A fan’s guide – the club from early doors to today
Atlético Clube de Portugal are based in Lisbon’s waterfront Alcântara district, right in the shadow of the vast 25 de Abril Bridge. Another of the city’s little-known but much loved clubs, the yellow-and-blues had their glory days back in the 1940s.
This was shortly after their foundation as an amalgamation of Carcavelinhos and União Foot-Ball Lisboa. Their forebears had been modestly successful in the pre-league era, Carcavelinhos champions of Portugal in 1928, União runners-up a year later.
The newly formed Atlético Clube had an immediate impact, making the cup final two years running. The Alcantarenses have spent the last half-century or more between the top two divisions, sometimes even lower, appealing to a loyal if relatively scant crowd at the Estádio da Tapadinha.
By now, it has been nearly 40 years since the Clube last played in the top flight but promotion to the Segunda in 2011 brought with it new hope. Relegation nearly came in 2014 but bottom-placed Atlético were granted a reprieve thanks to the expansion of the league.
Stadium Guide
The field of dreams – and the stands around it
A short walk up from the simply humungous 25 de Abril Bridge, on the left-hand side, as if occupying a clearing in a jungle, the Estádio da Tapadinha is hidden behind a mass of greenery.
The main entrance is to the left of the large wire fence bearing the club badge in bright yellow. Just inside it, to the right, the entire history of the club in black-and-white is plastered over the walls of the local garage, beside a club shop the size of a small phone box.
This is Portuguese football at its most grass-roots. The stadium, perhaps surprisingly, holds 10,000. It consists of a main whitewashed terrace and a much lower one facing it across an equally surprisingly green pitch. At the back of the main terrace in far corner is the club bar, only opened for matches – and that’s about it. Improvements are promised given stability in the Segunda.
getting there
Going to the stadium – tips and timings
Estádio da Tapadinha has its own stop one stop up from the start of the 724 bus route that winds through obscure parts of western Lisbon before reaching Potinha metro (blue line). Quicker and easier would be to take any tram from Cais do Sodré, the No.15 or No.18, say, that runs six stops to the pretty, tram-lined square of Calvário.
From there, it’s a steepish climb behind up behind the buildings, keep the bridge to your right. Halfway along, you’ll find the No.724 terminus stop of Alcântara (Cç.Tapada). If a bus is just leaving, jump on it one stop to the stadium, or walk up for five minutes. The stadium is on your left.
getting in
Buying tickets – when, where, how and how much
A whitewashed hut marked Sócios, by the wire fence, sells tickets for the main terrace (Central) for €8 and the facing Lateral for €5.
what to buy
Shirts, kits, merchandise and gifts
The Loja do Atlético is a modest kiosk just inside the main entrance that purveys Clube pennants in sassy yellow, red and blue on match days.
Where to Drink
Pre-match beers for fans and casual visitors
The stadium bar is at the top of the far corner of the main stand, away from the river. Cheap beers and snacks are served amid a smattering of Clube paraphernalia and vintage photographs. Just inside the entrance, round the corner from the Loja do Atlético, a more prosaic outlet is just marked, aptly enough, ‘BAR’, in yellow and blue.
There’s little else around. Bizarrely, Clube have their own bingo hall, with a bar, close to Calvário by Largo Fontainhas just south-east of it.