Cruzeiro Esporte Clube

Cruzeiro Esporte Clube, commonly known as Cruzeiro, stands as a distinguished sports club based in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais. While participating in various sports, Cruzeiro is predominantly recognized for its accomplished association football team. The club competes at the highest level in Brazilian football, featuring in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, and also takes part in the Campeonato Mineiro, the premier state league of Minas Gerais. Founded on January 2, 1921, by sports enthusiasts from the Italian colony of Belo Horizonte, the club originated as Società Sportiva Palestra Itália. However, due to the restrictions imposed during the Second World War, the Brazilian federal government prohibited the use of symbols associated with the Axis powers in 1942. Consequently, on October 7, 1942, club board members opted to rename the club, choosing the name of a significant national symbol: the Cruzeiro do Sul's constellation.