In the early days of Bento Gonçalves, young people practiced sports on vacant lots or improvised fields. In this way, amateur soccer teams were formed, such as São Luiz, Canto Fura, Liberal and Caramuru, each coming from an area of ​​the city.

​

As none of the teams were professional, they could not compete in the intercity championships. Thus, Leonardo Carlucci, a football fan, came up with the idea of ​​founding an official team for the municipality. The suggestion was developed with the community and in 1919, at Clube Aliança, with the support of 33 founding members, Club Sportivo Bento Gonçalves was created.

​

Initially, the field for its operations was adapted in a land donated by the Intendant Antônio Joaquim Marques de Carvalho Júnior, which was in Cidade Alta, occupying the space where Caitá Supermercados, BGTools, Zotti Autopeças and Posto Shell are currently located.

​

The first match took place against Garibaldi on a Sunday afternoon, September 21, 1919, and was preceded by a ceremony, a speech by the board, the presence of a photographer and the band conducted by conductor Ponticelli.

​

As the field was still uneven and muddy, the next games were played in stadiums in neighboring cities. The displacement was done by a wagon rented from Maria Fumaça and sometimes by cart. The costs were supported by the partners, some merchants and by the players themselves.

​

In the 1940s, the name of the association was changed to Clube Esportivo Bento Gonçalves, due to Getúlio Vargas' political regime Estado Novo, and the consequent ban on the use of the Italian language in the national territory.

​

In 1941, the City Hall donated land close to the old field, where the team's stadium was built, called Estádio da Montanha, as it was located in an elevated part of the city. In 2004, a new space for his activities was inaugurated, the Montanha dos Vinhedos Stadium, in the São Vendelino neighborhood.

Currently, the Estádio da Montanha hosts the Farrapos municipal team's rugby matches, becoming the first of its kind in Brazil. Since 2016, it is also where Snakes football matches take place.

Some important events in the history of Esportivo are: the first team from the interior of the country to defeat Internacional in Beira Rio; rout in Grêmio 5 x 2 in 1971; the vice-championship in Rio Grande do Sul in 1979 and the match known as “O Jogo da Neve”, in which, in a dispute against Grêmio in 1979, the temperature reached -2ºC and it snowed.

​

​

Sources:

​

Sports Club. History. Available at: https://www.clubeesportivo.com.br/historia.

​

SASSI, William. Clube Esportivo Bento Gonçalves: memories of a traditional club in the interior of rio grande do sul. 2012. 35 f. TCC (Graduate) - Physical Education Course, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, 2012. Available at: https://www.lume.ufrgs.br/handle/10183/70293.

​

SOUTO, Salvi Alceu; MAZZOTTI, Fabiano Mazzotti. A white-blue century. Bento Gonçalves, 2020. 328 p.

​

100 years of Sports: the history and great achievements of Bento Gonçalves club. Pioneer. Bento Gonçalves, 2019. Available at: https://gauchazh.clicrbs.com.br/pioneiro/esportes/noticia/2019/08/100-anos-do-esportivo-a-historia-e-os-grandes-feitos- do-clube-de-bento-goncalves-11100500.html.

​

​

​