28 September 1893 - Porto Open Their Doors

On 28 September 1893, inspired by a recent trip to England, a Portuguese wine merchant named António Nicolau d'Almeida founded a new club. Named FC Porto, they went on to win a number of honors, including several national titles and European trophies.

The club struggled a bit at first and even became defunct shortly after its inception, but it was revived in 1906 by club president José Monteiro da Costa. They won their first league title in 1935, finishing just two points clear of rival club Sporting. Their most successful period came in the 1980s and '90s, when they won the league eleven times, including five straight from 1995 to 1999.

During that period, they also reached European heights, winning their first European Cup trophy in 1987 with a 2-1 victory over Bayern Munich in the final. That same year, they also won the UEFA Super Cup and the Intercontinental Cup. They have since added to their international honors, winning the Champions League (2004) and the UEFA Cup/Europa League (2003, 2011).

They just came off a very successful 2010-11 season. In addition to the Europa League, they won their 25th league title, their 20th Taça de Portugal, and their 18th Portuguese Supercup (a record tally).