Since 1956, Águila have played their home games at Estadio Juan Francisco Barraza. The stadium is one of the biggest stadiums in El Salvador.
Aguila is one of the most widely supported football clubs in El Salvador, and has long standing rivalry with neighbours Dragón, known as the San Miguel derby, and also competes with power club FAS, known as El Clásico (English: The Classic).[3]
History
Foundation and early years
Club Deportivo Águila was founded on 15 February 1926, in the City of San Miguel, by a group of young people.[4] The first club President was Victor Vanegas.
The major goal of the club was first to establish a baseball team, and later develop football and basketball teams. At the beginning, baseball and football were not as successful as basketball with the team dominating in both El Salvador as in neighbouring countries.
In 1956, a group met in San Miguel and decided to form a football team named Club Deportivo Águila. Their first act was to meet with the president of Alacranes, Miguel Sagastizado, after sometime negotiating, they purchased their spot in Liga B and this was ratified by FESFUT on 21 August 1956. In the first season the club played under the name of CD A, this was due to another club in the division Águilas FC from Santa Tecla having a similar name.
To attract big names players the clubs paid a minimum of 75 colones per month (US$8), which was above the average of their three biggest rivals (Dragon Rácing and Corona) paid their players per month, which was around 30 to 50 colones (US$3.40 – 5.70). This allowed them to signed players such as Juan Francisco Barraza, Esteban Blanco, Salvador Hernández, Fito Fuentes, Juan Merthem, Atilio Pineda, Honduran Manuel Larios, Saul Molina and Rodolfo Fuentes. This came at great cost professionally as FESFUT barred the players to play for the national team as no second division players were allowed to represent the national team.
They hired Argentinian Agustin Noriega who previously coached Guatemalan club like Guatemala Deportiva.
CD A first game was a 2–2 all draw with Titan, with Juan Antonio "Maquinita" Merlos scoring both goals, by the end of the season Juan Merlos was the team leading scorer with 16 goals.
During its time in the lower leagues, it fought for the affections of the San Miguel people alongside rival Dragón, but when they were promoted to the Liga, it attracted a following not only from San Miguel but also from the entire country. Proof of this was demonstrated by the fact that the teams sold more tickets when the local club played against Águila.
First titles
After two years in the Liga B (Segunda Division), Aguila qualified to Championship/Promotional series against Atlético Constancia (Currently known as Alianza F.C. Aguila won the first game 2–0, thanks to a double from Juan Antonio Merlos, and after 0–0 draw in the second leg. Aguila were promoted to the first division for the first time in the club history.
In their very first campaign, Under the tutelage of Conrado Miranda, Aguila won their first titles thank to combination of based players Juan Francisco Barraza, Juan Antonio Merlos and Saul Molina, and the incorporation of Costa Rican Fernando Jiménez. They became the first club to win a title after gaining promotion, only two other clubs have done that in the history of Primera Division (C.D. Platense Municipal Zacatecoluca and C.D. Vista Hermosa).
Titles
C.D. Águila ranks second in the number of championships won in El Salvador with fifteen titles. The two most successful managers in the club history are Conrado Miranda (1959, 1975, 1976) and Argentinian Hugo Coria (Apertura 1999, Apertura 2000, Clausura 2001) with three titles each, Juan Francisco Barraza (1972, 1983) and Victor Manuel Ochoa (1963, 1964) with two titles each, while Honduran Carlos Padilla (1960), Brazilian Zózimo (1968), Chilean Hernán Carrasco Vivanco (1986) and Serbian-Salvadoran Vladan Vićević (Clausura 2006) won one title each. They were also winners of the Copa President in 2000 and won the CONCACAF Champions League.
The members of the team that conquered the first championship in 1959 were Luis Alberto López, Rodolfo Fuentes, Justiniano Jiménez, Manuel Larios, Raúl Vásquez, Raúl Bonilla, Raúl Lizano, Juan Francisco Barraza, Juan Antonio Merlos,[5] and Saúl Molina.[6]
Sponsorship
Companies that Águila currently has sponsorship deals with for 2024–2025 includes:
Estadio Cuscatlán; San Salvador (2012, 2016–2017) games in the CONCACAF Champions League and played in Clausura 2016 during Estadio Juan Francisco Barraza renovation.
Since the club foundation the clubs have always played in orange with black stripes shirt, black shorts and orange socks. [7] While the club alternative kit is Black with Orange stripes.
TBD holds the record for most Águila appearances, having played TBD first-team matches from TBD to TBD. The record for Águila's most capped international player is Rudis Corrales with 77 caps (33 while at the club), Arnold Cruz of Honduras is Águila's most capped foreign international player with 55 caps.
Luis Ramírez Zapata is Águila's all-time top goalscorer, with 184 goals. other players have also scored over 100 goals for Águila: Hugo Coria and the previous goalscoring record-holder Félix Pineda (1971–1983).
Rivalries
Águila's biggest rivalries are with Alianza, Luis Ángel Firpo and FAS.
Together, these teams form the "Big Four" of Salvadoran football, and are the primary title contenders each season.
The rivalry stems not only from their competitiveness, but from the economic, political, and cultural clashes between the cities of San Miguel, Santa Ana and San Salvador, where the other three clubs are based.
El Clásico
Of those rivalries, Águila's rivalry with FAS is the strongest and most passionate. That rivalry is traditionally referred to as El Clásico. The first in the series took place on 17 May 1959, and ended in a 1–1 draw.
The most recent match was a 2-2 draw on the 24th of September, 2023.
The teams have played 255 matches in all competitions, Aguila winning 81, FAS 92, and the remaining 82 having been drawn.
El Derbi Migueleño
The rivalry between Aguila and Dragón due to the fact that both teams are based in San Miguel. [8]
The intense feelings between the two sides began early on due to the close proximity and the switching of players between the clubs. The biggest defection occurred in the 1950s when legendary players Juan Francisco Barraza and left the championship side of Dragon to Aguila and started a dynasty. The sole final played between the two teams ended 1–0 to Dragon. The most recent match was a 3-0 victory by Aguila on the 17 October, 2024. The teams have played 85 matches in all competitions, Aguila winning 50, Dragon 12, and the remaining 24 having been drawn. [1]
Honours
Águila is historically the third most successful team in El Salvador football, as they have won the second most championships. They are also one of El Salvador's most successful team in international competitions, having won one trophy. Águila is one of only three clubs to have won the CONCACAF Champions' Cup.
Updated January 2025
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Aguila have had numerous presidents over the course of their history, some of which have been the owners of the club, others have been honorary presidents, here is a complete list of them.
Name
Years
Miguel Charlaix F.
1959–66
Federico Garcia Prieto H.
1967–68
Enrique Garcia-Prieto H.
1969–70
Carlos Garcia-Prieto H.
1971–74
Saturnino Durlen Vargas
1975–77
Federico Garcia-Prieto H.
1977–78
Ernesto Muyshondt Parker
1979–81
Name
Years
Federico Garcia-Prieto N.
1982
Carlos Garcia-Prieto Hirleman
1983–84
Reynaldo López Nuila
1985–89
Carlos Garcia-Prieto Hirleman
1989–98
Alejandro González Arguello
1998–05
Lisandro Pohl
2005–06
Salvador Galeas
2006–09
Name
Years
Will Salgado
2009–10
Julio Sosa
2010–13
Pedro Fausto Arieta
2014–2016
Pedro Arieta Iglesias
2016–2018
Óskar Cruz (interim)
2018
Doctor José Victorino Villatoro
2018–2019
Alexander Menjívar
2019–2020
José Raúl Díaz
2020–2021
Alejandro González
2022–2024
Victor Villalta
2025–present
Notable players
World Cup winners
Players that have played for Águila in their career and won a World Cup:
The reserve team serves mainly as the final stepping stone for promising young players under the age of 21 before being promoted to the main team. The second team is coached by Roberto Melgar. the team played in the Primera División Reserves, their greatest successes were winning the Reserve championships in Apertura 2001, Apertura 2005, Apertura 2007, Clausura 2017, Apertura 2017, Clausura 2019, Apertura 2023.
Águila's youth squad plays in the ten-team Primera División Reserves (El Salvador). Current members of the squad are:
As of October 2024
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
The youth team (under 17 and under 15) has produced some of El Salvador's top football players, including TBD and TBD. The Under 17 finished 3rd place at the 2018 UNCAF U-17 Interclub Cup, the highest finish internationally done by a Salvadoran team in that age range.[11]
The women's first team, which is led by head coach Amilcar Guzman, features several members of the El Salvador national ladies team. Their greatest successes were reaching the semi-finals the in Apertura 2020.
Years
Coach Name
TBD–TBD
TBD
2019-2020
Walter Moreno
2022-2024
José de la Paz Portillo
2024–Present
Amilcar Guzman
Other sports
Aguila has other departments for a variety of sports.
Basketball
Aguila Básquetbol Club or Águila BC for short was founded on TBD and play Liga Mayor de Baloncesto (LMB) which is the highest level in El Salvador league tier. the club is led by head coach Argentinian Pablo Epeloa, the club features several key members including American Marquise Mosley and TBD. Their greatest successes were winning the 2015 Apertura and the Clausura 2022. [2]
They currently play the Cancha Alvarez y Biblioteca e Infocentro Municipal, San Miguel.
Previous coach: Roberto Carrillo
Notable players:
2020s
Pablo Rivas
Marquise Mosley
2010s
Osmel Oliva
Michael Jackson
Baseball
Aguila Béisbol Club was founded in 2016 and play Liga Nacional de Béisbol (LNB) which is the highest level in El Salvador league tier. the club is led by head coach Venezuelan Jesús Cartagena, the club features several key members including Puerto Rican Bryan Vásquez and TBD. Their greatest successes was TBD
Volleyball
Aguila Voleibol Club was founded in 2016 and play Campeonaro Nacional which is the highest level in El Salvador league tier. the club is led by head coach TBD, the club features several key members including TBD and TBD. Their greatest successes were reaching the TBD.
^"Aguila contra Dragon una batalla de altura" [Aguila against Dragon a battle of the top]. elsalvador.com (in Spanish). elsalvador.com. 19 September 2014. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
^"Un campeón del mundo que jugó en Águila" [A world champion that played in Aguila]. laprensagrafica.com (in Spanish). laprensagrafica.com. 6 February 2015. Retrieved 29 October 2024.