During the
Estado Novo, no organized
supporters' groups existed, as few people had the resources to follow their club throughout the country or abroad. With the
transition to democracy in the mid-1970s, and with the newly-found freedom, fans started to converge together to chant for their team, leading to the creation of the first supporters' groups in Portugal, Juve Leo, in 1976. In Portugal, supporters' groups are obligated by law to register with the Instituto Português do Desporto e Juventude (Portuguese Institute for Sport and Youth), so that clubs can provide technical, financial, and material support to those groups. Neither Diabos Vermelhos nor No Name Boys have done so.
Diabos Vermelhos The Diabos Vermelhos (English: Red Devils) were created on 11 November 1982 and are located in the north corner of the
Estádio da Luz, known as Topo Norte. One of the oldest Portuguese supporters' groups, they were formed when a group of fans gathered in the central ring of the original
Estádio da Luz. Its creation was inspired by the
European performance of 1982–83. They reached over five thousand members in the following years, but in the early nineties, a disagreement resulted in the creation of another Benfica's supporters' group, No Name Boys. That affected negatively the group, and members plummeted to an all-time low of just ten. However, as new leaders came, they helped Diabos Vermelhos recover and regain members exponentially, reaching more than 1000 members. Since the early days of the No Name Boys, clashes between the two groups are frequent. In December 2003, Diabos Vermelhos pressured Benfica's board after the
roller hockey section wanted to sign Paulo Alves, a former Porto player, who attacked one of their own during a match on 6 June 1998. On 24 January 2012, Diabos Vermelhos announced they were missing a match against
Feirense because of high prices asked by that club, with the minimum ticket price set at €25 for Benfica supporters, whereas the price for other teams' fans were usually set at €10. They also protested against
modern football profit-driven business, placing banners on nearby roofs. Previously, in late 2010, Benfica had requested their supporters to boycott away games due to the unequal prices they had to pay in comparison with supporters of other teams.
No Name Boys The No Name Boys (Portuguese: Rapazes Sem Nome), or Иo Иame Boys, were created on 4 March 1992. They gather in the south corner of the Estádio da Luz, known as Topo Sul. Created after disagreements with another Benfica's supporters group, Diabos Vermelhos, their initial idea was to stick together and call themselves the "Diabos Vermelhos". However, that name was already registered by head members of the remaining Diabos Vermelhos, so they became a dissent group with no name, therefore the "Иo Иame Boys". No Name Boys made an immediate impact on Portuguese '''' (supporters' groups), with a massive presence of its members in all Benfica matches, either home or away. On 18 September 1994, three No Name Boys members ‒ Jorge "Gullit" Maurício, Ana Rita Fernandes and Laurentino "Tino" Soares ‒ died in a car accident in
Mérida, Spain, while they were returning from a Benfica match against
Hajduk Split for the
UEFA Champions League. From this event, a friendship was made with the Hajduk Split ultras,
Torcida Split. In 1996, after an incident during the Portuguese Cup final match, which resulted in the death of a Sporting CP supporter, they almost disbanded. Afterwards, the group created a unique style in the Portuguese supporters groups' scene, distancing themselves from the traditional Italian-influenced ultras style, which was the dominant trend in Portugal during the 1990s and early 2000s. The group is known for its secrecy, with no leading figures known to the public eye, no website and no open membership, unlike most other Portuguese supporters' groups. The No Name Boys rarely use elaborate displays at stands and do not use any kind of sound support. They prefer a more simple approach, using only a few large flags,
flares and their own vocal support.
Salutes are often heard at the group's stand. They are known for their devotion and support for
Benfica, especially in football and
futsal. Moreover, some of its members sometimes engage in protests against the club's board, staff, or players whenever they feel things are not right. Those protests can be silent presences at matches or explicit criticism at the club's members meetings. ==See also==