Académico de Viseu was born on 7 June 1914 in Viseu, a city in Portugal's interior. On 7 June 2027 the Viriatos turn 113. And they will celebrate in the Primeira Liga, where they returned in 2026 after 37 years.

Students, a college and a ball as a prize

The club was founded by young people from the Liceu Alves Martins and the Colégio da Via Sacra, together with the college's rector. Its first name was Sport Clube Académico, and the word "Académico" still recalls those student roots.

About a week after the founding, the team played Tondela and won. The prize was a football.

Name changes followed: Académico Futebol Clube, União Académica de Viseu and, from 1927, Clube Académico de Futebol. The team lived under that name for almost 80 years.

Why "Viriatos"

The nickname "Os Viriatos" refers to Viriathus, the Lusitanian leader who fought the Romans in the 2nd century BC. Viseu has adopted him as its local hero, and a historic monument in the city is called the Cava de Viriato.

The name became a nickname for the city's residents and, of course, for the team's players and fans. Where Viriathus himself was born remains unknown.

The "black cloak"

The club's traditional colour is black, with white details. The club presented its 2026-27 shirt as the "black cloak" of those who defend Viseu, dedicated to its historic promotions.

The new shirt has a subtle geometric pattern, while the away shirt is white. The third is a deep burgundy, inspired by the region's Dão wine.

The kit history also has an unexpected chapter. In 1927 the team had an alternative shirt in white with horizontal green stripes, black shorts and green and white socks.

The Fontelo and the top flight

The club's home is the Estádio do Fontelo, with about 6,900 seats. It was once among the largest grounds in the country after those of the "big three", and fans used to watch matches perched in the trees around it.

The first promotion to the top flight came in 1978. The 1980-81 and 1981-82 seasons followed, and the last was 1988-89. The first top-flight win was a 1-0 against Académica of Coimbra.

The club's all-time top scorer is Ramiro Jesus with 120 goals, while João Basto holds the record with 353 appearances.

Fall and rebirth

Financial problems drove the historic club into insolvency in the mid-2000s. A protocol with little GD Farminhão saved the tradition: that club took the name Académico de Viseu Futebol Clube, moved to the Fontelo and kept the colours and crest of the old one.

The new Académico started in the regional leagues and by 2013 had reached the Segunda Liga. In 2019-20 it reached the semi-finals of the Portuguese Cup, with Rui Borges on the bench. Since August 2021 the club's SAD has been owned by the German company HOBRA GmbH, whose stated aim was precisely a return to the Primeira Liga.

On 16 May 2026, a 0-0 draw with Sporting B at a packed Fontelo secured second place and promotion. It was the club's fifth top-flight season and the first in 37 years.

Celebrate with us

From a ball as a prize in 1914 to a return to the top of Portuguese football, Académico shows that the provinces know how to dream. Happy 113th birthday to the Viriatos!

See our collectible jerseys at sportarena.gr.

Photo: Estádio Municipal do Fontelo in Viseu – OlussMémèle, Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC0 1.0.