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 | ||
| 2024 | Ettan Norra, 12th of 16 | ||
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Assyriska Fotbollsföreningen, often called Assyriska FF, is a Swedish football club. It is based in Södertälje, a city in Stockholm County, Sweden. The club was started in 1974 by Assyrian immigrants.
Assyriska FF has moved up through different football leagues in Sweden. They are currently playing in Division 2, which is the fourth highest league. In 2005, they even played in Allsvenskan, Sweden's top football league. Their games were shown in over 80 countries around the world that year! The club also reached the final of the Svenska Cupen (Swedish Cup) in 2003, but they lost to IF Elfsborg.
Many Assyrian people see Assyriska as their unofficial national team. The club has fans all over the world. They even have their own pop song called "My Assyrian team – the team of my dream". A documentary film about the club, "Assyriska: A National Team Without A Nation", was made in 2006. This film won an award at the Beverly Hills Film Festival.
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Club History and Achievements
Assyriska Föreningen was first founded in Södertälje in 1971. It was started by Assyrian refugees from Turkey. The football team began playing in 1975 in the lowest league.
They quickly moved up through the divisions. In 1992, they reached the second highest league, Division 1. This was a big moment, as they were the first immigrant team to do so. They went down to a lower league in 1993, but kept working hard.
In 2003, Assyriska made it to the final of the Svenska Cupen. On their way to the final, they beat strong teams like IFK Göteborg and Djurgårdens IF. Even though they lost the final, it was a great achievement.
A year later, in 2004, Assyriska was promoted to Allsvenskan, the top league! This happened because another team, Örebro SK, had financial problems. Assyriska's first season in Allsvenskan started well. They had impressive wins against big clubs like IFK Göteborg and IF Elfsborg. However, they were relegated after just one season.
After that, Assyriska played in lower leagues. In 2007, they had a strong season and were promoted back to Superettan, the second highest league. In 2009, they almost made it back to Allsvenskan. They played a special match against Djurgårdens IF but lost in extra time.
Home Stadium
Since 2006, Assyriska Föreningen has played its home games at Södertälje Fotbollsarena. Before that, they played at an older stadium called Bårsta IP.
Supporters and Fan Base
Assyriska Föreningen has an official fan club called Zelge Fans. It was started in 1993 by supporters in Södertälje. The name "Zelge" means "sun rays" in the Syriac language. 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. Thanks to the internet, Assyriska's fan base has grown worldwide. The club is known in over 80 countries. For many Assyrians around the world, Assyriska represents their national team.
Many Assyrians who visit Sweden make it a goal to watch an Assyriska match. It has become a true symbol for them.
Team Players
Current Squad
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Retired Jersey Numbers
- 18 – Eddie Moussa, a forward who played for the team from 2001 to 2010.
Well-Known Players
- Mikael Ishak
- Kennedy Bakircioglu
- Nahir Besara
- David Durmaz
- Kachir Eskander
- Marcus Linday
- Raby Youssef
- Daniel Nannskog
- Ceyhun Eris
- Metin Tasci
- Stefan Batan
Coaching Staff
Sports Team Leaders
- Head Coach: Simon Hardman
- Assistant Coach: Elias Merkes
- Assistant Coach: Alexander Bernhard
Team Achievements
League Titles
- Division 1 Norra:
- Winners (1): 2007
- Runners-up (1): 1999
Cup Achievements
- Svenska Cupen:
- Runners-up (1): 2003
Famous Coaches
- Peter Antoine (Germany)
- Bo Petersson (Sweden)
- Conny Karlsson (Sweden)
- José Morais (Portugal)
- Rikard Norling (Sweden)
- Kachir Eskander (Sweden)
See also
In Spanish: Assyriska FF para niños
- Syrianska FC
- List of Assyrian-Syriac football teams in Sweden
