The club was founded on July 5, 1939, Santiago Island's fourth oldest and Cape Verde's sixth oldest club. Its logo and uniform with minimal exceptions are identical to Portugal's Boavista FC. The name is not related to or located on Boa Vista Island to the northeast, it is named after a Porto club founded during colonial rule. Its nickname is even a club name. It was founded on the same day which 36 years later became Independence Day in Cape Verde.