The 1900s and 1910s: The Glorious One ("O Glorioso") emerges In 1906, Botafogo won its first trophy, the Caxambu Cup, the inaugural football competition in
Rio de Janeiro for secondary teams. That same year, it debuted in the
first edition of the Carioca Championship, finishing fourth. Its first victory in the competition was a 1–0 win over
Bangu, with a goal by
Gilbert Hime at the
Estádio das Laranjeiras. In 1907, Botafogo was involved in its first major controversy. Tied on points with Fluminense but with fewer goals scored, Botafogo contested the rival's self-declared championship title, arguing that a walkover win against Internacional had unfairly excluded them from improving their goal average. Fluminense relied on the Metropolitan Football League's statute, which used goal average as a tiebreaker, though it lacked regulatory authority. The dispute remained unresolved until 1996, when both clubs were declared co-champions. In the
1909 Carioca Championship, Botafogo finished as runner-up but recorded the largest victory in Brazilian football history: a 24–0 win over Mangueira. The team scored 9 goals in the first half and 15 in the second, averaging one goal every 3.3 minutes.
Gilbert Hime scored nine goals, followed by Flávio Ramos with seven. That year, it also won the Interstate Trophy by defeating São Paulo champions
AA Palmeiras 7–2. In 1911, Botafogo withdrew from the Metropolitan Athleticos
Sports League (LMSA), which it had helped found in 1908. The decision followed a violent match against America that led to harsh suspensions for players Adhemaro and Abelardo de Lamare. In protest, the club left the league and played only friendly matches for a period. Later that year, it gave up its Campo da Rua Voluntários da Pátria headquarters for financial reasons. In 1912, now affiliated with
the Football Association of Rio de Janeiro (AFRJ), Botafogo won another Carioca Championship, playing at the Rua São Clemente field.
The 1910s and 1920s: the black-and-white hiatus Between 1912 and 1930, Botafogo experienced its first title drought. Despite this, it won the Carioca Second Division in 1915 and 1922. The club was runner-up in the First Division four times—in 1913, 1914, 1916, and 1918—and had several top scorers during the period, including Mimi Sodré, Luís Menezes, Aluízio Pinto, and
Arlindo Pacheco. Around this time, the term
cartola (top hat) began being used to refer to football directors. One version credits this to Uruguayan club Dublin's officials arriving in top hats for a friendly in Rio in 1917; another attributes it to Botafogo officials dressing formally to welcome the visitors. In the 1920s, the club's best result was third place in the
1928 Carioca Championship. In 1923, it narrowly avoided relegation by defeating Villa Isabel 3–1 in a playoff. Internal issues also marked this period.
1930s: The four-time champion Botafogo returned to prominence in the 1930s. Led by strikers Nilo and
Carvalho Leite, it won the
1930 Carioca Championship. Botafogo won the 1932 Carioca title with two rounds to spare. In 1933, the league split into AMEA and the newly formed LCF, which aimed to professionalize the sport. Botafogo remained with AMEA, winning the 1933 and 1934 championships. In 1935, with the creation of the Metropolitan Sports Federation (FMD), Botafogo won its fourth consecutive title, becoming the first professional state champion recognized by the Brazilian Sports Confederation. The standout player was
Leônidas da Silva, who joined from Flamengo and played until early 1936. In 1936, Botafogo embarked on its first international tour, playing nine matches in Mexico and the United States, with six wins, one draw, and two losses. The following year, renovations began at General Severiano Stadium, including the addition of concrete bleachers. In the 1938 reopening match, Botafogo defeated Fluminense 3–2. The club had significant representation in the 1934 World Cup in Italy, contributing nine players: goalkeepers
Germano and
Pedrosa, defender
Octacílio, midfielders
Ariel,
Canalli,
Martim Silveira and
Waldyr, and the attacking duo
Áttila and Carvalho Leite. One of the club's greatest idols, the controversial striker
Heleno de Freitas, also left without winning significant trophies, aside from the 1947 Início Cup and minor competitions. Between 1940 and 1948, Heleno scored 209 goals in 235 matches, forming part of an offensive quintet alongside
Tesourinha,
Zizinho,
Jair Rosa Pinto, and
Ademir Menezes, considered among the best in Brazilian football history. After Heleno's departure in 1948, Botafogo ended a long title drought by winning the Carioca Championship. The 1948 championship also marked the emergence of one of the club's mascots. During a preliminary match against Madureira, a dog named Biriba, owned by reserve defender Macaé, ran onto the field as if celebrating Botafogo's 10–2 victory. Club president Carlito Rocha, charmed by Biriba's black-and-white fur, adopted the dog as the team's mascot. Biriba became a fixture at matches, and whenever Botafogo was trailing, the dog was released onto the field to halt play—after which the team often managed to reverse the score. The era also included the club's greatest idols:
Nilton Santos, regarded as the best
left-back ever, and
Garrincha, considered by many the greatest footballer in history. In 1951, Botafogo finished third in the Santiago International Tournament and won the
Municipal Tournament, earning an invitation to the inaugural
Small Club World Cup, in
Venezuela. In 1957, sports columnist and club director João Saldanha was appointed coach, leading Botafogo to the Carioca Championship with a historic 6–2 final win over Fluminense, the highest-scoring final to date. Botafogo also finished runner-up in the Small Club World Cup that year. In 1958, key players Garrincha, Nilton Santos, Didi, and Zagallo helped Brazil win its first World Cup. Despite their absence, Botafogo won the João Teixeira de Carvalho Tournament and recorded a 5–0 victory over Vasco da Gama—their biggest win against the rival. The club continued to compete internationally, finishing runner-up in the 1958 Mexico Pentagonal and 1959
Teresa Herrera Trophy, and winning the 1960 Torneio Internacional de Colombia. In 1962, Botafogo won three titles: the Carioca Championship (again over Flamengo), the Rio-São Paulo Tournament, and the Pentagonal Tournament in Mexico. Garrincha led Brazil to another World Cup victory, alongside five Botafogo teammates. In 1963, Botafogo reached the national final but lost to Santos and was eliminated by the same team in the Libertadores semi-finals. They won the Paris International Tournament, defeating
Racing Paris. In 1964, Botafogo shared the Rio-São Paulo title with Santos after winning the first playoff match; the second was canceled due to both teams touring abroad. The club also won the Panamaribo Cup and the Golden Jubilee Tournament. Nilton Santos retired that year after 721 games. In 1969, Botafogo won the
1968 Brazil Cup, later recognized by the Brazilian Football Confederation as a national championship, marking the club's first official Brazilian title.
1970s and 1980s: 21 years of drama From the Brazil Cup victory in 1968 to the
Carioca Championship in 1989, Botafogo went 21 years without winning an official title, accumulating runner-up finishes and third and fourth places. The final stretch of the
1971 Carioca Championship was marked by disappointment. With four recent World Cup winners (
Carlos Alberto Torres,
Brito,
Paulo César Caju, and
Jairzinho), Botafogo dominated the tournament but stumbled in the last rounds. In the final match against Fluminense, needing only a draw, they conceded a controversial goal in the 88th minute. Fluminense's
Marco Antônio collided with Botafogo's goalkeeper Ubirajara, who claimed to have been pushed. On the rebound,
Lula scored the winning goal. In the
Brazilian Championship, the team reached the semi-finals with
São Paulo and
Atlético Mineiro, but lost both matches and placed third. In 1972, the team reached the
Brazilian Championship final after eliminating
Corinthians in the semi-final. A 0–0 draw against Palmeiras handed the title to the São Paulo club, which had more points. That year, Botafogo also defeated Flamengo 6–0 on their rival's birthday. In 1973, after ten years, Botafogo returned to the
Libertadores Cup. They led a group with Brazilian and Uruguayan teams and advanced after defeating Palmeiras 2–1 in a tiebreaker. In the semi-final round, they were eliminated in a triangular stage with
Cerro Porteño and
Colo Colo. In 1975, Botafogo won the Augusto Pereira da Mota Cup, the second round of the Carioca Championship, but lost the final to
Fluminense. The following year, they again won the second round, then called the José Wânder Rodrigues Mendes Cup. In 1976, amid a financial crisis, Botafogo sold its headquarters in
General Severiano to
Vale do Rio Doce; sparking outrage among fans and club officials, including former president Carlito Rocha. Before moving operations to
Marechal Hermes, the club was left without a training field until its new stadium opened in 1978. During this period, Botafogo was nicknamed "Time do Camburão" ("Paddy Wagon Team") due to its reliance on aging and problematic players. Despite this, the club set two national records: 52 matches unbeaten in national football and 42 unbeaten in the Brazilian Championship. In
1979, the club played only seven matches and finished 53rd, its worst performance in the competition. In 1981, Botafogo reached the semi-final of the Brazilian Championship with players such as
Paulo Sérgio, Mendonça, and
Marcelo Oliveira. They won the first leg against São Paulo 1–0 at Maracanã. In the return at
Morumbi, Botafogo led 2–1 at halftime, but the restart was delayed for 35 minutes amid accusations of referee coercion. São Paulo turned the match around and advanced, in a game marked by controversial decisions, including a disputed penalty awarded to the hosts. In the
1986 Brazilian Championship, Botafogo finished 31st, below the cutoff for the 1987 season due to a planned reduction from 48 to 28 teams. However, a legal dispute involving
Vasco da Gama,
Joinville, and
Portuguesa, led the CBF to alter the rules during the competition, allowing more teams into the next phase. This controversy contributed to the creation of the
Clube dos 13 ("Club of the 13"). With the CBF unable to organize the 1987 championship, the Clube dos 13 launched the
União Cup, including Botafogo and three invited clubs:
Coritiba,
Santa Cruz, and
Goiás. Following the competition's success, the CBF organized a parallel tournament with the excluded teams. In 1988, Botafogo remained in the
Brazilian Championship with the União Cup teams and finished 17th, eliminated in the first round. The most memorable moment was a 3–0 loss to Vasco da Gama, after which 11-year-old ball girl Sonja Martinelli tearfully declared her love for the club. At that point, Botafogo had gone 20 years without a title. Between 1968 and 1989, the club's main achievements were summer tournaments abroad, such as the Triangular Trophy in
Caracas and the City Trophy in
Palma de Mallorca. The drought ended on 21 June 1989, when Botafogo, led by
Mauro Galvão,
Paulinho Criciúma, and
Josimar, won the
Carioca Championship, undefeated. After a 0–0 draw in the first leg, they beat Flamengo 1–0 in the second, with a controversial goal by Maurício, following a cross from Mazolinha.
1990s: More titles and the "Tuliomania" The year after one of the most important titles in its history, Botafogo repeated its triumph in the
State Championship. The final against Vasco was marked by controversy and featured players such as
Valdeir,
Carlos Alberto Dias,
Carlos Alberto Santos, and
Djair. In 1992, the club returned to a Brazilian Championship final after twenty years, facing
Flamengo. Before the first leg, star player
Renato Gaúcho made a public bet with Flamengo striker Gaúcho: if Botafogo lost, he would host a barbecue for the opponents. After a 3–0 defeat, Renato honored the bet, angering president Emil Pinheiro and fans, leading to his removal from the second match. In the return leg, Botafogo drew 2–2. The match was overshadowed by the worst tragedy in Maracanã's history: a guardrail collapse in the upper tier of the Flamengo section caused three deaths and 90 injuries. The stadium was closed for seven months. By finishing second in the national league, Botafogo qualified for the
1993 CONMEBOL Cup. Without the main players from the previous season and lacking basic resources, the team, coached by
Carlos Alberto Torres, won its first official international title. With Sinval and goalkeeper Willian Bacana as standouts, Botafogo defeated
Bragantino,
Caracas, and Atlético Mineiro before facing
Peñarol in the final. After a 1–1 draw in
Montevideo, the return leg at Maracanã ended 2–2, and Botafogo won the penalty shootout 3–1, with two saves by Willian Bacana. Attendance exceeded 40,000, although only 26,276 paid for tickets. Meanwhile, in the Brazilian Championship, the team finished 31st. In 1994, Botafogo competed in the
South American Recopa against
São Paulo, champions of the
Libertadores Cup and
Libertadores Supercup, and lost 3–1 in a single match in
Kōbe, Japan. That year also marked the club's return to its
General Severiano headquarters. In the national league, Botafogo reached the quarterfinals, finishing 5th.
Túlio Maravilha was the top scorer, tied with Guarani's Amoroso, with 19 goals. sponsorship, Botafogo won the 1995 Brasileirão and boosted the soft drink brand's sales. In 1995, Túlio again led the Carioca Championship in scoring with 27 goals and declared himself the "King of Rio," competing with
Renato Gaúcho, from
Fluminense;
Romário, from
Flamengo; and
Valdir Bigode, from
Vasco da Gama. Despite his performance, Botafogo placed third. The highlight of the year was the
Brazilian Championship title—its first under
CBF. The team, led by new coach Paulo Autuori, included
Gonçalves,
Donizete,
Sérgio Manoel,
Wilson Gottardo, and Wágner. Despite late salaries and internal tensions, the squad reached the final after eliminating
Cruzeiro. In the first leg, Botafogo beat Santos 2–1 at Maracanã, though a legal goal by Túlio was disallowed. The second match, in Pacaembu, ended 1–1 in a game with several controversial decisions by referee
Márcio Rezende de Freitas. He was the championship's top scorer with 23 goals. Nippon Ham Cup, in
Osaka, Japan, and the Russian President's Tournament in
Vladikavkaz. In the
Libertadores Cup, the club was eliminated in the round of 16 by
Grêmio. In the national league, it finished 17th. In 1997, Botafogo won another State Championship, again defeating Vasco with a goal by substitute
Dimba. 1998, using much of the same squad, the club won its fourth Rio-São Paulo Tournament, defeating São Paulo. A 3–2 win at Morumbi and a draw at Maracanã secured the title. In 1999, coached by
Bebeto and
Rodrigo, Botafogo were runners-up in the
Brazil Cup after losing the final to
Juventude. The second leg at Maracanã drew 101,581 spectators—the last time the stadium hosted over 100,000 people and the largest crowd in Brazil Cup history. At the turn of the century, FIFA included Botafogo among the greatest clubs of the 20th century, alongside only two other Brazilian clubs: Santos and Flamengo. The period was marked by weak squads, delayed wages, poor management, low attendance, and the emergence of repressive fan movements. Ahead of the 2002 season, several players left the club. With a weakened squad led by defender Sandro and midfielder Galeano, and coached primarily by Ivo Wortmann (later replaced by Carlos Alberto Torres), Botafogo was relegated after a 1–0 defeat to São Paulo, with a goal by
Dill. At the end of the year, Mauro Ney Palmeiro's presidency ended and he was succeeded by
Bebeto de Freitas, a former athlete and volleyball coach. The club was mired in crisis: in debt, without sponsors, lacking training facilities, and with players unwilling to play. The
2003 Carioca Championship served as a test run, but the team failed to reach the semi-finals. In the
B Series, Botafogo lost its opener to Vila Nova and only won its first match in the third round, against
CRB. The club briefly led the table but finished second in the first phase. In the next phase, it again finished second, behind
Marília. In the final quadrangular with
Palmeiras, Marília, and
Sport, Botafogo secured promotion with one round to spare, beating Marília 3–1 at Caio Martins. The squad, featuring Sandro,
Túlio Guerreiro,
Valdo, and
Leandrão, finished as runners-up. In 2004, the club's centennial year, Botafogo had another poor season, exiting early from both the
Carioca Championship and the
Brazil Cup. In the national league, they narrowly avoided relegation by drawing 1–1 with
Athletico Paranaense in the final round. Stadium By 2005, the club began a slow administrative recovery. In 2006, under coach
Carlos Roberto and with players like Dodô,
Lúcio Flávio,
Zé Roberto, and
Scheidt, Botafogo ended an eight-year title drought by winning the Guanabara Cup and later the Carioca Championship.
Cuca took over later that year and in 2007 led a team praised for its modern style—earning the nickname
Carrossel Alvinegro—featuring Dodô, Zé Roberto, Lúcio Flávio,
Jorge Henrique, and Túlio Guerreiro. Despite strong performances, 2007 was marked by disappointments. Botafogo won the Rio Cup but lost the state title to Flamengo after two 2–2 draws and a penalty shootout. Controversy surrounded the second leg when a legal goal by
Dodô was wrongly disallowed for offside in the 44th minute, and he was later sent off. In the
Brazil Cup, the team was eliminated in the semi-finals by
Figueirense after two disallowed goals, prompting assistant referee Ana Paula Oliveira's removal from the sport. Botafogo led the Brazilian Championship for 11 rounds and finished the first half in second place but fell to ninth after internal issues. In the
Sudamericana Cup, the team was eliminated by River Plate in the round of 16 after conceding a stoppage-time goal while playing with a two-man advantage. The year's highlight was the acquisition of the Nilton Santos Olympic Stadium (then João Havelange), leased from the city until 2027. In 2008, Botafogo won the pre-season
Peregrino Cup but had similar outcomes to 2007 in official competitions. It won the Rio Cup against Fluminense but again lost the Carioca final to Flamengo. In the
Brazil Cup, it was eliminated in the semi-finals by Corinthians on penalties. In the
2008 Sudamericana Cup, the club reached the quarterfinals before falling to Estudiantes. In the league, Botafogo finished 7th. In 2009, Mauricio Assumpção became president and inherited a restricted budget. Despite low expectations, Botafogo won the Guanabara Cup. In the Rio Cup, injuries to key players Maicosuel and Reinaldo during the first leg of the final affected the team, which lost to Flamengo after two 2–2 draws and penalties for the third consecutive year. The Brazil Cup campaign ended in the second round with a penalty shootout loss to
Americano. In the league, coach Ney Franco was dismissed after a poor start and replaced by Estevam Soares. The team remained near the relegation zone for most of the season but secured survival with a final-round win over title contenders Palmeiras.
The 2010s: A Decade of Ups and Downs In 2010, Botafogo signed
Uruguayan
Loco Abreu, who was given the number 13 jersey by
Zagallo, thrilling the fans. However, in the Carioca Championship, the team suffered a 6–0 defeat to
Vasco da Gama in the third round of the Guanabara Cup, resulting in the dismissal of coach Estevam Soares.
Joel Santana, who had previously led the team to a state title in 1997, returned and focused on rebuilding the squad's morale. With a decisive goal from young
Caio, who would earn the nickname “talisman”, against Flamengo, Botafogo reached the final and defeated Vasco 2–0 to win the Guanabara Cup. In the Rio Cup, they beat
Fluminense in the semi-finals and overcame Flamengo in the final with panenka penalties from Herrera and Abreu, and a crucial penalty save by Jefferson, clinching the state title. In the
Brazil Cup, the team was eliminated early by
Santa Cruz in the second round. In the
Brazilian Championship, after a poor start and time spent in the relegation zone, Botafogo climbed the table and came close to qualifying for the
Libertadores, but a final-round loss to Grêmio ended those hopes. Highlights of the year included Jefferson's call-up to the Brazil national team—the first from Botafogo in 12 years—and Loco Abreu's appearance for Uruguay in the 2010 World Cup. The 2011 season started poorly, leading to Joel's dismissal and the hiring of
Caio Júnior. The team exited early from both the Carioca Championship and Brazil Cup. In the Brazilian Championship, however, Botafogo had a strong campaign, briefly contending for the title. The club prioritized the league, fielding reserves in the Sudamericana, where they were eliminated by
Santa Fe of
Colombia. A late-season collapse, including seven losses in nine matches, saw them finish in 9th place. Coach Caio Júnior was dismissed and replaced by Flávio Tênius for the final games, and several players were released following the disappointing end. In 2012, Botafogo hired
Oswaldo de Oliveira as the coach. Without Libertadores commitments, Botafogo focused on the Carioca Championship, finishing the Guanabara and Rio Cups undefeated. However, they lost both to Fluminense in the finals and suffered elimination from the Brazil Cup by
Vitória. In the
Brazilian championship, the major signing of Dutch star Clarence Seedorf brought renewed hope. His arrival was met with enthusiasm, and although he debuted in a loss to
Grêmio, he scored his first goal soon after. In 2013, Seedorf led the team to a Carioca Championship triumph, winning both the Guanabara and Rio Cups. Botafogo also started the Brazilian Championship well and led for six rounds. However, the sales of key players
Fellype Gabriel and Vitinho, combined with salary delays, caused instability. They were knocked out of the Brazil Cup in the quarterfinals by Flamengo (4–0). Despite the issues, Botafogo finished 4th in the league, qualifying for the Libertadores after an 18-year absence. In 2014, the club had its worst campaign in the Carioca Championship, finishing 9th. Despite passionate support in the Libertadores, they were eliminated in the group stage. In the
Brazil Cup, they pulled off a dramatic 4–3 comeback against Ceará but were thrashed 5–0 by Santos in the next round. In the league, plagued by financial issues and a weak squad, Botafogo was relegated after a 2–0 loss to Santos in the 37th round. In 2015, Botafogo won the Guanabara Cup but lost the state final to Vasco. They were eliminated by
Figueirense at home in the Brazil Cup and parted ways with coach
René Simões.
Ricardo Gomes took over and led the team, despite challenges, to a Série B title and promotion back to the top flight. In 2016, they were again runners-up in the state championship (to Vasco), exited the Brazil Cup in the round of 16 against Cruzeiro, and began the national league in the relegation zone. After Gomes left for São Paulo,
Jair Ventura took over and led the club to a 5th-place finish, securing Libertadores qualification. In 2017, Botafogo began in the Libertadores qualifiers, eliminating Colo-Colo and Olimpia—thanks to three penalty saves by Gatito Fernández—to reach the group stage. With a rotated squad, they failed to advance in the Guanabara Cup but finished runner-up in the Rio Cup. In the Libertadores, Botafogo topped their group ahead of Barcelona de Guayaquil, Estudiantes, and defending champions
Atlético Nacional. They eliminated Nacional in the round of 16 but fell to eventual champions Grêmio in the quarterfinals. Despite the exit, Botafogo set a record by eliminating five past Libertadores champions in a single edition. In the league, after 14 rounds in the Libertadores zone, they finished 10th. In 2018, the season began in crisis. With Jair Ventura leaving for
Santos, the club promoted assistant
Felipe Conceição, but he was soon dismissed after early eliminations from the Guanabara Cup and Brazil Cup. Under
Alberto Valentim, the team improved and won the state title after beating Flamengo in the semi-final and Vasco in the final.
Joel Carli scored the decisive goal, and Gatito Fernández saved two penalties to seal the title. Valentim departed mid-year, and after a short-lived tenure by
Marcos Paquetá, Zé Ricardo took over. Botafogo reached the Sudamericana round of 16 (eliminated by Bahia) and finished 9th in the league. The season also marked Jefferson's retirement, ending a legendary career with 459 appearances. In 2019, Botafogo endured a poor season. They failed to advance in the Carioca rounds, exited the Brazil Cup in the third round to Juventude, and were eliminated by
Atlético Mineiro. in the Sudamericana. In the league, they hovered around mid-table and avoided relegation late, finishing 15th. The season was marred by internal turmoil, including player protests, controversial management statements, and financial instability. The club remained afloat with the support of loans from influential fans.
2020's After years of instability, the 2020 season began with high expectations for the launch of "Botafogo S/A"—a project aimed at attracting investors and professionalizing the club's football department. However, the initiative never moved beyond the planning stage. What followed was one of the most chaotic seasons in the club's history, exposing the full extent of Botafogo's financial, political, and sporting crises. In a year heavily impacted by the
COVID-19 pandemic—which halted Brazilian football for nearly three months and forced matches to be played without fans—supporters celebrated the high-profile signings of Japanese star
Keisuke Honda and the
Ivorian Salomon Kalou. However, neither player made a significant impact, and the team's overall performance remained poor. Throughout the season, Botafogo cycled through eight head coaches—including Argentine
Ramón Díaz, who was appointed but never made his debut—along with three interim managers. Botafogo was relegated for the third time, finishing with the fourth-worst campaign in the league's modern format. In the 2021 season, Botafogo hired
Marcelo Chamusca as the coach. Botafogo placed 6th in the state championship and was eliminated in the second round of the
Copa do Brasil by ABC. Despite these setbacks, Chamusca remained in charge at the start of the Série B campaign. However, continued inconsistency led to his dismissal after ten rounds. He was replaced by
Enderson Moreira. Under Moreira, and with a new leadership structure that included football director Eduardo Freeland and CEO Jorge Braga, the club began to show signs of recovery. With standout performances from players such as
Chay and Rafael Navarro, Botafogo gained momentum and asserted itself in the competition. The club secured promotion with one round to spare and was crowned Série B champions for the second time. The 2021 edition was widely considered one of the toughest in history, featuring traditional powerhouses like
Cruzeiro and
Vasco da Gama. == Basketball ==