it eventually embraced soccer in 1915 and in the following years it slowly built a presence in the sport scene of rio de janeiro.

true recognition finally arrived in the 1930s when the club had several well-succeeded campaigns and won a number of trophies, including some at international level.

by this time its players were known as the 'black shirts' due to their all-black uniforms - they would eventually change a little, gaining a white stripe and a red cross pattée over the left side of the chest.