From the one fan to club president

When Brazilian soccer club Santa Cruz do Sul lost 4-1 to Grêmio in February 2012, there was one Santa Cruz fan in the stadium — a loyal 23-year-old superfan named Tiago Rech. He was pictured sitting alone in the stands, feeling the pain of a season…

When Santa Cruz won the state FGF Cup and qualified for Copa do Brasil in December 2020, it was the ultimate success for Tiago personally — for he had turned the club around as president.

“When I was around 15 years old, I started thinking about becoming a board member or even the club’s president. I always dreamt to win a title, to make the difference. From being the only fan in the stadium, to election as president, and now a champion.”

— COPA90