The Clube Náutico Capibaribe (commonly known as Náutico) is a Brazilian sports club based in the city of Recife, in the state of Pernambuco. Among active Brazilian clubs, Náutico is the oldest multi-sport club in the Northeast region, considering its embryonic phase, and is also the oldest sports club still active outside the Rio-São Paulo axis.
Founded by two groups of rowers from Recife in 1898 as Club Náutico do Recife, its official founding date is April 7, 1901. In football, it had its first team in 1905, formed by English and German players. In Pernambuco, it was the first club to achieve regional and national prominence, and today, at the state level, it is the club with the most members, according to public information on its official website. It is recognized as the most prominent club in the Northeast in regional and national competitions during the 1960s, having been the club from the region that contested the most semifinals of the Brazilian Championship during the decade, and since then has been considered one of the "giants" of northeastern football, a nickname still used today by the alvirrubros fans and in campaigns and advertisements.
The club has had significant national campaigns, having been vice-champion of the Brazilian Championship in 1967 and semifinalist in 1961, 1965, 1966, and 1968. In the North-Northeast, Náutico is among the four clubs in the region with the most participations in the Série A of the Brazilian Championship and best positioned in the historical CBF ranking, alongside Bahia, Sport, and Vitória, and is also the club from the North-Northeast that has finished the Brazilian Championship among the top four (G-4) the most times, a position shared with Bahia.
At the international level, it is one of the four clubs from the Northeast that have competed in the Copa Libertadores, alongside Bahia, Sport, and Fortaleza, being the second northeastern club, in chronological order, to participate in the competition, after Bahia. Historically, it is recognized as one of the most prominent clubs in Brazilian football in the 1960s. In an interview with the national press, when asked about the best teams he had faced, Pelé responded: "The Náutico of Bita, the Palmeiras of Ademir da Guia, and the Cruzeiro of Tostão." Náutico and Santos faced off in the semifinals of the 1966 Brazilian Championship; however, the Pernambuco club would only reach the final of the Taça Brasil in 1967, facing Palmeiras after eliminating Cruzeiro, the then Brazilian champion, in the semifinal.
The alvirrubra club, a pioneer in playing international matches and touring other countries and continents at the North-Northeast level, is the greatest winner of the Taça Norte, the largest interclub competition in the North-Northeast between 1959 and 1968, alongside Bahia with three titles. Even today, it is the only club in the Northeast to win a regional or inter-regional competition uninterruptedly for three consecutive years. After winning its third consecutive and unprecedented title of the Copa Norte, Náutico became commonly referred to as the "Tricampeão do Norte" in Pernambuco and the Northeast, due to the exclusivity and uniqueness of the then-conquest against its state and regional rivals, marking, at that time, once again, its pioneering spirit and cementing its alvirrubra hegemony in regional competitions in the North-Northeast. In 1966, the champion clubs of the Taça Norte, with the endorsement of the Pernambuco Football Federation, which represented the CBD in the North axis (North and Northeast regions) of the country, created the Copa dos Campeões do Norte, bringing together all the champions of the Taça Norte until then (from 1959 to 1965). The competition was won by Náutico, which became the "Campeão dos Campeões do Norte," a title that remains a source of pride for alvirrubra fans. The club also won the Torneio dos Campeões do Norte-Nordeste in 1952. With a total of 5 titles, the club is the greatest inter-regional champion in the country.
In Pernambuco, it was the first club to compete in a Brazilian Championship final and also in the Copa Libertadores. Náutico was the first club from Pernambuco to qualify for the Copa Sulamericana, having participated in the competition in the 2013 edition. It holds the hexachampionship title in Pernambuco, the longest uninterrupted streak ever achieved by a club in the Campeonato Pernambucano, accomplished between 1963 and 1968, a decade in which it had undeniable local hegemony, with its archrival Sport being the vice-champion in all editions. Náutico competes with Sport in the oldest and most traditional classic of the North-Northeast, being the third oldest in Brazil and also the one with the greatest rivalry and balance in Pernambuco: the Clássico dos Clássicos, also known as Derby Pernambucano and referred to by the national press as the "Clássico do Nordeste" (in the mid-20th century, the BA-VI classic had not yet been consolidated as the biggest classic in Bahia). The first major classic of the Northeast was also referred to by the national press as the "Fla-Flu do Nordeste," due to its relevance in the early second half of the 20th century. The first match between the two teams took place on July 25, 1909, the day and year when the alvirrubra team began to take its first steps on the field (facing the first teams), marking the first victory for the "nautican" side. To a lesser extent, the club also maintains a significant rivalry with Santa Cruz Futebol Clube, with whom it has the century-old Clássico das Emoções, which has decided the state championship several times. Náutico also has a nostalgic rivalry with América Futebol Clube - the clash is known as Clássico da Técnica e Disciplina.
Mainly during the 1960s, at the regional level, it maintained an intense rivalry with Bahia, with whom it contested dominance among northeastern teams in national, regional, and inter-regional competitions. At the national level, its greatest adversaries and rivals in the 1960s were Santos, Palmeiras, and Cruzeiro. On November 17, 1966, at Pacaembu, Santos and Náutico were fighting for a spot in the final of the 1966 Brazilian Championship. The match result, won 5-3 by the Alvirrubro, positively marked the history of the Pernambuco club.
The Pernambuco club is headquartered in the Recife neighborhood of Aflitos, with a large structure that includes the social headquarters, an official Olympic swimming pool for the practice of such modalities, two multi-sport courts, and mainly the Estádio Eládio de Barros Carvalho, better known as Estádio dos Aflitos, due to its location in the Recife neighborhood of Aflitos. Both the stadium and the headquarters and their entire surroundings have been classified as intangible heritage of Pernambuco. The current capacity of the sports venue is around 20,000 spectators. It also owns the Wilson Campos Training Center — the largest in the North-Northeast of the country — located in the Guabiraba neighborhood in Recife, which has 54 hectares of built area and includes five official fields and two smaller football fields, along with numerous accommodations. Its colors, present in the shield and official flag, are red and white, while its fans are known as alvirrubros. Currently, it is the sports club with the highest number of members in Pernambuco, with over 25,000 affiliated fans, a number reached in 2022, according to public data on its official website.
The club, which had Portuguese João Victor da Cruz Alfarra as a major supporter, has its origins in the Portuguese, English, and German colonies of Recife, but today it boasts one of the largest fan bases in Pernambuco and the Northeast. The achievements and title wins in the 1950s and, mainly, the 1960s, considered the golden decade of Náutico, led to continuous support from popular classes in the capital and throughout the state, resulting in a diverse and socially varied fan base today.
History
Although the official founding date is April 7, 1901, Clube Náutico Capibaribe was already being talked about in the previous century when two rival groups of rowers from Recife joined forces. At the beginning of everything, in 1897, a group of rowing enthusiasts led by Portuguese João Victor da Cruz Alfarra rented boats from the old Lingueta, going on small excursions to the old Bath House of Pina. These trips reached as far as the Apipucos neighborhood.
When, after the Canudos Revolt, the people of Recife were preparing to welcome the Pernambuco troops led by General Artur Costa, an extensive program was arranged for the reception of the soldiers. João Alfarra and some companions were in charge of preparing the nautical part of the reception, and a grand regatta was scheduled for November 21, 1897.
This competition sparked the interest of the people of Recife, who felt the need to organize other events of this kind. At the time, rowing was already a national sport and began to gain new followers, and in the following year, employees of the warehouses on Duque de Caxias and Rangel streets formed a group, which they named Clube dos Pimpões. The members of the other group, which had shone in the regatta welcoming the Canudos troops, were encouraged, leading to a series of contests between the two groups in 1898 at the Bath House.
At the end of 1898, the foundation of another society was agreed upon, which would bring together the two previously mentioned groups: the Club Náutico do Recife. In 1899, by decision of its leaders, the club underwent a reorganization process but remained faithful to nautical sports. At that time, its name was changed to Recreio Fluvial, but the new name was not well received by everyone, resulting in the decision at the beginning of 1901 to define the name by which the club has been officially recognized ever since – Club Náutico Capibaribe.
On April 7, 1901, João Alfarra called upon all those involved in rowing for a ceremony where the first minutes of the organization would be documented and registered, a date that became officially recognized as the founding of the club.
"On the seventh of April nineteen hundred and one - 1901 - on the first floor, number one of the Caís da Companhia Pernambucana, at the invitation of Mr. João Victor da Cruz Alfarra, present were he and Mr. Antonio Dias Ferreira, Esmeraldo Gusmão Wanderley, A. Ommundsen, Oswaldo de Barros Lins e Silva, Francisco Joaquim Ferreira, João Vieira de Magalhães and Francisco Leandro Rocha. Mr. Antonio Dias Ferreira was elected President of the meeting and assumed the chair, declaring the session open, appointing Mr. Piragibe Haghissé as 1st Secretary, Mr. Francisco Joaquim Ferreira as 2nd Secretary, and Mr. João Vieira Magalhães as Treasurer. Mr. João Alfarra requested the floor to explain the reason for the meeting, which is the founding of a society for nautical recreation under the name Clube Náutico Capibaribe - as the idea was approved by all, [...] the society's pavilion will be a flag of ten panels, the upper and lower ones in red and the center one white with the letters C N C, initials of the Club in blue fabric and also to distinguish the Club's boats and members, to be used at the bows of the boats, a small - jeck - red with a white circle in the center which will have in blue an anchor and the initials of the Club [...]"
The historical document was signed by all present - by Antônio Dias Ferreira, president of the meeting, Piragibe Haghissé, secretary, and João Victor da Cruz Alfarra, leader of the group and father of the idea. The first flag had red, white, and blue colors, which is why even today Náutico plays with the jersey numbers in blue. The first Náutico uniform was blue and white due to the nautical representation, the basis for the club's foundation, but soon red replaced blue and joined white, especially since the color was already present in its flag.
The beginning of football at Clube Náutico Capibaribe
Founded in 1901, the "football" modality only appeared at the club years later, specifically in 1905, but it was only in the following year that a group of English formed the first team; however, the activities were limited to Sundays, on the Santana field or in the Derby field. The first reference to Náutico's football can be found in the Jornal Pequeno from May 12, 1909, specifically regarding the creation of the club's football department, already for the first match: "It has come to our attention that the boys of Náutico are working to form an eleven to take on those from Sport Club"
Still in 1909, the first football match of Náutico would take place, and soon against the team that would become its greatest rival, Sport Recife. The opposing team also came from rowing but had already had football as a significant practice for some years, making them a more experienced team in the sport. For the alvirrubra side, it was the first match against another team. The two teams scheduled the match for July 25, 1909; the Jornal Pequeno reported the meeting between the two clubs on July 24, one day before:
"Tomorrow, at 4 PM at the magnificent field of the British Club, the eagerly awaited match between the Sport Club of Recife and the Club Nautico Capibaribe will take place, following the challenge made by the latter days ago. It is the first time that under the respective banners of the two important and liked athletic clubs of this capital a football match will take place here, and so it is easy to assess the great interest that this event has aroused in our sporting community, where the result of the meeting is being discussed with enthusiasm never before observed in Pernambuco!"
On the scheduled day, the match took place at the British Club field - now the Museum of the State of Pernambuco - which years later would be considered the "Clássico dos Clássicos". The alvirrubra team played with King (goalkeeper), Avila (right back), Smith (center-back), Ivatt (fourth back), Cook (left back), Ramage (defensive midfielder), H. Grant (right midfielder), Thomas (left midfielder), Américo Silva (right winger), Maunsell (center-forward), and João Maia (left winger) and won the match by a score of 3 to 1, with the first two goals scored by Rolland Maunsell and the third goal by Thomas.
In 1914, the Liga Recifense de Futebol was created, but Náutico was not part of it. Its players sought to join other clubs that had affiliated. The João de Barros club, now América, was the one that benefited the most from the departure of Náutico players.
In 1915, however, the need to create a new entity to guide the football in the city was felt. Thus, the Liga Sportiva Pernambucana was founded, to which Náutico affiliated. As a result, the players returned, and the club began to participate in all league competitions, but without much interest in football; it only gave it the proper importance after the arrival of professionalism in 1937, yet it had already been crowned champion in the 1934 season.
The 1930s: first conquests and the era of the Carvalheiras
At the beginning of the decade, the club was already demonstrating its commitment to finding its place in the state scene, being among the top contenders from the beginning, even achieving a vice-championship. In 1934, in the twentieth edition of the Campeonato Pernambucano, Náutico became champion for the first time in football. The alvirrubra team, led by Uruguayan Humberto Cabelli, had a great campaign, having applied a resounding 8-1 victory over Sport in the last round, which led the competition to a single-match final. In the final, Timbu faced Santa Cruz and won the tricolor by a score of 2-1. The alvirrubra goals were scored by Estevão and Fernando Carvalheira, the latter also became the top scorer of the competition that year with 28 goals.
The team was made up of players from the same family: Arthur, Fernando, and Zezé Carvalheira, who became the first alvirrubra idols. In his career, Arthur Carvalheira scored no less than 54 goals during his time at Náutico; Fernando Carvalheira, for his part, is still the second highest scorer in the history of Timbu, with 185 goals scored in the alvirrubra jersey, and is also one of the highest scorers in classics against Sport and Santa Cruz.
In 1939, Timbu was once again state champion, with the Carvalheiras being the great highlights once again. Fernando and Zezé were still playing, while Arthur had already retired from football. In addition to the two remaining from 1934, there was another Carvalheira: Emídio, and the alvirrubra won that year the two rounds of the championship, becoming the state champion of 1939.
The 1940s: the beginning of a golden era
The early 1940s were not easy for Náutico after the departure of its top scorer Fernando Carvalheira. However, in 1943, the top scorer Tará switched from Santa Cruz to Náutico, and had his brothers Orlando and Isaac supporting him in the Timbu attack, aiming to replicate the same success of the Carvalheira brothers. Orlando would later be known as Pingo de Ouro, a historical player for Fluminense and Atlético Mineiro. Timbu started well in the Pernambucano, having won the first round of the competition, but after disagreements with the Federation, withdrew from the championship.
The club would return to participate in the state championship the following season, in 1944, where the alvirrubra reached the final of the competition after winning the 2nd and 3rd rounds, but lost in the decision to América.
In the following season, Náutico had another great campaign and was crowned Pernambucano Champion of 1945, rediscovering the path to titles. The team still had the top scorer Tará; however, his brother Orlando Pingo de Ouro - a fan favorite - was sold to Fluminense. To pair with Tará in the attack, the winger Genival was signed, who had been a champion with Sport. That year, the alvirrubra's campaign was fabulous, applying the largest victory in its history and the Pernambuco championship by beating Flamengo do Recife 21-3, with 9 goals scored by Tará, 3 by Plínio, 3 by Luiz, 2 by Hilton, 2 by Hermenegildo, and 2 by Genival.
The 1950s: state hegemony and a tour in Europe
The 1950s would mark Náutico's arrival as a major player in Pernambuco football by becoming a three-time champion and also winning two more titles in the Pernambuco championship during the same decade, totaling 5 titles; it was also crowned champion of the Torneio dos Campeões do Norte-Nordeste in 1952 and made the first tour of a club from the Northeast to Europe in 1953.
The winning team of the tri-championship (1950/1951/1952) was marked not only by great performances and achievements but also by a curious fact: the reserves hardly ever entered the field, and all they did was eat and sleep. The success of the starting team on the field, the nicknames given by fans, and the media coverage of this curious situation gained so much prominence that the maestro Nelson Ferreira named a frevo "Come e Dorme" composed for Náutico, which to this day serves as an informal anthem for the club. One of the great names of that team, present in all three years of the tri, was Ivanildo Espingardinha, awarded the Belfort Duarte Prize by the Brazilian Football Confederation. Espingardinha was passionate about Náutico and never accepted to sign a professional contract, having, after retiring, served as the club's director.
Part of the alvirrubra team in the 1952 season was the player Ivson de Freitas, who was also a Pernambuco champion in 1954, top scorer in 1953 and 1954 with 16 goals each, and still in 1952 was champion of the Torneio dos Campeões do Norte-Nordeste, a competition held among state champions from the previous season in the North and Northeast regions of the country, in the final the alvirrubra team thrashed Tuna Luso by 5-1 in a single match, achieving the club's first regional title.
In 1953, Náutico was the pioneer club from the Northeast in what would be the first tour of the region to Europe. The club played a total of 10 matches between May and June, passing through two countries, France and Germany, playing 4 and 6 matches respectively in each country. It also faced great teams of the time, and some of these clubs are still significant today in their respective countries or in Europe. The matches were: Olympique de Marseille 1-3 Náutico, Toulouse 2-0 Náutico, Angers Sporting 1-2 Náutico, and finishing against Le Havre 0-3 Náutico, completing its stay in France. In Germany, they also played 6 matches following the same criteria: SV Sarr 05 3-3 Náutico, Hamburger SV 0-3 Náutico, Schalke 04 6-2 Náutico, Bayern Munich 2-2 Náutico, FK Pirmasens 1-3 Náutico, and finally Greuther Fürth 3-2 Náutico, concluding their excellent and positive trip to Europe.
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The squad in the 1954 state championship was basically formed by the same players who came from the European tour, and Timbu lived up to its squad, becoming the Pernambucano Champion of 1954. The squad still included Ivson de Freitas, a goal-scoring machine - who was also the competition's top scorer with 16 goals - and Espingardinha, who, in addition to playing on the field, also served as coach after the departure of Palmeira, who had led the tri-championship. In that year's final, Náutico was losing 2-0 to Sport, but with the typical bravery of the alvirrubros, Náutico managed to turn the game around and became champion by beating the Leão 3-2.
And it was Ivson de Freitas who was the standout of the 1950s: with excellent performances for the alvirrubra team and the top scorers of 1953 and 1954, he became the 5th highest scorer in Náutico's history, with 118 goals in 159 matches.
Golden Decade: National Rise and Alvirrubra Domination of the 1960s
Time and history would prove that the decision to dedicate more interest to football had been a wise one: Náutico, a club honored in rowing since early times, would, over the years, also become victorious in football - a pioneer in Pernambuco in international matches, first tetra, first penta, first and only hexachampion Pernambucano between 1963 and 1968. It was also vice-champion of the Taça Brasil (the old format of the current Brazilian Championship) in 1967, achieving a spot in the Copa Libertadores of America.
In the history of the Taça Brasil, Náutico reached the top four five times, only behind Santos in this regard. In the six editions it participated in this tournament, Náutico played 38 matches, with 19 wins, 6 draws, 13 losses, 62 goals for and 46 against. The vice-championship in 1967 was the best positioning, with Timbu finishing 2nd twice and 4th twice, in addition to 7th in 1964, which was the least brilliant placement for Náutico in the Taça Brasil. Considering the third place in the Copa do Brasil in 1990, Náutico finished among the top four in national cup-style tournaments six times, the best performance for a club from the Northeast, according to this parameter.
The 1960s began for Náutico with the conquest of the Pernambucano championship that year. The team led by Gentil Cardoso became champion against Santa Cruz at the Estádio dos Aflitos. But the joys were just beginning.
In 1963, the journey of the Hexa championship began. Between 1963 and 1968, Náutico dominated Pernambuco football. And in all six triumphs, the vice-champion was Sport, a fact that only heightened the rivalry between the two teams. Náutico would also win the North-Northeast Zone of the Taça Brasil on three occasions (1965, 1966, and 1967), in addition to the North Group of the Taça Brasil on two occasions (1964 and 1965) and was also the champion of the Copa dos Campeões do Norte in 1966.
The year 1967 was one of the most special for Náutico, as the club advanced to the final of the Taça Brasil, making an excellent campaign. In addition to the title of the North-Northeast phase of the same year, which allowed it to continue in the race for the title of the competition, the alvirrubras team eliminated Atlético Mineiro in the quarterfinals and in the semifinals passed through Cruzeiro of Tostão, the champion of the previous Taça Brasil season. Thus, the Timbu reached the decision after an incredible campaign. In the final, Náutico faced Palmeiras of Ademir da Guia. The Timbu lost the first match in Recife by a score of 3-1 at Ilha do Retiro but won the game in São Paulo, at Pacaembu, by a score of 2-1. The victory in the capital forced a third game to be played at Maracanã. However, heavy rains on the day of the match frustrated the plans of the light and fast alvirrubra team. The title went to Palmeiras, with a score of 2-0.
However, the vice-championship qualified the team for the Libertadores the following year. The Timbu was the first club from Pernambuco to participate in that tournament. In the main South American competition, Náutico was eliminated due to an error by CONMEBOL, which had not authorized two substitutions per game that year, a rule already established by FIFA and used in Brazil by CBD. Náutico's coach, to waste time, substituted an athlete when the team already had the victory guaranteed against Deportivo Portugués from Venezuela, which ultimately led to the team's elimination, with the loss of points from the match after the game. The Venezuelan team then won Náutico's spot in the group and advanced to the next stage.
One of the main responsible for these significant achievements of Náutico was the striker Silvio Tasso Lasalvia, known as Bita, the greatest scorer in the history of Timbu with 221 goals scored in 319 matches between 1962 and 1971. One of his great matches was against Santos of Pelé, at Pacaembu, for the Taça Brasil in 1966, when Náutico defeated Santos 5-3, with Bita scoring four goals. The alvirrubra side would remain unbeaten at home for 85 matches, with 70 victories and 15 draws between November 29, 1963, and March 30, 1969. The King of Football even stated that among the most challenging teams he faced were Tostão's Cruzeiro, Palmeiras Academy, Botafogo, and Bita's Náutico.
In addition to Bita, other players who shone at Náutico included Gena, Nado - called up to the Brazilian National Team - Salomão, and Ivan Brondi. The latter served as president of the club between 2016 and 2017. Midfielder Salomão became known for fracturing a kidney after a blow in a match against Ceará at the Presidente Vargas Stadium. Despite being severely injured, Salomão remained on the field, only being substituted when he began to feel disoriented from blood loss. Salomão would only receive treatment for the injury 5 days after the match when he returned to Recife with the Timbu delegation. Even so, in the same year, Salomão played in the finals of the Pernambucano. Salomão's story is seen as a symbol of the alvirrubra spirit.
The 1970s, 80s, and 90s: fluctuations
In the 1970s, Náutico would only win the Campeonato Pernambucano in 1974, defeating Santa Cruz in the final, preventing the latter, which was the five-time champion at that moment, from matching Náutico's achievement as hexachampions — a feat Náutico also achieved by winning the championship against Santa Cruz in 2001, remaining the only hexachampion. Náutico's standout player in 1974 was striker Jorge Mendonça, who became an idol for the alvirrubra fans and led Timbu during the conquest of that year's Pernambucano. In 1974, striker Jorge Mendonça scored an incredible eight goals in Náutico's victory over Santo Amaro in a match for the state championship that year, which was won by the alvirrubra.
The club would experience a great moment in football by remaining unbeaten for 42 games, from August 1974 to May 1975, with their goalkeeper Neneca remaining without conceding goals between August and November 1974, for exactly 1,636 minutes, a world record that was only broken in 1978 by goalkeeper Mazarópi playing for Vasco, who also passed through Náutico during the conquest of the state championship in 1984. Neneca remains the second in the world today.
In the 1980s, Náutico was a two-time champion in 1984/1985 and champion in 1989. During this time, the player Baiano (who was actually from Colatina) played for Náutico, becoming the third highest scorer of Timbu, with 181 goals in 305 matches. Baiano also won the Golden Boot Trophy as the top scorer in Brazil in 1982 and 1983.
In 1981, Náutico was highlighted by winning the title of champion of the Qualifying Round of the Taça Ouro, equivalent to today's Série B title, which gave the club the opportunity to compete in the Taça Ouro that same year. The team featured standout players such as goalkeeper Jairo, striker André Catimba, and defender Carlos Alberto Rocha.
The creation of the Copa União in 1987, under a cloud of great administrative disorganization, would unjustly and compulsorily remove Náutico from the 1st Division of the Brazilian Championship, due to the arbitrary and unclear criteria by which the clubs were "chosen" for that competition. Unconcerned with all this, after a weak performance in the Yellow Module of 1987, Náutico would correct the mistake of that year on the field, becoming vice-champion of the Brazilian Championship Série B in 1988, regaining its spot in the first division.
In 1989, Náutico enchanted the state of Pernambuco with the beautiful performances of Bizu, Augusto, Erasmo, and Nivaldo, leading to the title of state champion that year, achieved at the Arruda stadium. Bizu scored 31 goals in that edition of the Pernambucano.
Still in 1989, Náutico made history in the Brazilian Championship by scoring the fastest goal in the history of the tournament to this day. It was in a match held at the Aflitos stadium where striker Nivaldo scored - after a beautiful pass from Augusto - just 8 seconds into the match against Atlético-MG. In the same year, the club finished that campaign with Bizu as the vice-top scorer of the championship.
In 1990, maintaining much of the excellent team that was the Pernambucano champion of 1989, Náutico was a semifinalist in the Copa do Brasil, being eliminated by Flamengo. The top scorer of that edition of the Copa do Brasil was striker Bizu, who had been the vice-top scorer of the Brazilian Championship in the previous year.
From then on, Náutico began to alternate between good and poor campaigns but remained in the 1st Division until 1994, when it was relegated to the Série B of the Brazilian Championship. In 1996 and 1997, competing in Série B, the team finished in 3rd place in both championships, fighting for one of the two spots for promotion to the Série A of the Brazilian Championship. Coincidentally, these failures initiated a process of decay at Náutico, which faced significant administrative and financial problems during those years, marking the end of a bad decade for the alvirrubra club, with no titles, ultimately leading the organization to one of the worst moments in its history when it fell to Série C of the Brazilian Championship in 1998.
In Série C in 1999, the team finished the championship in 4th place. The club had a good team with names like Marco Antônio - a young promise from São Paulo - and striker Célio Jacaré. However, they were defeated in the last round by Fluminense, who took the title. Nevertheless, the Timbu was benefited by the Sandro Hiroshi Case, which made the Brazilian Championship in 2000 unfeasible, leading to the creation of the Copa João Havelange to replace it, which placed Fluminense in this competition, later recognized as a first division by the CBF and secured the carioca club's spot in the following Série B, given the enormous legal problems created, where it would remain for a few more years until returning to Série A in 2007.
2001 to 2011: years of overcoming
In the 2000s, the alvirrubra team, after 12 years without trophies, would become the two-time Pernambucano champion in 2001/2002 (with 2001 being the year of its centenary), under coach Muricy Ramalho (who became an idol of the club and is currently a councilor). The centenary title has not been matched by either Santa Cruz or Sport and is a significant source of envy for the rivals who had poor campaigns in their respective 100th anniversary celebrations.
The year 2001 began with great distrust from the fans due to the signing of unknown players, including Kuki, and the fear of seeing Sport become hexachampion. However, after Muricy Ramalho's arrival, the team gained traction and the then-unknown Kuki became an idol and the team's top scorer. Thus, in the year of its centenary, Náutico became the Pernambucano champion, and, as a bonus, prevented the rival Sport from matching its greatest achievement in state tournaments. In the Brazilian Série B, Náutico finished in fifth place, reaching the final rounds with a chance for promotion.
In 2002, maintaining most of the base of the champion team of 2001, Náutico became Pernambucano champion again, with Kuki once again as the standout player. In that tournament, the star of striker Fumaça also shone.
In 2003, the club did not have a good state championship and finished in third place. In Série B, the performance was shaky, finishing in a modest seventh place, although the team had good players like defender Batata, midfielder Mabília, and strikers Kuki and Jorge Henrique.
In 2004, now under the command of Zé Teodoro, Náutico started the year with some skepticism but became state champion again by beating Santa Cruz 3-0 at the Arruda Stadium. The goals were scored by Kuki, Jorge Henrique, and Batata. That year, the team also had a good Brazilian championship, narrowly missing qualification for the final phase.
In 2005, Náutico had a very irregular Brazilian championship but managed to qualify for the final quadrangular of Série B, finishing in 3rd place in the competition for a spot in Série A in 2006. In the last round of the final phase, on November 26 of that year, they squandered the chance to gain promotion in a game against Grêmio at their stadium, in a very contested match where Náutico had several opportunities and also missed two penalties, ultimately losing by 1-0. The match gained epic proportions due to the circumstances in which it was decided and was nicknamed the Batalha dos Aflitos.
In 2006, however, Náutico showed great and rapid recovery power, facing all negative expectations from the press and fans. That year, the board assembled a strong team featuring the midfield duo Nildo, a highlight from Sport in the early 2000s, and Netinho, a promise from Atlético-PR, who scored 13 goals in the competition. And in the attack, Kuki partnered with Felipe, who together netted 27 goals in that Série B.
On November 18, the team defeated Ituano at home 2-0, with an audience of over 25,000 people filling the Estádio dos Aflitos. Thus, the team returned to the First Division of the Brazilian Championship after twelve years of absence, burying the trauma of the previous year's defeat.
This was a moment of great joy for the alvirrubra fans, confident that "lightning doesn't strike twice in the same place," as the popular saying goes. The club could have qualified a round earlier but faced an Ituano team motivated by Coritiba, which was also fighting for the spot. The players ran the entire game, with highlights for Kuki, Felipe, and Capixaba. Much of this achievement is attributed to the coaches who passed through the club, such as Roberto Cavalo (who was dismissed after the only defeat at home) and Paulo Campos (who, despite criticism, managed to place Náutico among the top four teams in Série B that would ascend to Série A). Finally, Hélio dos Anjos was hired, who lifted the team's spirits and guided them to promotion. In the history of the Brazilian Série B Championship, by the end of the 2006 campaign, Náutico was the club that scored the most points, with 484 points accumulated in fifteen editions.
In 2006, the Friends of the Base Association (AADB) was founded, formed by fans and supporters of the club, aiming to contribute to the development of the youth divisions and thus assist in the growth of Náutico.
In 2007, Náutico played in its 23rd Brazilian Championship of the First Division, finishing in fifteenth place, with the second round being the eighth team that scored the most points. Throughout the history of the Brazilian Championship, Náutico played 431 matches, winning 152 and scoring 545 goals. The best placement for Náutico was sixth in the 1984 Brazilian Championship. In the 2007 edition, Náutico had Uruguayan Beto Acosta as the standout player. Acosta was the vice-top scorer of the competition and received several awards, winning the affection of the fans.
In 2008, Náutico once again managed to stay in the Série A after a 0-0 draw with Santos at Vila Belmiro. The highlight of this match was alvirrubra goalkeeper Eduardo, who made crucial saves for the club. With the draw, the Pernambuco club secured the 16th position in that year's championship, with the same 44 points and the same number of victories (11) as Figueirense, but with a better goal difference (-10 for Náutico and -24 for Figueirense), the Timbu ensured its stay in Série A.
In the 2009 Brazilian Série A, which started with high expectations having striker Carlinhos Bala, a highlight in the state championship, Náutico went through many ups and downs and, due to poor planning, ended up being relegated to the Série B of the Brazilian Championship.
In 2010, it had a good start to the Série B campaign but suffered a sharp drop in performance in the 2nd round and finished its participation in 14th place in the competition.
In 2011, after losing the State Championship in the first half of the year, the team reorganized, hiring coach Waldemar Lemos, who had previously coached Náutico in Série A in 2009, and maintained most of the squad from the Pernambucano Championship. After a poor start in the Série B competition, Náutico would react and conduct a solid campaign, notably consistent, remaining unbeaten at home where they always had the unconditional support of their fanatical fans, maintaining a position among the top 4 for most of the championship. As a result of these factors, it secured its return to the Série A of the Brazilian Championship in advance, after a combination of results in the 37th round, held on November 18, which favored them, even after losing to Boa Esporte in Varginha 2-1. That year, Náutico was the only national club, in all divisions, that did not lose any home games in the Brazilian Championship. There were 13 wins and 6 draws, once again showcasing the strength of the alvirrubra fans. The great highlights of that season were striker Kieza, midfielder Derley, and midfielder Eduardo Ramos.
2012: historic campaign and qualification for the Copa Sul-Americana
The year 2012 began disappointingly: lackluster participation in the state championship, where Timbu finished only 4th overall, and elimination in the Copa do Brasil in the second round. There were low expectations for Náutico to perform well in the Brazilian Championship, with predictions pointing to it as one of the teams certain to be relegated.
However, right at the start of the competition, the alvirrubra club achieved 5 consecutive victories at Estádio dos Aflitos, showcasing what would be its performance within its domain, of the 19 matches played, there were 13 victories, 3 draws, and 3 losses, one of which was to the season's champions, Fluminense. This excellent home campaign was primarily attributed to the effect of the "Caldeirão dos Aflitos", with the 7th best average attendance among all participating teams, Náutico brought in 12,894 fans per game. This incredible home performance allowed the team, led by Alexandre Gallo, to finish in 12th place, contrary to expectations and achieving the club's best position and one of the best among northeastern teams in the "points-corridos" era, and also securing, therefore, an unprecedented spot to compete in the Copa Sul-Americana in 2013, after waiting more than 40 years to return to participate in an international championship.
In the campaign of the Brasileirão, in addition to the coach, some players also stood out, such as Kieza, Souza, Elicarlos, Rogério, Ronaldo Alves, Rhayner, Martinez, Douglas Santos (who was called up to the Brazilian national team while playing for Náutico), and Araújo. In that season, the last match of each round was played against a rival team; that season, Sport was also competing in Série A but fought against relegation throughout the competition. In the first round, there was a 0-0 draw at Ilha do Retiro; the last game of the season (38th round) took place at Estádio dos Aflitos, the match was particularly significant as it determined qualification for the Sul-Americana the following year, and Náutico needed the win to secure that spot, while Sport was still battling against relegation. In a challenging match, with the alvirrubra team dominating, they failed to score and even missed a penalty at the end of the first half; it was then that, at the 19th minute of the second half, striker Araújo scored, allowing Náutico to win the match 1-0, thus qualifying the team for the South American tournament and also condemning the red-black team to relegation. The joy of the alvirrubra fans was immense at the end of that match.
2013: Arena Pernambuco, loss of key players, and relegation to Série B
As the planning for the new season began, the club experienced some significant losses in the squad. Highlights from 2012, such as Araújo, Souza, Rhayner, and Kieza, migrated to other clubs for various reasons, as did coach Alexandre Gallo, who accepted an invitation to coach the youth teams of the Brazilian National Team. All these changes, which occurred during the first semester, made it difficult to assemble a new team. As in previous years, the Timbu once again failed to assert itself and win the title of the Campeonato Pernambucano, despite being the only team in the state in the national Série A.
In the Copa do Brasil, they were eliminated in the first round, and the initial results in the Brasileirão were also unsatisfactory. However, there was a pause due to the Copa das Confederações being held in the country, which theoretically would give a better opportunity for team cohesion and strengthening, which would also be encouraged by the fact that they would be playing definitively at Arena Pernambuco, with more ticket availability and comfort for fans. However, the expectations turned into frustration; Náutico's fans never adapted to Arena Pernambuco due to the distance from Recife and the difficulties of access via public transport, especially for night games.
In the Copa Sul-Americana, the Timbu excited the fans with the qualification, but in the competition, they were eliminated by their archrival, Sport. Náutico played in an international competition and ended up not leaving Recife: the first match was at Ilha do Retiro, and the second at Arena Pernambuco, where they were eliminated on penalties, with the star performance of Magrão, Sport's goalkeeper.
The remainder of the year was not positive for the alvirrubros; losses increased, and the team languished at the bottom of the table until, in the 33rd round, Náutico's drop to Série B was mathematically confirmed.
2014 to 2017: near access to Série A, crises, and drop to Série C
After losing a poorly managed funding of nearly 50 million reais, Náutico had to rebuild, hiring coach Lisca Lorenzi, a Gaúcho who promised to give a fighting style to Timbu. The most prominent players during this phase were midfielders Zé Mário and Pedro Carmona. Zé Mario scored the goal that ended a 10-year drought without beating rival Sport at Ilha do Retiro. This game also marked the beginning of a rivalry between coach Lisca and Sport's striker Neto Baiano, after the coach went to celebrate the historic victory on the stadium's fence with the alvirrubra fans. However, the team was eliminated in the group stage of the Copa do Nordeste. In the Pernambucano, the team performed better, finishing the qualifying phase in 1st place after beating Sport once again, this time at Arena Pernambuco. Náutico was without its main player for the final phase: Pedro Carmona was injured in the 5-3 loss to Santa Cruz. The Timbu defeated Salgueiro on penalties in the semifinals and lost the final to Sport in front of the largest alvirrubra crowd at the Arena to date (30,061 fans).
At the beginning of Série B, Náutico showed it was capable of fighting for access, but disagreements between coach Lisca and the board led to his departure in the middle of the competition after elimination by América-RN in the Copa do Brasil. Sidney Morais was hired, and the team remained close to the G-4 but could not enter the access group. Three months later, Morais was dismissed, and Dado Cavalcanti was hired for the rest of the championship, in which Náutico finished in 13th place, with Sassá being the team's top scorer with 9 goals.
In 2017, Náutico restructured the group once again and hired coach Moacir Junior, who intended to use a lot from the alvirrubra base this year. After a 0-0 draw against Santa Cruz, he was dismissed. In nine official matches under Moacir Junior's command between the Copa do Nordeste and the Campeonato Pernambucano, he achieved only two victories. There were 27 points at stake and only 10 earned, with a 37.03% success rate. Lisca returned to lead the alvirrubra team but could not avoid early eliminations in the preliminary phases of the state and regional competitions, both against Salgueiro. The coach remained for the Série B and the Copa do Brasil, where Náutico reached the 3rd phase and was eliminated by Flamengo, even after drawing the first match at Maracanã 1-1, the alvirrubras could not withstand the strength and speed of strikers Paolo Guerrero and Emerson and were defeated 2-0 at Arena Pernambuco. In Série B, coach Lisca faced wear and tear after losses to teams in the relegation zone and was ultimately dismissed after a loss to Ceará. Gilmar Dal Pozzo was hired, and the team began to achieve encouraging results. However, the team finished in fifth place, just two points shy of promotion.
For the 2016 season, Náutico maintained much of the team from 2015, and after achieving the best campaign in the Pernambucano 2016 Hexagonal with 23 points (7 wins, 2 draws, and 1 loss), Náutico was eliminated in the semifinals by rival Santa Cruz. Following the elimination in the Pernambucano, coach Gilmar Dal Pozzo was dismissed, and Alexandre Gallo was hired to compete for third place with Salgueiro and for Série B. After two victories by 1-0 and 3-0, Náutico finished in third place in the Pernambucano, securing a spot in the Copa do Nordeste in 2017.
The Série B campaign with Gallo was unstable, and Givanildo Oliveira was hired to put the squad and the campaign in order. The team gained traction and managed to win 7 consecutive matches. In the last round, despite being dependent on results, Náutico could ascend to Série A by defeating Oeste at home. They lost 2-0 at home and hit the post once again, finishing fifth for the second consecutive year.
In 2017, financial difficulties intensified, and the good team that was the vice-champion of Pernambucano that year was completely dismantled with the start of Série B. Simultaneously, there was a significant internal crisis in the club that culminated in the anticipation of elections that were supposed to take place only in December. In the 2017 Série B, Náutico changed coaches 4 times and only showed some reaction with the arrival of Roberto Fernandes, who, despite managing to give a new face to the Náutico team, could not prevent relegation.
However, amid the poor results, Náutico won the Taça do Centenário do Clássico das Emoções - nicknamed Taça Gena - by beating Santa Cruz 3-2 at the Arruda with a hat-trick from William Batoré.
At the end of the Brazilian Série B Championship in 2017, Náutico was relegated to Série C.
2018 to 2019: Pernambucano champion, return home, and title of Brazilian Série C champion
Discredited, Náutico started the year 2018 under great distrust from the fans. The club had a poor campaign in the previous year's Série B and was burdened with debts, in addition to political conflicts that further worsened the situation. A new board took over the club and had to reorganize Náutico, even assembling a lean-salaried squad and a strict financial austerity policy, Timbu achieved important victories throughout the Campeonato Pernambucano and made a regular campaign in the Copa do Nordeste, although not enough to pass the group stage. In the state championship, there was a particular match that was even called the "classic of the abyss" (due to the huge financial difference between the two teams), but the Náutico team resolved it on the field and thrashed Sport 3-0, such a result gave confidence to the fans.
On April 8, 2018, with 42,352 fans present, Náutico was crowned Pernambucano champion by defeating Central de Caruaru 2-1. The star of that championship was striker Ortigoza, one of Náutico's top scorers in the competition and the author of the first goal in the final against Central.
After a shaky start in Série C, culminating in the dismissal of Pernambucano champion coach Roberto Fernandes, Náutico managed to turn things around. With the arrival of coach Márcio Goiano, the team gained momentum and finished the group stage in first place in group A, just one point ahead of Atlético-AC, the second-placed team. However, despite the resurgence, Náutico was eliminated at home in the quarterfinals by Bragantino (now Red Bull Bragantino), after losing 3-1 in Bragança Paulista and drawing 1-1 at Arena Pernambuco, thus losing the spot in Série B of 2019.
Despite the elimination in the quarterfinals of Série C in 2018, the year 2019 began with great expectations from the fans for the return to Estádio dos Aflitos. Still in 2018, there was a general mobilization of fans from all over the country supporting the campaign to return home, which gained significant notoriety with the rapid growth of the club's member count, jumping from a base of 3,000 paying members to over 16,000 in a short period, and on December 18, 2018, Náutico finally returned home to Aflitos, in a friendly match won by Timbu against Newell's Old Boys from Argentina, generating significant revenue.
In 2019, right at the start of the state championship, Náutico made an excellent campaign in the first phase of the Campeonato Pernambucano, finishing in second place. Although it lost important pieces from the previous season, such as Ortigoza, who returned to Paraguay, the club made some significant signings, including the return of idol Jorge Henrique. In the knockout stage, it eliminated Vitória-PE 3-0 in the quarterfinals, Afogados-PE 2-0 in the semifinals, and reached the final against Sport. In the grand final, it lost the first match at home, 1-0. In the return leg, at Ilha do Retiro, it defeated Sport in a dramatic match, 2-1 in the first half, and was seeking the comeback in the second half while performing better, but ended up being defeated 4-3 in the penalty shootout, finishing as vice-champion. The two final matches, however, were marked by referee errors in the rival's goals in the first match and another in the return match.
In the Copa do Nordeste, Náutico had a good campaign in the group stage, securing qualification against Vitória in Salvador, advancing to the knockout stage. In the next phase, it faced Ceará in Castelão and won the match 2-0; however, the team was eliminated in the semifinals by Botafogo da Paraíba in João Pessoa, in a game in which a large part of the starting team was injured.
In the national championship, Náutico would compete in its third Série C in history, and the second consecutively. With a shaky start, culminating in the dismissal of coach Márcio Goiano, the club also faced difficulties with serious injuries to two of its key players: Jorge Henrique and Maylson. But with the arrival of coach Gilmar Dal Pozzo, reinforcements, and the use of the base, which was already a constant at Náutico, the Timbu embarked on a good recovery campaign and a sequence of important victories, again finishing the first phase in first place after defeating rival Santa Cruz 3-1 at Aflitos, eliminating the chances for the coral team to advance to the knockout phase.
The quarterfinals this time were against Paysandu, with the first game played in Belém, ending in a goalless draw. The return game turned into a new "Batalha dos Aflitos," with the visiting team opening a 2-0 lead at 9 minutes into the second half at the alvirrubra stadium; however, at the 19th minute, Náutico reduced the score with Álvaro and equalized in the dying minutes of stoppage time with a penalty goal from Jean Carlos. With the 2-2 draw, the match went to penalties, where Timbu emerged victorious 5-3 with a save from goalkeeper Jefferson on one of the penalties, thus securing promotion to Série B in 2020, resulting in a widespread invasion of the field by the alvirrubra fans, showcasing a beautiful scene that is increasingly uncommon in Brazilian football.
In the quarterfinals, Náutico faced Juventude, with the first match held in Caxias do Sul resulting in a 2-1 victory for the home team. In Recife, Náutico replicated the same result, winning in regular time 2-1 and winning 4-3 on penalties, reaching the final of the competition, facing Sampaio Corrêa.
The first leg of the final took place in Recife, with Náutico winning 3-1. In the second leg at Castelão, Sampaio, needing to win by 2-0 to take it to penalties, took the lead in the first half, but the Timbu equalized with a goal from Álvaro six minutes into the second half. Later, Sampaio scored the second goal, but shortly after Matheus Carvalho equalized the match, sealing the national championship title for Náutico.
2020 to 2021: Pandemic, difficult Série B, and 2021 Pernambuco championship title
Náutico began the year 2020 with great expectations due to the title of Série C in 2019, having retained much of the championship-winning squad and repatriated striker Kieza. However, 2020 was a difficult year for Timbu, which was eliminated in the first phase of the Copa do Nordeste, knocked out in the semifinals of the Pernambuco championship, and spent the entire Série B fighting against relegation.
The coach who led the Série C championship in 2019, Gilmar Dal Pozzo, was dismissed at the beginning of Série B 2020 and replaced by Gilson Kleina, who, after a series of poor results, was dismissed and replaced by Hélio dos Anjos, who had already led the Timbu on two other occasions. Even with limited resources to invest due to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, coach Hélio dos Anjos turned things around and Náutico managed to escape the relegation zone in Série B, avoiding what seemed inevitable.
For the year 2021, Náutico retained coach Hélio dos Anjos at the helm of the team and made some key signings for the Pernambuco championship.
In the 2021 state championship, Náutico was absolute. They led the championship from start to finish, having lost only one match in the initial phase. In the semifinals, they eliminated Santa Cruz in a game where striker Kieza was decisive, scoring 2 goals. In the final, Náutico faced Sport. In the first match, held at Arena Pernambuco, Náutico fell behind but equalized with a goal from defender Wagner Leonardo. In the second match, held at Estádio dos Aflitos, there was no shortage of excitement. Náutico took the lead with a beautiful goal from Kieza, hit the post twice, and Sport's defender Maidana cleared two balls off the line. With just minutes left before the final whistle, Sport equalized, leading to a penalty shootout.