Asociación Mutual Social y Deportiva Atlético de Rafaela (usually known simply as Atlético de Rafaela) is an institution from the city of Rafaela

Rafaela

Rafaela is a city in the province of Santa Fe, Argentina, about 96 km from the provincial capital. It is the head town of the Castellanos Department. It has a population of 99,150 per the ....

, in Argentina

Argentina

Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...

, which professional football

Football (soccer)

Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...

 team currently plays in the Argentine first division.

History

Under the name Club Atlético Argentino de Rafaela, the club was founded in the city of Rafaela, Santa Fe Province

Santa Fe Province

The Invincible Province of Santa Fe, in Spanish Provincia Invencible de Santa Fe , is a province of Argentina, located in the center-east of the country. Neighboring provinces are from the north clockwise Chaco , Corrientes, Entre Ríos, Buenos Aires, Córdoba, and Santiago del Estero...

 in 1907 . In 1915 the name was changed to Club Atlético de Rafaela. The Monumental de Barrio Alberdi concrete stadium was erected in 1951.

The club was turned into a non-profit organization in 1988 renamed to its current denomination of Asociación Mutual Social y Deportiva Atlético de Rafaela ("Social and Sport Association Rafaela Athletic"). Only a year later Rafaela reached the second division after defeating Atlético Ledesma by 3-0.

Atlético de Rafaela played 14 years in the second division until the team won the Apertura 2002 and the Clausura 2003 to finally reach first division

Primera División Argentina

The Primera División is a professional football league in Argentina. It is the country's premier football division and is at the top of the Argentine football league system. Contested by twenty clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Primera B Nacional. The season runs...

. After losing the promoción against Huracán de Tres Arroyos

Huracán de Tres Arroyos

Club Atlético Huracán is an Argentine football club based in the city of Tres Arroyos, in Buenos Aires Province.The club is the biggest of Tres Arroyos City, and one of the most big in Southern Buenos Aires Province...

, Atlético de Rafaela was relegated to the second division again.

The following season Atlético lost its chance to return to the first division, after losing the promoción, against Argentinos Juniors

Argentinos Juniors

Asociación Atlética Argentinos Juniors is an Argentine football club based in La Paternal, Buenos Aires. Founded on August 15, 1904, the club was originally called the “Martyrs of Chicago”, in homage to the eight anarchists imprisoned or hanged after the 1886 Haymarket Riot in Chicago.-Early...

.

In 2009 Rafaela earned another chance to return to the Primera División via a playoff against Gimnasia y Esgrima de La Plata. After winning the first final 3-0, Rafaela lost the second match by the same score (0-3), and had to stay in the second division once again.

Atlético de Rafaela fans are referred as Cremosos or Celestes, as well as the group of people that follows the team everywhere is known as La Barra de los Trapos .

The institution has also an important car racing circuit

Autódromo Ciudad de Rafaela

The Autódromo Ciudad de Rafaela is a motor racing circuit in Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina built in 1952 and paved in 1966. The venue - owned by Atlético de Rafaela - hosted the 500 Millas Argentinas race until 1971. The USAC Rafaela Indy 300 race was held at the Autódromo in 1971, won by Al Unser...

 since 1919, which hosts many competitions including Turismo Carretera

Turismo Carretera

Turismo Carretera is a popular touring car racing series in Argentina, and the oldest car racing series still active in the world....

 (since 1941) and TC 2000

TC 2000

The TC 2000 Championship is a touring car racing series held in Argentina since 1979. It's considered the most advanced racing car series in South America and one of the top 10 touring car series in the world.-Rules:...

 (since 1983).

The 21st of may of 2011, after defeating Atlético Tucumán by 2-0, they earned a spot back on the first division for the 2011-12 season.

Notable players

To appear in this section a player must have either played at least 50 games for the club, set a club record or played for their national team.

Gustavo Alfaro

Gustavo Alfaro

Gustavo Julio Alfaro is a former Argentine footballer currently working as a football manager. Alfaro most recently managed Rosario Central, but left due to poor results in the beginning of the Clausura 2009 with Central in danger of relegation.Alfaro had a short career as a footballer, he was...

 (1988-92) Gabriel Schürrer

Gabriel Schürrer

Gabriel Francisco Schürrer Peralta is a retired Argentine football central defender, and the current manager of Club Atlético Lanús....

 (1989-90) Gustavo Semino

Gustavo Semino

Gustavo Semino is a Argentine footballer currently playing for Crucero del Norte in Argentina....

 (1996-97), (1998-99), (2000-01), (2004-05), 92007) Gonzalo Del Bono (1997-99), (2000-06), (2007-08) Federico García (1997-04), (2005-06), (2009-) Raúl "Speedy" González

Raúl Alberto González

Raúl Alberto González is an Argentine football player currently playing in Italy for the Serie D club U.S. Darfo Boario S.S.D..-External links:...

 (1997-00) Carlos Bonet

Carlos Bonet

Carlos Bonet Cáceres is a Paraguayan footballer who plays as a right winger for Libertad in the Paraguayan Primera División. He has been chosen to represent his country in the 2002, 2006 and 2010 FIFA World Cups.-Honours:...

 (1998-01) Lucas Bovaglio

Lucas Bovaglio

Lucas Bovaglio is a Argentine footballer currently playing for Estudiantes Tecos of Mexico. His playing position is in the defense, at Centre back...

 (1998-00), (2001-04), (2006), (2009-) Hugo Barrientos

Hugo Barrientos

Hugo Alberto Barrientos is an Argentine football midfielder currently playing for Newell's Old Boys.-Carer:Barrientos started his playing career in 1994 with C.A.I in the lower leagues of Argentine football....

 (2000-04) Franco Mendoza

Franco Mendoza

Franco Daniel Mendoza is an Argentine football striker currently playing for Gimnasia .Mendoza started his playing career in 2000 with Atlético de Rafaela in the Argentine 2nd division. In 2002-2003 the club won the league and obtained promotion to the Argentine Primera...

 (2000-05) Iván Juárez (2001-04), (2005-)
Darío Gandín

Darío Gandín

Darío Alejandro Gandín is an Argentine football striker. He currently plays for Atlético de Rafaela in the Argentine Primera División.-Career:...

 (2001-04) Ezequiel Medrán

Ezequiel Medrán

Ezequiel Luis Medrán is an Argentine football goalkeeper currently playing for Deportes La Serena in Chile, Medran is trained by Modesto Sandoval. He is the backup goalkeeper, with Diego Barreto usually being first choice....

 (2001-04) Sergio Marclay

Sergio Marclay

Sergio Marclay is a Argentine footballer currently playing for Gimnasia y Esgrima de Jujuy of the Primera B Nacional in Argentina....

 (2004-05), (2006-07), (2009-10) Ibrahim Sekagya

Ibrahim Sekagya

Ibrahim Sekagya is an Ugandan footballer who plays for Red Bull Salzburg of the Austrian Bundesliga as a defender.- Club career :...

 (2001-02) Carlos Araujo

Carlos Araujo

Carlos Luciano Araujo is an Argentine football full back who plays for Lanús.-Career:Araujo started his career with Independiente Rivadavia. He then played for Atlético de Rafaela, with which he won 2002–03 season of the Primera B Nacional , earning promotion to the Primera Division...

 (2002-04) Marcelo Barovero

Marcelo Barovero

Marcelo Alberto Barovero is an Argentine football goalkeeper who plays for Vélez Sársfield in the Argentine Primera División.-Career:...

 (2002-07) Leonardo Di Lorenzo

Leonardo Di Lorenzo

Leonardo Di Lorenzo is an Argentine footballer currently playing for Montreal Impact in the North American Soccer League.-South America:...

 (2003-04) Lucas Aveldaño

Lucas Aveldaño

Lucas Elio Aveldaño is an Argentine football defender who plays for Racing Club de Avellaneda.-Career:Aveldaño began his playing career in 2005 with Atlético de Rafaela in the Argentine 2nd division. In 2008 he joined Racing Club de Avellaneda of the Primera División...

 (2005-08) Claudio Bieler

Claudio Bieler

Claudio Daniel Bieler is an Argentine-born Ecuadorian footballer who plays as a forward for LDU Quito on loan from Racing.-Career:...

 (2006-07) Martín del Campo

Martín del Campo

Martín Gonzalo del Campo is a former Uruguayan footballer.-Club career:Del Campo played for River Plate in the Primera División de Argentina.-International career:...

 (2006-07) Cesar Carignano (2010-2011)

External links

Official website La Crema es de Primera (fan site) Atlético es Rafaela (fan site) Rafaela.com (fan site)