Rio Ave F.C.
Portuguese professional football club

Football club
Rio Ave
Full nameRio Ave Futebol Clube
NicknamesVilacondenses
Rioavistas
Founded18 January 1939; 86 years ago (18 January 1939)
GroundEstádio dos Arcos
Capacity5,250
OwnerEvangelos Marinakis
PresidentAlexandrina Cruz[1]
Head coachSotiris Silaidopoulos
LeaguePrimeira Liga
2024–25Primeira Liga, 11th of 18
Websiterioavefc.pt
Current season

Rio Ave Futebol Clube, commonly known as Rio Ave ([ˈʁi.u ˈavɨ]), is a Portuguese professional football club based in Vila do Conde, that competes in the Primeira Liga. The club is named after the Ave River, which flows through the town and into the Atlantic Ocean.

Founded in 1939, they play their home matches at Estádio do Rio Ave, also known as the Estádio dos Arcos. Built in 1985, the current stadium seats approximately 12,815 people.

The club's home colours are green and white striped shirts. Meanwhile, the shorts and socks have historically alternated between green or white.[2] Portuguese internationals Alfredo, Paulinho Santos, Quim, Rui Jorge and Fábio Coentrão started their careers at the club. Goalkeepers Jan Oblak and Ederson are some famous talents that were part of this side.

The Vilacondenses' best top-tier league finish was fifth in the 1981–82, 2017–18 and 2019–20 seasons.[3] They reached the 1984 Taça de Portugal Final, where they lost to Porto 4–1,[citation needed] and the 2014 Taça de Portugal Final, where they lost to Benfica 1–0.[4] With this result, Rio Ave qualified for the 2014–15 UEFA Europa League, their first participation in a major European competition.

History

Rio Ave was founded in 1939, soon being nicknamed Rio Grande (Big River). The side had two of its best moments in the 1980s, under the management of Félix Mourinho, father of José Mourinho: in 1981–82, the club finished in a joint-best fifth place, and two years later it reached the Taça de Portugal final, losing to Porto 4–1.[5]

In 2013–14, the club reached both cup finals under the management of Nuno Espírito Santo, but lost to treble-winners Benfica in both. This qualified them to their first European campaign, the 2014–15 UEFA Europa League.[6] New manager Pedro Martins led them past Swedish duo IFK Göteborg and IF Elfsborg to reach the group stage, where they came last.

Under Miguel Cardoso, Rio Ave came fifth in 2017–18, equalling their best finish.[7] Two years later, with Carlos Carvalhal in charge and Iranian Mehdi Taremi the league's joint top scorer, the club equalled this position with a new points record of 55.[8] In October 2020, the team reached the Europa League playoffs but lost at home to A.C. Milan, having conceded a penalty equaliser in the last minute of extra time and then losing 9–8 on penalties.[9] The season, under the returning Cardoso, ended with relegation after a 5–0 aggregate defeat to F.C. Arouca in the playoffs.[10]

After relegation, Rio Ave signed 35-year-old manager Luís Freire, who won promotion as champions in 2021–22 and was rewarded with a new contract.[11]

In 2023, Rio Ave's affiliated paying members (sócios) approved the creation of a SAD and the entry of an investor, the Greek Evangelos Marinakis, who had already invested in Olympiacos and Nottingham Forest.[12][13]

European record

UEFA club competition record

Season Competition Round Club Home Away Aggregate
2014–15 UEFA Europa League 3Q Sweden IFK Göteborg 0–0 1–0 1–0
PO Sweden IF Elfsborg 1–0 1–2 2–2 (a)
Group J Ukraine Dynamo Kyiv 0–3 0–2 4th place
Romania Steaua București 2–2 1–2
Denmark Aalborg 2–0 0–1
2016–17 3Q Czech Republic Slavia Prague 1–1 0–0 1–1 (a)
2018–19 2Q Poland Jagiellonia Białystok 4–4 0–1 4–5
2020–21 2Q Bosnia and Herzegovina Borac Banja Luka N/a 2–0 N/a
3Q Turkey Beşiktaş N/a 1–1 (4–2 p) N/a
PO Italy Milan 2–2 (8–9 p) N/a N/a

Notes

3Q: Third qualifying round
PO: Play-off round
GS: Group stage

UEFA coefficient

Correct as of 21 May 2025.[14]

Rank Team Points
131 Portugal Santa Clara 12.453
132 Portugal Paços de Ferreira 12.453
133 Portugal Rio Ave 12.453
134 Kazakhstan Astana 12.000
135 Croatia Rijeka 12.000

Players

First Team

As of 15 January 2026[15]

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  POL Cezary Miszta
3 DF  GRE Nikos Athanasiou (on loan from Olympiacos)
4 DF  ENG Jonathan Panzo
5 DF  GRE Andreas Ntoi
6 DF  ENG Nelson Abbey
7 FW  BRA Diogo Bezerra
8 MF  GRE Theofanis Bakoulas (on loan from Olympiacos)
9 FW  BRA Clayton
10 MF  CRC Brandon Aguilera
11 FW  BRA André Luiz
14 FW  ISR Karem Zoabi
17 DF  GRE Marios Vrousai (captain)
18 FW  CRO Dario Špikić
19 MF  GRE Antonis Papakanellos (on loan from Olympiacos)
No. Pos. Nation Player
20 DF  POR João Tomé
21 MF  POR João Graça
22 GK  CRC Kevin Chamorro
23 DF  ARG Pancho Petrasso
25 FW  BRA Rafael Lobato
27 FW  ARG Tobías Medina
28 FW  ESP Marc Gual
29 GK  ESP Alfonso Pastor
32 DF  CZE Jakub Brabec
44 MF  HUN Tamás Nikitscher
54 MF  GRE Georgios Liavas
63 DF  FRA Julien Lomboto
77 DF  ENG Omar Richards (on loan from Nottingham Forest)
80 MF  GER Ole Pohlmann

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
— GK  ALB Anxhelo Sina (at PAS Giannina until 30 June 2026)
— DF  CYP Georgios Okkas (at Panionios until 30 June 2026)
No. Pos. Nation Player
— FW  POR Valentim Sousa (at Marco 09 until 30 June 2026)

U23 squad

As of 28 September 2025[16]

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
— GK  POR Tiago Ribeiro
— GK  POR Pedro Virgínia
— DF  EGY Hassan Abouelmaati
— DF  POR Tomé Almeida
— DF  POR Filipe Azevedo
— DF  POR Francisco Brás
— DF  BRA Caike
— DF  BRA Vinicius Cressi
— DF  GRE Georgios Lemonakis
— DF  POR Hélder Sá
— DF  POR Guilherme Venâncio
— MF  GNB Dai Baldé
— MF  ALB Dijar Ferati
No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF  POR Fernando Ferreira
— MF  FRA Etienne Michut
— MF  POR Pedro Pereira
— MF  KOS Lorent Talla
— MF  SEN Antoine Wenck
— FW  POR Francisco Curvelo
— FW  BRA Eduardo Gualberto
— FW  POR Franco Pinho
— FW  GEO Saba Samushia
— FW  MAR Amine Rehmi
— FW  SEN Mamadou Sawané
— FW  NGA Naziru Shuabiu
— FW  POR Alexandre Sousa

U23 squad 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
— DF  GEO Jorge Karseladze (at Académica de Coimbra until 30 June 2026)

Club staff

Coaching staff

As of 4 July 2025[17]
Role Name
Head Coach Greece Sotiris Silaidopoulos
Assistant coach Greece Vaggelis Samios
Assistant coach Greece Dimitris Gkoumas
Assistant coach Portugal Augusto Gama
Goalkeeping coach Greece Spiros Christopoulos
Fitness coach Greece Ilias Ampatzidis
Analyst Portugal Nuno Cardoso

Honours

Coaching history

League and cup history

Season Div. Pos. Pl. W D L GS GA P Cup League Cup Notes
1978–79 2DS 2 30 20 5 5 51 26 45 Round 4 Promoted
1979–80 1D 16 30 5 3 22 22 61 13 Round 4 Relegated
1980–81 2DS 1 30 16 10 4 43 17 42 Round 3 Promoted
1981–82 1D 5 30 13 8 9 26 31 34 Round 5
[A]
1982–83 1D 8 30 13 3 14 43 45 29 Round 3
1983–84 1D 9 30 11 7 12 35 35 29 Runner-up
[B]
1984–85 1D 13 30 7 9 14 27 43 23 Quarter-final Relegated
1985–86 2DN 1 30 19 11 0 52 19 49 Round 4 Promoted
1986–87 1D 13 30 8 9 13 33 40 25 Round 5
1987–88 1D 18 38 7 14 17 29 67 28 Round 6 Relegated
1988–89 2DS 4 34 16 9 9 51 30 41 Round 3
1989–90 2DS 10 34 10 11 13 44 47 31 Round 3
1990–91 2DS 4 38 23 10 5 79 21 56 Round 6 Promoted
1991–92 2H 4 34 16 7 11 47 30 39 Round 5
1992–93 2H 5 34 14 10 10 39 36 38 Round 5
1993–94 2H 4 34 18 8 8 43 23 44 Quarter-final
1994–95 2H 11 34 12 8 14 47 46 32 Round 6
1995–96 2H 1 34 21 5 8 58 42 68 Round 5 Promoted
1996–97 1D 15 34 8 11 15 35 42 35 Round 4
1997–98 1D 9 34 12 10 12 43 43 46 Round 5
1998–99 1D 14 34 8 11 15 26 47 35 Round 4
1999–00 1D 17 34 8 9 17 34 54 33 Semi-final Relegated
2000–01 2H 5 34 17 9 8 68 35 60 Round 6
2001–02 2H 8 34 12 10 12 45 36 46 Round 3
2002–03 2H 1 34 19 6 9 49 36 63 Round 5 Promoted
2003–04 1D 7 34 12 12 10 42 37 48 Quarter-final
2004–05 1D 8 34 10 17 7 35 35 47 Round 6
2005–06 1D 16 34 8 10 16 34 53 34 Round 5 Relegated
2006–07 2H 3 30 15 8 7 44 37 53 Round 4
2007–08 2H 2 30 13 12 5 38 26 51 Round 6 Round 1 Promoted
2008–09 1D 12 30 8 6 16 20 35 30 Round 3 Second Group Stage
2009–10 1D 12 30 6 13 11 22 33 31 Semi-final Second Group Stage
2010–11 1D 8 30 10 8 12 35 33 38 Quarter-final Round 1
2011–12 1D 14 30 7 7 16 33 42 28 Round 4 Second Group Stage
2012–13 1D 6 30 12 6 12 35 42 42 Round 4 Semi-final
2013–14 1D 11 30 8 8 14 21 35 32 Runner-up Runner-up Qualified Europa League [B] [C]
2014–15 1D 10 34 10 13 11 38 42 43 Semi-final Second Group Stage
2015–16 1D 6 34 14 8 12 44 44 50 Semi-final Second Group Stage Qualified Europa League
2016–17 1D 7 34 14 7 13 41 39 49 Round 3 Group Stage
2017–18 1D 5 34 15 6 13 40 42 51 Quarter-final Group Stage Qualified Europa League [A]
2018–19 1D 7 34 12 9 13 50 52 45 Round 5 Group Stage
2019–20 1D 5 34 15 10 9 48 36 55 Quarter-final Group Stage Qualified Europa League [A]
2020–21 1D 16 34 7 13 13 25 40 34 Round 5 DNP Relegated
^A Best league classification finish in the club's history.
^B Best cup run in the club's history.
^C Best league cup run in the club's history.

Div. = Division; 1D = Portuguese League; 2H = Liga de Honra; 2DS/2D = Portuguese Second Division

Pos. = Position; Pl = Match played; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Lost; GS = Goal scored; GA = Goal against; P = Points

References

  1. ^ Alexandrina Cruz é a nova presidente do Rio Ave FC. rioavefc.pt.
  2. ^ "Colours of Football - Rio Ave FC". Colours of Football. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  3. ^ "Rio Ave bate recorde de pontos na liga, Vitória já não chegará à Europa" [Rio Ave sets record for league points, Vitória will no longer reach Europe]. Tribuna Expresso (in Portuguese). 19 July 2020. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  4. ^ "Rio Ave beat Braga to reach final".
  5. ^ da Silva Campos, António (25 June 2017). "Felix [sic] Mourinho deixou-nos um legado eterno" [Félix Mourinho left us an eternal legacy] (in Portuguese). Rio Ave F.C. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
  6. ^ "First-timers Rio Ave out to finish off IFK". UEFA. 5 August 2014. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
  7. ^ "Nantes hire coach Miguel Cardoso to replace Claudio Ranieri". ESPN FC. 14 June 2018. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
  8. ^ "Presidente do Rio Ave confirma saída do treinador Carlos Carvalhal" [President of Rio Ave confirms exit of manager Carlos Carvalhal]. Record (in Portuguese). 25 July 2020. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  9. ^ Cole, Richard (1 October 2020). "Europa League: Sporting humiliated, Rio Ave cruelly eliminated". PortuGOAL. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  10. ^ Oludare, Shina (30 May 2021). "Ofori & Bukia's FC Arouca promoted to Primeira Liga after play-off triumph over Rio Ave". Goal. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  11. ^ Veloso Gomes, André (22 June 2022). "Oficial: Luís Freire renova pelo Rio Ave" [Official: Luís Freire renews with Rio Ave]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  12. ^ "Sócios do Rio Ave aprovam SAD e entrada de investidor grego". Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 19 November 2023. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  13. ^ "Evangelos Marinakis, o milionário de "bolsos fundos e pouca paciência" que ama barcos, escreve letras de canções e vai investir no Rio Ave". Tribuna Expresso (in European Portuguese). 22 November 2023. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  14. ^ "Club coefficients". UEFA. 30 June 2024. Retrieved 24 May 2025.
  15. ^ "Equipa Principal" [Main Team] (in Portuguese). Rio Ave FC. Retrieved 3 September 2025.
  16. ^ "Sub-23" [Under 23] (in Portuguese). Rio Ave FC. Retrieved 28 September 2025.
  17. ^ "A equipa técnica de Sotiris Silaidopoulos" (in Portuguese). Rio Ave F.C. 3 July 2025. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rio Ave F.C..
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