Società Sportiva Lazio, commonly referred to as simply Lazio, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. The team, founded in 1900, play in the Serie A and have spent most of their history in the top tier of Italian football. Lazio have been Italian champions twice, and have won the Coppa Italia five times, the Supercoppa Italiana three times, the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup and the UEFA Super Cup once.
The club had their first major success in 1958, winning the league cup. In 1974 they won their first Serie A title. The past fifteen years have been the most successful period in Lazio’s history, capped by winning UEFA Cup Winners' Cup and UEFA Super Cup in 1999, the Serie A title in 2000, several league cups and reaching their first UEFA Cup final in 1998.
Lazio's traditional kit colours are sky blue shirts and shorts with white socks. Their home is the 72,689 capacity Stadio Olimpico in Rome, which they share with city rivals A.S. Roma. Lazio have a long-standing rivalry with this neighbouring club, with whom they have contested the Derby della Capitale since 1929.
Lazio is also a sports club that participate in thirty-seven sports disciplines in total, more than any other sports association in Europe.
Lazio's colours of white and sky blue were inspired by the national emblem of Greece, due to the fact that Lazio is a mixed sports club this was chosen in recognition of the fact that the Ancient Olympic Games and along with it the sporting tradition in Europe is linked to Greece.
Originally Lazio wore a shirt which was divided into white and sky blue quarters, with black shorts and socks. After a while of wearing a plain white shirt very early on, Lazio reverted to the colours which they wear today. Some seasons Lazio have used a sky blue and white shirt with stripes, but usually it is sky blue with a white trim, with the white shorts and socks. The club's colours have led to their Italian nickname of biancocelesti.
Lazio's traditional club badge and symbol is the eagle, which was chosen by founding member Luigi Bigiarelli. It is an acknowledgment to the emblem of the Roman Empire's army commonly known as the Aquila; the Roman legion carried the symbol with them when going in to battle. Lazio's use of the symbol has led to two of their nicknames; le Aquile (the Eagles) and Aquilotti (Young Eagles). The current club badge features a golden eagle above a white shield with a blue border; inside the shield is the club's name and a smaller tripartite shield with the colours of the club.
Lazio is the sixth most supported football club in Italy with around 2% of Italian football fans supporting the club (according to the la Repubblica’s research of August 2008). Historically the largest section of Lazio supporters in the city of Rome has come from the northern section just above the Vatican City, creating an arch like shape across Rome with affluent areas such as; Parioli, Prati, Flaminio, Salario, Nomentano, Cassia and Monte Mario.
Founded in 1987 Irriducibili Lazio are currently the club's biggest ultras group. In terms of match day displays Lazio ultras opt for a traditionally English style and embrace elements of lad culture. Usually the only time they create traditional Italian ultras displays is for the Derby della Capitale.
The Derby della Capitale, known in English speaking countries as the Rome derby is a match between Lazio and their main rivals Roma; it is amongst the most heated and emotional footballing rivalries in the world. A Lazio fan, Vincenzo Paparelli was killed at one of the derby games during the 1979–80 season after being hit in the eye by a flare thrown by a Roma fan. Lazio also have a strong rivalry with Napoli and Livorno. Conversely the ultras have friendly relationships with Inter, Triestina and Hellas Verona. They also have friendships with clubs elsewhere in Europe, including Real Madrid, Espanyol and Chelsea
