Talk of the Town: Club Sport Marítimo | OneFootball

PortuGOAL’s “Talk of the Town” feature is back, with a long overdue trip to one of Portugal’s island clubs.

After three years out of the limelight, Madeira’s major team, Club Sport Marítimo, will be back in the big-time next season following an exceptional season and a Second Division championship title.

Learn about the proud past and the exciting present of one of Portugal’s oldest clubs, where outstanding achievements, individual brilliance, politics and a staunch identity intertwine throughout more than a century of history.

Madeiran descendent and PortuGOAL correspondent Kevin Fernandes gives us the lowdown on Marítimo’s fabulous 2025/26 season in three articles highlighting the main protagonists behind the success, and the thoughts of club president Carlos André Gomes.

Check out the remarkable story of the return to the game for Joel Santos, a star player for the islanders during the 1990s and 2000s, who has been contracted by Norwegian club Sauherad IL at 50 years of age.

Last but not least, Madeira is one of Portugal’s top tourist destinations. PortuGOAL journalist Matthew Marshall is a seasoned traveller to the island and he presents readers with a comprehensive guide detailing how to get the best out of a trip to “the Pearl of the Atlantic”.