Assyriska FF facts for kids
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| Full name | Assyriska Fotbollsföreningen | ||
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| Nickname(s) | AFF | ||
| Founded | 1974 | ||
| Ground | Södertälje Fotbollsarena, Södertälje, Sweden | ||
| Capacity | 8,500 | ||
| Chairman | Moussa Esa | ||
| Manager | Simon Hardman | ||
| League | Ettan Fotboll | ||
| 2022 | D2 Södra Svealand, 2nd of 14 | ||
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Assyriska Fotbollsföreningen, often called Assyriska FF, is a Swedish football club from Södertälje, Sweden. It was started in 1974 by Assyrian immigrants. The club has moved up through different leagues in Sweden.
Assyriska FF is special because many Assyrian people around the world see it as their national team. The club even has its own pop song called "My Assyrian team – the team of my dream." A movie about the team, "Assyriska: A National Team Without A Nation," won an award at the Beverly Hills Film Festival in 2006.
Contents
History of Assyriska FF
Assyriska Föreningen was first formed in Södertälje in 1971 by Assyrian refugees from Turkey. Three years later, in 1974, they started a football team. The team played its first season in the lowest league in 1975.
Climbing the Leagues
The club slowly moved up through the different football divisions. In 1992, they reached the second-highest league, which was then called Division 1. This was a big deal because they were the first immigrant team to reach this level.
However, they were relegated in 1993. For a few years, they kept moving between Division 1 and lower leagues. But by 1997, they managed to stay in Division 1 for more than one season.
Cup Finals and Top League Debut
In 2003, Assyriska FF reached the final of the Svenska Cupen, which is a major cup competition in Sweden. They played against IF Elfsborg but lost 0–2. On their way to the final, they beat strong teams like IFK Göteborg and Djurgårdens IF.
A big moment came in 2004 when Assyriska was promoted to Allsvenskan, the highest football league in Sweden. This happened because another team, Örebro SK, had financial problems. Assyriska's first season in Allsvenskan in 2005 started well. They even had impressive wins against big clubs like IFK Göteborg and IF Elfsborg. Their games were shown in over 80 countries! But they finished last and were relegated after just one season.
Recent Years
After being relegated from Allsvenskan, Assyriska FF played in lower leagues. In 2007, they won their league and were promoted back to Superettan, which is the second-highest league.
In 2009, they almost made it back to Allsvenskan. They played a special play-off match against Djurgårdens IF. Assyriska won the first game 2–0 at home, but they lost the second game 3–0 after extra time. This meant they didn't get promoted.
In 2010, something very sad happened when player Eddie Moussa was murdered. This made football seem less important for the club that season. Since then, the team has mostly stayed in the middle of the Superettan league table.
Home Stadium
Assyriska Föreningen has played at Södertälje Fotbollarena since 2006. Before that, they played at an older stadium called Bårsta IP.
Supporters: Zelge Fans
The official fan club for Assyriska Föreningen is called Zelge Fans. It was started in 1993 by fans in Södertälje. They were first known as Neshre, which means "eagle" in Syriac.
A few months later, they changed their name to Zelge Fans. "Zelge" means "sun rays" in Syriac. The sun rays are an important symbol on the Assyrian flag. Most members of Zelge Fans are Assyrians, but there are also many Swedish members.
Assyriska's fan base has grown a lot thanks to the internet. In the past, it was hard to share team news with Assyrians living in other countries. Now, with technology, Assyriska has fans all over the world. Many Assyrians who visit Sweden try to watch an Assyriska match. The club has become a true symbol for Assyrian people everywhere.
Players
Retired Numbers
- 18 – Eddie Moussa, forward (2001–2010)
Notable Players
- Mikael Ishak
Staff
Sports Staff
- Head Coach: Simon Hardman
- Assistant Coach: Elias Merkes
- Assistant Coach: Alexander Bernhard
Achievements
League Wins
- Division 1 Norra:
- Winners (1): 2007
- Runners-up (1): 1999
Cup Achievements
- Svenska Cupen:
- Runners-up (1): 2003
Notable Coaches
Peter Antoine (1999)
Bo Petersson (2002)- Conny Karlsson (2003–2004, 2009)
José Morais (2005)- Rikard Norling (2010–2011)
Images for kids
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Assyriska FF team logo
See Also
In Spanish: Assyriska FF para niños
- Syrianska FC
- List of Assyrian-Syriac football teams in Sweden
