Bragantino
Red Bull Bragantino is a Brazilian football club founded in 1928 and based in Bragança Paulista, São Paulo. The club competes in the Série A, Brazil's top football division, and the Campeonato Paulista Série A1. They play their home matches at the Estádio Nabi Abi Chedid, which has a capacity of 21,210. Originally known as Clube Atlético Bragantino, the club underwent a significant transformation in 2020 when Red Bull GmbH took over administration and rebranded it as Red Bull Bragantino. Notable achievements include winning the 1990 Campeonato Paulista, finishing as runners-up in the 1991 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, and claiming the 2019 Série B championship.
History
Overview
General information about the club
Red Bull Bragantino was originally founded on January 8, 1928, by former members of Bragança Futebol Clube under the name Clube Atlético Bragantino. The club underwent a major transformation in April 2019 when it signed a deal with Red Bull GmbH, which took over management of all football-related assets. Initially, Red Bull appeared only as a sponsor during the 2019 season, but from 2020 onwards, the club officially became Red Bull Bragantino with a new logo and changed colors from traditional black and white to red and white.
Most recent season and achievements
In their partnership's inaugural season in 2019, the team achieved promotion to Série A by winning the Campeonato Brasileiro Série B championship. This victory also qualified them for the 2020 Copa do Brasil round of 16, marking a successful start to the Red Bull era.
History
Early years
The club was established on January 8, 1928, when former Bragança Futebol Clube members founded Clube Atlético Bragantino. The team first participated in the Campeonato Paulista Second Division in 1949. Their first promotion to the Campeonato Paulista First Division came in 1965, though they were relegated back to the second division the following year in 1966.
Successful period
Bragantino's golden era began in 1988 when they won the Campeonato Paulista Second Division championship. The following year, 1989, marked their first promotion to the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A after winning the Série B. The pinnacle of their success came in 1990 when they defeated Novorizontino to win the Campeonato Paulista First Division in what was nicknamed the "caipira final." In 1991, the club reached the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A final but finished as runners-up after being defeated by São Paulo. During this period, they also made their international debut, competing in the Copa CONMEBOL in 1992, 1993, and 1996.
Crisis and recovery
The club faced challenging times starting in the mid-1990s. They were relegated to the Campeonato Paulista Second Division in 1995 and further dropped to the Campeonato Brasileiro Série B in 1998. The situation worsened in 2002 when, after a poor campaign, Bragantino was relegated to the Campeonato Brasileiro Série C. Recovery began gradually with promotion to the Campeonato Paulista First Division in 2005, followed by winning the Campeonato Brasileiro Série C in 2007, which earned them promotion to the following year's Série B.
Current period
The modern era of Red Bull Bragantino began in April 2019 with the partnership agreement with Red Bull GmbH. From 2020, the club adopted its current name and new visual identity. This transformation coincided with immediate success, as they won the 2019 Série B championship and established themselves in Brazil's top flight.
Achievements and Honors
Domestic competitions
Red Bull Bragantino has achieved several notable domestic honors throughout its history. The club won the Campeonato Paulista in 1990 and claimed the Campeonato Brasileiro Série B championship in 2019. They also secured the Campeonato Brasileiro Série C title in 2007 and won the Campeonato Paulista Série A2 in 1988. Additional honors include the Campeonato Paulista do Interior in 2020 and the Torneio Início in 1991. The club has also been runners-up in several competitions, including the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A in 1991, Copa Paulista in 2006, and Campeonato Paulista Série A2 on four occasions (1959, 1967, 1982, 2017). Their youth team won the Campeonato Brasileiro Sub-23 in 2024.
Continental and global competitions
The club made their international competition debut in 1992 with the Copa CONMEBOL, participating three times (1992, 1993, 1996). More recently, Red Bull Bragantino reached the Copa Sudamericana final in 2021, finishing as runners-up.
Symbols and Colors
Traditional home and away kits colors
Originally, Clube Atlético Bragantino played in traditional black and white colors. However, following the Red Bull takeover in 2020, the club's colors changed to red and white, aligning with the Red Bull brand identity.
Club Traditions and Behind the Scenes
Stadium
Red Bull Bragantino plays at the Estádio Nabi Abi Chedid, which was built in 1949 with a maximum capacity of 21,210 people. The stadium is owned by the club and honors Nabi Abi Chedid, a former president of the club and father of present president Marco Antônio Abi Chedid. Previously, the stadium was named Estádio Marcelo Stéfani in honor of Marcelo Stéfani, a former player and president of the club, and was commonly known by the nickname Marcelão. The name change to honor Nabi Abi Chedid was implemented on January 6, 2009, despite criticism from the local population of Bragança Paulista.