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Club Brugge
Club Brugge KV logo.svg
Full name Club Brugge Koninklijke Voetbalvereniging (Club Bruges Royal Football association)
Nickname(s) Blauw-Zwart (Blue-Black), (the) Club, FCB, FC Bruges
Founded 13 November 1891; 133 years ago (1891-11-13) (as Brugsche FC)
Stamnummer (matricule number) 3
Ground Jan Breydel Stadium
Ground Capacity 29,062
President Bart Verhaeghe
Head coach Nicky Hayen
League Belgian Pro League
2024–25 Belgian Pro League, 2nd of 16 (regular season)
Champions Play-offs, 2nd of 10

Club Brugge is a professional football club from Bruges, Belgium. It was started in 1891 and plays its home games at the Jan Breydel Stadium. This stadium can hold over 29,000 fans. Club Brugge plays in the Belgian Pro League, which is the top football league in Belgium.

Club Brugge is one of the most successful teams in Belgian football. They have won the Belgian league championship 19 times. Only their big rivals, Anderlecht, have won more. Club Brugge shares its home stadium with another local team, Cercle Brugge. Their games against each other are known as the Bruges derby.

The club has also done well in European competitions. They reached two European finals and three semi-finals. Club Brugge is the only Belgian team to have played in the final of the European Cup (now called the UEFA Champions League). They lost to Liverpool in the 1978 final. They also lost to Liverpool in the 1976 UEFA Cup Final. Club Brugge holds records for the most consecutive appearances in the UEFA Europa League (20), the most Belgian Cup wins (12), and the most Belgian Super Cup wins (18).

Club Brugge: A Journey Through Time

In 1890, students from two different schools in Bruges came together to form the Brugsche Football Club. They chose a Latin motto: 'mens sana in corpore sano', which means 'a healthy mind in a healthy body'. On November 13, 1891, the club was officially re-established as Brugsche FC. This date is now celebrated as the club's founding day.

In 1895, a national sports union was created, and Brugsche FC was one of its first members. They played in the very first Belgian football league season in 1895–96. After some money problems, a new club called Football Club Brugeois was formed by some members. But in 1897, the two clubs reunited under the name Football Club Brugeois. They didn't change their name to the Dutch "Club Brugge" until 1972.

FCB 1919-20
The Club Brugge team from 1919–20

In 1914, FC Brugeois reached their first Belgian Cup final but lost. Six years later, in the 1919–20 season, they won their first ever trophy: the Belgian First Division. To celebrate, they added "Royal" to their name, becoming Royal FC Brugeois. This "Royal" status is still part of their name today (KV stands for Koninklijke Vereniging, meaning royal club).

The club faced tough times in the 1940s and 1950s, spending many years in the second division. However, after the 1958–59 season, they were promoted back to the First Division and have stayed there ever since! In 1968, they won their first Belgian Cup, beating Beerschot A.C. in a penalty shootout.

Golden Years and European Adventures

Club Brugge had a very successful period under Austrian manager Ernst Happel. He led the team to win three league championships in a row from 1975–76 to 1977–78. They also won the Belgian Cup in 1976–77.

Happel also guided Club Brugge to their first European final in 1976, the 1976 UEFA Cup Final. They played against the English team Liverpool and lost by a small margin. Two years later, in 1978, Brugge met Liverpool again in a European final, this time in the 1978 European Cup Final at Wembley. Club Brugge became the first Belgian club to reach this final, but they lost 1–0.

On November 25, 1992, Club Brugge player Daniel Amokachi made history by scoring the first goal ever in the UEFA Champions League. This happened in a 1–0 win against CSKA Moscow.

More recently, Club Brugge has continued its winning ways. On May 20, 2021, they drew 3–3 with rivals Anderlecht to win their 17th Belgian First Division A title. This was their fourth title in six years and the first time since the 1970s that they won back-to-back league titles. A year later, they won their third title in a row. In the 2022–23 season, they reached the knockout stage of the UEFA Champions League for the first time in its modern history.

Team Colours and Sponsors

Club Brugge mens sana 1891
Old Club Brugge logo used until the late 1970s

Club Brugge's home kit is blue and black, which have always been their traditional colours. When they play away from home, they usually wear a light-coloured kit, like white, light blue, or yellow. Since the 2022–23 season, their kits have been made by Macron.

Sjaal Club Brugge
Club Brugge logo used until 2012

The club has had many different sponsors on their shirts over the years. These sponsors help the club financially.

Period Kit manufacturer Shirt main sponsor Back shirt sponsor
1972–1974 adidas Carad
1974–1976 49R Jeans
1976–1979 Puma
1979–1982 St.-Louis Geuze
1982–1985 Bacchus
1985–1992 Assubel
1992–1995 VTM
1995–1996 adidas VTM
1996–1997 Gemeentekrediet
1997–2000
2000–2007 Dexia Dexia
2007–2012 Puma
2012–2013 Belfius Belfius
2013–2014 Nike
2014–2015 Club Brugge Foundation Proximus
2015–2017 Daikin
2017–2019 Macron
2019–2020 Unibet
2020–2023 Candriam
2023–2024 Allianz
2024– Castore

The Home of Club Brugge: Stadium History and Future

Panoramio - V&A Dudush - Jan Breydel Stadion
The Jan Breydel Stadium

Club Brugge's first home ground in Bruges was called the Rattenplein, which means "rats' stadium." It was used for a sport involving dogs chasing rats. In 1911, the team moved to a new field called De Klokke. This stadium was later renamed Albert Dyserynckstadion after a chairman who passed away.

Since 1975, Club Brugge has played at the Jan Breydel Stadium. This stadium was named in 1998 after Jan Breydel, a local hero who led a rebellion in the 1300s. Club Brugge shares this stadium with their city rivals, Cercle Brugge. Before 1998, it was known as the Olympiastadion.

In November 2016, the club started building a new training complex called Belfius Basecamp in Westkapelle. This complex has several training pitches for the main team and younger players.

Plans for a New Stadium

Club Brugge has been planning a new stadium since 2007. There have been many ideas for where to build it, but finding the right spot has been difficult.

However, with a new city council in Bruges, the project has moved forward. Instead of moving far away, the plan is to rebuild the area around the current Jan Breydel Stadium. A brand new stadium will be built next to where the old one stands. In October 2021, the club received permission to start building. The goal is to have a new stadium ready by mid-2023, which will hold over 40,000 fans.

Club Brugge Supporters and Mascot

Clubbruggetifo
A large display by Club Brugge fans before a Champions League game in 2005

Club Brugge has many dedicated fans. Over 10,000 supporters are part of 62 official fan clubs across Belgium. The main fan group, "Supportersfederatie Club Brugge KV," was started in 1967.

Fans are often called the "twelfth man" in football because of their strong support. To honor them, Club Brugge no longer gives the number 12 jersey to any player. The club also has its own TV show, CLUBtv, which features interviews with players and coaches.

Brugse beren
Belle, Bene, and Bibi, the bear mascots of Club Brugge

The official mascot of Club Brugge is a bear. The bear is a symbol of the city of Bruges. This comes from an old story about the first Count of Flanders, Baldwin I, who fought and defeated a bear. Since the year 2000, two bear mascots named Belle and Bene have cheered on the team at home games. In 2010, a third bear, Bibi, joined them. Bibi is seen as the child of Belle and Bene and is especially for the younger fans.

Big Rivalries

Club Brugge has strong rivalries with other Belgian football clubs. These include local rivals like Cercle Brugge, regional rivals like Antwerp, and national rivals such as Anderlecht and Standard Liège.

Anderlecht: The Hate Game

The rivalry between Club Brugge and Anderlecht became very strong in the 1970s. During that time, these two clubs won most of the trophies in Belgium. Matches between them were often deciding who would be the champion. They have played each other in many cup finals, and their games are sometimes called 'The Hate Game' because of how intense they are. These matches are considered some of the most exciting in Belgian football.

Cercle Brugge: The Bruges Derby

The Bruges derby against Cercle Brugge is one of the most important games of the season for fans. It brings out huge crowds and amazing displays of support, with flags and banners filling the stadium. The team that wins this derby is called "de Ploeg van Brugge," which means "the team of Bruges." It's a tradition for the winning team to plant their club flag in the middle of the field after the game.

Royal Antwerp FC: An Old Rivalry

The rivalry between Club Brugge and Royal Antwerp FC is one of the oldest in Belgium, going back to the early 1900s. In 1908, after a game where Bruges fans attacked Antwerp players, a fierce rivalry began. Games between these two teams are often very heated. This rivalry has become even stronger since Antwerp was promoted back to the first division.

Club Achievements

Club Brugge has won many titles throughout its history. Here are their main achievements:

Type Competition Titles Seasons
Domestic Belgian First Division 19 1919–20, 1972–73, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1977–78, 1979–80, 1987–88, 1989–90, 1991–92, 1995–96Stella 10 Scudetti.svg, 1997–98, 2002–03, 2004–05, 2015–16, 2017–18, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2023–24
Belgian Cup 12 1967–68, 1969–70, 1976–77, 1985–86, 1990–91, 1994–95, 1995–96, 2001–02, 2003–04, 2006–07, 2014–15, 2024–25
Belgian Super Cup 18 1980, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2016, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2025
  •      record

European Successes

Club Brugge has also had notable achievements in European competitions:

Other Trophies

  • Kirin Cup
    • Winners: 1981
  • Amsterdam Tournament
    • Winners: 1990

Players and Staff

First-team squad

No. Position Player
2 Argentina DF Zaid Romero
4 Ecuador DF Joel Ordóñez
6 Netherlands MF Ludovit Reis
7 Germany FW Nicolò Tresoldi
8 Greece FW Christos Tzolis
9 Portugal FW Carlos Forbs
10 Norway MF Hugo Vetlesen
11 Belgium MF Cisse Sandra
14 Netherlands DF Bjorn Meijer
15 Nigeria MF Raphael Onyedika
16 Netherlands GK Dani van den Heuvel
17 Belgium FW Romeo Vermant
19 Sweden FW Gustaf Nilsson
20 Belgium MF Hans Vanaken (captain)
21 Poland FW Michał Skóraś
No. Position Player
22 Belgium GK Simon Mignolet
24 Nigeria DF Vince Osuji
29 Belgium GK Nordin Jackers
30 Switzerland MF Ardon Jashari
41 Belgium DF Hugo Siquet
44 Belgium DF Brandon Mechele
58 Belgium DF Jorne Spileers
64 Belgium DF Kyriani Sabbe
65 Belgium DF Joaquin Seys
66 Ivory Coast DF Bi Abdoul Kader Yameogo
70 Spain MF Alejandro Granados
84 South Africa FW Shandre Campbell
87 Belgium FW Kaye Furo
England GK Josef Bursik

Retired Numbers

Some jersey numbers are so special that no player wears them anymore.

  • 12 – This number is saved for the club's amazing supporters, who are like the "12th man" on the field.
  • 23 – This number was retired to honor François Sterchele, a striker who played for the club and sadly passed away in 2008.

First-team Coaching Staff

The coaching staff helps the players train and get ready for games.

Position Name
Head Coach Belgium Nicky Hayen
Assistant Coach Belgium Hayk Milkon
Belgium Michiel Jonckheere
Goalkeeping Coach Belgium Wouter Biebauw
Physical Coach Belgium Carl Vandenbussche
Sports Scientist Belgium Sander Denolf
Physical Coach Belgium Eddie Rob
Team Manager Belgium Michael Vijverman
Team Doctor Belgium Bruno Vanhecke
Team Doctor BelgiumThomas Tampere
Mental Coach Belgium Rudy Heylen
Physiotherapist Belgium David Bombeke
Physiotherapist Belgium Leen Van Damme
Physiotherapist Belgium Thomas De Jonghe
Masseur Belgium Ronny Werbrouck
Video Analyst Belgium Jarne Kesteloot
Video Analyst Belgium Mathias Bernaert
Team Support Belgium Kevin Monseré
Team Support Belgium Pascal Plovie
Team Support Belgium Stefaan Van Gierdeghom

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Club Brujas para niños

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