Clube Desportivo Nacional (), commonly known as Nacional da Madeira and sometimes just Nacional, is a Portuguese football club based in Funchal, on the island of Madeira.

Founded on 8 December 1910, it currently plays in the Liga Portugal , Portugal's top-tier division of professional football. It plays its home games at Estádio da Madeira, also known as Estádio da Choupana. Built in 1998 and named at the time Estádio Eng. Rui Alves after the current club president Rui Alves, it seats approximately 5,200 people. The stadium is located in the north of Funchal, high in the mountains of the Choupana district. The club's home colours are black and white striped shirts with black shorts and socks. Nacional is also known for being one of the clubs that formed Portuguese international Cristiano Ronaldo and to honour the club's most famous player they named their youth training facilities Cristiano Ronaldo Câmpus Futebol.

The Alvinegros played in the Primeira Liga in 1988–91, 2002–17, 2018–19 and 2020–21. Their best top-tier league finish was fourth in the 2003–04 and 2008–09 seasons, with Brazilian striker Nenê winning the Bola da Prata for top scorer with 20 goals in the latter. They have played in the UEFA Europa League on five occasions between 2004 and 2014, beating Zenit St. Petersburg in the play-off round and taking third place in the group stage in 2009–10. The team has reached the Taça de Portugal semi-finals four times between 2009 and 2023, and the Taça da Liga semi-final in 2010–11. Notable managers include Manuel Machado, who led the team in five spells from 2005 to 2021. They currently play in Primera Liga, after they got promoted from the 2023–24 Liga Portugal 2.

Like many other Portuguese clubs, Nacional operates several sports teams outside the football team. Other sports groups within the organisation include beach soccer, boxing, artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, tennis, triathlon, muay thai, padel, rallying, swimming and veterans' soccer.

History Nacional reached the first division for the first time ever with a three-season spell from 1988. Under manager José Peseiro, the team returned for 2002–03 after winning promotion in third place. The team finished comfortably in 11th, with results including a 1–0 home win over S.L. Benfica on 28 September 2002 and a 3–2 win at C.S. Marítimo in the Madeira derby the following 2 February. Peseiro's successor Casemiro Mior took the team to a joint-best 4th place in 2003–04, including another home win over Benfica, shortly after that team had knocked them out of the quarter-finals of the Taça de Portugal. Stars of this team included Brazilians Paulo Assunção (defensive midfielder) and forward Adriano (16 and 19 goals in respective seasons), both of whom later played for FC Porto.

Nacional's debut European season in the 2004–05 UEFA Cup ended in the first round with a 4–1 aggregate loss to Spain's Sevilla FC. In January 2005, Mior left for Club Athletico Paranaense in his homeland. Manuel Machado led the team to fifth in 2005–06, again reaching the UEFA Cup, but left due to his wife and children living in continental Portugal. The club's second run in European competition again ended at the first hurdle, 3–1 on aggregate to CS Rapid București of Romania.

Under the returning Machado in 2008–09, again edged S.C. Braga for fourth spot. Brazilian forward Nenê earned the Bola da Prata for top scorer with 20 goals, three more than Benfica's Óscar Cardozo and Sporting CP's Liédson. The side also reached the last-four in the Portuguese Cup, losing on aggregate 5–4 to F.C. Paços de Ferreira, with the decider coming at the Estádio da Madeira in the 90th minute.

Nacional started the 2009–10 season without Nenê, who was sold in June to Cagliari Calcio of the Italian Serie A for a fee potentially rising to €10 million. However, in August the club won a European tie for the first time, defeating 2008 champions FC Zenit Saint Petersburg 5–4 on aggregate in the playoffs of the renamed UEFA Europa League; the team were heading out on the away goals rule until a last-minute goal from youngster Rúben Micael earned a 1–1 draw in Russia. Nacional were eliminated in the group stage, third behind SV Werder Bremen and Athletic Bilbao but ahead of FK Austria Wien. In 2010–11, former club players Predrag Jokanović and Ivo Vieira led the team to 6th and a European return, as well as the semi-finals of the Taça da Liga for the first time (at Porto's expense), losing 4–3 to Paços de Ferreira. In the following season, following Europa League playoff elimination by Birmingham City, the team made the national cup semi-finals again, losing 5–3 on aggregate to Sporting.

In his fourth of five spells as Nacional manager, Machado led the team to 5th in 2013–14, making the Europa League playoffs and falling at the first hurdle 5–2 on aggregate to FC Dinamo Minsk of Belarus. In the 2014–15 Taça de Portugal they made a third semi-final in seven years, again losing to Sporting. The 2016–17 season, which included Jokanović's fourth spell as manager, ended with relegation in last place, a conclusion to 15 years in the top flight.

Former Portugal international Costinha was hired in 2017 and won promotion at the first attempt as champions of the 2017–18 LigaPro; Cape Verde international striker Ricardo Gomes was the league's top scorer with 22 goals in 36 games and left the club for FK Partizan in Serbia at the end of his contract. Costinha left after relegation from the 2018–19 Primeira Liga, in which results included a 10–0 loss to eventual winners Benfica.

The 2019–20 LigaPro was abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal, resulting in promotion for first-placed Nacional; it was the sixth promotion in the career of 34-year-old manager Luís Freire. The team were immediately relegated in last place, with Freire sacked in March 2021 and Machado seeing out the season in his fifth spell. The team reached the semi-finals of the 2022–23 Taça de Portugal, losing 7–2 on aggregate to Braga, while the league season went to the final day; a 3–2 home win over Académico de Viseu F.C. after losing at half time saved the team in 14th place while B-SAD took the relegation playoff position.

After 13 seasons with Hummel, the team announced its new partnership with Kappa ahead of the 2025–26 season.

Club presidents António Ascensão Figueira (1910–1926) Ernesto Pelágio dos Santos (1926–1932) António Caldeira (1932–1936) Dr. Consuelo Figueira (1936–1940) Luís Lopes Serrão (1940–1944) Dr. Daniel Brazão Machado (1944–1948) Dr. José Telentino Costa César Abreu (1954–1958) Dr. António Manuel Sales Caldeira (1958–1964) Fernando Pereira Rebelo (1964–1965) Luís Lopes Serrão (1966–1969) Antonio Manuel Sales Caldeira (1969–1973) Nélio Jorge Ferraz Mendonça (1973–1993) Dr. Fausto Pereira (1993–1994) Eng. Rui António Macedo Alves (1994–2014) João Gris Teixeira (2014–2015) Eng. Rui António Macedo Alves (2015–Present)

Stadium

The Estádio da Madeira, better known as the Choupana, houses Nacional. The current stadium is located around nearby training pitches. The club also built an academy campus in the name of its most famous player, Cristiano Ronaldo. The stadium was renovated in 2007, with a new stand added and also capacity increased to 5,200 spectators. The total price of the renovations was €23 million.

In these new facilities, no stands were put behind the goals, with a tall fence used in its place. In mid-2007, the stadium name was changed to Estádio da Madeira, because of the excellent sports facilities.

Rivalry

Nacional has a big rivalry with Madeira-neighbours Marítimo. Historically, Marítimo dominated Nacional in the early years, being the first to reach European competition.

Honours National competitions Segunda Liga Winners: 2017–18 Segunda Divisão B / South Zone Winners: 1999–2000

Regional competitions AF Madeira Championship Winners (8): 1934–35, 1936–37, 1938–39, 1941–42, 1942–43, 1943–44, 1968–69, 1974–75 AF Madeira Cup Winners (6): 1943–44, 1944–45, 1973–74, 1974–75, 2001–02, 2007–08

Other Ramón de Carranza Trophy Winners: 2012

League and Cup history SeasonLeagueCupLeague CupEurope (UEFA)NotesDiv.Pos. Pld W D L GF GA PtsResultResult CompetitionResult1988–891D10th38 12 12 14 43 49 36R6 – –1989–901D14th34 7 14 13 34 46 28R6 – –1990–911D20th38 8 11 19 33 60 27R5 – –1991–922D14th34 6 13 15 26 42 25R4 – –1992–932D13th34 10 10 14 32 42 30R4 – –1993–942D11th34 10 11 13 32 33 31R3 – –1994–952D13th34 11 10 13 39 42 32R4 – –1995–962D16th34 11 6 17 39 43 39R4 – –1996–972DS1st34 24 6 4 80 30 78R4 – –1997–982D18th34 6 9 19 37 58 27R4 – –1998–992DS9th34 15 4 15 42 39 49R4 – –1999–20002DS1st38 25 8 5 66 32 83R2 – –2000–012D7th34 14 9 11 55 52 51R6 – –2001–022D3rd34 18 8 8 62 39 62R3 – –2002–031D11th34 9 13 12 40 46 40R5 – –2003–041D4th34 17 5 12 56 35 56QF – –2004–051D12th34 12 5 17 46 48 41R6UEFA CupR12005–061D5th34 14 10 10 40 32 52R6 – –2006–071D8th30 11 6 13 41 38 39R6UEFA CupR12007–081D10th30 9 8 13 23 28 35R5R3 – –2008–091D4th30 15 7 8 47 32 52SFR3 – –2009–101D7th30 10 9 11 36 46 39R5R3UEFA Europa LeagueGS2010–111D6th30 11 9 10 28 31 42R4SF – –2011–121D7th30 13 5 12 48 50 44SFR3UEFA Europa LeaguePO2012–131D8th30 11 7 12 45 51 40R4R3 – –2013–141D5th30 11 12 7 43 33 45R3R3 – –2014–151D7th34 13 8 13 45 46 47SFR3UEFA Europa LeaguePO2015–161D11th34 10 8 16 40 56 38QFR3 – –2016–171D18th34 4 9 21 22 58 21R4R2 – –2017–182D1st38 19 14 5 72 45 71R4R1 – –2018–191D17th34 7 7 20 33 73 28R3R3 – –2019–202D1st24 14 8 2 36 16 50R2R2 – –2020–211D18th34 6 7 21 30 59 25R5 – – –2021–222D6th34 14 9 11 52 44 51R3R1 – –2022–232D13th34 10 9 15 35 46 39SFGS – –2023–242D2nd34 21 8 5 66 35 71R5R3 – –2024–251D14th34 9 7 18 32 50 34R3QF – –

European record Season Competition Round Club Home Away Aggregate 2004–05 UEFA Cup R1 Sevilla 1–2 0–2 1–4 2006–07 UEFA Cup R1 Rapid București 1–2 0–1 1–3 2009–10 UEFA Europa League PO Zenit Saint Petersburg 4–3 1–1 5–4 Group L Werder Bremen 2–3 1–4 Austria Wien 5–1 1–1 Athletic Bilbao 1–1 1–2 2011–12 UEFA Europa League 2Q FH Hafnarfjördur 2–0 1–1 3–1 3Q BK Häcken 3–0 1–2 4–2 PO Birmingham City 0–0 0–3 0–3 2014–15 UEFA Europa League PO Dinamo Minsk 2–3 0–2 2–5 Last updated: 28 August 2014 Q = Qualifying; PO = Play-off

Players Current squad

Statistics Most appearances

Rank Player Appearances Goals1 João Aurélio 343 112 Serginho 286 1163 António Vieira 278 204 Patacas 267 55 Witi 266 286 Cléber 221 37 Jota 205 58 João Camacho 183 319 Felipe Lopes 177 910 Mateus 153 38

Top goalscorers

Rank Player Appearances Goals1 Serginho 286 1162 Bryan Róchez 135 493 Adriano 100 484 Roberto Carlos 127 435 Jesús Ramírez 73 396 Mateus 153 387 Mario Rondón 135 378 Dino Furacão 104 339 João Camacho 183 3110 Witi 266 28

Coaching staff PositionStaff Head coach Alexandre Santos Assistant coach João Peixeiro Marco Sousa Goalkeeper coach Vítor Dimas Match analyst André Gonçalves Head of medical Fernando Jasmins Physiotherapist João Sousa Team manager Ludgero Castro

Coaches

Jair Picerni (1989–91) Eurico Gomes (1991–92) José Rachão (1993–95) Rodolfo Reis (1995–96) Jair Picerni (1996–98) José Alberto Torres (1998–99) José Peseiro (1999–03) Casemiro Mior (2003–05) João Carlos Pereira (2005) Manuel Machado (2005–06) Carlos Brito (2006–07) Predrag Jokanović (2007–08) Manuel Machado (2008–10) Predrag Jokanović (interim) (2009–10) Predrag Jokanović (2010–11) Ivo Vieira (2011) Pedro Caixinha (2011–12) Manuel Machado (2012–2016) Predrag Jokanović (2016–2017) Costinha (2017–2019) Luís Freire (2019–2021) Manuel Machado (2021) Costinha (2021) Rui Borges (2021–2022) Filipe Cândido (2022–2023) Tiago Margarido (3 July 2023 – 20 May 2026) João Gião (26 May 2026 – present)

Presidents

António Figueira (1910–26) Ernesto dos Santos (1926–32) António Caldeira (1932–36) Consuelo Figueira (1936–40) Luís Serrão (1940–44) Daniel Machado (1944–48) José Abreu (1954–58) António Manuel Caldeira (1958–64) Fernando Rebelo (1964–65)