This article needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(March 2018)
Football is one of the leading sports of Puerto Rico, ranking only behind baseball, basketball and boxing[1] in national popularity and is the number one participation sport on the island[citation needed]. There has been a significant growth in the sport in recent years, as traditionally football has played a very small role in Puerto Rico.[2] The sport on the island is governed by the Puerto Rican Football Federation, an affiliate of FIFA.
It is said that the sport was played during Spanish colonial times, mostly by soldiers in the field in front of El Morro. By 1904, games were being played there between sailors of foreign ships which docked in San Juan Harbor, but it was not until 1911 that the first organized club was formed, Comercio Sporting Club, which organized games between members of the club. The club then formed two teams, Minerva and Mercurio. These teams took part in the first organized tournament in Puerto Rico, Copa Porananmiz. In 1913, two more clubs where formed, San Juan FC and Ponce Sporting Club. Until then, football was mostly played by the Hispanic population of the island while the Americans would play sports like baseball and basketball, but in 1914 a group of Americans formed Celtics FC and the first rivalry of Puerto Rican football was born. Celtics were Americans and San Juan FC were Puerto Ricans and Spaniards, which brought up the tensions between the Hispanics and Americans in the island during this period. In 1914, Celtics traveled to Ponce to face Ponce Sporting Club, in the first ever reported game between teams from different towns in Puerto Rico.[3]
Since its foundation, the Puerto Rico national football team has been one of the least successful teams in the world. It did not even enter the qualification stage for the 2006 World Cup. Its highest FIFA ranking was 97 in March 1994, and its lowest was 202 in November 2004.[4] Until 2008, Puerto Rico had not fielded a national team since 2004 when they lost 5–2 to Grenada. The last time they had won a match was in 1993 when they won 4–0 against the Cayman Islands.[5]
After a four-year absence, the Puerto Rican national team re-emerged on 16 January 2008, with a 2–0 victory in a friendly match against Bermuda.[6] This was played in preparation for a World Cup qualifier against the Dominican Republic, scheduled for 26 March 2008, which Puerto Rico won 1–0.[7]
Club football had been a very limited affair involving a handful of amateur teams in several separate leagues. As the domestic game has grown in popularity, this started to change. The Puerto Rico Islanders began to play in the USL First Division, the second tier of football in the United States at the time, and, in 2008, the first ever unified competition, the Puerto Rico Soccer League, was established.[8] Many clubs on the island are now affiliated with larger teams in some of the world's major football leagues.
In 2011, club football teams on the island made another monumental leap. The Puerto Rico Islanders joined the North American Soccer League, which is the new second tier of football in the United States. In addition, Puerto Rico United, Club Atlético River Plate Puerto Rico and Sevilla FC Puerto Rico moved to USL Pro, the new third tier of football in the United States. The Puerto Rico Soccer League held a 2011 season. However, the PRSL folded after the 2011 season, making the Liga Nacional de Fútbol de Puerto Rico the top-tier league, even though it is an amateur league. The LNFPR split into a First Division and Second Division in order to fill the void left by PRSL. Seeking to restructure professional football in Puerto Rico, the PRFF was planning for the Liga Profesional de Fútbol de Puerto Rico, which was supposed to start in 2013.[9]
Puerto Rican association football leagues and associationsEdit
^Cesar Diaz (18 April 2011). "Soccer in Puerto Rico: Existing and Evolving". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
^"Puerto Rico U20's Part of Changing Landscape". The New York Times. Retrieved 8 December 2013. - "Glimmer of hope amid the gloom for Puerto Rican football". World Soccer. 3 September 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
^Reinaldo Álvarez, Luis Reinaldo Álvarez; Toni Lorenti (2007). Fútbol puertorriqueño: crónica de alegrías, sueños y desencantos Tomo I (1911-1949). Museo Casa Roig. pp. 45–56.
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This article needs to be updated Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information March 2018 Football is one of the leading sports of Puerto Rico ranking only behind baseball basketball and boxing 1 in national popularity and is the number one participation sport on the island citation needed There has been a significant growth in the sport in recent years as traditionally football has played a very small role in Puerto Rico 2 The sport on the island is governed by the Puerto Rican Football Federation an affiliate of FIFA Contents 1 History 1 1 Early years 1900 1919 2 National team 3 Club football 4 Puerto Rican association football leagues and associations 5 Puerto Rican teams 6 References 7 External linksHistory EditEarly years 1900 1919 Edit It is said that the sport was played during Spanish colonial times mostly by soldiers in the field in front of El Morro By 1904 games were being played there between sailors of foreign ships which docked in San Juan Harbor but it was not until 1911 that the first organized club was formed Comercio Sporting Club which organized games between members of the club The club then formed two teams Minerva and Mercurio These teams took part in the first organized tournament in Puerto Rico Copa Porananmiz In 1913 two more clubs where formed San Juan FC and Ponce Sporting Club Until then football was mostly played by the Hispanic population of the island while the Americans would play sports like baseball and basketball but in 1914 a group of Americans formed Celtics FC and the first rivalry of Puerto Rican football was born Celtics were Americans and San Juan FC were Puerto Ricans and Spaniards which brought up the tensions between the Hispanics and Americans in the island during this period In 1914 Celtics traveled to Ponce to face Ponce Sporting Club in the first ever reported game between teams from different towns in Puerto Rico 3 National team EditMain article Puerto Rico national football team Since its foundation the Puerto Rico national football team has been one of the least successful teams in the world It did not even enter the qualification stage for the 2006 World Cup Its highest FIFA ranking was 97 in March 1994 and its lowest was 202 in November 2004 4 Until 2008 Puerto Rico had not fielded a national team since 2004 when they lost 5 2 to Grenada The last time they had won a match was in 1993 when they won 4 0 against the Cayman Islands 5 After a four year absence the Puerto Rican national team re emerged on 16 January 2008 with a 2 0 victory in a friendly match against Bermuda 6 This was played in preparation for a World Cup qualifier against the Dominican Republic scheduled for 26 March 2008 which Puerto Rico won 1 0 7 Club football EditMain article Liga Nacional de Futbol de Puerto Rico Further information Puerto Rico Islanders Further information Puerto Rico FC Club football had been a very limited affair involving a handful of amateur teams in several separate leagues As the domestic game has grown in popularity this started to change The Puerto Rico Islanders began to play in the USL First Division the second tier of football in the United States at the time and in 2008 the first ever unified competition the Puerto Rico Soccer League was established 8 Many clubs on the island are now affiliated with larger teams in some of the world s major football leagues In 2011 club football teams on the island made another monumental leap The Puerto Rico Islanders joined the North American Soccer League which is the new second tier of football in the United States In addition Puerto Rico United Club Atletico River Plate Puerto Rico and Sevilla FC Puerto Rico moved to USL Pro the new third tier of football in the United States The Puerto Rico Soccer League held a 2011 season However the PRSL folded after the 2011 season making the Liga Nacional de Futbol de Puerto Rico the top tier league even though it is an amateur league The LNFPR split into a First Division and Second Division in order to fill the void left by PRSL Seeking to restructure professional football in Puerto Rico the PRFF was planning for the Liga Profesional de Futbol de Puerto Rico which was supposed to start in 2013 9 Puerto Rican association football leagues and associations EditPuerto Rican football league system Liga Nacional de Futbol de Puerto Rico Campeonato Nacional de Futbol de Puerto Rico defunct Liga Mayor de Futbol Nacional defunct Puerto Rico Soccer League defunct Puerto Rican Football FederationPuerto Rican teams EditPuerto Rico men s national football team Puerto Rico women s national football teamReferences Edit Cesar Diaz 18 April 2011 Soccer in Puerto Rico Existing and Evolving Bleacher Report Retrieved 18 November 2017 Puerto Rico U20 s Part of Changing Landscape The New York Times Retrieved 8 December 2013 Glimmer of hope amid the gloom for Puerto Rican football World Soccer 3 September 2013 Retrieved 8 December 2013 Reinaldo Alvarez Luis Reinaldo Alvarez Toni Lorenti 2007 Futbol puertorriqueno cronica de alegrias suenos y desencantos Tomo I 1911 1949 Museo Casa Roig pp 45 56 PUERTO RICO MEN S RANKING fifa com Retrieved 2021 11 22 Strack Zimmermann Benjamin Puerto Rico vs Cayman Islands 4 0 www national football teams com Retrieved 2021 11 22 Puerto Rico is on a roll www socceramerica com Retrieved 2021 11 22 Puerto Rico vs Dominican Republic Football Match Summary March 26 2008 ESPN ESPN com Retrieved 2021 11 22 Omar Marrero 15 May 2008 Nace una liga profesional Primera Hora in Spanish Archived from the original on 6 October 2008 Retrieved 4 June 2008 Con 8 equipos en primera division y 14 en segunda arranca la Liga Nacional de Futbol Telemundopr com 25 April 2012 Archived from the original on 12 December 2013 Retrieved 8 December 2013 External links Edit nbsp Media related to Association football in Puerto Rico at Wikimedia Commons Portals nbsp Puerto Rico nbsp Soccer Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Football in Puerto Rico amp oldid 1177243034, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
