Mentalità on the Road || Lisbon Scenes

Mentalità landed in Lisbon at 7am to meet Furia Azul, the Ultras of Lisbon’s 3rd club, CF Belenenses to find out why this group has become a sort of reference point in the Portuguese Ultras scene over the last decade. It all started when Portugal instituted the SAD model, a corporate structure that requires clubs to transform their professional teams into privately managed companies, separating them from their original member-owned associations, in an attempt to attract investment and improve financial sustainability. Along with the support of the Furia Azul, the fans resisted, refounding the club from the lowest division in Portuguese football.

This movement is considered one of the most successful examples of fan resistance against corporate control in football, winning legal battles to reclaim the club's identity, forcing the SAD team to rename itself as BSAD and play in a different stadium. Meanwhile, the fan-backed Belenenses has been climbing back through the football divisions with strong community support.

The Furia Azul are a testament to what can be achieved when a group sticks to its principles. Over the years they have led the charge in resisting the FAN ID card, which ironically was imposed during the same years in which Portugal decriminalised drugs. Despite playing in the 3rd division today, they continue to lead the charge in fighting for supporters rights in Portugal.