FC Utrecht facts for kids
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| Full name | Football Club Utrecht | |
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| Nickname(s) | Utreg, Cupfighters, Domstedelingen ("Cathedral citizens") | |
| Founded | 1 July 1970 | |
| Stadium | Stadion Galgenwaard | |
| Stadium capacity |
23,750 | |
| Owner | Frans van Seumeren Holding B.V. (58%) Stichting Continuïteit FC Utrecht (1%) overige aandeelhouders (41%) |
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| Chairman | Steef Klop | |
| Head coach | Ron Jans | |
| League | Eredivisie | |
| 2022–23 | Eredivisie, 7th of 18 | |
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Football Club Utrecht, often called FC Utrecht, is a professional football team from Utrecht, Netherlands. They play in the Eredivisie, which is the top football league in the Netherlands. Their home games are held at the Stadion Galgenwaard.
The club was created in 1970. This happened when three local clubs, VV DOS, USV Elinkwijk, and Velox, joined together. Since then, FC Utrecht has won the national KNVB Cup three times: in 1985, 2003, and 2004. They also won the Johan Cruyff Shield in 2004. This made them the first club outside the "Big Three" (Ajax, Feyenoord, PSV) to win this trophy. FC Utrecht is also the only club outside the Big Three that has never been moved down from the Eredivisie to a lower league.
FC Utrecht has played in European competitions 15 times. Their best results were reaching the group stages of the 2004–05 UEFA Cup and the 2010–11 UEFA Europa League.
Contents
Club History: From Merger to Modern Day
How FC Utrecht Began: The Early Years (1970–1979)
In the late 1960s, the city of Utrecht wanted to make sure professional football stayed strong. So, they suggested that three local clubs join forces. These clubs were VV DOS, Velox, and USV Elinkwijk. DOS was the biggest of the three. They had even won a national championship in 1958.
The idea of merging was not as popular with Velox and Elinkwijk at first. Velox had been close to reaching the top league a few times. Elinkwijk had moved between the top and second leagues. But eventually, all three clubs agreed to merge.
On July 1, 1970, FC Utrecht was officially formed. Since VV DOS had stayed in the Eredivisie, the new club could start playing in the top league right away. FC Utrecht's home stadium became Stadion Galgenwaard. This stadium was the largest of the three parent clubs. Bert Jacobs, who was 29, became the first manager. He worked with Fritz Korbach to bring the three different club cultures together.
In their first season, most of the players came from the original three clubs. Only one new player, Co Adriaanse, joined the team. Their very first official match was against Feyenoord, who had just won the European Cup. FC Utrecht scored first, but lost 4–1. The team finished in 9th place, which was a good start.
Overcoming Challenges: The 1980s
FC Utrecht grew steadily in its first ten years. Important players like Hans van Breukelen, Leo van Veen, and Willem van Hanegem played for the club. In the early 1980s, the club decided to build a new stadium, which was called Nieuw Galgenwaard.
However, the club faced big money problems in 1981. They had not paid taxes and had other financial issues. It looked like the club might go bankrupt. But players and fans worked together to save it. They collected 66,000 signatures and even recorded a song called "We don't give up." The city of Utrecht stepped in to help cover the costs.
The early 1980s were successful on the field under coach Han Berger. The team finished high in the league and reached the KNVB Cup final in 1982. Many young players from the club's own academy became stars during this time. Even though the team was doing well, they had to sell key players to stay afloat. Players like Hans van Breukelen left for other clubs.
Ups and Downs: The 1990s and Early 2000s
After a strong season in 1990–91, FC Utrecht had some tough years. They missed out on playing in European competitions, which meant less money. The club changed managers and board members many times. Financial problems continued, and more important players had to be sold.
In 1996, a main sponsor helped the club with money. They also started a big renovation of the Stadion Galgenwaard in 1998. Despite these efforts, the team struggled for a few years. They often finished in the middle or lower part of the league table.
Things started to improve in 2001 when they qualified for European football again. Then, in 2003 and 2004, under coach Foeke Booy, FC Utrecht won the KNVB Cup twice in a row! In 2004, they also won the Johan Cruyff Shield by beating Ajax. Key players during this successful period included Dirk Kuyt and Jean-Paul de Jong.
Around 2003, the club faced more financial difficulties. They had trouble paying for the stadium renovation. But they managed to avoid bankruptcy by selling some properties, including the stadium, to the city.
A sad event happened in 2005 when French player David Di Tommaso suddenly passed away at age 26. The club honored him by retiring his jersey number, 4. Each year, the "David Di Tommaso Trophy" is given to the player fans think was the most valuable.
New Ownership: The Van Seumeren Era (2008–Present)
After more financial struggles, a new owner stepped in. In 2008, businessman Frans van Seumeren bought most of the club's shares. He promised to invest in the club for at least ten years. His goal was to make FC Utrecht one of the top teams in the league.
Van Seumeren became very involved in the club's decisions. He made changes to the coaching staff and even changed managers. Over the years, the club continued to work towards its goals.
In the 2012–13 season, FC Utrecht had one of its best years ever. They finished fifth in the league and won the play-offs to qualify for European football. In 2015, Erik ten Hag became the new manager. He led the team to a successful 2015–16 season, finishing fifth and reaching the KNVB Cup final. The club's reserve team, Jong FC Utrecht, also won their league and moved up to the second-tier league.
In the 2016–17 season, FC Utrecht finished fourth in the Eredivisie. They again won the play-offs for European football. This success led to Erik ten Hag becoming the coach of Ajax.
Home Ground: Stadion Galgenwaard
FC Utrecht plays its home matches at the Stadion Galgenwaard. This stadium has been known by different names over the years. It can hold 23,750 fans. Many people come to watch the games. In the 2023–24 season, about 20,500 fans attended each match on average, which was a record high.
The stadium is more than just a football field. It also has shops, offices, and a special home for the FC Utrecht fan club. This fan club is one of the biggest in Europe!
Club Achievements: Trophies and Honors
FC Utrecht has won several important trophies in Dutch football.
National Trophies
- National champions (top league)
- Winners: 1957–58 (as VV DOS)
- KNVB Cup (national cup competition)
- Winners: 1984–85, 2002–03, 2003–04
- Runners-up: 1981–82, 2001–02, 2015–16
- Johan Cruijff Schaal (Super Cup)
- Winners: 2004
- Runners-up: 2003
European Trophies
- Intertoto Cup/Summer Cup
- Joint Winners: 1978
FC Utrecht in European Competitions
FC Utrecht first played in a European competition on September 17, 1980. This was in the 1980–81 UEFA Cup. Since then, the club has played in 14 different UEFA competitions. Their best results were reaching the group stages of the 2004–05 UEFA Cup and the 2010–11 UEFA Europa League.
| Competition | Played | Won | Drew | Lost | GF | GA | GD | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cup Winners' Cup | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 | −2 | 50.00 |
| UEFA Cup / UEFA Europa League | 54 | 16 | 17 | 21 | 69 | 72 | −3 | 29.63 |
| UEFA Intertoto Cup | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | +0 | 0.00 |
| Total | 58 | 17 | 19 | 22 | 73 | 78 | −5 | 29.31 |
Source: UEFA.com
Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal Difference. Defunct competitions indicated in italics.
Current UEFA Ranking
FC Utrecht is currently ranked 120th in Europe by UEFA. This ranking helps decide which teams get to play in European competitions.
| Rank | Country | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 119 |  |
Willem II | 11.420 |
| 120 | |
FC Utrecht | 11.420 |
| 121 |  |
Lens | 11.266 |
Meet the Team: Players and Staff
Current Squad
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Players on Loan
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Youth Squad
FC Utrecht also has a youth team called Jong FC Utrecht.
Retired Jersey Numbers
FC Utrecht has retired one jersey number to honor a special player.
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Club Records: Top Goalscorers
Here are the players who have scored the most goals for FC Utrecht.
- Players in bold text are still active.
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Players Who Played for Their National Teams
Many FC Utrecht players have also played for their country's national teams.
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- Players in bold actively play for FC Utrecht and for their respective national teams. Years in brackets indicate careerspan with Utrecht.
Players in International Tournaments
Some FC Utrecht players have represented their countries in big international tournaments. These include the FIFA World Cup and the UEFA European Championship.
| Cup | Players |
|---|---|
 UEFA Euro 1980 |
Hans van Breukelen |
| 1998 FIFA World Cup |
 Scott Booth |
 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup |
 Franck Grandel Loïc Loval |
 2008 Caribbean Cup |
Loïc Loval |
| 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup |
Loïc Loval |
 2010 Africa Cup of Nations |
 Jacob Mulenga |
 2010 FIFA World Cup |
Michel Vorm |
 2011 AFC Asian Cup |
 Tommy Oar |
| 2013 Africa Cup of Nations |
Jacob Mulenga |
 2014 FIFA World Cup |
Tommy Oar |
| 2015 AFC Asian Cup |
Tommy Oar |
| 2023 AFC Asian Cup |
 Zidane Iqbal Ivar Jenner |
Current Coaching Staff
The people who lead and train the FC Utrecht team are:
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Ron Jans |
| Assistant trainer | Rob Penders |
| Goalkeeper coach | Harald Wapenaar |
| Individual trainer | Willem Janssen |
| Jacob Mulenga |
List of FC Utrecht Coaches Through the Years
Many different coaches have led FC Utrecht since the club was founded.
- Bert Jacobs (1970–1974)
- Jan Rab (1974–76)
- Han Berger (1976–1983)
Barry Hughes (1983–84)- Nol de Ruiter (1984–1987)
- Han Berger (1987–1989)
- Cees Loffeld (1989–90)
- Ab Fafié (1990–1993)
- Henk Vonk (caretaker) (1993)
- Leo van Veen (1993–1995)
- Ton du Chatinier and Henk Vonk (1995)
- Simon Kistemaker (1995)
- Nol de Ruiter (caretaker) (1995–1996)
- Ronald Spelbos (1996–1997)
- Jan Wouters (1997)
- Mark Wotte (1997–2000)
- Frans Adelaar (2000–2002)
- Foeke Booy (2002–2007)
- Willem van Hanegem (2007–2008)
- Ton du Chatinier (2008–2011)
- Erwin Koeman (2011)
- Jan Wouters (2011–2014)
- Rob Alflen (2014–2015)
- Erik ten Hag (2015–2017)
- Jean-Paul de Jong (2017–2018)
- Dick Advocaat (2018–2019)
- John van den Brom (2019–2020)
- René Hake (2020–2022)
- Rick Kruys (caretaker) (2022)
- Henk Fraser (2022)
Michael Silberbauer (2022–2023)- Rob Penders (caretaker) (2023)
- Ron Jans (2023–present)
Kit Manufacturers
Different companies have made FC Utrecht's football kits over the years.
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Images for kids
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Detail from new stadium in 2007
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Exterior of Stadion Galgenwaard in 2007, with the Phanos logo visible
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Historical chart of league performance
See also
In Spanish: Football Club Utrecht para niños
