Real Estelí
Full nameReal Esteli Football Club
Nickname(s)El Tren del Norte (The Train of the North)
Founded1961 (1961) (as Estelí FC)
GroundEstadio Independencia
Capacity5,000
ChairmanNicaragua Fidel Moreno
ManagerNicaragua Ramón Otoniel Olivas
LeagueLiga Primera
2022–23Overall: 2nd
Playoffs: Champion
WebsiteClub website

Real Esteli Fútbol Club is a Nicaraguan professional football club playing in the top flight of Nicaragua's league system, the Campeonato Nacional de Fútbol de Primera División. The club play out of their home stadium, Estadio Independencia, based in the northern city of Estelí.

Real Estelí has national championships, second most out of every team in Nicaragua, only trailing Diriangén. They also won a CONCACAF record eight consecutive championships from 2006 to 2014.

History

The club was founded in 1960 as Estelí FC, adding Real to its name in 1961. Estelí FC plays at the Estadio Independencia, one of the biggest stadiums in Nicaragua, with a capacity of 4,800. The club is known by the nickname, El Tren del Norte (Train of the North), coming as it does, from the northern region of Las Segovias.

Real Estelí has finished in the top five of Nicaragua's top flight every year since 1986. In that time, they have also achieved traditionally high attendance numbers. However, it took time for the club's burgeoning popularity to translate into championships.

The club under Leonidas "Cascarilla" Rodriguez and Honduran Roy Posas were able to win the club first silverware, winning both the League and cup double. Players that contributed with players such as Otoniel Olivas, Salvadoran Julio "El Cura" Barahona, Honduran Samuel Nunez, and Ramon "ElChino" Mejia then added another in 1999. Nonetheless, their fierce rivals Diriangén FC remained the dominant power in Nicaraguan football.

This began to change in 2002–2003. The two clubs met for a two-legged tie to determine the year's champion. Diriangén won the first leg 1–0, but Real Estelí answered by winning the return match 3–0, claiming the title 3–1 on aggregate. That was the last year Nicaragua determined their championship with a "long season"; for 2003–2004, the league adopted an Apertura/Clausura format. Real Estelí won both tournaments, and each time they defeated Diriangén in the finals.

The following September, Real Estelí made history in Nicaraguan football by eliminating favorites Real España in the First Round of the Copa Interclubes UNCAF. They thus became the first Nicaraguan football team in history to advance to the second round of the tournament.

Back home, Diriangén won the next two championships, but quickly gave way to Real Estelí, who embarked on their dominant run of eight championships in a row from 2006 to 2014. Then, after a brief interruption by Walter Ferretti, Estelí won two more.

Real Estelí FC has finished in the top five of Nicaragua's top division every year since 1986 and has achieved some of the highest attendances in the league during this period.

In 2023 CONCACAF Central American Cup, Making their first appearance in the modified Tournament, Real Esteli finished second in group, where they defeated highly rated opponents FAS, Xelaju and Olimpia, The club only loss was against Independiente who toped the group. In the Quarter Final, Real Estelí Made history by winning their two legs series against Concacaf heavyweight Saprissa 3-2. Not only becoming the first Nicaraguan club to defeat Saprissa but also the first Nicaraguan to qualify to the semi final of an international tournament. In the semi-finals against Independiente they defeated the Panamanian side 3-2 in two legs to advance to the first international final in the club's history. However, in the final played over two legs, Costa Rican Giants Alajuelense would beat Real Esteli 4–1.

Crest

The club crest consists of a crown, representing 'Real' (meaning 'Royal'). Similar crowns can be seen on the crests of many other clubs with the prefix 'Real', such as Spanish clubs Real Betis, Real Zaragoza and Real Madrid[1]

The two gold stars of the crest mark the first two national championships won by the club (in 1991 and 1999), while the red and white striped shield represents the club colours as used on team shirts. The logo was redesigned and digitalised in 2000 by Nakor'd J. García and Michael D. Raney (current President/CEO of the World Football Organization), based on the original design by Arnulfo Rivera Zeledón and Johnny Herrera Vallejos.

'El Clásico' rivalry

There is often a fierce rivalry between the two strongest teams in the national league, where the game between Real Estelí and Diriangén has become known as El Clásico (The Classic).

Honours

Real Esteli is historically the second most successful team in Nicaragua football, as they have won the second most Primera División de Nicaragua with nineteen. They are also Nicaragua's most successful team in international competitions, having finished runner up in CONCACAF Tournament.

Domestic honours

League

Domestic Cups

International honours

CONCACAF

Current squad

As of October 2023[2]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Nicaragua NCA Douglas Forvis
2 DF Nicaragua NCA Francisco Vallecillo
3 DF Nicaragua NCA Marvin Fletes
7 FW Nicaragua NCA Byron Bonilla
8 MF Nicaragua NCA Marlon López
9 FW Nicaragua NCA Henry Garcia
10 MF Nicaragua NCA Harold Medina
11 MF Nicaragua NCA Juan Barrera
13 FW Colombia COL Arley Bonilla
14 MF Argentina ARG Fabián Monserrat
15 MF Nicaragua NCA Oscar Soto
16 MF Nicaragua NCA Osmin Salinas
No. Pos. Nation Player
17 DF Nicaragua NCA Joel Obando
18 DF Colombia COL Leyvin Balanta
19 DF Nicaragua NCA Evert Martinez
21 FW Nicaragua NCA Cristian Flores
22 GK Nicaragua NCA Cesar Salandia
23 DF Nicaragua NCA Oscar Acevedo
24 FW Argentina ARG Abel Rodriguez
26 DF Brazil BRA Emerton Da Silva
27 DF Nicaragua NCA Josué Quijano
28 MF Nicaragua NCA Bancy Hernandez
34 DF Nicaragua NCA Joab Gutierrez
— MF Mexico MEX Iván Ochoa

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
— El Salvador SLV TBD (at TBD for the 2023-24 Apertura and Clausura)

In

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
— Nicaragua NCA Henry Niño (From Managua F.C.)
— Panama PAN Sergio Cunningham Torres (From TBD)
— Mexico MEX Iván Ochoa (From TBD)
No. Pos. Nation Player
— Chile CHI Nicolás Maturana (From TBD)
— El Salvador SLV TBD (From TBD)
— El Salvador SLV TBD (From TBD)

Out

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
— Brazil BRA Emerton Da Silva (To TBD)
— Argentina ARG Abel Rodriguez (To TBD)
— El Salvador SLV TBD (To TBD)
— El Salvador SLV TBD (To TBD)
No. Pos. Nation Player
— El Salvador SLV TBD (To TBD)
— El Salvador SLV TBD (To TBD)

Notable players

Players with senior international caps:

Personnel

Management

PositionName
ManagerNicaragua Ramón Otoniel Olivas
Assistant Manager and Goalkeeping CoachNicaragua Sergio Ivan Rodríguez
Fitness CoachCuba Marcos Gomez
Fitness coachNicaragua Carlos Rivera

List of coaches

Real Esteli has had various coaches since its formation in 1961. Ramón Otoniel Olivas and Honduran Roy Posas has served two terms as head coach. Ramón Otoniel Olivas was the club's most successful coach, having won Primera División titles and finished as runner up in 2023 Central American Cup , following closely is Roy Posas, Sergio Rodriguez and Holver Flores & Leonidas Rodriguez won one Primera titles.

Name Nat From To Notes
Rigoberto Núñez Costa Rica 1961 1965 First coach and foreign coach
Santiago Berrini Argentina 1965 1965 TBD
Manuel Catarro Cuadra Nicaragua TBD TBD TBD
Nestor Matamala Chile TBD TBD TBD
Jose Burboa Nicaragua TBD TBD TBD
Marcos A. Gamboa Nicaragua TBD TBD TBD
Leonidas Rodríguez Nicaragua 1990 1991 First Primera division Title (1991)
Roy Posas Honduras 1991 1992 TBD
Florentino Colindres Honduras TBD TBD TBD
Rafael Paciencia Núñez Honduras 1999 2000 TBD
David Aquiles Medina Honduras 2000 2001 TBD
Francisco Rojas Nicaragua 2001 April 2002 TBD
Ramón Otoniel Olivas Nicaragua 2002 December 2008 TBD
Roy Posas Honduras January 2009 December 2009 TBD
Ramón Otoniel Olivas Nicaragua December 2009 June 2018 7 Primera division (2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2016–17)
Washington Fernando Araújo Uruguay July 2018 December 2018 TBD
Sergio Rodríguez Nicaragua January 2019 November 2019 2 Primera division Title (2019 Clausura, 2019 Apertura)
Holver Flores Nicaragua November 2019 June 2021 2 Primera division Title (Clausura 2020, Apertura 2020)
José Luis Trejo Mexico June 2021 May 2022 TBD
Ramón Otoniel Olivas Nicaragua June 2022 Present 2 Primera division Title (2022 Apertura,2023 Clausura); 1 runner up (2023 Central American Cup)

Jersey sponsors

Period Kit manufacturer Shirt partner
1998–01 Galaxia
2000–08 Enitel
2008–2011 Movistar
La Curaçao
2011–2017 Movistar
La Curaçao
Yahoo!
2017–2020 Kappa
2021–Present Keuka Tigo, Cafe Ox

Performance in CONCACAF competitions

Best: Group stage in 4 times
2009 : Preliminary Round
2012 : Preliminary Round
2013 : Group stage
2014 : Group stage
2015 : Group stage
2017 : Group stage
2021: Round of 16
Best: Quarter-finals in 2020
2017 CONCACAF League: Round of 16
2019 CONCACAF League: Round of 16
2020 CONCACAF League: Quarter finals
2021 CONCACAF League: Round of 16
2022 CONCACAF League: Preliminary Round
Best: Runner up in 2023
2023 CONCACAF Central American Cup: Runner up
Best: Quarter-finals in 2004
2000 : First Round
2003 : First Round
2004 : Quarter-finals
2006 : First Round
2007 : First Round

Record versus other nations

As of 25 December 2023

The Concacaf opponents below = Official tournament results: (Plus a sampling of other results)

Opponent Last Meeting G W D L F A PTS +/-
El Salvador Aguila 26 – Sept – 2012 2 1 0 1 1 1 3 0
Costa Rica Alajuelense 5 – Dec – 2023 9 0 1 8 4 27 1 -23
Panama Árabe Unido 1996 2 0 1 1 1 2 1 -1
El Salvador Atlético Marte 15 – Dec – 1991 1 0 0 1 0 3 0 -3
United States Columbus Crew SC 15 – Apr – 2021 2 0 0 2 0 5 0 -5
Guatemala Comunicaciones 6 – Dec – 1991 1 0 0 1 0 15 0 -15
United States Dallas 24 – Aug – 2016 2 0 1 1 2 3 1 -1
Nicaragua Diriangén 2003 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 0
El Salvador FAS 15 – Aug – 2023 2 1 0 1 3 2 3 1
Costa Rica Herediano 24 – Nov – 2020 1 1 0 0 1 0 3 1
Panama Independiente 2 – Nov – 2023 3 1 1 1 4 4 4 0
Honduras Marathón 29 – Sept – 2021 2 1 0 1 2 2 3 0
Canada Montreal Impact 2 – Oct – 2008 2 0 1 1 0 1 1 -1
Honduras Motagua 10 – Dec – 2020 3 0 1 2 3 7 1 -4
Honduras Olimpia 8 – Aug – 2023 3 1 0 2 1 2 3 -1
Honduras Real España 4 – Aug – 2022 6 0 3 3 6 17 3 -11
Costa Rica Saprissa 4 – Oct – 2023 9 1 3 5 5 14 6 -9
El Salvador Santa Tecla 6 – Aug – 2019 2 1 0 1 2 2 1 0
United States Sporting Kansas City 23 – Sept – 2014 4 0 2 2 2 7 2 -5
Guatemala Suchitepéquez 13 – Sept – 2016 2 0 1 1 1 2 1 -1
Panama Tauro 1992 2 0 0 2 1 7 0 -6
Canada Toronto 2 – Aug – 2011 2 0 0 2 2 4 0 -2
Mexico UANL 18 – Sept – 2012 2 0 1 1 1 5 1 -4
Guatemala Xelajú 1 – Aug – 2023 1 1 0 0 1 0 3 1
Totals 64 9 16 39 43 129 41 86

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Team Profile: Real Esteli". CONCACAF. Archived from the original on 2011-07-19. Retrieved 2011-08-04.
  2. ↑ "Jugadores". Realestelifc.com. 2020.
  3. ↑ "Dshon Forbes pasó de desvelarse por videojuegos a ser el más goleador del país". laprensani.com (Archived). 8 September 2020. Archived from the original on 2022-09-01.
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