Alianza F.C.

The beginning

Atlético La Constancia were formed in 1958 by the workers of the local industry. Although small in terms of financial status, they were able to reach the Liga de Ascenso (second division) final in 1958. They lost 2–0 in a two legged series against Águila. The club, however, purchased a spot in the first division at the expense of Once Municipal. After promotion to the first division, they were able to gain the sponsorship of the Intercontinental Hotel and its president, Peruvian Axel Hochkoeppler. Enrique Sol Meza, the industrialist and president of Alianza FC, decided to name the club Alianza FC in honor of Alianza Lima. Hernán Vivanco joined the club as the coach and began getting the players to play an exciting game of football. Alongside a strong advertisement campaign Salvadorans (in particular San Salvador residents) began to change their allegiance from Juventud Olímpica and began to embrace Alianza. One of Alianza's greatest triumphs happened in 1966, when they defeated Santos, including the great Pelé, at the Estadio Nacional Flor Blanc They were helped mostly from their foreign players Argentines Dante Juárez, Juan Verón and Santiago, all on loan at the time.

Orquesta Blanca

After defeating Santos, Alianza won their first title in the same year. Hernán Carrasco had the team playing with such cohesion and speed, they were labelled Orquesta Blanca by fans and media alike. No other Salvadoran team had had that success defeating a World and Americas Champion. The team won fifteen straight games when they reached the final. Thanks to goals by the Chilean Miguel "El Chueco" Hermosilla and Mario Monge, and despite a goal by Sergio "El Tabudo" Méndez for Águila, they won 2–1, becoming champions for the first time. "The Orquesta Alba" were able to win twenty games, draw ten games and only lose six games, scoring eighty three goals and conceding thirty-nine goals.

The team was made up of many great players, including Edgar "Pata Gorda" Morales, Roberto "La Burra" Rivas, Alberto "Pechuga" Villalta, Raúl "Araña" Magaña, Guido Alvarado, Salvador Mariona, Mario Monge, Luis "Cascarita" Tapia, Miguel "El Chueco" Hermosilla, Ricardo Sepúlveda and Jorge "El Conejo" Liévano. In the 1967 season the club signed Gualberto "El Pulpo" Fernández who replaced the departing Raúl Magaña, and also signed "El Chino" Flores, "Tancho" Ángel, "El Ruso" Quintanilla and the Chilean Hernán Álvarez.

On 20 August 1967, the club were able to win their second title, defeating Sonsonate FC 5–1. Tapia scored a double while Monge, Cabezas and Flores scored one goal each. Alianza's success continued, defeating Club América (2–0), Flamengo (3–2) and tying (0–0) with Peñarol.

Alianza FC became the first El Salvadoran club to win the CONCACAF Champions' Cup in 1967, when they defeated Jong Colombia over a three-leg series. Despite losing the first leg, Alianza won the second leg 3–0 thanks to goals by Odir Jacques, Tapia and Leonardo Salas. With the series tied at one all and the away goal having not been invented yet, the teams played another leg to decide the winner. Alianza won the leg 5–3; Tapia and Flores scored a double, and Odir Jacques scored the other goal.

Decline and title drought

With a new decade starting Carrasco and several of the Orquesta Alba players either left or retired. This was a new era of great players coming through the ranks, including international players Brazilians Camargo, Taneses and Nilton Rodarte, Peruvian Fernando Alva, Uruguayan Julio César "El Pocho" Cortés, and Chilean Hugo Ottensen, and domestic players including Miguel "La Mica" González, Herbert Machón, "Míchel" Cornejo, Armando Cortez Sandoval, Jaime "Samba" Saravia, Roberto "El Cuchillo" Guerra, Jaime "La Chelona" Rodríguez and Carlos "El Cacho" Meléndez. The club failed to win another championship despite reaching the final four times, finishing runner-up four times (1971, 1973, 1975–76 and 1978–79). The club's lowest point came when they came close to relegation in 1975, only surviving this by defeating Sonsonate on the last day of the championship. The club came from the wilderness to challenge for the title on Christmas Day 1985; however, they lost 5–2 against city rivals Atlético Marte.

Title success

After 20 years, in 1986 Alianza won its third league title under Ricardo Sepúlveda, a member of "The Orquesta Alba". This was thanks largely to a 3–1 penalty shoot-out win over Águila after the game finished 0–0, with Carlos Reyes scoring the winning penalty. Their success began to build again with another title in 1989 under their legendary technician Carrasco, mainly based on the outstanding performance of Chilean Raúl Toro who scored the winning goal against Luis Ángel Firpo.

Another title was obtained in the 1993–94 season after defeating FAS 2–1. Alianza's goals were scored by Milton Meléndez and Argentine Sergio Bufarini. Their achievement was due to the masterful tactics of the Uruguayan Gustavo Faral.

Alianza's international championship drought ended in 1997, when they defeated Deportivo Saprissa from Costa Rica to win the UNCAF Club Championship. Their strong momentum led them to achieve another two domestic titles. Both of these achievements were under the watchful eyes of the technician Juan Carlos Masnik and were helped by the heroic players such as Horacio Lugo, Marcelo Bauza, Uruguayan Alejandro Curbelo and Adrián de la Cruz.

Domestic honours

International honours

Friendly tournament

Records

Sponsorship

Companies that Alianza currently has sponsorship deals with include:

Stadium

Alianza Futbol Club has forged its entire history in the Estadio Nacional de la Flor Blanca (now Estadio Jorge "Mágico" González), in which they achieved three titles during the 1960s. However, it was damaged in the 2001 earthquakes and Alianza moved to the Estadio Cuscatlán. Since the 2013–14 season, Alianza FC has returned to Estadio Jorge "Mágico" González.

Retired numbers

2 – Roberto Rivas, defender (1960–70)

Players

Alianza is the first Salvadoran team to form an under-17 team for the new Under-17 League competition that was scheduled to begin in April 2014.

Current squad

As of Clausura 2017: Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Squad changes for the Apertura 2016

In:

Out:

Out on loan

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

Notable players

Below are the notable former and current players who have represented Alianza in Primera Division and international competition since the club's foundation in 1958. To appear in the section below, a player must have played in at least 100 official matches for the club, a list of every Alianza player who has been called up by their national team.

For a complete list of Alianza players, see Category:Alianza F.C. footballers.

Presidential history

Alianza have had numerous presidents over the course of their history, some of which have been the owners of the club; others have been honorary presidents. Here is a complete list of them.

Notable managers

The most successful all-time manager is Chilean Hernán Carrasco, who won four championships during his two tenures with Alianza FC (1966–67, 1989–92). The list of honours includes three Primera División titles (1965–66, 1966–67, 1989–90) and one CONCACAF Champions' Cup (1967).

Uruguayan Carlos Masnik was another notable manager with two titles won with Alianza, one Primera División championships (1996–97) and one UNCAF Club Championship (1997).

Chilean Ricardo Sepúlveda and Uruguayan Rubén Alonso both had outstanding careers as players for Alianza, and are the only two to win a title both as a player and coach. Sepulveda won the 1986–87, while Alonso won the Apertura 1998 and Apertura 2015, their most recent title victory.

Gustavo Faral won the 1993–94 championship, becoming the first Uruguayan and the first of three Uruguayans to win a title with Alianza.

Ramón Paredes become the first and so far only Salvadoran coach to win a title as coach of Alianza, which he did in the 2001 Apertura title.

Uruguayan Juan Martín Mujica led the team to the 2004 Clausura title.

Under the coaching of Roberto Gamarra, Alianza won the Clausura 2011.