# Criciúma Esporte Clube

Criciúma Esporte Clube is a Brazilian professional club based in Criciúma, Santa Catarina founded on 13 May 1947.
Criciúma is the most successful team from Santa Catarina, having won the 1991 Copa do Brasil, the 2002 Campeonato Brasileiro Série B, and the 2006 Campeonato Brasileiro Série C.

## History

Criciúma Esporte Clube was founded on May 13, 1947, as Comerciário Esporte Clube; however the club folded due to a financial crisis in the 1960s. The club was refounded in 1976 by some of the original Comerciário Esporte Clube members. In 1978 the club was renamed as Criciúma Esporte Clube, and its current colors black, yellow and white were adopted in 1984. The present colors of Criciúma Esporte Clube are the reason the club is called Tigre (meaning Tiger).
The club's greatest feat was winning the 1991 Copa do Brasil under coach Felipe Scolari, later World Cup winner with Brazil, while being in the second division. The achievement qualified Criciúma for the following year's Copa Libertadores.
In the following years, the club was not very successful. After being promoted to Série A in 1992, the club played in the division for 5 years before getting relegated. In 2005, Criciúma, after a very poor campaign, was relegated to the Brazilian Série C. In 2006, Criciúma won the Série C, and was promoted back to the Série B.
After a period of crisis in the club, in 2012 the club regained forces, and after being in the first four places the entire championship returned to the Série A.

## Honours

Criciúma has won three national level championships. Winning the 1991 Copa do Brasil qualified the club to the 1992 Copa Libertadores where Criciúma finished in the 5th place, surpassing even the expectations of its fans. These achievements make Criciúma one of the most successful teams from Santa Catarina.

### Official tournaments

National :
| Competitions | Titles | Seasons |
| Copa do Brasil | 1 | 1991 |
| Campeonato Brasileiro Série B | 1 | 2002 |
| Campeonato Brasileiro Série C | 1 | 2006 |
| State |||
| Competitions | Titles | Seasons |
| Campeonato Catarinense | 12 | 1968 , 1986, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1998, 2005, 2013, 2023, 2024 |
| Copa Santa Catarina | 1 | 1993 |
| Recopa Catarinense | 2$^s$ | 2024, 2025 |
| Campeonato Catarinense Série B | 1 | 2022 |
* record
* $^S$ shared record
$^1$ Champion in 1968 as Comerciário Esporte Clube

### Others tournaments
#### State

* Taça Governador do Estado (8): 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995

### Runners-up

* Campeonato Brasileiro Série B (1): 2012
* Campeonato Catarinense (10): 1980, 1981, 1982, 1987, 1994, 2001, 2002, 2007, 2008, 2011
* Copa Santa Catarina (1): 1998

## Stadium

Criciúma's stadium is Estádio Heriberto Hülse, built in 1955, with a maximum capacity of 19,900 people.

## Current squad

    As of 2 March 2025
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 |
| 1 | GK | BRA | Caíque |
| 2 | DF | BRA | Léo Alaba (on loan from AVS) |
| 3 | DF | BRA | Rodrigo |
| 4 | DF | BRA | Luciano Castán |
| 5 | MF | BRA | Matheus Trindade |
| 6 | MF | BRA | Luiz Henrique |
| 7 | MF | BRA | Fellipe Mateus |
| 8 | MF | BRA | Everton Morelli (on loan from Maringá) |
| 9 | FW | BRA | Neto Pessoa |
| 11 | FW | BRA | Talisson (on loan from Red Bull Bragantino) |
| 12 | GK | BRA | Kauã |
| 13 | DF | BRA | Jonathan |
| 14 | DF | BRA | Ruan Carvalho |
| 15 | MF | BRA | Eliedson |
| 16 | DF | BRA | Matheus Streit |
| 17 | DF | BRA | Octávio |
| 18 | MF | BRA | Paulo Vitor (on loan from Atlético Mineiro) |
| 20 | FW | BRA | Gabriel Barros (on loan from Internacional) |
| 21 | FW | BRA | João Carlos |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 22 | DF | BRA | Marcelo Hermes |
| 23 | MF | BRA | Juninho |
| 26 | MF | BRA | Léo Gonçalves |
| 30 | DF | BRA | Hiago |
| 31 | MF | BRA | Eliel |
| 33 | DF | BRA | Nolasco |
| 41 | DF | BRA | Erick |
| 50 | MF | BRA | Jhonata Robert |
| 77 | FW | BRA | Werik Popó (on loan from Red Bull Bragantino) |
| 99 | FW | BRA | Eduardo Melo |
| — | GK | BRA | Lucas Soratto |
| — | DF | BRA | Marcelo Benevenuto (on loan from Fortaleza) |
| — | DF | BRA | Kaik |
| — | MF | BRA | Fabrício Lentz |
| — | MF | BRA | Hudson (on loan from Portuguesa) |
| — | FW | BRA | Adrianinho |
| — | FW | BRA | Diego Gonçalves (on loan from Mirassol) |
| — | FW | BRA | Gabriel Novaes (on loan from Red Bull Bragantino) |

### Youth players

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 |
| 24 | GK | BRA | Pedro Santos |
| — | FW | BRA | Petterson |

### 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 |

## Notable head coaches

* Argel Fuchs
* Cláudio Tencati
* Cuca
* Dorival Júnior
* Edson Gaúcho
* Gelson Silva
* Gilson Kleina
* Itamar Schülle
* Lauro Búrigo
* Levir Culpi
* Lori Sandri
* Luiz Gonzaga Milioli
* Luiz Felipe Scolari
* Roberto Cavalo
* Vadão
* Zé Carlos
* Sergio Ramirez

## 1991 Copa do Brasil

Criciúma won the Copa do Brasil 1991, playing the following matches:
| Stage | Match | 1st Leg | 2nd Leg |
| First Round | Ubiratan – Criciúma | 1–1 | 1–4 |
| Second Round | Criciúma – Atlético Mineiro | 1–0 | 1–0 |
| Quarterfinals | Goiás – Criciúma | 0–0 | 0–3 |
| Semifinals | Remo – Criciúma | 0–1 | 0–2 |
| Final | Grêmio – Criciúma | 1–1 | 0–0 |

## Competitions record

| First Division (Serie A) YearPositionYearPosition 197967th199516th 19869th199621st 19876th199724th 198823rd200314th 199323rd200421st 199420th201315th 201420th | Second Division (Serie B) YearPositionYearPosition 198054th19923rd 198130th19986th 198238th199918th 198347th200014th 19861st200122nd 19876th20021st 19895th200521st 19907th20077th 199135th200818th 201114th20122nd 201512th20168th 201713th201814th 201919th20228th 20233rd | Third Division (Serie C) YearPositionYearPosition 20061st200915th 20103rd2020 | Brazilian Cup YearPositionYearPosition 19904th199918th 19911st200217th 19927th200317th 199423rd200615th 19966th200813th 200926th | Libertadores Cup YearPosition 19925th |