On 1 July 1906 a name that would become a legend was heard for the first time in Lisbon: Sporting Clube de Portugal. On 1 July 2027 Sporting CP turns 121. Green for hope, a lion on the chest and an academy that gave the world Figo and Ronaldo.

A grandson and a viscount

The roots lie in smaller clubs from the turn of the century, the last of them Campo Grande Football Club. In April 1906 its members fell out: some wanted dances and social events, others wanted sport. Young José Alvalade and about twenty friends walked out to build something new.

Behind them stood his grandfather, the Viscount of Alvalade, who provided money and land and became the first president. The name Sporting Clube de Portugal was proposed on 1 July 1906. It is worth noting that the club has officially used this date as its birthday since 1920.

Why green, why a lion

According to the club itself, the founders chose green as the colour of hope for the new club's success. Blue was not an option anyway, because another club in the city already wore it.

The rampant lion came from the coat of arms of Dom Fernando de Castello Branco. He agreed to lend it on one condition: that the blue background of his own arms would not be used. The first badge, from 1907, had a silver lion in a green circle, and in 2001 a more modern version arrived with a gold lion and three horizontal stripes.

From the Stromp to the hoops

The first players wore white. In 1908 the Stromp shirt appeared, half green and half white, named after José Stromp, one of the first generation. It was the main kit for almost twenty years.

The green and white horizontal hoops originally belonged to the rugby team. Portuguese Wikipedia says football borrowed them almost by chance, because they were cooler and in better condition. On 5 October 1928, in a derby against Benfica, the team changed shirts at half-time, and since then the hoops with black shorts have been its identity.

Five violins and a corner kick

In the late 1940s Sporting's attack had a name: the Cinco Violinos, the "Five Violins". Fernando Peyroteo, José Travassos, Albano, Jesus Correia and Manuel Vasques played like an orchestra. The team won seven league titles in eight seasons, from 1947 to 1954.

The greatest European night came in 1964. In the replayed final of the Cup Winners' Cup Sporting beat MTK Budapest 1-0 with a goal by Morais straight from a corner, the famous "cantinho do Morais". No other Portuguese club has won this trophy.

The school of stars

Sporting's academy is one of the most famous in the world. It produced Luís Figo and Cristiano Ronaldo, who made his first-team debut in August 2002. Players such as Nani and Rui Patrício followed.

Its home is the Estádio José Alvalade, opened on 6 August 2003 to replace the old 1956 stadium. In 2024-25, with Viktor Gyökeres scoring 39 league goals, the team won its 21st title and the cup. In 2025-26 it finished second in the Primeira Liga, behind Porto.

Celebrate with us

From the dances Alvalade did not want to Ronaldo's goals, Sporting has written 121 years in green and white. Its horizontal hoops are among the most distinctive shirts in Europe.

Happy birthday, Sporting! May the lion keep roaring for many years to come.

See our Sporting CP jerseys at sportarena.gr.

Photo: Aerial view of the Estádio José Alvalade, 2025 – Wilnel José Verdú Guerrero, Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.