Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras, commonly known as Palmeiras, is a professional football club in the Brazilian League, based in São Paulo, in the district of Perdizes. Palmeiras plays in the Campeonato Paulista, São Paulo's premier state league, as well as in the Brasileirão Série A, which is the highest tier of Brazilian club football.
Palmeiras was founded as an Italian effort to unite their minorities. The football club adopted the Italian tricolour flag as an emblem and was named “Palestra Italia”. The team played their first football match in January of 1915 and had their official debut by May 1916 in the Paulista Championship. In 1920, the club shifted to the first Palmeiras stadium, Estadio Palestra Italia. The venue was later converted into the Allianz Parque, the current Palmeiras home ground.
The Brazilian Serie A club has been home to many experienced players while also nurturing young talents. Palmeiras have achieved significant financial stability in recent years, besides flourishing in sporting terms.
1914-1942- Palmeiras were founded in 1914 by certain members of the Italian minority in Brazil. The identity of the club was revamped in 1942 during World War II, as Brazil took a stand against the Axis powers, and changed the name from Palestra Italia to Palmeiras. It worked like a miracle, as on the same day, Palmeiras won the Campeonato Paulista by defeating São Paulo, making the event known as “Arracanda Heroica” or Heroic Change.
1950s-1980s- Palmeiras soon gained popularity for their aesthetically pleasing play style, combined with shrewd skills and technical football. The Academy developed many football legends. With maestros like Julinho Botelho, Djalma Santos, and César in the team, Palmeiras won multiple Campeonato Paulista titles along with the Brazilian Championships of 1960, 1967, 1969, 1972, and 1973. The first Copa Rio, held in 1951, was won by Palmeiras, overcoming renowned teams like Juventus (Italy), Red Star (Yugoslavia), and Olympique (France).
Late 1980s-Early 1990s- This period saw a downfall of Palmeiras, due to various issues on and off the pitch. There was rampant financial instability coupled and a series of poor performances led to a 15-year title drought.
Late 1990s-Early 2000s- The Italian connection finally came to Palmeiras' rescue in the form of a big-money sponsorship deal with Parmalat. This helped them grow into a competitive team again, signing some big names. Palmeiras went on to win multiple Campeonato Paulista and Campeonato Brasileiro. They also won the 1998 Copa do Brasil and the Copa Libertadores to mark their first continental title.
2000-2025 - The Parmalat deal collapsed in 2001, and in the next year, Palmeiras were relegated to the Brazilian Serie B. They bounced back in the next season to win the Serie B and returned to the first division. Since acquiring the Crefisa sponsorship in 2015, Palmeiras hasn't looked back, focusing on sustainable development over the years.