Adelaide United FC facts for kids
 |
|||
| Full name | Adelaide United Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Reds | ||
| Founded | 12 September 2003 | ||
| Stadium | Coopers Stadium | ||
| Stadium capacity |
16,500 | ||
| Chairman | Vacant | ||
| Manager | Carl Veart | ||
| League | A-League Men | ||
| 2022–23 | 3rd of 12 | ||
|
|
|||
Adelaide United Football Club, often called The Reds, is a professional soccer team for men. It is based in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. The club was one of the first eight teams to join the A-League Men when it started. They have played in this league ever since.
Adelaide United was created in 2003. It took the place of older teams, Adelaide City and West Adelaide. It is still the only professional soccer club from South Australia. Their home ground is Coopers Stadium in Hindmarsh.
The Reds won their first major trophy in 2006. They finished first in the first-ever A-League season. In 2008, they became the first Australian team to reach the final of the AFC Champions League. They also finished fifth in the 2008 FIFA Club World Cup. Adelaide United won the first FFA Cup in 2014. Their biggest A-League win came in 2016, when they beat Western Sydney Wanderers 3-1. This game was played in front of over 50,000 fans! They also won the FFA Cup two years in a row, in 2018 and 2019. This makes them the most successful team in that competition.
Adelaide United has a big rivalry with Melbourne Victory. This rivalry grew from many close and exciting matches, including two Grand Finals. The club once held the record for the biggest win in A-League history, beating North Queensland Fury 8-1 in 2011. Two players even scored three goals each in that game!
In recent years, Adelaide United has become known for finding and developing talented young players. Many of these players have gone on to play for big clubs overseas. Some examples include Nestory Irankunda (who joined Bayern Munich) and Joe Gauci (who joined Aston Villa).
Contents
Club History: The Reds' Journey
Starting Strong (2003–2005)
In 2003, Adelaide City left the National Soccer League (NSL). This meant Adelaide had no team in the league. So, Adelaide United was formed on September 12, 2003. John Kosmina became their first manager.
The team quickly came together. On October 17, 2003, Adelaide United won their first NSL match. They had a great first season, reaching the preliminary final. However, they lost to Perth Glory. The NSL ended after that season. A new league, the A-League, was planned to start about a year later.
Early A-League Days (2005–2010)
Adelaide United was one of the first eight teams in the A-League. They were one of only three teams from the old NSL to join the new league. The club brought many Adelaide-born players back home. They also signed famous international players like Shengqing Qu and even Brazilian legend Romário for a short time in 2006.
Adelaide United finished first in the very first A-League season. But they lost in the finals. In 2006–07, they won the Pre-Season Challenge Cup. They also reached the Grand Final but lost to Melbourne Victory 6-0. After this, coach John Kosmina was replaced.
The club also played in the AFC Champions League for the first time in 2007. In 2008, they made history by becoming the first Australian team to reach the AFC Champions League final. They played against Gamba Osaka from Japan but lost. Because they reached the final, Adelaide United also played in the 2008 FIFA Club World Cup, finishing fifth.
The 2009–10 season was tough for the club. They finished last in the A-League. However, they still played in the AFC Champions League in 2010, reaching the Round of 16.
Ups and Downs (2010–2018)
In 2010, Rini Coolen became the first international manager for Adelaide United. The team had a great start to the 2010–11 season. They set a new A-League record for the longest unbeaten streak with thirteen games.
On January 9, 2011, Adelaide United beat their rivals Melbourne Victory 4-1. Later that month, they made A-League history again. They won 8-1 against North Queensland Fury. This was the biggest winning margin ever in the league. Two players, Sergio van Dijk and Marcos Flores, even scored three goals each in that game! Adelaide finished third that season but were knocked out in the finals.
In December 2011, John Kosmina returned as coach. The club's captain became Eugene Galeković. Adelaide United played in the 2012 AFC Champions League, reaching the quarter-finals. They were eventually knocked out by Bunyodkor.
In 2013, Josep Gombau became the new coach. He brought a Spanish style of play to the team. He signed Spanish players like Sergio Cirio and Isaías Sánchez. The team had a slow start but improved. They finished sixth and made the finals.
Under Gombau, Adelaide United won the first-ever FFA Cup in 2014, beating Perth Glory 1-0. Gombau left in 2015. Guillermo Amor took over as coach. The team had a tough start to the 2015–16 season, but then they went on an amazing run. They won 13 of their next 18 games and finished first in the league!
In the 2016 Grand Final, Adelaide United finally won their first A-League championship! They beat the Western Sydney Wanderers 3-1 at Adelaide Oval. This was a huge moment for the club.
The 2016–17 season was challenging. They were knocked out of the FFA Cup early. In 2017–18, they reached the FFA Cup final again but lost to Sydney FC.
Cup Success and Today (2018–Present)
Adelaide United won the FFA Cup in 2018, beating Sydney FC 2-1. They won it again in 2019, defeating Melbourne City 4-0. This made them the team with the most FFA Cup titles.
In recent seasons, Adelaide United has focused on developing young players from South Australia. Many young talents like Joe Gauci, Mohamed Toure, and Nestory Irankunda have played for the first team.
In the 2022–23 season, Adelaide United challenged for the top spot. They finished third and reached the semi-finals. Craig Goodwin, who had played for Australia in the 2022 World Cup, won the Johnny Warren Medal as the league's best player.
The 2023–24 season started very well, with big wins. In November 2023, it was announced that 17-year-old Nestory Irankunda would join Bayern Munich in Germany. This was the biggest transfer fee ever for an A-League player! Despite losing some key players, the team continued to fight. Hiroshi Ibusuki scored a hat-trick in one game. Later, Nestory Irankunda became the youngest player to score a hat-trick in A-League history.
Club Identity: Colours, Crest, and Sponsors
Team Colours and Badge
      |
| Reebok spikes first appeared on the first in 2007 |
Adelaide United's main colour is red, which is why they are called "The Reds". Their kit (uniform) is mostly red, often with black details. Their first kit also used yellow and blue, which are South Australian state colours.
The club's badge has changed over time. The first badge had a football with the Southern Cross stars. The current badge is more like a traditional shield.
Kit Sponsors and Manufacturers
Over the years, different companies have sponsored Adelaide United's kits.
- Early Sponsors: Fairmont Homes and Jim's Plumbing were early sponsors.
- Coopers Brewery: In 2010, Coopers Brewery became a major sponsor.
- Kit Makers: Reebok made their kits for many years. Later, Erreà, Legea, Kappa, Macron, and now UCAN have supplied their uniforms.
- Current Sponsors: Today, Flinders University is on the home kit, and Australian Outdoor Living is on the away kit.
Home Ground: Coopers Stadium
Adelaide United plays most of its home games at Hindmarsh Stadium, also known as Coopers Stadium. This stadium can hold 13,500 people. Sometimes, they play bigger games at Adelaide Oval, which can hold many more fans. For example, the 2016 Grand Final at Adelaide Oval had over 50,000 people!
The record attendance at Hindmarsh Stadium was 17,000 fans in 2008 for an AFC Champions League final match. Even when the team wasn't winning much, fans still came to support them.
Fan Support
.jpg)
Adelaide United has a dedicated group of fans called the "Red Army." They cheer loudly for the team at every game.
Average Home Attendance
This chart shows how many fans, on average, came to Adelaide United's home league matches each season.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
| 03–04 | 05–06 | 06–07 | 07–08 | 08–09 | 09–10 | 10–11 | 11–12 | 12–13 | 13–14 | 14–15 | 15–16 | 16–17 | 17–18 | 18–19 | 19–20 | 20–21 | 21–22 | 22–23 | 23–24 |
Team Rivalries
Melbourne Victory FC
Adelaide United's biggest rivals are the Melbourne Victory. Their matches are often very intense. One famous moment happened in 2007 when Adelaide's coach, John Kosmina, had a small argument with Melbourne's captain, Kevin Muscat, on the field. The rivalry became even stronger after Melbourne beat Adelaide in two Grand Finals.
Adelaide City FC
Adelaide United was formed after Adelaide City left the National Soccer League. Adelaide United then became South Australia's only professional soccer team. Both clubs are very successful in South Australia. They played each other for the first time in a competitive match in 2022, with Adelaide United winning.
Club Connections
Adelaide United has partnerships with other soccer clubs around the world.
Qingdao Red Lions (since 2018): This partnership helps develop Chinese players.
PSV Eindhoven (since 2024): This is a new partnership to help both clubs grow.
Team Achievements and Records
Adelaide United has won one A-League Men Championship. They have won the Australia Cup (formerly FFA Cup) three times, more than any other team. They are also the only team to win the FFA Cup two times in a row (2018 and 2019).
Adelaide United was the first A-League club to reach the AFC Champions League Final in 2008.
Eugene Galekovic has played the most games for Adelaide United, with 285 matches between 2007 and 2017. Craig Goodwin is the club's top goalscorer, with 60 goals.
The record for the most fans at an Adelaide United home game was 50,119 at the 2016 A-League Grand Final at Adelaide Oval.
Current Players
First Team Squad
|
|
Youth Players
These are young players who have been part of the first team on game days.
|
|
Players on Loan
|
Coaching Team
The coaching staff helps the players train and get ready for games.
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Head Coach |  Carl Veart |
| Assistant Coach | Mark Milligan |
| Assistant Coach | Travis Dodd |
| Assistant Coach Head of Youth Football |
 Airton Andrioli |
| Goalkeeping Coach | Eugene Galekovic |
| Head of Football | Marius Zanin |
| Technical Director | Ernest Faber |
| Head of Strength and Conditioning | Django Gentilcore |
| Strength and Conditioning Coach | Justin Schultz |
| Head Physiotherapist | Justin Graetz |
| Physiotherapist | Marco Mittiga |
| Doctor | James Ilic |
| Team Support Manager | Colin Varacalli |
| Video analyst | Daniel Quinn |
Team Captains
The captain is a leader on the field.
| Dates | Name | Honours (as captain) |
|---|---|---|
| 2005–2007 | Ross Aloisi |
2005–06 A-League Premiership |
| 2007–2008 | Michael Valkanis |
|
| 2008–2011 | Travis Dodd |
|
| 2011–2012 | Jonathan McKain |
|
| 2012–2017 | Eugene Galekovic |
2014 FFA Cup 2015–16 A-League Premiership 2015–16 A-League Championship |
| 2017–2019 |  Isaías Sánchez |
2018 FFA Cup |
| 2019–2020 |  Michael Jakobsen |
2019 FFA Cup |
| 2020–2022 | Stefan Mauk |
|
| 2022–2023 | Craig Goodwin |
|
| 2023– | Ryan Kitto |
Club Honours (Trophies Won)
Australia-wide Competitions
- A-League Men Championship (Grand Final Winners)
- Winners (1): 2016
- Runners-up (2): 2007, 2009
- A-League Men Premiership (Finished first in the regular season)
- Winners (2): 2005–06, 2015–16
- Runners-up (2): 2006–07, 2008–09
- Australia Cup (Knockout Cup Competition)
- Winners (3): 2014, 2018, 2019
- Runners-up (1): 2017
- A-League Pre-Season Challenge Cup
- Winners (2): 2006, 2007
Asian Competitions
- AFC Champions League
- Runners-up (1): 2008
World Competitions
- FIFA Club World Cup
- Fifth–place (1): 2008
Player of the Year Award
This award is given to the best player of Adelaide United each season.
|
|
|
|
Famous Players
|
|
See Also
In Spanish: Adelaide United Football Club para niños
- Adelaide United Women – Adelaide United FC (A-League Women)
