Panamanian football club
Football club
The Tauro Fútbol Club is a professional soccer club based in the district of Pedregal east of Panama City, Panama. It was founded on 22 September 1984 and has participated in the Panamanian Football League (LPF) since 1988. Its founder, Giancarlo Gronchi, was a fan of Juventus and for that reason the colours of the club and uniform are black and white. They have won thirteen championships between 1989 and 2017, making them the most successful club in the league.
Their traditional rival has been Plaza Amador, ever since the founding of the LPF, originally as the Asociación Nacional Pro Fútbol (ANAPROF), in 1988. Their meetings are known as the "El Clásico" in Panama.[1]
History
Tauro FC's origins date to 1984, when tannery owner Giancarlo Gronchi, an immigrant from Italy, decided to create an internal football league for his company. From that came the idea of forming a company team. At that time, there were leagues formed of teams representing various Panamanian companies, as well as leagues formed of teams from the various immigrant colonies in Panama. Tauro competed in those leagues, as well as the Panamanian District League, from its founding on 22 September 1984 to 1988.[citation needed]
In 1988, Tauro joined six other teams in forming ANAPROF, Panama's first national professional league. This was a significant turning point in Panamanian football, which at the time was a smaller soccer presence in the region.[citation needed]
Gronchi's favorite Italian team was Juventus, and in the honor of that Italian power, Tauro also competed in black and white striped jerseys. They club won its first title in 1989, and during the 1990s was the dominant team in Panamanian football.[citation needed]
What followed was the glory days of Tauro, which won championships in 1989, 1991, 1996–97, 1997–98, and 1999–2000. Closely identified with the club's success in those years was Uruguayan Miguel Angel Mansilla, who managed the team on five occasions, interspersed with three stints managing Panama's national team.[citation needed]
Perhaps the most memorable title of that run came in 1996–97, when Patricio Guevara's 9th-minute goal lifted Tauro to a championship victory over the AFC Euro Kickers. That strike ended a five-year championship drought, and was followed by a repeat win over Deportivo Árabe Unido in 1997–98. The club won a fifth crown in 1999–2000, upsetting archrivals C.D. Plaza Amador. Plaza Amador was favored because they had signed striker Víctor René Mendieta, widely considered one of the best players in Panamanian history.[citation needed]
Tauro has continued to win championships in the Apertura/Clausura era. In 2003, they swept the season under the direction of Colombian manager Gonzalo Soto. In Clausura 2006, they followed the leadership of ex-player Ruben Guevara to another crown. In Apertura 2007, Mansilla returned to lead the club to a tenth championship (the fifth under his direction).[citation needed]
The club's tenth title came in Apertura 2010, under the leadership of Juan Carlos Cubillas. The club has also won titles in Clausura 2012 and Apertura 2013, with titles coming under ex-players Sergio "Checho" Angulo and Rolando Palma. In all, four former Bullfighters have won titles as both managers and players.[citation needed]
Rivalries
Tauro and Plaza Amador have been continuous rivals since ANAPROF started in 1988. Both teams are from Panama City itself, but do not play in the same stadium. The rivalry is referred to as "El Clásico" in Panama.
New shield
As current champions of the LPF in 2017, Tauro FC redesigned its club shield.[2]
Players
Current squad
As of 8 February, 2024.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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