Arsenal Fútbol Club, more commonly known as Arsenal de Sarandí, was established in Avellaneda on the 11th January 1957, by Julio Grondona and his brother, Héctor. The two brothers took inspiration from the English team of the same name and their chosen home strip also pays tribute to the two biggest clubs from Avellaneda, Independiente and Racing Club.
Arsenal have climbed through the divisions and have risen to prominence in Argentine football since the turn of the 21st century, both as a result of on-field success and commercial deals. In 2002, they reached the top flight, the Primera División, for the first time in history. In 2004, they entered their first ever international competition, eliminating clubs like River Plate on their way to the quarter finals of the Copa Sudamericana. Then, in 2006, they signed a deal with FC Barcelona, which gave the Spanish giants access to youth talent in exchange for Barcelona helping the club to improve its infrastructure. That particular deal came to an end the following year.
The 2007 season saw Arsenal win the Copa Sudamericana, their first major honour, as well as finish in 5th place in the league, gaining them entry into the Copa Libertadores for the first time. In 2012, the team won the 2012 Clausura to claim their first domestic title. Later in the year, they also overcame Boca Juniors to win the Supercopa Argentina and firmly establish themselves as one of the country's top sides.
Amongst the most notable players to play for Arsenal de Sarandí are names like Lisandro Ezequiel López, Cristian Llama, Carlos Casteglione and Javier Gandolfi.
The club plays its home games at the Estadio Julio Humberto Grondona, named after the team's founder. The stadium first opened in 1964 and underwent renovations in 2004. It is currently able to hold a maximum of 18,300 spectators for the team's matches.
