Formed: 1921
Nickname: Arsenalistas (Braga share colours with Arsenal FC)

UEFA club competition honours (runners-up in brackets)
• Intertoto Cup: 2008
• UEFA Europa League: (2011)

Domestic honours (most recent triumph in brackets)
• Portuguese Cup: 1 (1966)

History
• Founded on 19 January 1921 by a group of young men and students, Braga's first chairman was João Gomes, with the new club adopting the city's coat of arms, featuring a Virgin and Child; many fans believe that the Virgin Mary brings the club luck.

• After more than two decades in the lower divisions, Braga finally played a first season in Portugal's highest league in 1947/48 having spent the previous 12 seasons in the second tier. In 1950 they were able to move from the state-owned Quinta Mitra ground to their own Estádio 1º de Maio, their home until 30 December 2003.

• Braga won their only major honour to date in 1966, a goal from Argentinian striker Miguel Ángel Perrichon giving them a 1-0 Portuguese Cup final win against Setubal-based Vitória FC; that success allowed Manuel Palmeira's side to represent Braga in Europe for the first time, reaching the second round of the 1966/67 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup.

• A steady presence in the top division since 1975, Braga were losing cup finalists in 1976/77 and 1981/82, and made occasional forays into Europe. However, their stock rose considerably following their move to the Estádio Municipal in 2003, with three successive fourth-placed Liga finishes from 2004/05 to 2006/07, and the Arsenalistas were one of the winners of the 2008 UEFA Intertoto Cup.

• Under Domingos Paciência in 2009/10, Braga came second in the league – their best ever finish – handing them a chance in the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round. They progressed to the group stage, coming third, but then embarked on a superb UEFA Europa League run which was only ended in the final by FC Porto.

Club records
Most appearances: José Nuno Azevedo 275 (league only)
Most goals: Chico Gordo 59 (league only)
Record victory: 7-0 on four occasions, most recently at home against GD Matrena (Portuguese Cup second round 1977/78)
Record defeat: FC Porto 10-1 Braga (Portuguese Cup first round 1951/52)

* Last updated 23 August 2012