Rio Ave F.C.

"Rio Ave" redirects here. For the river, see Ave River.

Rio Ave Futebol Clube, commonly known as Rio Ave ([ˈʁi.u ˈavɨ]), is a Portuguese professional football club based in Vila do Conde, that competes in the Primeira Liga. The club is named after the Ave River, which flows through the town and into the Atlantic Ocean.

Rio Ave

Full name	Rio Ave Futebol Clube
Nickname(s)	Vilacondenses Rioavistas
Founded	18 January 1939; 86 years ago (18 January 1939)
Ground	Estádio dos Arcos
Capacity	5,250
Owner	Evangelos Marinakis
President	Alexandrina Cruz[1]
Head coach	Petit
League	Primeira Liga
2023–24	Primeira Liga, 11th of 18
Website	rioavefc.pt
Home colours Third colours
Current season

Founded in 1939, they play their home matches at Estádio do Rio Ave, also known as the Estádio dos Arcos. Built in 1985, the current stadium seats approximately 12,815 people.

The club's home colours are green and white striped shirts. Meanwhile, the shorts and socks have historically alternated between green or white.^[2] Portuguese internationals Alfredo, Paulinho Santos, Quim, Rui Jorge and Fábio Coentrão started their careers at the club. Goalkeepers Jan Oblak and Ederson are some famous talents that were part of this side.

The Vilacondenses' best top-tier league finish was fifth in the 1981–82, 2017–18 and 2019–20 seasons.^[3] They reached the 1984 Taça de Portugal Final, where they lost to Porto 4–1,^{[citation needed]} and the 2014 Taça de Portugal Final, where they lost to Benfica 1–0.^[4] With this result, Rio Ave qualified for the 2014–15 UEFA Europa League, their first participation in a major European competition.

History

Rio Ave was founded in 1939, soon being nicknamed Rio Grande (Big River). The side had two of its best moments in the 1980s, under the management of Félix Mourinho, father of José Mourinho: in 1981–82, the club finished in a joint-best fifth place, and two years later it reached the Taça de Portugal final, losing to Porto 4–1.^[5]

In 2013–14, the club reached both cup finals under the management of Nuno Espírito Santo, but lost to treble-winners Benfica in both. This qualified them to their first European campaign, the 2014–15 UEFA Europa League.^[6] New manager Pedro Martins led them past Swedish duo IFK Göteborg and IF Elfsborg to reach the group stage, where they came last.

Under Miguel Cardoso, Rio Ave came fifth in 2017–18, equalling their best finish.^[7] Two years later, with Carlos Carvalhal in charge and Iranian Mehdi Taremi the league's joint top scorer, the club equalled this position with a new points record of 55.^[8] In October 2020, the team reached the Europa League playoffs but lost at home to A.C. Milan, having conceded a penalty equaliser in the last minute of extra time and then losing 9–8 on penalties.^[9] The season, under the returning Cardoso, ended with relegation after a 5–0 aggregate defeat to F.C. Arouca in the playoffs.^[10]

After relegation, Rio Ave signed 35-year-old manager Luís Freire, who won promotion as champions in 2021–22 and was rewarded with a new contract.^[11]

In 2023, Rio Ave's affiliated paying members (sócios) approved the creation of a SAD and the entry of an investor, the Greek Evangelos Marinakis, who had already invested in Olympiacos and Nottingham Forest.^[12][13]

European record

Season	Competition	Round	Club	Home	Away	Aggregate
2014–15	UEFA Europa League	3Q	IFK Göteborg	0–0	1–0	1–0
		PO	IF Elfsborg	1–0	1–2	2–2 (a)
		Group J	Dynamo Kyiv	0–3	0–2	4th place
			Steaua București	2–2	1–2
			Aalborg BK	2–0	0–1
2016–17	UEFA Europa League	3Q	Slavia Prague	1–1	0–0	1–1 (a)
2018–19	UEFA Europa League	2Q	Jagiellonia Białystok	4–4	0–1	4–5
2020–21	UEFA Europa League	2Q	Borac Banja Luka	—	2–0	—
		3Q	Beşiktaş	—	1–1 (4–2 p)	—
		PO	Milan	2–2 (8–9 p)	—	—

Notes

• 3Q: Third qualifying round
• PO: Play-off round
• GS: Group stage

Players

Current squad

As of 5 February, 2025^[14]

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  POL Cezary Miszta 2 DF  ENG Jonathan Panzo (on loan from Nottingham Forest) 3 DF  GRE Andreas Ntoi (on loan from Olympiacos) 4 DF  ENG Nelson Abbey (on loan from Olympiacos) 6 MF  POR João Novais 7 FW  BRA André Luiz 8 MF  POR Vítor Gomes (captain) 9 FW  BRA Clayton (on loan from Vasco da Gama) 11 FW  POR Tiago Morais (on loan from Lille) 14 FW  ISR Karem Zoabi 15 FW  NGA Goodluck Igbokwe 16 MF  CRC Brandon Aguilera 17 FW  GRE Marios Vrousai 19 FW  POR Kiko Bondoso (on loan from Maccabi Tel Aviv) 20 DF  POR João Tomé

No. Pos. Nation Player 21 MF  POR João Graça 22 DF  BRA João Pedro (on loan from Charlotte FC) 23 DF  ARG Francisco Petrasso 27 MF  ARG Tobias Medina 29 MF  GRE Theofanis Bakoulas (on loan from Olympiacos) 34 MF  TUR Ege Tıknaz (on loan from Beşiktaş) 76 MF  POR Martim Neto (on loan from Benfica) 80 MF  GER Ole Pohlmann 82 DF  GRE Konstantinos Kostoulas (on loan from Olympiacos)⁸ 94 FW  POR Tim Sousa 95 GK  BRA Matheus Teixeira 98 DF  ENG Omar Richards (on loan from Nottingham Forest) 99 GK  ALB Anxhelo Sina (on loan from Olympiacos) — FW  VEN Junior Colina

Out on loan

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 5 DF  CYP Georgios Okkas (at Feirense until 30 June 2025) — DF  POR Hélder Sá (at Feirense until 30 June 2025)

No. Pos. Nation Player — DF  POR Miguel Nóbrega (at Piast Gliwice) — FW  NED Amine Rehmi (at Feirense until 30 June 2025)

Honours

National competitions Taça de Portugal Runners-up (2): 1983–84, 2013–14 Taça da Liga Runners-up (1): 2013–14 Supertaça de Portugal Runners-up (1): 2014 Segunda Divisão / Liga Portugal 2 Winners (4): 1985–86, 1995–96, 2002–03, 2021–22 Terceira Divisão Winners (1): 1976–77 Regional competitions AF Porto Cup Winners (1): 1966–67

Personnel honours SJPF Player of the Month Evandro – December 2003 João Tomás – November 2009, November 2010 SJPF Young Player of the Month Miguel Lopes – October 2008, November 2008 Yazalde – February 2009 Fábio Faria – November 2009, December 2009 Vítor Gomes – October 2011

Coaching staff

Position	Staff
Manager	Luís Freire
Assistant Manager	Augusto Gama
First-Team Coach	Vítor Vinha
First-Team Coach	Nuno Silva
First-Team Coach	João Ferreira
Rehab Coach	Nuno André
Match Analyst	Hermógenes
Match Analyst	Roberto Tiago
Club Doctor	Basil Ribeiro
Club Doctor	André Dias
Physiotherapist	José Teixeira
Physiotherapist	Diogo Lopes
Physiotherapist	Pedro Matos
Nutritionist	Elton Gonçalves
Kit Manager	Pedro Festas
Kit Manager	Adelino Castro
Team Manager	Gualter Pires

Coaching history

• Artur Quaresma (1976–78)
• Pedro Gomes (1978–79)
• Fernando Cabrita (1979–81)
• Félix Mourinho (1981–82)
• Pedro Gomes (1982–83)
• Félix Mourinho (1983–85)
• Mário Reis (1985–86)
• Abel Braga (1986)
• António Morais (1986–87)
• Mário Juliato (1987–88)
• Mário Reis (1988–89)
• Nicolau Vaqueiro (1989)
• Eurico Gomes (1989–90)
• Mário Reis (1990–91)
• Augusto Inácio (1991–92)
• Vieira Nunes (1992)
• José Rachão (1992–93)
• Quinito (1993–94)
• Jaime Pacheco (1994–95)
• Abel Braga (1995)
• Henrique Calisto (1995–96)
• Carlos Brito (1 July 1996 – 30 June 2000)
• Vítor Oliveira (1 July 2000 – 7 Nov 2001)
• Horácio Gonçalves (13 Nov 2001 – 29 Oct 2002)
• Carlos Brito (30 Oct 2002 – 30 June 2005)
• António Sousa (1 July 2005 – 28 Feb 2006)
• João Eusébio (28 Feb 2006 – 5 Jan 2009)
• Carlos Brito (6 Jan 2009 – 15 May 2012)
• Nuno Espírito Santo (1 July 2012 – 19 May 2014)
• Pedro Martins (22 May 2014 – 17 May 2016)
• Capucho (20 May 2016 – 10 Nov 2016)
• Luís Castro (14 Nov 2016 – 12 June 2017)
• Miguel Cardoso (12 June 2017 – 12 June 2018)
• José Gomes (13 June 2018 – 22 December 2018)
• Augusto Gama (interim) (23 December 2018 – 3 January 2019)
• Daniel Ramos (3 January 2019 – 30 June 2019)
• Carlos Carvalhal (1 July 2019 – 2 August 2020)
• Mário Silva (3 August 2020 – 30 December 2020)
• Pedro Cunha (interim) (30 December 2020 – 29 January 2021)
• Miguel Cardoso (29 January 2021 – 27 May 2021)
• Luís Freire (1 July 2021 – present)

League and cup history

Season	Div.	Pos.	Pl.	W	D	L	GS	GA	P	Cup	League Cup	Notes
1978–79	2DS	2	30	20	5	5	51	26	45	Round 4		Promoted
1979–80	1D	16	30	5	3	22	22	61	13	Round 4		Relegated
1980–81	2DS	1	30	16	10	4	43	17	42	Round 3		Promoted
1981–82	1D	5	30	13	8	9	26	31	34	Round 5		[A]
1982–83	1D	8	30	13	3	14	43	45	29	Round 3
1983–84	1D	9	30	11	7	12	35	35	29	Runner-up		[B]
1984–85	1D	13	30	7	9	14	27	43	23	Quarter-final		Relegated
1985–86	2DN	1	30	19	11	0	52	19	49	Round 4		Promoted
1986–87	1D	13	30	8	9	13	33	40	25	Round 5
1987–88	1D	18	38	7	14	17	29	67	28	Round 6		Relegated
1988–89	2DS	4	34	16	9	9	51	30	41	Round 3
1989–90	2DS	10	34	10	11	13	44	47	31	Round 3
1990–91	2DS	4	38	23	10	5	79	21	56	Round 6		Promoted
1991–92	2H	4	34	16	7	11	47	30	39	Round 5
1992–93	2H	5	34	14	10	10	39	36	38	Round 5
1993–94	2H	4	34	18	8	8	43	23	44	Quarter-final
1994–95	2H	11	34	12	8	14	47	46	32	Round 6
1995–96	2H	1	34	21	5	8	58	42	68	Round 5		Promoted
1996–97	1D	15	34	8	11	15	35	42	35	Round 4
1997–98	1D	9	34	12	10	12	43	43	46	Round 5
1998–99	1D	14	34	8	11	15	26	47	35	Round 4
1999–00	1D	17	34	8	9	17	34	54	33	Semi-final		Relegated
2000–01	2H	5	34	17	9	8	68	35	60	Round 6
2001–02	2H	8	34	12	10	12	45	36	46	Round 3
2002–03	2H	1	34	19	6	9	49	36	63	Round 5		Promoted
2003–04	1D	7	34	12	12	10	42	37	48	Quarter-final
2004–05	1D	8	34	10	17	7	35	35	47	Round 6
2005–06	1D	16	34	8	10	16	34	53	34	Round 5		Relegated
2006–07	2H	3	30	15	8	7	44	37	53	Round 4
2007–08	2H	2	30	13	12	5	38	26	51	Round 6	Round 1	Promoted
2008–09	1D	12	30	8	6	16	20	35	30	Round 3	Second Group Stage
2009–10	1D	12	30	6	13	11	22	33	31	Semi-final	Second Group Stage
2010–11	1D	8	30	10	8	12	35	33	38	Quarter-final	Round 1
2011–12	1D	14	30	7	7	16	33	42	28	Round 4	Second Group Stage
2012–13	1D	6	30	12	6	12	35	42	42	Round 4	Semi-final
2013–14	1D	11	30	8	8	14	21	35	32	Runner-up	Runner-up	Qualified Europa League [B] [C]
2014–15	1D	10	34	10	13	11	38	42	43	Semi-final	Second Group Stage
2015–16	1D	6	34	14	8	12	44	44	50	Semi-final	Second Group Stage	Qualified Europa League
2016–17	1D	7	34	14	7	13	41	39	49	Round 3	Group Stage
2017–18	1D	5	34	15	6	13	40	42	51	Quarter-final	Group Stage	Qualified Europa League [A]
2018–19	1D	7	34	12	9	13	50	52	45	Round 5	Group Stage
2019–20	1D	5	34	15	10	9	48	36	55	Quarter-final	Group Stage	Qualified Europa League [A]
2020–21	1D	16	34	7	13	13	25	40	34	Round 5	DNP	Relegated

^A Best league classification finish in the club's history.

^B Best cup run in the club's history.

^C Best league cup run in the club's history.

Div. = Division; 1D = Portuguese League; 2H = Liga de Honra; 2DS/2D = Portuguese Second Division

Pos. = Position; Pl = Match played; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Lost; GS = Goal scored; GA = Goal against; P = Points