^[7] and maintained a strong local rivalry with neighbours Marítimo and Nacional da Madeira throughout much of its history. After building mounting debts,^[8] and failing to fulfil consecutive matches leading to disqualification from competing in the Campeonato de Portugal^[9] – the country's fourth-tier league – União da Madeira were forcibly dissolved on 23 November 2021.^[10]

As a sports club, União da Madeira had sports departments for Basketball, Fencing, Football, handball, Roller Hockey, Rugby and Volleyball.^[11][12][13] The professional football team were notably sponsored by the Museu CR7, the local museum dedicated to Cristiano Ronaldo, who was born in Funchal.^[14]

A new phoenix club, União da Bola Futebol Clube was founded in 2022, with the aim of "honouring the legacy" of the demised club. The club entered a senior football team into the 1ª Divisão of the Madeira Football Association.^[15]

History

The club was founded on 1 November 1913 initially as União Futebol Clube by, among others, César da Silva, João Fernandes Rosa, Alexandre Vasconcelos, José Anastácio do Nascimento and José Fernandes. The founding members shortly after its establishment decided to change the club's name to Clube de Futebol União in 1916.^[7]

Shortly after Ângelo Olim Marote was appointed as the very first chairman of the club. A few years later the club was a founding member of the Madeira Football Association which it is still a part of today as well as competing in its annual AF Madeira Cup.

União won the third-tier championship in 2010–11, thereby returning to the professional leagues after seven years away.^[16] In 2014–15, managed by promotion specialist Vítor Oliveira, the club came runners-up in Segunda Liga behind C.D. Tondela and reached the Primeira Liga for the first time in two decades.^[17]

The club's spell in the top flight lasted only one season, and União were relegated in 2016.^[18] Two years later, they fell into the third tier again, with two games left to play of the season.^[19][20] In 2020–21, the club and fellow Madeirans A.D. Camacha and CSD Câmara de Lobos withdrew at the halfway point due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, but were not relegated.^[21] União da Madeira were forcibly dissolved and the club officially closed on 23 November 2021.^[22]

Stadium

Main article: Campo do Adelino Rodrigues

Since leaving the Estádio dos Barreiros in 2008, União played at a variety of home grounds

União's most recent home ground was the Campo do Adelino Rodrigues. The club led a nomadic existence since leaving the Estádio dos Barreiros in 2008 when the stadium was purchased by joint tenants and local rivals Marítimo from the local municipality.

They played at the Campo do Adelino Rodrigues for a short period before winning promotion back to the Segunda Liga in 2011 rendered that stadium as inadequate. União returned to Barreiros for the 2011–12 season before relocating to the 3,300-capacity municipal stadium in Machico for the 2012–13 campaign and then again to the Centro Desportivo da Madeira at Ribeira Brava in 2014. Whilst remaining at the modest 2,500-seat venue after winning promotion to the Primeira Liga in 2015, the club had an agreement with top division rivals Nacional to play its high-profile home games at their larger stadium, the Estádio da Madeira. The stadium previously hosted several cup matches. In 2018, União were relegated from the Segunda Liga and in December 2018, they returned to Campo do Adelino Rodrigues.

Current squad

Updated 27 September 2017^[23]

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

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  POR Edgar Mendonça 3 DF  CGO Dorvel Dibékou 6 MF  BDI Christophe Nduwarugira (on loan from Chibuto) 7 FW  BRA Danilo Dias 8 MF  SEN Pathé Ciss 9 FW  GNB Flávio 10 MF  POR Mica 11 FW  POR Betinho 13 DF  SEN Alhassane Sylla 15 DF  CIV Romaric 17 FW  CPV Júnior 19 MF  SEN Nestor Mendy 20 DF  POR Tiago Moreira 22 MF  BRA Bruno Morais 24 DF  CPV Tiago Almeida

No. Pos. Nation Player 30 DF  POR Nuno Lopes 33 DF  POR Paulo Vasconcelos 44 DF  POR Miguel Lourenço 52 MF  CPV Rudy 70 FW  BRA Moicano 72 FW  BRA Rodrigo Henrique 77 MF  POR André Carvalhas 83 DF  BRA Rafael Donato 91 FW  NGA Bolaji Oyetii 93 DF  BRA Laércio 94 GK  BRA Raví 98 MF  BRA Peterson 99 GK  VEN Mário Pellicer

Honours

National

• Portuguese Second Division: 3
  • 1988–89, 2001–02, 2010–11

Regional

• AF Madeira Championship (tier 4): 16
  • 1920–21, 1927–28, 1931–32, 1933–34, 1937–38, 1956–57, 1958–59, 1959–60, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1973–74, 1977–78, 1979–80
• AF Madeira Cup: 17
  • 1945–46, 1956–57, 1957–58, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1992–93, 1994–95, 2002–03, 2004–05

Managerial history

• Victor Stansel (1927–28)
• Niculau Rodriguez (1940–41)
• Medina (1950–51)
• Ruperto Garcia (1958–59)
• Serafim Neves (1961–62)
• Lourenço (1973–74)
• Quim Teixeira (1974–75)
• Rosário (1977–78)
• Fernando Casaca (1980–82)
• Miguel Diogo (1982–83)
• Alexander Horváth (1984–85)
• Mário Morais (1985)
• Mourinho Félix (1985–86)
• Carlos Cardoso (1986–87)
• Rui Mâncio (1987–93)
• Ernesto Paulo (1993–97)
• Vítor Urbano (1997–98)
• Jorge Jesus (1998)
• Fernando Festas (1998–99)
• Rui Mâncio (1999)
• Eduardo Luís (1999)
• Manuel Balela (1999–00)
• Vítor Urbano (2000–01)
• Manuel Balela (2001–02)
• Horácio Gonçalves (2002–03)
• Vitor Manuel (2003–04)
• Bruno Cardoso (2004)
• Ernesto Paulo (2004–06)
• José Rachão (2006)
• Bruno Cardoso (2006–07)
• Carlos Condeço (2007–08)
• Edson Porto (2008–09)
• Daniel Quintal (2009–10)
• Daniel Ramos (2010–11)
• João Abel (2011)
• Predrag Jokanović (2011–13)
• José Barros (2013–14)
• Mário Nunes (2014)
• Rui Mâncio (2014)
• Vítor Oliveira (2014–15)
• Norton de Matos (2015–16)
• Filó (2016)
• José Viterbo (2017)
• Jorge Casquilha (2017)
• Paulo Alves (2017)
• José Viterbo (2017–18)
• Ricardo Chéu (2018)
• Nuno Pinto Gomes (2018–19)
• Marco Camacho (2019)
• Fábio Pereira (2019–)

Chairmen history

• Ângelo Olim Marote (1913–14)
• Simeão Vieira (1914–15)
• Luís Inácio Ferreira (1915–16)
• Luis da Costa (1916–19)
• José Julião de Freitas (1919–21)
• Luís Inácio Ferreira (1921–22)
• Alferes Couto Vaz (1922–24)
• Elmano Augusto Vieira (1924–27)
• Luís Inácio Ferreira (1927–28)
• Alferes Filipe de Freitas (1928–29)
• Ernesto Acciaioly (1929–30)
• Juvenal de Carvalho (1930–31)
• Alvaro Castro Fagundes (1931–32)
• Agostinho Dias (1932–33)
• José da Silva Coelho (1933–35)
• Raul Simões Dias Paquete (1935–36)
• Carlos Passos Pestana (1936–38)
• Luís Sequeira (1938–39)
• César Augusto Pestana (1939–41)
• Leonel Silva (1941–43)
• José da Silva (1943–44)
• Elmano Augusto Vieira (1944–45)
• Luis da Costa (1945–46)
• Francisco Parente (1946–47)
• Abel Correia (1947–52)
• Mateus da Silva (1952–54)
• João Nepomuceno (1954–55)
• Vasco Andrade (1955–56)
• Luis Sotero Gomes (1956–58)
• Mateus da Silva (1958–59)
• Luis Sotero Gomes (1959–61)
• Leonel de Mendonça (1961–63)
• Mateus da Silva (1963–64)
• Mateus da Silva (1965–66)
• Luis Sotero Gomes (1966–67)
• João Edmundo Faria (1967–68)
• Rui Firmino Neponuceno (1972–74)
• Luis Sotero Gomes (1974–75)
• Jaime Ernesto Ramos (1975–76)
• Ramiro dos Santos Lopes (1983–84)
• Jaime Ernesto Ramos (1986–00)
• Roberto Marote (2002–10)
• Jaime Lucas (2010–)

League and cup history

Season	League									Cup	League Cup	Notes
	Tier	Pos	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pts
1988–89	2	↑ 1	34	20	9	5	54	22	49	Round 1		Promoted
1989–90	1	16	34	5	14	15	24	45	24	Round 6
1990–91		12	38	9	15	14	30	51	33	Round 5
1991–92		↓ 18	34	9	6	19	30	58	24	Round 5		Relegated
1992–93	2	↑ 2	34	18	11	5	60	34	47	Round 5		Promoted
1993–94	1	12	34	11	9	14	36	42	31	Round 5
1994–95		↓ 16	34	7	10	17	30	54	24	Round 4		Relegated
1995–96	2	7	34	14	9	11	43	37	51	Round 4
1996–97		11	34	11	10	13	40	45	43	Round 5
1997–98		12	34	11	8	15	36	48	41	Round 3
1998–99		↓ 17	34	8	9	17	34	50	33	Round 3		Relegated
1999–00	3	3	38	21	9	8	65	37	72	Round 4
2000–01		2	38	18	9	11	46	37	63	Round 2
2001–02		↑ 1	38	24	9	5	69	24	81	Round 3		Promoted
2002–03	2	15	34	10	10	14	31	18	40	Round 4
2003–04		↓ 18	34	4	15	15	39	53	27	Round 4		Relegated
2004–05	3	3	38	18	9	11	46	37	63	Round 3
2005–06		2	26	13	6	7	45	22	45	Round 2
2006–07		1	26	17	3	6	53	21	54	Round 4		[A]
2007–08		1	26	15	6	5	43	17	51	Round 2		[A]
2008–09		2	22	14	5	3	38	15	47	Round 4
2009–10		1	30	23	5	2	70	25	74	Round 4		[A]
2010–11		↑ 1	30	20	7	3	53	18	67	Round 5		Promoted
2011–12	2	10	30	9	10	11	35	40	37	Round 2	Round 2
2012–13		10	42	13	17	12	47	46	56	Round 3	Round 2
2013–14		13	42	14	10	18	50	46	52	Round 2	Round 1
2014–15		↑ 2	46	22	14	10	69	39	80	Round 2	Round 3	Promoted
2015–16	1	↓ 17	34	7	8	19	27	50	29	Round 4	Round 2	Relegated
2016–17	2	3	42	17	13	12	52	43	64	Round 3	Round 2
2017–18		↓ 17	38	12	8	18	44	53	44	Round 5	Round 3	Relegated
2018–19	3	11	34	12	8	14	28	32	44	Round 4
2019–20		-	34	-	-	-	-	-	-	Round 2

A. ^A Reached the playoffs.

Last updated: 15 January 2020

References

1. "Campeonato Nacional da I Divisão 1989/90" [National Championship of the I Division 1989/90]. ZeroZero (in Portuguese). 19 July 2012. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
2. "Campeonato Nacional da I Divisão 1990/91" [National Championship of the I Division 1990/91]. ZeroZero (in Portuguese). 19 July 2012. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
3. "Campeonato Nacional da I Divisão 1991/92" [National Championship of the I Division 1991/92]. ZeroZero (in Portuguese). 19 July 2012. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
4. "Campeonato Nacional da I Divisão 1993/94" [National Championship of the I Division 1993/94]. ZeroZero (in Portuguese). 19 July 2012. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
5. "Campeonato Nacional da I Divisão 1994/95" [National Championship of the I Division 1994/95]. ZeroZero (in Portuguese). 19 July 2012. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
6. "Liga NOS 2015/16". ZeroZero (in Portuguese). Retrieved 15 January 2020.
7. "O Club" [The Club]. uniaodamadeira.com (in Portuguese). 19 July 2012. Archived from the original on 18 October 2011. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
8. "Milhões de euros depois". Diário de Notícias Madeira (in Portuguese). Retrieved 31 December 2021.
9. "União da Madeira fora do Campeonato de Portugal". A Bola (in Portuguese). Retrieved 31 December 2021.
10. "Aprovada dissolução e encerramento do Clube Futebol União". Diário de Notícias Madeira (in Portuguese). Retrieved 31 December 2021.
11. "Modalidades". uniaodamadeira.com (in Portuguese). 19 July 2012. Archived from the original on 30 November 2015. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
12. "CLUBE FUTEBOL UNIÃO RUGBY". uniaorugby.blogspot.co.uk/ (in Portuguese). 19 July 2012. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
13. "Instituto do Desporto da RAM" [Institute of Sport of RAM] (PDF). idram.pt (in Portuguese). 19 July 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
14. "Museu CR7 patrocina União da Madeira por mais uma época" (in Portuguese). 27 June 2017. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
15. ""União da bola" está de volta" ["União da Bola" is back] (in Portuguese). Rádio e Televisão de Portugal. 30 August 2022. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
16. "Luís Miguel para subir" [Luís Miguel to go up]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 14 June 2011. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
17. Gomes de Andrade, Miguel (24 May 2015). "Vítor Oliveira: o campeão das subidas só quer "um projeto sólido" na Liga" [Vítor Oliveira: the promotion champion only wants "a solid project" in the Liga] (in Portuguese). TVI 24. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
18. "União da Madeira inicia temporada 2016/17 sob o signo da incerteza" [União da Madeira start 2016/17 season under the sign of uncertainty] (in Portuguese). RTP. 2 July 2016. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
19. Aleixo, Mário (12 May 2018). "União da Madeira desce ao Campeonato de Portugal" [União da Madeira go down to Campeonato de Portugal] (in Portuguese). RTP. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
20. "União da Madeira: do céu ao inferno em apenas dois anos" [União da Madeira: from heaven to hell in barely two years] (in Portuguese). Bancada. 12 May 2018. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
21. "Três clubes madeirenses desistem do Campeonato de Portugal, mas não descem" [Three Madeiran clubs withdraw from the Campeonato de Portugal, but are not relegated]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 7 January 2021. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
22. "Foi aprovada a dissolução do União da Madeira. Morreu o clube há muito moribundo". Tribuna Exresso (in Portuguese). Retrieved 31 December 2021.
23. "Clube Futebol União". ZeroZero (in Portuguese). Retrieved 14 July 2015.

External links

• Official website (in Portuguese)
• Club Profile at ForaDeJogo (in Portuguese)
• Club Profile at LPFP (in Portuguese)
• Club Profile at NationalFootballTeams
• Club profile at Zerozero (archived 17 October 2013)

32°41′25.130″N 17°2′56.558″W