# Independiente F.C. (El Salvador)

Independiente Futbol Club is a Salvadoran professional football club based in San Vicente, San Vicente, El Salvador. They currently play in the Tercera División, the top tier of El Salvador football league system, El Salvador football. The club was formed in 1946 and has played at its home ground, Estadio Jiboa, since TBD.

## History
### Early history, golden era and decline

The team was founded in 1946 with the union of the 4 most representative teams of San Vicente, calling itself C.D. UDAL, a year later Independiente Futbol Clube was born. They were one of the first clubs to participate in the first professional division. They participated in the first division from 1948 to 1959 before being relegated for the first time in their history. The participated in the Segunda division until 1977, where they purchased the first division spot of ANTEL. It was during this spell did the club hit their golden period as they had several renowned players including Jesus Gonzales, Carlos “Carlanga” Rivera, Joaquín Valencia, Ricardo “la Tuca” Gómez, Jesús González Barillas, Efrain Yin Gonzalez Óscar "Lotario" Guerrero, Jose Maria Rivas, Ramón Maradiaga and Jorge González. The club reached the final twice in 1981 and 1982, the clubs lost the final to C.D. FAS and Atletico Marte respectively. Following these highs the club lost their top players and just two years later in 1984 were relegated to Segunda Division.
The club struggled financially and spent the next two decades moving between Segunda Division, Tercera Division and Semi Professional league. During this time between 1999 and 2001 they were known as Club Deportivo Real Independiente.

### Merger, return to the primera division and decline

In 2006, the owners of Coca/Cola later renamed Nacional 1906 approached Independiente FC, the board voted on merging the club forming Independiente Nacional 1906, this was the shot in the arm the club needed as they won promotion to Primera division, however the poor results led the team to the decline in the 2007 Clausura.

### Refoundation

After the relegation to Segunda Division they could not register in the new season in the 2007 Apertura for not fulfilling their financial obligations and the table went idle for several seasons, to the point of considering that the team had ceased to exist professionally, was until 2015 when they resume their activity when they register to compete in the Apertura Tournament of that year by purchasing a franchise in the Tercera Division, this because they lost the right to be in the Segunda Division after the long time elapsed after his descent from the Primera Division and his return to sports.
After a year in the Tercera Division, in January 2016, they decided to buy an invitation category and returned to Segunda Division, where they would reach the tournament of the Apertura Tournament that year when they defeated Turin F.C. getting half a ticket to the Major League, would return to final instances in the 2017 Clausura, but would fall with Audaz both in the final series of the tournament, and in the first defining party
In 2019, for the start of the Tournament 2019 Clausura it is announced that the club's leadership acquires the team's franchise Audaz, which due to economic problems and debts can not continue to hold in the first division, although for reasons of logistics handling in the tournament with the name and distinctive of the apastepecano club
At the end of the 2020 season, Pablo Herrera (owner of the franchise license) announced that Independiente will lose their license and he will be giving the license to Luis Angel Firpo for the Clausura 2020.
After four year hiatus, Independiente FC announced on June 15, 2024 they had purchased Estrella Roja and will complete in the 2024-2025 Tercera Division season.

## Honours
### Domestic honours

* Primera Division and predecessors
** Runners up: 1981, 1982
* Segunda División Salvadorean and predecessors
** Champions: 2016 Apertura

## Stadium

* Estadio Jiboa, San Vincente (1970-Present)
** Estadio Sergio Torres Riviera, Usultan (2020)
The club currently plays its home matches at Estadio Jiboa, Formerly known as "Estadio Vicentino", it is located center of the city of San Vicente. Following renovation done by INDES, which included remodelling of dressing rooms, repairment of stands, installation of prefabricated perimeter wall and improvement of athletic track, upgrading of sanitary services (men and women), and installation of light towers to permit night games. This enabled the capacity to increase from 1,500 spectators to 8,00 spectators.
During stadium renovations in 2020, they played their matches in the Estadio Sergio Torres Rivera.

## Supporters

Independiente have two recognized, independent supporters groups the `` 'Yellow Faithful' and `` 'The Ghost bar of the jiboa' formerly LBDS. The latter group's name is a reference to the club mascot which is a ghost.
They gave a spectacular tribute in the 19th minute to Erasmo Henriquez, a player who died a year earlier from an illness, this bar has also lost three of its members 'Manyula' was the leader, 'Chato' and the 'Pijuyo' were always present.

## Players
### Current squad

As of: October 1, 2024
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 29 | MF | SLV | Nery Mejia |
| — | | SLV | Samuel Leon |
| 2 | | SLV | A Avalos |
| 6 | | SLV | A Gomez |
| 7 | | SLV | Aldair Perez |
| 10 | | SLV | Eduardo Navarro |
| 11 | MF | SLV | J Argueta (captain) |
| 16 | FW | SLV | David Garcia |
| 17 | DF | SLV | Mauricio Garcia |
| — | | SLV | Edwin Sibrian |
| — | | SLV | Kevin Valladares |
| — | | SLV | Axel martinez |
| — | | SLV | Everlio Aguilar |
| — | GK | SLV | Levi Quintanilla |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | | SLV | Derek Rivas |
| — | | SLV | Saul Rivas |
| — | | SLV | Rodrigo Lopez |
| 20 | | SLV | Fernando Gomez |
| 21 | DF | SLV | Steven Arevalo |
| 21 | | SLV | A Diaz |
| 22 | GK | SLV | Aldair Argueta |
| 25 | MF | SLV | Enrique Garcia |
| 26 | | SLV | Oscar Monge |
| 33 | | SLV | I Martinez |
| 35 | | SLV | Melvin Maldonado |

### Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | | SLV | TBD (to TBDy until May 2020) |
| — | | SLV | TBD (to TBDy until May 2020) |

### In

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | DF | SLV | TBD (From TBD) |
| — | DF | SLV | TBD (From TBD) |
| — | DF | SLV | TBD (From TBD) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | DF | SLV | TBD (From TBD) |
| — | DF | SLV | TBD (From TBD) |
| — | DF | SLV | TBD (From TBD) |

### Out

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | SLV | TBD (To TBD) |
| — | MF | SLV | TBD (To TBD) |
| — | MF | SLV | TBD (To TBD) |
| — | MF | SLV | TBD (To TBD) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | SLV | TBD (To TBD) |
| — | MF | SLV | TBD (To TBD) |
| — | MF | SLV | TBD (To TBD) |
| — | MF | SLV | TBD (To TBD) |

## Management and support staff
### Coaching staff

As of June 2024
| Position | Staff |
| Manager | Adonai Martínez |
| Assistant Manager | TBD |
| Fitness Coach | Wilmer Melara |
| Goalkeeper Coach | TBD |
| Under 17 Manager | TBD |
| Under 15 Manager | TBD |
| Team Doctor | TBD |
| Kinesiologist | TBD |
| Utility | TBD |

## Sponsorship

Companies that Independiente currently has sponsorship deals with for 2024–2025 includes:
* Pancho Sport – Official kit suppliers
* VaqueranoRentaCar – Official sponsors

## Records and statistics
### Club records

* First victory in the Primera Division for Independiente: 3-2 TBD, 1977
* First goalscorer in the Primera Division for Independiente: TBD v TBD, 1977
* Largest Home victory, Primera División: 4-1 v Chalatenango 2 February 2020
* Largest Away victory, Primera División: 3-0 v Pasaquina, 29 October 2018
* Largest Home loss, Primera División: 1–3 v Chalatenango, 4 November 2018
* Largest Away loss, Primera División: 0-8 v Aguila, October 28, 2007
* Highest home attendance: 2,000 v Primera División, 2018
* Highest away attendance: 1,000 v Primera División, San Salvador, 2018
* Most goals scored, season, Primera División: 55 goals, 1982 Season
* Worst season: Primera Division 1984 & Apertura 2006: 4 wins, 7 draws and 16 losses (15 points) and 4 wins, 3 draws and 11 losses (15 points)

### Individual records

* Record appearances (all competitions): TBD, 822 from 1957 to 1975
* Record appearances (Primera Division): Paraguayan Jorge Caceres, 64 from 2018 to 2019
* Most capped player for El Salvador: 62 (0 whilst at Independiente), Magico Gonzalez
* Most international caps for El Salvador while a Independiente player: 1, TBD
* Most caps won whilst at Independiente: 1, TBD.
* Record scorer in league: TBD, 16
* Most goals in a season (all competitions): TBD, 62 (1927/28) (47 in League, 15 in Cup competitions)
* Most goals in a season (Primera Division): Óscar Gustavo “Lotario” Guerrero, 19 (1982)

### Top goalscorers

| No. | Player | period | Goals |
| 1 | Óscar Gustavo “Lotario” Guerrero | 1978-1983 | 19* |
| 2 | Tardelis Peña | 2019-2020 | 9 |
| 3 | Alexander Obregón | 2019 | 8 |
| 3 | Mágico González | 1977 | 7 |
| 4 | Camilo Gomez | 2019 | 4 |
| 5 | Luciano Sanhueza | 2019 | 4 |
| 6 | Fredrick Ogangan | 2020 | 3 |
| 7 | Rafael Burgos | 2019 | 2 |
| 8 | Jose Maria Rivas | 1978–1984 | tbd |
| 10 | Fredy González Víchez | 2019 | 6 |
Note: Players in bold text are still active with Independiente FC

### Team captains

| Name | Years |
| TBD | TBD |
| Francisco Calixto | 1977 |
| Jesus Gonzalez | 1978 |
| Henry Moreno Gato | 1978-1979 |
| Modesto Henriquez | 1989 |
| TBD | TBD |
| Erasmo Henriquez | 2015-2016 |