Speaking with Lower Block, Vitória Sport Clube fan Hugo Marcelo delves into his photographic series ‘Filhos do Berço’ (Children Of The Cradle). With Guimarães, affectionately known as the Cradle of Portugal, and the Estádio D. Afonso Henriques as its backdrop, Marcelo’s captivating images offer a poignant tribute to the proud supporters of Vitória SC.
“If we are united and arm in arm like brothers… one day we will be champions.”
Hugo Marcelo
As a lifelong fan of the club himself, Marcelo’s work serves as a powerful expression of his deep-rooted connection to his hometown team, the culture around the club and its passionate fanbase. In a tribute to his fellow supporters, Marcelo shares his inspirations, memories and challenges, whilst capturing the essence of what it means to belong to the vibrant community of Vitória SC supporters…
“My name is Hugo Marcelo, I’m 30 years old and I live in Guimarães, a city in the north of Portugal, where I was born and raised.
I’m not a professional photographer, I photograph for pleasure and sometimes I do some freelance work. Although I do not practice the profession at the moment, I was a journalist and worked for some local newspapers.
My favourite club, since I can remember, has been Vitória Sport Clube. I never liked another club. There is no justification for this, I feel like it is something that was born with me, as is the case with the vast majority of people in this city. Being from Guimarães and being from Vitória are two very close feelings.
I honestly don’t remember the first game I watched live and I don’t remember my first memory at the Stadium. Contrary to tradition here in Guimarães, it wasn’t my parents who gave me this desire to support the club, because they never cared much about football. I usually say that I became a supporter on my own, spontaneously, and I ended up nurturing that passion to this day. I became a member of the club somewhere in 2004 – together with my sister and my cousins. Right now they don’t care much about football and I was the only one who continued going to the stadium every weekend. My father took me to games and came to pick me up at the end, it was like that for many years of my life. Later, in 2009, I also started going to away games regularly and still do to this day.
Some key facts…
The Club – Vitória Sport Clube, commonly known as Vitória de Guimarães, stands as a prominent figure in Portuguese football, embodying the spirit and passion of the nation’s sporting culture. Founded in 1922, Vitória SC boasts a fierce rivalry with nearby Sporting Braga, with matches between the two clubs often sparking intense emotions and enthralling encounters in the Derby do Minho. Over the years, Vitória SC has achieved notable successes, including multiple appearances in European competitions and domestic cup triumphs. Their dedicated supporters, known as “Vitorianos,” passionately rally behind their team, creating an electrifying atmosphere, demonstrating their unwavering loyalty to their beloved club.
The Ground – Estádio D. Afonso Henriques, situated in Guimarães, Portugal, stands as a historic arena embodying the passion and fervor of Portuguese football. Home to Vitória de Guimarães, one of the country’s esteemed football clubs, the stadium serves as a fortress for their loyal supporters. Built in 1965, it boasts a capacity of approximately 30,000 spectators, providing an electrifying atmosphere for every match. Over the years, Estádio D. Afonso Henriques has witnessed numerous memorable encounters, including crucial domestic clashes, notable international fixtures, and it hosted two matches during UEFA Euro 2004.
I’ve always liked photography and in 2018 I had the instinct to buy my first camera, at the time it was a Fujifilm TX-100. Around that time, Vitória SC qualified for the Group Stage of the Europa League – we were in Arsenal’s group. In October of 2019, Vitória SC traveled to the Emirates Stadium. It felt like it was one of the most important games in our club’s history and I decided to take my camera to the game. I remember that at the time I sent an email to Arsenal to see if I could enter with my camera. They said that I couldn’t, but I decided to take the risk. I took the camera with me anyway and ended up being able to get in with it. More than 2,500 fans traveled from Guimarães to London in a true demonstration of love for our club and I photographed the parade in the streets and in various parts of the stands throughout the game. It was the first time I did something like this. Even though we lost 3-2 that day, I managed to make really special images, our team made us proud with the way they played the mighty Arsenal and I came back from London with an idea, a kind of mission and never again I stopped taking photos. I felt like I had to do that more often.
Sometime later, the arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic was a rude blow because I found myself unable to continue the project I had in mind. Even so, I was photographing the demonstrations of support from Vitória SC’s Ultras on the streets whenever the team played away from home. Later the opportunity arose to work as a journalist at a local newspaper and with that came the possibility of being on the pitch photographing Vitória SC games. As I collected images of the game itself, I took the opportunity to do what I really enjoy, which is photographing my club’s fans. Being on the pitch gives me a privileged view of the stands and this allowed my work to reach a different level.
One of the biggest inspirations for my work is my girlfriend, Raquel (also a huge Vitória fan and talented photographer). From the moment she showed me the work of some photographers and content creators from various parts of the world, my way of being in football changed completely and my work began to take on a new dimension. I often don’t watch my team’s goals because I’m more concerned with recording the emotions in the stands than the pitch itself. That’s how I started to create my own style. My vision began to become sharper and more attentive to details that we sometimes don’t notice, but which are closely linked to game day, football culture and the way people move around clubs. It’s also important to say that, although 90% of my work is dedicated to Vitória SC, I really enjoy traveling, getting to know new cultures, photographing new stadiums and ‘fans’ across Europe. Coruña, Vigo, Madrid, London, Ferrol, Rome, Oviedo, Gijón Manchester, Pontevedra and Barcelona are some of the cities where we had the opportunity to meet new people, share knowledge and create content similar to what I do weekly in Portugal.
My work is a tribute to all the fans, ultras and members of Vitória Sport Clube who, throughout its 101 years of history, have always done everything to honour and defend the colours of our institution. Valuing all the anonymous people who make sacrifices every week to be at every stadium – regardless of the results or adversity – without receiving anything in return. I want people to see themselves in my work and above all, it serves to motivate them to continue defending our symbol and our city. Because deep down I believe that my work is not just photographs, behind it there is a strong and romantic message that I want to pass on to all Vitorianos – “If we are united and arm in arm like brothers… one day we will be champions.”
You can keep up to date with Hugo by following him on Instagram.
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