Club Brugge KV facts for kids
 |
||||
| 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 (as Brugsche FC) Stamnummer (matricule number) 3 |
|||
| Ground | Jan Breydel Stadium | |||
| Capacity | 29,062 | |||
| President | Bart Verhaeghe | |||
| Head coach | Nicky Hayen | |||
| League | Belgian Pro League | |||
| 2023–24 | Belgian Pro League, 1st of 16 (champions) | |||
|
||||
Club Brugge Koninklijke Voetbalvereniging, often just called 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, which 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 clubs in Belgian football history. They have won the Belgian league championship 19 times! Only their big rivals, Anderlecht, have won more. Club Brugge shares the Jan Breydel Stadium with their city rival, Cercle Brugge. When these two teams play, it's called the Bruges derby.
This club has also done well in European football. They have reached two European finals and three semi-finals. Club Brugge is the only Belgian club 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 the record for the most times playing in the UEFA Europa League (20 times in a row!). They also have won the most Belgian Cups (11) and Belgian Super Cups (17).
Contents
Club Brugge: A Rich History
Club Brugge started in 1890 when students from two different schools in Bruges came together to form the Brugsche Football Club. They chose the Latin saying 'mens sana in corpore sano', which means 'a healthy mind in a healthy body'. The club was officially re-formed on November 13, 1891, and this is seen as the start date for today's Club Brugge.
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 joined back together under the name Football Club Brugeois. They didn't get their current Dutch name, Club Brugge, until 1972.
In 1914, FC Brugeois reached their first Belgian Cup final but lost. Six years later, in the 1919–20 season, they won their first major trophy: the Belgian First Division! To celebrate, they changed their name to Royal FC Brugeois, showing their special status. However, just eight years later, the club was moved down to the Belgian Second Division for the first time. They spent much of the 1940s and 1950s in the second division.
After the 1958–59 season, Club Brugge was promoted back to the First Division and has stayed there ever since! In 1968, they won their first Belgian Cup, beating Beerschot A.C. in a penalty shootout. This was the first of their record 11 Belgian Cup titles.
Golden Era with Ernst Happel
The club had its most successful period under the famous Austrian coach Ernst Happel. He led the team to win three league championships in a row from 1975–76 to 1977–78. They also won a Belgian Cup in 1976–77.
Happel also guided Club Brugge to their first European final, the 1976 UEFA Cup Final. They played against English giants Liverpool and lost by a small margin. Two years later, Brugge faced 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. After this, Happel left Club Brugge.
Recent Successes
On November 25, 1992, Club Brugge player Daniel Amokachi made history by scoring the first-ever goal in the UEFA Champions League.
More recently, on May 20, 2021, Club Brugge drew 3–3 with their rivals Anderlecht to win the Belgian First Division A title. This was their 17th league title overall and their fourth in six years! It was also the first time since 1973 that they won the championship at Anderlecht's home stadium, 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 UEFA Champions League, they reached the knockout stage for the first time in modern history, showing how strong they have become.
Club Colours and Crest
Club Brugge traditionally wears blue and black kits for their home games. When they play away from home, they wear lighter colours like white, light blue, or yellow. Since the 2022–23 season, their kits have been made by Macron.
Home Ground: Jan Breydel Stadium
Club Brugge's first home stadium was called the Rattenplein (rats' stadium). In 1911, they moved to a new ground called De Klokke. This was later renamed the Albert Dyserynckstadion after a chairman who passed away.
Since 1975, their home has been the stadium now known as the Jan Breydel Stadium. It was renamed in 1998 to honour Jan Breydel, a local hero who led a rebellion against French rulers in the 1300s. Club Brugge shares this stadium with their city rivals, Cercle Brugge.
Future Stadium Plans
Club Brugge has been planning a new stadium since 2007. There have been many ideas for where it could be built. However, with a new city council in Bruges, the project has gained new life. The plan is to rebuild the current Jan Breydel Stadium site into a park and build a brand new stadium right 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 be able to hold over 40,000 fans!
Club Supporters
Club Brugge has many loyal fans. Some of them belong to 62 supporter clubs across Belgium, with more than 10,000 members in total. The "Supportersfederatie Club Brugge KV," started in 1967, is the official group for Club Brugge fans.
Fans are often called the "twelfth man" in football because of their strong support. To show their appreciation, Club Brugge no longer gives the number 12 jersey to any player; it's saved for the fans! The club also has its own TV show called CLUBtv, which features interviews with players and coaches.
Club Mascot
The official mascot of Club Brugge is a bear, which 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 when he was young.
Since the year 2000, two bear mascots named Belle and Bene have cheered on the team during home games. In 2010, a third bear named Bibi joined them. Bibi is seen as the child of Belle and Bene and is especially for the younger fans.
Rivalries
Club Brugge has strong rivalries with other Belgian clubs. These include local rivals like Cercle Brugge, regional rivals like Antwerp, and national rivals like Anderlecht and Standard Liège.
Anderlecht Rivalry
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 in many cup finals against each other, and their games are sometimes called 'The Hate Game' because of how intense they are.
Bruges Derby: Cercle Brugge
The Bruges derby against Cercle Brugge is one of the most important games of the season for many fans. It always brings out huge crowds and amazing fan displays with flags and banners. 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 a flag with their club's crest in the middle of the field after the game.
Antwerp Rivalry
The rivalry between Club Brugge and Antwerp is very old, going back to the early 1900s. In 1908, after a game where Bruges fans attacked Antwerp players, one of the biggest rivalries in Europe began. Games between these two teams are often very heated.
Club Honours
Club Brugge has won many titles throughout its history. Here are some of 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, 1995–96, 1997–98, 2002–03, 2004–05, 2015–16, 2017–18, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2023–24 |
| Belgian Cup | 11 |
1967–68, 1969–70, 1976–77, 1985–86, 1990–91, 1994–95, 1995–96, 2001–02, 2003–04, 2006–07, 2014–15 |
|
| Belgian Super Cup | 17 |
1980, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2016, 2018, 2021, 2022 |
- record
- s shared record
European Achievements
- European Cup
- Runners-up (finished second): 1977–78
- UEFA Cup
- Runners-up (finished second): 1975–76
- Semi-finalists (reached the last four): 1987–88
- UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
- Semi-finalists (reached the last four): 1991–92
- UEFA Europa Conference League
- Semi-finalists (reached the last four): 2023–24
Players
First-team squad
|
|
Retired Jersey Numbers
12 – This number is saved for the club's amazing supporters, who are like the "12th man" on the field. It was retired in July 2003.
23 – This number belonged to François Sterchele, a striker who played for the club from 2007 to 2008. His number was retired after he sadly passed away in a car accident in May 2008.
Coaching Staff
The team is led by a dedicated coaching staff:
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Head Coach |  Nicky Hayen |
| Assistant Coach | Hayk Milkon Michiel Jonckheere |
| Goalkeeping Coach | Wouter Biebauw |
Board of Directors
The club is managed by a board of directors:
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| President | Bart Verhaeghe |
| CEO | Bob Madou |
Images for kids
-
Picture of the 1919–20 squad
-
Old and iconic logo used until the end of the 1970s
-
Logo used until 2012
-
Jan Breydel Stadium
-
A large display by fans (Tifo) before a Champions League game in 2005
-
The three bear mascots of Club Brugge
See also
In Spanish: Club Brujas para niños
- Club YLA (Club Brugge women's team)
