Lisbon`s green and white giants, Sporting Clube de Portugal, have been on a remarkable trajectory, shedding decades of internal turmoil to reclaim their throne in Portuguese football. At the helm of this impressive revival is President Frederico Varandas, who recently offered a candid assessment of the club`s transformation and ambitious future in an interview with the esteemed German football magazine, Kicker.
From Crisis to Consolidation: A Club Reborn
It`s a narrative familiar to many long-suffering football fans: a once-great club mired in underperformance, overshadowed by rivals, and plagued by internal strife. For Sporting CP, this was the stark reality prior to Frederico Varandas taking office. He paints a vivid picture of a club on the brink, detailing how it was “at the worst moment of its history,” having endured a 17-year league title drought.
The infamous 2018 academy attack, which saw star players prematurely terminate their contracts, compounded the crisis. Varandas recounted a club so financially depleted it struggled to meet tax obligations. The task was clear, albeit daunting: “It was necessary to start from scratch.” This was not just a management challenge; it was a rescue mission.
“When we took office the club was at the worst moment of its history. It hadn`t won the championship for 17 years and because of the attack on the Academy (May 2018) our best players had rescinded and we didn`t even have enough money to pay taxes at the end of the year. It was necessary to start from zero.”
The Architect of Change
Varandas, a self-confessed member of the generation that “suffered the most” as a Sporting fan, having witnessed only two league titles in his lifetime before his presidency, understood the deep-seated frustration. He firmly attributes the club`s four-decade-long period of relative failure to “internal instability.” His initial strategy was uncompromisingly practical: “In the first two years of our presidency, we tidied up the house and created the foundations for the success that followed.” This straightforward, almost technical approach to club management appears to have been precisely what the historical institution needed.
Reclaiming the Portuguese Summit
The fruits of this meticulous restructuring are evident. Under Varandas`s leadership, Sporting CP has not merely recovered; it has flourished, securing an impressive **nine senior football titles**. This tally includes three national championships, two Portuguese Cups, three League Cups, and one Supercup. This makes him the most decorated president in the club`s storied history, a testament to the effectiveness of his strategic overhaul.
Perhaps even more significant than the silverware itself is the shift in perception. For years, Sporting CP was often relegated to the status of the “third big” in Portuguese football, an uncomfortable shadow cast by their Lisbon rivals and FC Porto. Varandas asserts that this era is definitively over.
“Today, Sporting is a leader in Portugal. I have no doubt that the perception of being the `third big` belongs to the past.”
It`s a bold claim, but one backed by tangible success on the pitch and a palpable sense of stability off it. The “ambition that led me to want to lead the club,” as Varandas puts it, was rooted in a promise: to ensure younger generations would not endure the same suffering as his. He seems to be delivering on that promise with unwavering resolve.
Eyes on Europe: Beyond Domestic Laurels
While domestic dominance has been re-established, Varandas`s vision extends beyond Portugal`s borders. The interview, conducted for a Champions League special edition, naturally turned to European ambitions. Sporting CP is set to kick off its European campaign against Kazakhstan`s Kairat Almaty, and the president has set a clear, albeit minimum, objective for the team in the `millionaire`s league`.
“At a minimum, we aim to reach the playoffs and consolidate the international image of a Champions League club.”
This objective isn`t merely about advancing in the competition; it`s about systematically regaining the “prestige” that, according to Varandas, the club had lost on the European stage. The ambition is to cement Sporting`s identity as a consistent participant and competitor in elite European football, reflecting the domestic leadership they have so painstakingly rebuilt. It`s an incremental approach, a calculated climb back to the top tier of European football, much like their ascent in Portugal. The Lions are not just looking to participate; they are looking to leave an undeniable mark.
