Santa Fe

Full name	Santa Fe Corporación Deportiva
Nickname(s)	Los Cardenales (The Cardinals), El Expreso Rojo (The Red Express), El Leon (The Lion)
Founded	February 28, 1941
Ground	Estadio Nemesio Camacho "El Campín" Bogotá, Colombia (Capacity: 48,600)
Chairman	Armando Farfan Peña
Manager	German Gonzalez
League	Fútbol Profesional Colombiano
2009 - II	2nd
Home colours Away colours

Santa Fe Corporación Deportiva, known by its old name Independiente Santa Fe or simply as Santa Fe, is a Colombian sports club from Bogotá that is known for its professional football team. The team is one of the most successful Colombian teams. It has won six Fútbol Profesional Colombiano titles (1948, 1958, 1960, 1966, 1971, 1975) and two Copa Colombia the first one in (1989) and the latest in the 2009 edition giving them a direct spot in next year's Copa Sudamericana. Internationally the Club has accomplished the runner-up spot in 1996 Copa CONMEBOL being the only Colombian team to ever reach the finals and then later another runner-up in the 1999 Copa Merconorte.

[edit] History

The team was founded on 28 February 1941 in Bogotá. On March 23, 1941 Independiente Santa Fe started its activities as a club. Originally, it was born in the campus of Gimnasio Moderno. Independiente won its first national championship in 1948, becoming the first team to win the competition. Subsequently, it added the 1958, 1960, 1966, 1971 and 1975 editions. Santa Fe is a sports corporation encouraging and developing athletics, physical education and recreation to professional and amateur athletes. especially football, from children to professional category. Its youth development teams are one of the best in the country. As an athletic corporation its goal is to be the first athletic institution in the country, specializing in the comprehensive training of athletes, high competition, which could contribute to a high percentage in the export of professional football, meeting the expectations of fans and members of the corporation. From their youth teams to the professional team overall participate in competitive local, national and international level.

In 2006, the team won the chance to play the "repechaje" to Libertadores Cup against Defensor Sporting from Uruguay, winning the tie. Santa Fe made the elimination stage (third round), after winning its preliminary round group, losing to Chivas Guadalajara.

It's widely regarded in Colombia that the younger Santa Fe fans "inherited" the fandom from their parents and grandparents, since most of them actually have never seen the team win a championship. Although the wait has lasted more than thirty years, Deportes Quindío (last championship - 1956), and Union Magdalena (1968) have longer streaks; however, Santa Fe has six caps while the former two have only their single titles, and hasn't been demoted to the second division since its foundation. Some put the blame on bad management and lack of commitment. Nevertheless, the team has remained popular, like their rivals Club Deportivo Los Millonarios, because of the loyalty of their fans. Independiente Santa Fe has always been one of the most traditional soccer teams in Colombia.

[edit] Supporters

Support from La Guardia Albiroja Sur

"Being santafereño it's a lifestyle. is not fashion, it's passion, santafereño is to give everything without asking anything in return, is the most beautiful and precious thing that runs through your veins, knowing that we are "The Soul of Bogota," is to feel the beat in your heart and those goosebumps in your skin when you're about to see Santa Fe jump into the field, the unforgettable "ta-ta-ta" from the horn of the Barra 25, the unforgettable 7-3 with millonarios, the Conmebol, the "Linen of faith" and "The Power of a People," the pride of always being the first, doesn't matter what others say, one thing for sure..I dont want to be from the rest, I want to be from the best..SANTA FE"

La Guardia Albiroja Sur It has been 11 years since the founding of the most significant supporter in the history of Independiente Santa Fe "La Guardia Albi-Roja Sur". It seems that it was just yesterday that a group of young people gave life to this project of love and commitment to Santa Fe. Since their beginning the have always filled up their section bringing a supporting atmosphere for Santa Fe over 6000 members are currently part of this group. famous for their spectacular displays when the team goes into the field and yet it is not compared by others. In 2005, La Guardia Albirroja Sur (South White-Red Guard), with the help of Samsung, Independiente's main sponsor at the time and the club's administration, put together the largest soccer team's flag in the world. The flag, named the 'Lienzo de Fe' (Linen cloth of faith), was 350 meters long and 38 high, covering the southern end of 'El Campín', half the venue, where the team's fans locate in home games. It would be subsequently displayed on every home game.

Barra 25 is the only independent and one of the oldest organized supporter groups of all Colombia. It was founded in 1970 and its consided to be the first supporter group of the first champion. Requirements for membership are said to be: None, just attend to el Campin and support Santa Fe whether it's sunny or rainy, thunder or lightning- just go whenever the team plays a home game.

[edit] Stadium

Fans of Santa Fe, southern section of the Estadio El Campín, holding one of the largest flags in the world.

The stadium Nemesio Camacho "El Campín" located in Bogotá,is the venue where Independiente Santa Fe plays their home games. Its capacity is approximated at 46,000 people. Santa fe's supporters tend to sit in the south-end of the stadium where they display their pasion towards their beloved team.

[edit] Rivalries

Santa Fe has forged many rivalries with several teams from the Mustang Cup, most notably with local rivals Millonarios, in fact, the match between both teams is called El Clásico Capitalino; there are also strong rivalries with other teams like América de Cali, El Clásico de los rojos.

[edit] Honours

[edit] National Honours

• Fútbol Profesional Colombiano
  • Winners (6): 1948, 1958, 1960, 1966, 1971, 1975
  • Runners-Up (3): 1963, 1979, 2005
• Copa Colombia
  • Winners (2): 1988,2009

[edit] International Honours

• CONMEBOL Cup
  • Runners-Up (1): 1996
• Merconorte Cup
  • Runners-Up (1): 1999

[edit] Performance in CONMEBOL competitions

• Libertadores Cup: 4 appearances

Best: Semi-Final in 1961

Last: Third Round in 2006

• Copa Merconorte: 1 appearance
• CONMEBOL Cup: 1 appearance

[edit] Current roster

As of July 28, 2009

No. Position Player 1 GK Agustín Julio 2 DF Andrés González 3 DF Carlos Valdez 4 DF Sergio Otálvaro 5 MF Yulian Anchico 6 MF Maximiliano Flotta 7 FW Yovanni Arrechea 8 DF Jairo Suárez 9 FW Daniel Neculman 10 MF Omar Sebastián Pérez 11 FW Julio Gutiérrez

No. Position Player 12 GK Camilo Vargas 15 DF Daniel Bocanegra 16 DF Daniel Torres 18 MF Alejandro Bernal 19 DF Francisco Delgado 20 MF Luis Manuel Seijas 21 DF Javier Arizala 25 MF Juan Carlos Quintero 26 MF Osneider Alvarez 29 FW Cristian Nazarith 30 MF Jose Adolfo Valencia

[edit] Reserve & Youth Squad

No. Position Player -- GK Mauricio Acosta -- DF Yedinson Palacios -- FW Jose Largacha -- DF Ricardo Villarraga -- FW Santiago Pizano

No. Position Player -- FW Henry Solis -- DF Mauricio Córdoba -- FW Jamer Largacha -- FW Daniel Barbosa Ramirez -- MF John Jairo Castillo

[edit] External links

• Official website (Spanish)
• DIMAYOR website (Spanish)