C.D. Nacional
Portuguese football team.
Clube Desportivo Nacional, commonly known as Nacional, is a professional football club based in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal. Founded on December 8, 1910, Nacional is one of the oldest and most prominent clubs from the Madeira archipelago. The club currently competes in the Liga Portugal 2, the second tier of Portuguese football.
Nacional plays its home matches at the Estádio da Madeira, which has a capacity of approximately 5,132 spectators. The stadium, located on the slopes of Funchal, offers a unique setting with panoramic views of the city and the Atlantic Ocean. The club's colors are black and white, which are reflected in their striped home kit, earning them the nickname "Alvinegros" (Black and Whites).
Throughout its history, Nacional has oscillated between the top two tiers of Portuguese football. The club first reached the Primeira Liga in 1988 and has since had several spells in the top flight. Their most successful period came in the early 2000s when they established themselves as a regular fixture in the Primeira Liga and even qualified for European competition.
Nacional's highest finish in the Primeira Liga came in the 2003-04 season when they finished fourth, qualifying for the UEFA Cup (now Europa League) for the first time in their history. This achievement was particularly noteworthy for a club from Madeira, competing against more established mainland teams.
The club has participated in European competitions on several occasions, with their best performance coming in the 2009-10 UEFA Europa League when they reached the group stage. Nacional competed against teams like Werder Bremen, Athletic Bilbao, and Austria Wien, providing memorable European nights for their supporters.
Nacional has a strong tradition of developing young talent, with their academy producing several players who have gone on to have successful careers at larger clubs and with the Portuguese national team. The most famous product of Nacional's youth system is Cristiano Ronaldo, who played for the club's youth teams before moving to Sporting CP and then on to global stardom.
The club's biggest rivalry is with C.S. Marítimo, the other major club from Madeira. In recent years, Nacional has faced challenges in maintaining their top-flight status. The club was relegated from the Primeira Liga at the end of the 2020-21 season.