Independiente Futbol Club is a Salvadoran professional football club based in San Vicente, San Vicente, El Salvador.
They currently play in the Tercera División, the top tier of El Salvador football league system, El Salvador football. The club was formed in 1946 and has played at its home ground, Estadio Jiboa, since TBD.
History
Early history, golden era and decline
The team was founded in 1946 with the union of the 4 most representative teams of San Vicente, calling itself C.D. UDAL, a year later Independiente Futbol Clube was born. They were one of the first clubs to participate in the first professional division. They participated in the first division from 1948 to 1959 before being relegated for the first time in their history. The participated in the Segunda division until 1977, where they purchased the first division spot of ANTEL. It was during this spell did the club hit their golden period as they had several renowned players including Jesus Gonzales, Carlos “Carlanga” Rivera, Joaquín Valencia, Ricardo “la Tuca” Gómez, Jesús González Barillas, Efrain Yin Gonzalez Óscar "Lotario" Guerrero, Jose Maria Rivas, Ramón Maradiaga and Jorge González. The club reached the final twice in 1981 and 1982, the clubs lost the final to C.D. FAS and Atletico Marte respectively. Following these highs the club lost their top players and just two years later in 1984 were relegated to Segunda Division.
The club struggled financially and spent the next two decades moving between Segunda Division, Tercera Division and Semi Professional league. During this time between 1999 and 2001 they were known as Club Deportivo Real Independiente.
Merger, return to the primera division and decline
In 2006, the owners of Coca/Cola later renamed Nacional 1906 approached Independiente FC, the board voted on merging the club forming Independiente Nacional 1906, this was the shot in the arm the club needed as they won promotion to Primera division, however the poor results led the team to the decline in the 2007 Clausura.
Refoundation
After the relegation to Segunda Division they could not register in the new season in the 2007 Apertura for not fulfilling their financial obligations and the table went idle for several seasons, to the point of considering that the team had ceased to exist professionally, was until 2015 when they resume their activity when they register to compete in the Apertura Tournament of that year by purchasing a franchise in the Tercera Division, this because they lost the right to be in the Segunda Division after the long time elapsed after his descent from the Primera Division and his return to sports.
After a year in the Tercera Division, in January 2016, they decided to buy an invitation category and returned to Segunda Division, where they would reach the tournament of the Apertura Tournament that year when they defeated Turin F.C. getting half a ticket to the Major League, would return to final instances in the 2017 Clausura, but would fall with Audaz both in the final series of the tournament, and in the first defining party[1]
In 2019, for the start of the Tournament 2019 Clausura it is announced that the club's leadership acquires the team's franchise Audaz,[2] which due to economic problems and debts can not continue to hold in the first division, although for reasons of logistics handling in the tournament with the name and distinctive of the apastepecano club[3]
At the end of the 2020 season, Pablo Herrera (owner of the franchise license) announced that Independiente will lose their license and he will be giving the license to Luis Angel Firpo for the Clausura 2020.[4]
After four year hiatus, Independiente FC announced on June 15, 2024 they had purchased Estrella Roja and will complete in the 2024-2025 Tercera Division season.[5]
The club currently plays its home matches at Estadio Jiboa, Formerly known as "Estadio Vicentino", it is located center of the city of San Vicente. Following renovation done by INDES, which included remodelling of dressing rooms, repairment of stands, installation of prefabricated perimeter wall and improvement of athletic track, upgrading of sanitary services (men and women), and installation of light towers to permit night games. This enabled the capacity to increase from 1,500 spectators to 8,00 spectators.
During stadium renovations in 2020, they played their matches in the Estadio Sergio Torres Rivera.
Supporters
Independiente have two recognized, independent supporters groups the `` 'Yellow Faithful' and `` 'The Ghost bar of the jiboa' formerly LBDS. The latter group's name is a reference to the club mascot which is a ghost.
They gave a spectacular tribute in the 19th minute to Erasmo Henriquez, a player who died a year earlier from an illness, this bar has also lost three of its members 'Manyula' was the leader, 'Chato' and the 'Pijuyo' were always present.
Players
Current squad
As of: October 1, 2024
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
^"Archived copy". ElSalvador.com. 22 February 2019. Archived from the original on 17 January 2019. Retrieved 2 March 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^"Archived copy". El Salvado. 29 October 2006. Archived from the original on 20 February 2020. Retrieved 20 February 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
