CFR Cluj facts for kids
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| Full name | SC Fotbal Club CFR 1907 Cluj SA | |||
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| Short name | CFR | |||
| Founded | 10 November 1907 (as Kolozsvári Vasutas Sport Club) | |||
| Ground | Dr. Constantin Rădulescu | |||
| Capacity | 22,198 | |||
| Owner | Ioan Varga | |||
| President | Cristian Balaj | |||
| Head coach | Dan Petrescu | |||
| League | Liga I | |||
| 2023–24 | Liga I, 2nd of 16 | |||
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Fotbal Club CFR 1907 Cluj, known as CFR Cluj, is a Romanian football club. It is based in the city of Cluj-Napoca. The team plays in Liga I, Romania's top football league.
CFR Cluj was started in 1907. Back then, the city was called Kolozsvár and was part of Austria-Hungary. The club's original name was Kolozsvári Vasutas Sport Club. The letters CFR stand for Căile Ferate Române, which means "Romanian Railways". This shows the club's long connection to the railway system.
For many years, CFR Cluj played in lower football divisions. But after 2004, the team started to become very successful. They began to bring in talented players from other countries. In 2005–06, they played in their first European competition, the UEFA Intertoto Cup. They even reached the final!
With strong support, CFR Cluj won its first national championship in 2007–08. This was a big deal because it was the first time in 17 years that a team from outside the capital city, Bucharest, won the title. Between 2017 and 2022, CFR Cluj won the championship five times in a row!
Overall, CFR Cluj has won 16 major trophies in Romania. All of these wins happened in the 21st century. They have won the Liga I eight times, the Cupa României four times, and the Supercupa României four times. The team has also played in the group stages of big European tournaments like the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League.
CFR Cluj has a strong rivalry with its city neighbor, FC Universitatea Cluj. Their matches are called Derbiul Clujului. They also have rivalries with other top Romanian teams.
History
How it all started (1907–1969)
CFR Cluj began in 1907. At that time, Cluj-Napoca was called Kolozsvár. It was part of Austria-Hungary. The club was first known as Kolozsvári Vasutas Sport Club, meaning "Kolozsvár Railway Sports Club".
From 1907 to 1910, the team played in the local city championship. They didn't win much then. But in 1911, they won the new Championship of Transylvania. They often finished second in this competition until World War I stopped it in 1914.
After the war, Transylvania became part of Romania. The club changed its name to CFR Cluj. It kept its connection to the national railway company, Căile Ferate Române. They won two more regional titles in 1918–19 and 1919–20.
Between 1920 and 1934, the club didn't have many big wins. From 1934 to 1936, CFR played two seasons in Divizia B (the second league). In 1936, they moved down to Divizia C (the third league) for two years.
After World War II, CFR played one season in Divizia C and then moved up to Divizia B. In 1947–48, the team joined with another local club, Ferar Cluj. This allowed them to play in Divizia A (the top league) for the very first time. However, they only stayed in the top league for two years. They wouldn't return for another 20 years.
In 1960, CFR merged with Rapid Cluj and became CSM Cluj. In 1964, the team's name changed to Clujeana. That same year, the club's junior team won the national championship. Three years later, the team's name went back to CFR Cluj.
Back in the top league (1969–1976)
In 1969, CFR Cluj won Divizia B. They finished first with 40 points, five more than their rival, Politehnica Timișoara. The last game of that season was a 1–1 draw against Politehnica.
CFR Cluj moved up to Divizia A in the summer of 1969. Their coach was Constantin Rădulescu. He had played for CFR and another local team, Universitatea Cluj. In their first game in the top league, CFR won 2–0 against ASA Târgu Mureș.
The next few games were tough. CFR lost to big teams like Steaua București and Dinamo București. But in the spring of 1970, they won against ASA Târgu Mureș and avoided going back down to a lower league.
At the start of the 1970–71 season, Eugen Iordache became coach. But CFR didn't do well, so Rădulescu came back quickly. CFR was still near the bottom of the league before winter. The spring of 1971 was a bit better. CFR managed to avoid relegation again. A memorable game was a 2–2 draw against UTA Arad, where CFR scored a late goal to tie.
The 1971–72 season started badly for CFR. They lost several games and were at the bottom of the table. But they made a strong comeback, winning important matches. Still, they had to fight hard to stay in Divizia A. In their last game, two late goals saved them from relegation. When the team returned to Cluj, 3,000 fans celebrated their success.
In the summer of 1972, CFR made a big player trade. They got Mihai Adam from Universitatea Cluj. Adam was one of Romania's best players and had been the top scorer twice. With Adam, the 1972–73 season became CFR's most successful ever. They finished fifth in Divizia A, their highest rank at the time. They had great results, including a 2–0 win against Rapid București.
The stadium that CFR still uses today was built in 1973. To celebrate, CFR Cluj played a friendly game against Cuba and won 2–1.
The 1973–74 season was not as good. CFR barely avoided relegation, finishing 14th. But Mihai Adam, even at 33 years old, was the top goal-scorer in Romania with 23 goals. The next season, 1974–75, was similar, with CFR fighting to stay in the league. The 1975–76 season was CFR's last in Divizia A for the 20th century. The team was getting older, which was a problem.
Years in lower leagues (1976–2002)
After being relegated in 1976, CFR Cluj tried to return to the top league. In 1977–78, they finished second in Divizia B. Four years later, in 1981–82, CFR moved down to the third division, Divizia C. For many years, the team went back and forth between the second and third leagues.
In the 1990s, CFR faced money problems. They were almost bankrupt more than once. But even during these tough times, some very talented players grew up in the club, like Cristian Dulca and Alin Minteuan.
New owners and first big wins (2002–2012)
In 2002, a new sponsor named Árpád Pászkány took over the club. By the end of the 2001–02 season, CFR was promoted back to Liga II (the second league).
The summer of 2003 was important for CFR. Many new talented players joined the team. With these players, CFR moved up to the first league after a great season in Divizia B. CFR started the 2004–05 season very well, even leading the league for a while.
CFR Cluj's first year back in Divizia A (2004–05) was strong but not always consistent. They finished 11th, avoiding relegation. One of their most famous games was a 4–2 win against Dinamo București at home.
In 2005, CFR Cluj joined the UEFA Intertoto Cup. This was their first time playing in a European competition. They did very well, beating teams like FK Vetra. They even defeated Athletic Bilbao from Spain 1–0 at home. They then played against the French club AS Saint-Étienne. After two exciting draws (1–1 at home, 2–2 away), CFR moved on because of their away goals. They easily won against Zalgiris Vilnius.
For the final match of the 2005 UEFA Intertoto Cup, CFR Cluj played against another French team, RC Lens. The first game in Cluj was a 1–1 draw. The second game in France was tough, and CFR lost 3–1. This ended their Intertoto journey.
In the 2006–07 season, big changes happened. Coach Dorinel Munteanu left, and Cristiano Bergodi took over. Many foreign players from Europe and South America joined the team. In July 2007, CFR Cluj celebrated its 100th birthday. They played a friendly game against Benfica and opened their new stadium lights.
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The new coach, Ioan Andone, led CFR Cluj to a great start in the 2007–08 season. They were leading the league by eight points and were undefeated halfway through. Even though Steaua București caught up, CFR won their last game against Universitatea Cluj. This made them national champions for the first time! They were the first team outside Bucharest to win the title in almost 20 years. A few days later, CFR Cluj also won the Cupa României, completing a "double" (winning both the league and the cup).
By winning the league, CFR Cluj got to play in the 2008–09 UEFA Champions League. They were in a tough group with Chelsea (England), A.S. Roma (Italy), and Bordeaux (France). No one expected them to do well. But in their first game, they shocked everyone by beating Roma 2–1 in Italy! They also held Chelsea to a 0–0 draw.
In the 2008–09 season, CFR finished fourth in the league. But they won the Cupa României again! They also won the Romanian Supercup against Unirea Urziceni. This was the first time a club not from Bucharest won this trophy.
In the 2009–10 season, the team won the league title for the second time. They also won the Cupa României again and qualified for the Champions League group stage.
The 2011–12 season brought the league title to Cluj for the third time. Coach Ioan Andone returned and helped the team win almost all their remaining matches to finish first. Later that year, they lost the Romanian Supercup to Dinamo București in a penalty shootout.
Challenges and comeback (2012–2017)
After 2012, the club faced some difficulties. In the 2012–13 season, they finished 9th. However, they did very well in the Champions League. They finished third in a group with Manchester United, Galatasaray, and SC Braga, earning 10 points. This is still a record for a Romanian team. They even won 1–0 against Manchester United at their home stadium, Old Trafford! They then played in the UEFA Europa League but were eliminated by Inter Milan.
The 2013–14 season was quiet, with CFR finishing 5th. They got a spot in the Europa League because another team had problems. During this time, the club faced money issues.
In the 2014–15 season, CFR Cluj started well. But financial problems led to them losing 24 points. This put them in last place. Many players left. However, a sports court later gave them back their points. This helped them finish third in the league. CFR Cluj then won the 2016 Cupa României final against Dinamo București after a penalty shootout. This was their first trophy since 2012.
Becoming a top team again (2017–present)
In 2017, CFR Cluj got out of its financial problems. This meant they could play in European competitions again starting in 2018–19. In June 2017, Dan Petrescu became the new head coach. His goal was to bring the club back to European success and win the league.
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On May 20, 2018, "the Railwaymen" won 1–0 against Viitorul Constanța. This made them win their fourth Liga I title! They finished one point ahead of FCSB. CFR also won the 2018 Supercupa României under coach Edward Iordănescu. However, their European journey was short. They lost to a team from Luxembourg, F91 Dudelange, which was seen as a big upset.
In May 2019, with Dan Petrescu back as coach, "The Railwaymen" won their fifth Liga I title. This time, they had a good run in Europe. They beat Celtic from Scotland in the Champions League qualifiers. They then played in the Europa League group stages. They finished second in their group, setting a Romanian record with twelve points. In the next round, they were eliminated by Sevilla, who went on to win the tournament. On August 3, CFR Cluj won their third title in a row and sixth overall.
CFR started the 2020–21 UEFA Champions League season by winning against Floriana. They were then eliminated by Dinamo Zagreb in a penalty shootout. They moved to the Europa League group stage. They finished third in their group and were eliminated. Later in 2020, Edward Iordănescu became coach again. On May 18, 2021, he led CFR to win the 2020–21 Liga I season. This was his first national title as a head coach.
After that season, Iordănescu left, and Marius Șumudică became coach. But he couldn't get the team into the Champions League or Europa League group stages. So, Dan Petrescu returned as coach. Under Petrescu, CFR qualified for the group stage of the new UEFA Europa Conference League. They finished fourth in their group.
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Even though their European games in 2021–22 were not great, CFR Cluj had an amazing season in Romania. They finished first in the regular season with 76 points. In the play-offs, they had a tough time for a bit, losing two games. But they quickly recovered and won four games in a row. On May 14, they won their match against Craiova 2–1. This made them champions for the fifth time in a row! CFR became the team with the most titles won outside the capital (eight). They are also the only Romanian team in the 21st century to win five titles in a row.
Stadium
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CFR Cluj plays almost all its home games at the Dr. Constantin Rădulescu Stadium. The stadium was made bigger in 2008 and can now hold 22,198 people. It meets all the rules for big European matches, including UEFA Champions League games.
In 2006–07, the club spent a lot of money to make the stadium better. They put in a new, high-quality grass field. They also installed a modern lighting system and improved other parts of the stadium. All this work was finished for the club's 100th anniversary in 2007.
Support
A survey in 2011 showed that CFR Cluj has the fourth-largest number of supporters in Romania. They have many fans in Cluj-Napoca and other parts of the country.
The main group of fans is called "Peluza Vișinie". This group includes members from older fan clubs. There is also another group of fans who are ethnic Hungarians. They sit in a different part of the stadium and are called KVSK, which is the Hungarian name for CFR.
Rivalries
CFR Cluj has a big rivalry with its local opponent, Universitatea Cluj. Their first match was played on October 13, 1920. CFR won that game 8–0.
Sometimes, matches between FCSB (formerly FC Steaua București) and CFR Cluj are called "the Romanian Derby". This is because CFR and FCSB have often been the main teams fighting for the national title since the 2000s.
CFR also has smaller rivalries with other teams like Dinamo București, Rapid București, Universitatea Craiova, and Politehnica Timișoara.
Honours
Domestic Trophies
Leagues
- Liga I (Top League)
- Winners (8): 2007–08, 2009–10, 2011–12, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2021–22
- Runners-up (1): 2023–24
- Liga II (Second League)
- Winners (2): 1968–69, 2003–04
- Liga III (Third League)
- Winners (7): 1946–47, 1982–83, 1985–86, 1988–89, 1990–91, 1995–96, 2001–02
Cups
- Cupa României (Romanian Cup)
- Winners (4): 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2015–16
- Supercupa României (Romanian Supercup)
- Winners (4): 2009, 2010, 2018, 2020
European Trophies
- UEFA Intertoto Cup
- Runners-up (1): 2005 (joint runners-up)
Records and statistics
European Competitions
CFR Cluj has played in several European competitions. Here are some of their best achievements:
- Since the 2012–13 season, CFR Cluj holds the record for the most points (10) earned by any Romanian club in the UEFA Champions League group stages. They had 3 wins, 1 draw, and 2 losses.
- CFR Cluj also holds the record for most points (12) scored by any Romanian club in the UEFA Europa League group stages. They achieved this in the 2019–20 season with 4 wins and 2 losses.
All-time Records
- Biggest victory: CFR Cluj – Minaur Zlatna 10–0 (October 4, 2003)
- Biggest defeat: CFR București – CFR Cluj 12–2 (April 20, 1949)
- Player with most games in Liga I: Camora (397 games)
- Player with most goals in Liga I: Ciprian Deac (78 goals)
- Biggest European home win: CFR Cluj 5–0 Alashkert (August 16, 2018, UEFA Europa League)
- Biggest European away win: Vėtra 1–4 CFR Cluj (June 26, 2005, UEFA Intertoto Cup)
- Biggest European home defeat: CFR Cluj 0–4 Bayern Munich (October 19, 2010, UEFA Champions League)
- Biggest European away defeat: A.S. Roma 5–0 CFR Cluj (November 5, 2020, UEFA Europa League)
See also
In Spanish: CFR Cluj para niños
