Inter de Limeira

Associacao Atletica Internacional, commonly referred to as simply Inter de Limeira, is a Brazilian association football club in Limeira, Sao Paulo, currently playing in the Paulistao A1, the top tier of the Sao Paulo state football league.

The club's home colours are black and white and the team mascot is a lion.

History

On October 2, 1913, at Teatro da Paz (meaning Peace Theater) members of an amateur football club called Barroquinha decided to professionalise their club, and established a monthly fee to be paid by its members and associates. On October 5, 1913, Associacao Atletica Internacional was officially founded. The club was named after a Sao Paulo city club named Internacional (not to be confused with the still active Internacional of Porto Alegre). According to some fans, the club is named to honor the several immigrant communities in Limeira, like the German, Italian, Japanese, and Portuguese communities.

In 1926, Internacional won its first title, the Sao Paulo Countryside Cup.

In 1982, the club contested the Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A for the first time. Inter de Limeira finished in the 23rd position, ahead of big clubs like Cruzeiro and Atletico Paranaense.

In 1986, Internacional, managed by Pepe, won the Campeonato Paulista. It was the first time that a countryside club won the competition. In the semifinals, Inter de Limeira beat Santos, and in the final, the club defeated Palmeiras.

In 1988, Inter de Limeira won its first national title, the Campeonato Brasileiro Serie B. In the final four, the club finished ahead of Nautico of Pernambuco state, Ponte Preta of Sao Paulo state and Americano of Rio de Janeiro state. The club was promoted to the following year's Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A.

Stadium

Inter de Limeira's home stadium is Estadio Major Jose Levy Sobrinho, also known as Limeirao, inaugurated in 1977, with a maximum capacity of 23,475 people.

This page also has a version in other languages :  Интернасьонал (Лимейра) (russian)