Alianza F.C.

(Redirected from Alianza Fútbol Club)

Alianza Fútbol Club, also known simply as Alianza, is a professional football club based in San Salvador, El Salvador. Founded in 1958, Alianza was almost immediately successful, winning its first championships in the 1966 and 1967 Salvadoran seasons. Even more significantly, Alianza was the first Central American and Salvadoran club to win the CONCACAF Champions' Cup in 1967, and is currently one of only three Salvadoran teams to have done so.

Alianza
Full nameAlianza Fútbol Club
Nickname(s)Los Paquidermos (The Bachyderms)
Los Elefantes Blancos (The White Elephants)
Los Albos (The Whites)
El Mimado de la Capital (The Capital's Pampered Team)
La Orquesta Alba (The White Orchestra)
Founded12 October 1958; 65 years ago (1958-10-12) (as Atlético La Constancia)
GroundEstadio Cuscatlán
Capacity53,400
OwnerEl Salvador Salume Inversión S.V
ChairmanEl Salvador Adolfo Salume
ManagerEl Salvador Jorgen Rodriguez
LeagueEl Salvador Primera División
2022 ClausuraOverall: 1st
Playoffs: Champions
Current season

History

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The beginning

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Atlético La Constancia was formed in 1958 by a group of workers in San Salvador. Although small in terms of financial status, they were able to reach the Liga de Ascenso (second division) final in 1958. They lost 2–0 in a two legged series against Águila. The club, however, purchased a spot in the first division at the expense of Once Municipal. This enabled them to gain the sponsorship of the Intercontinental Hotel and its president, Peruvian Axel Hochkoeppler.

Because of Hochkoeppler's support, Alianza FC president Enrique Sol Meza decided to name the club Alianza FC in honor of Alianza Lima. Hernán Vivanco joined the club as the coach and began getting the players to play an exciting style of football. That style and a strong advertising campaign quickly won over the support of the population of San Salvador. Before long, Alianza was surpassing Juventud Olímpica as the nation's most popular club.

One of Alianza's greatest triumphs happened in 1966, when they defeated a Santos side that included the great Pelé. The win took place at the Estadio Nacional Flor Blanc, and featured the efforts of loaned Argentines Dante Juárez, Juan Verón and Santiago, all on loan at the time.

Orquesta Blanca

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1966 was also the year that Alianza won its first tile. Due to the cohesion and speed with which Hernán Carrasco had the team playing, Alianza became known as La Orquesta Alba (the Dawn Orchestra). The team was made up of many great players, including Edgar "Pata Gorda" Morales, Roberto "La Burra" Rivas, Alberto "Pechuga" Villalta, Raúl "Araña" Magaña, Guido Alvarado, Salvador Mariona, Mario Monge, Luis "Cascarita" Tapia, Miguel "El Chueco" Hermosilla, Ricardo Sepúlveda and Jorge "El Conejo" Liévano.

The team won fifteen straight matches on their way to the league championship, where they defeated Águila 2–1. Goals were scored by Hermosilla and Mario Monge. In all, "La Orquesta Alba" outscored their opponents eighty-three to thirty-nine and won twenty of their thirty-six matches.

The club repeated as champions in 1967, defeating Sonsonate FC 5–1 in the finals. They then went on to become the first El Salvadoran club to win the CONCACAF Champions' Cup, defeating Jong Colombia over a three-leg series. Alianza lost the first leg, but won the second to force a replay. They prevailed 5–3, with Tapia and Flores scoring twice each.

Decline and title drought

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After the 1967 title, members of the Orquestra began retiring. Players like Brazilian internationals Camargo, Taneses and Nilton Rodarte, Peruvian international Fernando Alva, Uruguayan international Julio César "El Pocho" Cortés, Chilean international Hugo Ottensen came through the ranks. So too did domestic players including Miguel "La Mica" González, Herbert Machón, "Míchel" Cornejo, Armando Cortez Sandoval, Jaime "Samba" Saravia, Roberto "El Cuchillo" Guerra, Jaime "La Chelona" Rodríguez and Carlos "El Cacho" Meléndez. However, the 1970s were less successful than the 1960s.

They reached the playoff finals four times (1971, 1973, 1975–76, and 1978–79) but finished runner-up each time. Then, after a string of disappointing seasons, the club came out of the wilderness to challenge for the title in 1985. However, they would be runners-up again, losing 5–2 to city rivals Atlético Marte.[1]

Title success

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In 1986, the title drought finally ended. Ricardo Sepúlveda, a member of "The Orquesta Alba", returned to the club as a manager and led them to their third championship and first in twenty years. The championship match pitted Alianza against Águila, and it ended 0–0 after extra time. The game went to penalties, and Alianza won 3–1, with Carlos Reyes scoring the decisive goal. A corner had been turned.

The brilliance of Chilean Raúl Toro powered Alianza to a fourth title in 1989; he scored the winning goal in the final against Luis Ángel Firpo. 1993–94 saw a fifth crown, as the Uruguayan Gustavo Faral managed the club to a 2–1 championship win over FAS.[2]

1997 saw Alianza win its second international championship, when they defeated Deportivo Saprissa from Costa Rica to win the UNCAF Club Championship. The management of technician Juan Carlos Masnik and the heroic efforts of players such as Horacio Lugo, Marcelo Bauza, Uruguayan Alejandro Curbelo and Adrián de la Cruz powered the team to two more titles soon after.[3]

The Invincibles

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Alianza went through the Apertura 2017 season undefeated, becoming the first Salvadoran side to achieve such a feat. Their 4–1 win over Santa Tecla in the final was the icing on the cake, and saw a double from Rodolfo Zelaya, plus strikes from league leading goalscorer Gustavo Guerreño, and midfielder Marvin Monterrosa.[1]

Honours

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Domestic honours

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International honours

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Friendly tournament

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  • Copa Acción Cívica
    • 1966
  • Copa Santa Ana
    • 1977
  • Copa Roberto "Burra" Rivas
    • 2015

Records

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Rodolfo Zelaya is Alianza's record goalscorer.

TBD holds the record for most Alianza appearances, having played TBD first-team matches from Year to Year. TBD comes second with 725 appearances. The record for a goalkeeper is held by TBD, with 000 appearances. With 000 caps (000 while at the club), TBD is Alianza's most capped international player.

Rodolfo Zelaya is Alianza's all-time top goalscorer, with 154 goals. Six other players have also scored over 100 goals for Alianza: TBD (1953–64), TBD (1971–88), TBD (1958–66), TBD (1985–92), TBD (2009–current) and the previous goalscoring record-holder TBD (1994–2010). TBD holds the record for the most league goals scored in one season (48 in 2014–15). TBD's 49 goals in 58 matches was for decades the all-time highest tally in CONCACAF competition. The fastest goal in the history of the club (26 seconds) was scored by the Colombian Duvier Riascos on 15 September 2021 during a league match against Santa Tecla F.C.

  • Alianza FC was the first Salvadoran team to win CONCACAF Champions' Cup.
  • Alianza FC are the last Salvadoran team to win UNCAF Club Championship.
  • Alianza FC are the last Salvadoran team to win an international competition, this being the UNCAF Club Championship in 1997.
  • Alianza FC are the first and only team in Salvadoran League to win the domestic championship undefeated.

Sponsorship

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Companies that Alianza currently has sponsorship deals with include:

  • Umbro – official kit suppliers
  • Tigo – official sponsors
  • Pepsi – official sponsors
  • Domino's Pizza – official sponsors
  • Los Rinconcitos – official sponsors
  • Farmactas virgen de Guadulope – official sponsors
  • Gatorade – official sponsors
  • Canal 4 – official sponsors


Kit makers

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YearsKit manufacturers
1956–1980Nil shirt Maker
1992 Clima
1995 Galaxia
1996-1997 Torino
1998 Lanzera
2001-2005 Milan
2006-2009 AVIVA
2010-2014 Lotto
2015 Nil shirt Maker
2016–2017 Joma
2018–Present Umbro

Stadium

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Alianza Futbol Club has forged its entire history in the Estadio Nacional de la Flor Blanca (now Estadio Jorge "Mágico" González), in which they achieved three titles during the 1960s. However, it was damaged in the 2001 earthquakes and Alianza moved to the Estadio Cuscatlán, where they have kept playing to this day.

Estadio Cuscatlan Disaster

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In 2023, during a game between Alianza F.C. and C.D. FAS in the Primera División de Fútbol de El Salvador an incident occurred which resulted in a crowd crush of fans in the stadium.

According to reports, fans had been sold fake tickets for the game and angry fans attempted to pull down the barricades at the stadiums at the entrance. Twelve people were killed and dozens of others injured.

Players

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Alianza is the first Salvadoran team to form an under-17 team for the new Under-17 League competition that was scheduled to begin in April 2014.

Current squad

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As of: 16 January, 2024
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.Pos. NationPlayer
1GK  SLVSergio Sibrian
2DF  SLVAlejandro Henriquez
3DF  SLVDiego Chevez
4DF  SLVIván Mancía
5DF  SLVMario Jacobo
6MF  SLVNarciso Orellana
7MF  URUÁnyelo Rodríguez
8MF  SLVÓscar Rodríguez
9FW  CHISebastian Julio
10MF  SLVLeonardo Menjivar
11MF  SLVJuan Carlos Portillo
12MF  SLVWilliam Canales
14MF  SLVKilmar Wilfredo Echeverría
15DF  SLVJonathan Jiménez
16DF  SLVHenry Romero
17MF  SLVAlexis Renderos
19DF  SLVAndres Hernandez
No.Pos. NationPlayer
20MF  SLVDennis Garcia
21MF  SLVMarvin Monterroza (captain)
22FW  SLVRodolfo Zelaya
23FW  COLMichel Mercado
24GK  SLVRicardo Funes
25GK  SLVMario González ©
26MF  SLVEzequiel Rivas
27FW  SLVAndres Rivas
29DF  SLVEmerson Hernández
30FW  SLVEmerson Mauricio
32MF  SLVRoberto Rivas
39FW  SLVNildeson De Mello Jr.
45MF  SLVLeyson Vargas
47FW  SLVEmerson Alvarenga
52MF  SLVJosue Velasco
56FW  SLVHamilton Benitez

Players with dual citizenship

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Out on loan

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

No.Pos. NationPlayer
MF  SLVElvin Alvarado (at Platense for the 2022-23 Apertura and Clausura)

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

No.Pos. NationPlayer
 SLVDennis Garcia (From Isidro Metapan)
 SLVAlejandro Henriquez (From Isidro Metapan)
 SLVAndres Rivas (From Santa Tecla)
No.Pos. NationPlayer
 URUAnthony Sosa (From Racing de Córdoba)
 SLVTBD (From TBD)

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

No.Pos. NationPlayer
 SLVTBD (To TBD)
 SLVTBD (To TBD)
 SLVTBD (To TBD)
 SLVTBD (To TBD)
No.Pos. NationPlayer
 SLVTBD (To TBD)
 SLVTBD (To TBD)

Players with dual citizenship

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Coaching staff

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PositionStaff
Manager Jorge Rodriguez *
Assistant Manager TBD
Reserve Manager Luis Kalimba Sosa *
Under 17 Manager Nelson Rojas *
Ladies team Manager
Goalkeeper Coach Schafik Chávez *
Team Physical Trainer Franisco Hurtado
Fitness Coach JRene Ramirez *
Team Doctor Henry Flores *
Knesliogiocal Felix Zambia
Utility Fernando Rivera & Ronald Escobar *
Director of Sports Milton Melendez *

Management

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PositionStaff
Owner Asociación de Empresa Adolfo Salume
President Gonzalo Sibrian *
Vice President Mario Palacios *
Secretary Eduardo Arias Rank
General Director Edwin Abarca
Director of Communications and Marketing Carmen Vides
Financial Manager Noemi Cordova de Valencia
Press Officer Jose Chavez
Administrative assistant Blanca Crisol
Assistant Youth divisions Dalila Garces
Social Media David Quezada
Internal analyst Fabrizio Castro
Video Analysts Rene Rosales
Sports Director Luis Fernando Espindola *

Notable players

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Notable players

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Below are the notable former and current players who have represented Alianza in Primera Division and international competition since the club's foundation in 1958. To appear in the section below, a player must have played in at least 100 official matches for the club, a list of every Alianza player who has been called up by their national team.

Team captains

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YearsNameNation
1966-1967Alberto Villalta  El Salvador
1968-69Salvador Mariona  El Salvador
1970Guido Alvarado  Costa Rica
1975Victor Manuel Valencia  El Salvador
1978Roberto Guerra  El Salvador
1979-1981Abilio Martinez  El Salvador
1986–1990Julio Palacios Lozano  El Salvador
1993-1995Joaquín Canales  El Salvador
1996-1998Milton Melendez  El Salvador
2001Adonai Martínez  El Salvador
2004Mario Elias Guevara  El Salvador
2007, 2009Ramiro Carballo  El Salvador
2008Victor Velasquez  El Salvador
2009Ramón Sánchez  El Salvador
TBDTBD  El Salvador
2011-2013Marcelo Messias  El Salvador
 Brazil
2014Edwin Martínez  El Salvador
2015Ramón Martínez de Paz  El Salvador
2017–2018Rodolfo Zelaya  El Salvador
2018–PresentMarvin Monterrosa  El Salvador

Retired numbers

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2 Roberto Rivas, defender (1960–70)

Presidential history

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Alianza have had numerous presidents over the course of their history, some of which have been the owners of the club; others have been honorary presidents. Here is a complete list of them.

 
NameYears
Axel Hochkoeppler1957–59
Enrique Sol Meza1959-TBD
Mauricio Salaverría Cáceres1971-1972
Ricardo Sol Meza1966
Ernesto Muyshondt ParkerTBA
Vicente Sol Bang1972-1973
Juan GranéTBA
 
NameYears
Alejandro HuttTBA
Ricardo SimánTBA
Luis OhrlichTBA
Fernando CalvoTBA
Ronald CalvoTBA
Miguel PintoTBA
Rafael RengifoTBA
 
NameYears
Ricardo BalzarettiTBA
Oscar Antonio Rodriguez1992–2001
Ricardo Padilla2001–2005
Salvador Mariona2005–2007
Lisandro Pohl[4][5][6]2008–2018
Adolfo Salume2018–2020
Pedro David Hernández2020–2023
Gonzalo Sibrian2023–present

Notable managers

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The most successful all-time manager is Chilean Hernán Carrasco, who won four championships during his two tenures with Alianza FC (1966–67, 1989–92). The list of honours includes three Primera División titles (1965–66, 1966–67, 1989–90) and one CONCACAF Champions' Cup (1967).

Uruguayan Carlos Masnik was another notable manager with two titles won with Alianza, one Primera División championships (1996–97) and one UNCAF Club Championship (1997).

Chilean Ricardo Sepúlveda and Uruguayan Rubén Alonso both had outstanding careers as players for Alianza, and are the only two to win a title both as a player and coach. Sepulveda won the 1986–87, while Alonso won the Apertura 1998 and Apertura 2015, their most recent title victory.

Gustavo Faral won the 1993–94 championship, becoming the first Uruguayan and the first of three Uruguayans to win a title with Alianza.

Ramón Paredes become the first and so far only Salvadoran coach to win a title as coach of Alianza, which he did in the 2001 Apertura title.

Uruguayan Juan Martín Mujica led the team to the 2004 Clausura title.

Under the coaching of Roberto Gamarra, Alianza won the Clausura 2011.

Jorge Humberto Rodriguez helped Alianza win the 2017 Apertura title and also achieve the distinction of being the first team to go the entire season undefeated.

Milton Meléndez directed five finals (four of these in a row) during 2016 until 2022, culminating with three victoties and two defeats. He became in the third on the list of those who have been champions as a player and as a coach.


Other departments

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Football

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Reserve team

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The reserve team serves mainly as the final stepping stone for promising young players under the age of 21 before being promoted to the main team. The second team is coached by . the team played in the Primera División Reserves, their greatest successes were winning the Reserve championships in Clausura 2017, Apertura 2017, Clausura 2019 and Apertura 2021.

Alianza "B". 's youth squad plays in the twelve-team Primera División Reserves (El Salvador). Current members of the squad are:

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

No.Pos. NationPlayer
32MF  SLVElías Rivas
33DF  SLVGeovany López
34DF  SLVAlexis Montes
35MF  SLVLuis Rivera
36DF  SLVMarvin Sandoval
37DF  SLVMisael Valencia
38MF  SLVJosué Pacheco
39MF  SLVJosé Portillo
40MF  SLVJason Marroquín
41MF  SLVÉver Guzmán
No.Pos. NationPlayer
42DF  SLVEmmanuel Flores
43DF  SLVJulio César Huezo
44FW  SLVEmerson Mauricio
45FW  SLVDiego Sánchez
46MF  SLVWilian Flores
47MF  SLVJulio César Campos
48MF  SLVMarcelo Díaz
50MF  SLVJahaziel Olivares
53GK  SLVCristian Rivera

Junior teams

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The youth team (under 17 and under 15) has produced some of El Salvador's top football players, including TBD and TBD. They are currently coached by TBD.

Women's team

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The women's first team, which is led by head coach TBD, features several members of the El Salvador national ladies team including TBD (who won golden boot 42 goals). Alianza Woman plays in the Primera División Femenina. Their greatest successes was winning the 2023 title. []

NameYearsHonours
Herbert Avilés2016-20183 Liga Femenina (2017 Apertura, 2018 Clausura, 2018 Apertura)
Debbie Gomez2018-20191 Liga Femenina (2019 Apertura)
Luis Sosa2020-20222 Liga Femenina (2020 Apertura, 2021 Apertura)
Edwin Deras2023-20231 Liga Femenina (2023 Apertura)
Cristian Zañas2024-Present1 Liga Femenina (2024 Clausura)

References

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  1. ^ "el cuento de la final navidena". El Grafico. 25 June 2015. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
  2. ^ "Los Nuevos Campeonatos". La Nacion. 25 June 2015. Archived from the original on 25 June 2015. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
  3. ^ "Alianza es grande". La Nacion. 12 June 1997. Retrieved 25 June 2015.[permanent dead link]
  4. ^ "Lisandro Pohl: "Jorge Rodríguez seguirá, ganemos o perdamos la final" | El Gráfico". Elgrafico.com. 19 May 2017. Archived from the original on 10 August 2017. Retrieved 19 July 2017.
  5. ^ "Presidente del Alianza habla de recortes en plantel si no mejoran las taquillas". elgrafico.com. Archived from the original on 7 February 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  6. ^ "Así celebró el Alianza con su afición el récord de partidos sin perder". elgrafico.com. Archived from the original on 13 February 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
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