History of FC Basel (2000–present) facts for kids

Fussball Club Basel 1893 is a famous football club from Switzerland. They have a long and exciting history, playing at the top level of football in Switzerland since 1893. Today, FC Basel plays in the Swiss Super League. The club was started on November 15, 1893.

This article shares the story of FC Basel from the early 2000s until recently. It covers how the club became very successful, moved to a new stadium called St. Jakob-Park, and what has happened since then.

Chart of FC Basel table positions in the Swiss football league system

The Gross Era: A New Beginning

Building the Team: 2000-01 Season

This was FC Basel's 108th season. The club chairman was René C. Jäggi. FC Basel played their home games at Stadion Schützenmatte while their new stadium was being built. From March 15, 2001, they moved into the amazing new St. Jakob-Park.

Christian Gross was the coach for his second year. He signed many new players to make the team stronger. Some of these players were goalkeeper Miroslav König, midfielders André Muff and Hakan Yakin, and strikers Hervé Tum and Jean-Michel Tchouga.

Basel wanted to finish in the top four of the league to qualify for a European competition. They started the season with mixed results but then became more consistent. They got to play their championship games in the new St. Jakob-Park, which was sold out three times! Basel finished fourth in the league, which meant they qualified for the 2001 UEFA Intertoto Cup.

In the Swiss Cup, Basel won their first two matches but were knocked out in the quarter-finals after a penalty shootout. In the 2000–01 UEFA Cup, they won their first two rounds easily. However, they lost to Feyenoord in the second round, ending their European journey early.

Return to Glory: 2001-02 Season

René C. Jäggi was still the chairman, and Christian Gross continued as coach. Young players like Philipp Degen and Marco Streller joined the main team. Pascal Zuberbühler returned from his loan. Two big new players were Scott Chipperfield and Christian Eduardo Giménez. Giménez became the top scorer in the Swiss league that season!

The season started very badly with an 8-1 loss to FC Sion. But things quickly got better. Basel started winning many games and pulled ahead at the top of the league. They won the championship with three games left to play! This was their first league title in 22 years, a huge moment for the club.

Basel also aimed to win the Swiss Cup, especially since the final was in their home stadium, St. Jakob-Park. They beat FC Zürich and BSC Young Boys to reach the final. In the final, they won against Grasshoppers in extra time, thanks to a penalty. This meant Basel won both the league and the cup, a fantastic achievement!

Champions League Adventure: 2002-03 Season

After winning two titles, Basel had new goals. They wanted to keep their league and cup titles and go as far as possible in the Champions League. Werner Edelmann became the new chairman. Key new players included Julio Hernán Rossi and Antonio Esposito.

The Swiss league changed its format, reducing the number of teams. Basel started the season well, not losing any of their first seven games. They finished the first part of the season in second place. In the championship playoff round, Basel played very well, winning 10 of 14 games. However, they finished second in the league, just one point behind Grasshoppers.

In the Swiss Cup, Basel won all their matches easily, including a big 6-0 win against Neuchâtel Xamax in the final. They won the cup again!

European Journey Highlights

Basel's Champions League journey was thrilling. They beat a Slovakian team and then faced Scottish giants Celtic. After losing the first game 3-1, Basel won the second game 2-0 at home, moving to the group stage on away goals.

In the group stage, Basel was in a tough group with Valencia, Liverpool, and Spartak Moscow. They got a great 1-1 draw at Liverpool's home stadium, Anfield! They also beat Spartak Moscow twice. In their final group game against Liverpool, Basel led 3-0 at halftime! Liverpool fought back to make it 3-3, but Basel still qualified for the next round.

In the next stage, Basel faced huge teams like Manchester United, Juventus, and Deportivo de La Coruña. They had some amazing results, including a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford against Manchester United and a 2-1 win against Juventus at home. Even though they didn't reach the quarter-finals, Basel had a fantastic European season, going further than many expected.

Tenth Championship Title: 2003-04 Season

Werner Edelmann remained chairman, and Christian Gross continued as coach. Former youth player David Degen returned, and Matías Emilio Delgado was a big new signing.

Basel's main goal was to win the league title. They started the season perfectly, winning their first thirteen matches in a row! They were at the top of the league from the very first game and stayed there. Even though they had a few draws and losses after the winter break, they kept their lead and won their tenth championship title in club history!

In the Swiss Cup, Basel, as cup holders, wanted to win again. However, they were knocked out in the third round by Grasshopper Club Zürich.

In the 2003–04 UEFA Cup, Basel beat a Turkish team in a very close match that went to extra time. They won with a "silver goal" (the first goal scored in extra time wins the game). In the second round, they faced Newcastle United and lost both games, ending their European journey.

Back-to-Back Champions: 2004-05 Season

Christian Gross was still the coach for his sixth season. Basel aimed to win the championship for the second time in a row. They signed new players like Kléber and Patrick Müller.

The season started a bit slowly, but Basel quickly moved to the top of the league. They didn't lose any of their 17 home games all season! Basel secured the championship with three games left to play, winning the title by a clear ten points. They achieved their goal of being champions again.

In the Swiss Cup, Basel wanted to win the trophy. They easily won their first few matches against lower-league teams. However, they lost in the third round to FC Thun after a penalty shootout, missing their cup goal.

In the 2004–05 UEFA Champions League, Basel faced Internazionale in the qualifying round. They drew the first game at home but lost the second game, dropping into the 2004–05 UEFA Cup. In the UEFA Cup, Basel reached the group stage and then the knockout stage. They were knocked out by Lille OSC in the Round of 32. Even though they didn't go further, reaching the knockout stage was considered a success.

A Close Call and Fan Incident: 2005-06 Season

Basel's main goal was to win the league championship for the third time in a row. They started well and were at the top of the league until the very last day. Basel also set a club record of 59 unbeaten home league games!

However, on the final day of the season, FC Zürich scored a last-minute goal to win 2-1 against Basel. This meant Zürich won the championship on goal difference, and Basel lost the title in a very dramatic way. After the match, there were some problems with disappointed fans.

In the Swiss Cup, Basel won their first two games with many goals. But they were surprisingly knocked out in the third round by FC Zürich in a high-scoring 4-3 game.

In the UEFA Champions League qualifying round, Basel lost to German club Werder Bremen. They then moved to the UEFA Cup. Basel had a good run in the UEFA Cup, reaching the quarter-finals. They beat teams like Široki Brijeg and Monaco. In the quarter-finals, they faced Middlesbrough. Basel won the first game 2-0 at home, but Middlesbrough made a great comeback in the second game, winning 4-1 and knocking Basel out. Despite this, reaching the quarter-finals was a big success for Basel.

Runners-Up and Cup Winners: 2006-07 Season

After four seasons, Werner Edelmann stepped down as chairman, and Gisela Oeri became the club's first-ever chairwoman! Christian Gross continued as coach. A big change was the new goalkeeper, Franco Costanzo, who replaced Pascal Zuberbühler.

Because of the fan problems at the end of the previous season, Basel had to play their first two home games of this season without any fans in the stadium. They had a very poor start to the season, losing five of their first ten games. However, they made a great comeback after the winter break and finished the league season as runners-up, just one point behind champions FC Zürich. They missed their championship goal by a tiny bit.

Basel had a great run in the Swiss Cup. They won all their matches, including a tough semi-final. In the final, Basel beat FC Luzern 1-0 in extra time with a penalty goal. This meant Basel won the Swiss Cup, achieving their goal for the cup!

Basel's European journey in the 2006–07 UEFA Cup was not as successful. They qualified for the group stages but were knocked out after losing their final group game.

Double Winners Again: 2007-08 Season

Basel strengthened their team by bringing back Benjamin Huggel and Marco Streller, and loaning David Degen. Carlitos also joined.

Basel's main goal was to win the league championship. They had a few early defeats but then climbed back to the top of the league. They stayed in the lead for most of the season. On May 10, 2008, Basel won the Swiss Super League title at St. Jakob-Park after beating their main rivals, BSC Young Boys.

Basel also won the 2007–08 Swiss Cup for the second season in a row! They beat AC Bellinzona 4-1 in the final. This was a very successful season for Basel, winning both the league and the cup.

In the 2007–08 UEFA Cup, Basel easily won their first two qualifying rounds. They then entered a tough group with strong teams. However, Basel played very well, winning two games and drawing two, which helped them qualify for the knockout stage. They faced Sporting CP in the Round of 32 but lost both games and were eliminated. Still, reaching the last 32 was a good result for the club.

A Challenging Season: 2008-09

Gisela Oeri remained chairwoman, and Christian Gross continued as coach for his tenth season. Basel, as defending champions, wanted to win the league again. They started well and took the lead in the table. However, FC Zürich also played strongly, and the two teams often swapped places at the top.

Basel had some unexpected losses, including a big 5-1 defeat to FC Luzern before the winter break. In the second half of the season, the title race remained very close between Basel and Zürich. In the end, Zürich won the championship, and Basel finished in third place, their lowest position since 2001. After this season, coach Gross's long time at Basel came to an end.

In the 2008–09 Swiss Cup, Basel aimed to keep their title. They won their early matches against lower-league teams. They beat FC Zürich in the quarter-finals. In the semi-final against BSC Young Boys, the game went to a penalty shootout after no goals were scored. Basel lost the shootout, so they didn't reach the final.

In the 2008–09 UEFA Champions League, Basel qualified for the group stage after winning two tough qualifying rounds. They were in a group with Barcelona, Shakhtar Donetsk, and Sporting CP. Basel found it difficult in this strong group, losing most of their games and finishing last. They were eliminated from the competition.

Eight Straight Titles: Basel's Dominance

Fink Takes Charge: 2009-10 Season

German coach Thorsten Fink became Basel's new manager. Important new players included Alexander Frei from Borussia Dortmund and young talents like Xherdan Shaqiri.

Basel had a poor start to the domestic league season, being near the bottom of the table after eight games. But then, they started playing much better, winning many matches. They made a great comeback in the second half of the season, winning nine games in a row at one point! On the last day of the season, Basel played against BSC Young Boys in a winner-takes-all match for the championship. Basel won 2-0, with goals from Valentin Stocker and Scott Chipperfield, securing the league title!

Basel also had a fantastic run in the 2009–10 Swiss Cup. They won all their matches, including a big 6-0 victory over FC Lausanne-Sport in the final. This was the club's tenth Swiss Cup title, and they won both the league and the cup again!

In the 2009–10 UEFA Europa League, Basel easily won their qualifying rounds. They reached the group stage with Roma, Fulham, and CSKA Sofia. Basel started well with a 2-0 win against Roma. They won two games against CSKA Sofia. However, they lost to Fulham twice, including a close 3-2 loss at home in the final group game, which meant Basel finished third in the group and were knocked out.

Defending the Title: 2010-11 Season

Thorsten Fink continued as head coach. Young players like Taulant Xhaka and Granit Xhaka joined the team. Basel's main goal was to win the league title again.

The season started with a mix of wins and surprising losses, including a 4-1 home defeat to FC Luzern. This left Basel in the middle of the league table. However, after the winter break, Basel played their best football, winning eight league games in a row and climbing to the top. The championship became a close race with FC Zürich. In the end, Basel won the championship on the very last day of the season!

In the 2010–11 Swiss Cup, Basel, as cup holders, wanted to defend their title. They reached the quarter-finals but were surprisingly defeated 3-1 by a lower-league team, FC Biel-Bienne. This was a big disappointment for the team.

As Swiss Champions, Basel entered the 2010–11 UEFA Champions League qualifying rounds. They successfully beat two teams to reach the group stage. They were in a group with Bayern Munich, Roma, and CFR Cluj. Basel had some tough losses but also a great 3-1 away win against Roma. They finished third in their group, which meant they moved to the UEFA Europa League knockout stage. Here, they lost to Spartak Moscow. Overall, reaching the Champions League group stage and then the Europa League knockout stage was a good result.

Coaching Change and Double Win: 2011-12 Season

At the start of the season, Thorsten Fink was still the coach. However, in October, Fink left to join another club. His assistant, Heiko Vogel, became the new head coach. Key players like Fabian Frei returned, and Mohamed Salah was a big new signing.

Basel aimed to defend their league championship. They had a slow start with many draws and losses in their first few games. But under the new coach, the team improved a lot. They went on an amazing unbeaten run of 26 games, matching a Swiss record! Even though they lost their last game, Basel successfully defended their Swiss Super League title.

Basel also wanted to win the 2011–12 Swiss Cup. They easily won their early matches against amateur teams. They reached the final against FC Luzern. The game was a 1-1 draw after extra time, so it went to a penalty shootout. Goalkeeper Yann Sommer was the hero, saving two penalties, and Basel won the shootout 4-2! This was Basel's 11th Swiss Cup title, and they won both the league and the cup again!

Champions League Thrills

Basel entered the 2011–12 UEFA Champions League group stage directly. They were in a group with Benfica, Manchester United, and Oțelul Galați. Basel started with a win against Oțelul Galați. In a thrilling game at Old Trafford against Manchester United, Basel came back from 2-0 down to lead 3-2, but United scored late to make it 3-3.

The final group game was against Manchester United, with both teams fighting for a spot in the knockout stage. Basel needed to win, and they did! They beat United 2-1 with goals from Marco Streller and Alexander Frei, qualifying for the knockout phase!

In the knockout phase, Basel faced Bayern Munich. In the first game at home, Basel pulled off a stunning 1-0 victory! However, the return game was very different, with Bayern winning 7-0. Basel's Champions League journey ended here, but reaching the knockout phase and beating Manchester United was a huge success.

Yakin's Arrival and Fourth Title: 2012-13 Season

Heiko Vogel started as coach, but the club announced in October that Murat Yakin would replace him. Many players left, including Benjamin Huggel and Scott Chipperfield who retired. New important players were Mohamed Salah and Marcelo Díaz.

Basel's main goal was to win the league championship for the fourth time in a row. They had a poor start to the season, falling behind the leaders. But after Murat Yakin became coach, the team improved a lot. They climbed up the table and eventually took the lead. Basel won their fourth league title in a row, finishing three points ahead of their rivals!

In the 2012–13 Swiss Cup, Basel, as cup holders, wanted to win again. They reached the final against Grasshopper Club. The game was a 1-1 draw after extra time, and Basel lost in a penalty shootout. They reached the final, but couldn't win the trophy.

European Semi-Final Run

Basel entered the 2012–13 UEFA Champions League qualifying rounds but lost in the play-off round, dropping into the Europa League group stage. They finished second in their group and advanced to the knockout phase.

Basel had an amazing run in the Europa League! They beat Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk and Zenit St. Petersburg to reach the quarter-finals. There, they faced Tottenham Hotspurs. Both games were very exciting. The first leg was a 2-2 draw. The second leg was also a draw after extra time, so it went to a penalty shootout. Basel won the shootout, with goalkeeper Yann Sommer making key saves, and advanced to the semi-finals!

In the semi-finals, Basel faced Chelsea. They lost both games, but reaching the semi-finals was a historic achievement for a Swiss team. It was their best European performance ever!

Five-in-a-Row Champions: 2013-14 Season

Murat Yakin was the first team manager. Key players like Behrang Safari and Matías Delgado returned to the club. Basel's main goal was to win the league championship for the fifth time in a row.

Basel was known for slow starts, and this season was no different. They were in fourth place after six games. But then, they went on an incredible run of 28 league games without defeat! They took the lead in the table and stayed there. Basel won the league championship by seven points, achieving their goal of five titles in a row!

For the 2013–14 Swiss Cup, Basel wanted to win after losing the previous final. They reached the final against FC Zürich. The game was a 0-0 draw after 90 minutes. In extra time, Basel had two players sent off, and Zürich scored two goals to win the cup. Losing the final for the second time in a row was very disappointing.

Champions League Surprises

Basel entered the 2013–14 UEFA Champions League qualifying rounds and successfully reached the group stage. They were in a group with Chelsea, Schalke 04, and Steaua București.

Basel had met Chelsea in the Europa League semi-finals just five months earlier and lost both games. But in their first Champions League group game, Basel caused a huge shock by beating Chelsea 2-1 at their home stadium, Stamford Bridge! They also beat Chelsea again at home later in the group stage. However, they lost to Schalke 04 and drew both games against Steaua București. In their final group game, Basel needed a draw against Schalke to go through, but they lost 2-0. Basel finished third in the group, which meant they moved to the Europa League knockout stage.

In the Europa League, Basel beat Maccabi Tel Aviv and then had a dramatic win against Red Bull Salzburg, winning 2-1 away despite playing with 10 men for most of the game. In the quarter-finals, Basel faced Valencia. They won the first leg at home 3-0! But in the second leg, Valencia made an amazing comeback, winning 3-0 in 90 minutes and then scoring two more goals in extra time to win 5-0. Basel was knocked out, but reaching the quarter-finals was still a successful European journey.

Sousa's Era Begins: 2014-15 Season

Paulo Sousa became Basel's new team manager. New players included goalkeeper Tomáš Vaclík, Yoichiro Kakitani, Derlis González, and Shkëlzen Gashi.

Basel's 2014–15 Swiss Super League season started well with four wins. However, they then had some mixed results, and the new coach faced some criticism for changing the team lineup often. But Basel kept winning important games and finished the first half of the season eight points clear at the top. They continued to lead the league and won the championship by a big 12-point margin! They achieved their goal of winning the league title.

For the 2014–15 Swiss Cup, Basel wanted to win the trophy after losing the last two finals. They reached the final again, this time against FC Sion. However, Sion played very well and beat Basel 3-0. This was a big disappointment for Basel, as it was their third cup final loss in a row.

Champions League Group Stage

Basel entered the 2014–15 UEFA Champions League group stage directly. They were in a group with Real Madrid, Liverpool, and Ludogorets Razgrad.

Basel started with a tough 5-1 loss away to Real Madrid. But in their next game, they beat Liverpool 1-0 at home! They also had a big 4-0 home win against Ludogorets. The final group game was against Liverpool, with Basel needing a draw to qualify for the knockout stage. Basel scored first and held on for a 1-1 draw, which meant they qualified for the Champions League knockout phase!

In the knockout phase, Basel faced Porto. The first game at home was a 1-1 draw. But in the second game, Porto played very strongly and won 4-0, ending Basel's Champions League journey. Despite the loss, reaching the Champions League knockout phase was a great achievement for Basel.

Fischer Leads to Another Title: 2015-16 Season

Urs Fischer was appointed as Basel's new head coach. New players included Michael Lang, Marc Janko, and Manuel Akanji. Matías Delgado became the new team captain.

Basel started the season incredibly well, winning their first eight matches and scoring many goals. They suffered their first league defeat in November but still led the league table by a large margin at the winter break. Basel continued their strong performance in the second half of the season. On April 30, they secured the championship with five games left to play! They won the league title, while FC Zürich was sadly relegated.

Basel's goal for the 2015–16 Swiss Cup was to finally win it after being runners-up for three seasons in a row. They reached the quarter-finals, where they faced FC Sion. The game was a 2-2 draw after extra time, leading to a penalty shootout. Basel lost the shootout, missing their chance to win the cup again.

Europa League Journey

Basel entered the 2015–16 UEFA Champions League qualifying rounds but were knocked out by Maccabi Tel Aviv on away goals. This meant they dropped into the Europa League group stage.

Basel was in a group with Fiorentina, Lech Poznań, and Belenenses. They started well with an away win against Fiorentina and a home win against Lech Poznań. They won their group and advanced to the knockout phase.

In the Round of 32, Basel beat Saint-Étienne on away goals after two close games. In the Round of 16, they faced the Europa League champions, Sevilla. The first game at home was a 0-0 draw. But in the away game, Sevilla scored three quick goals and won 3-0, knocking Basel out. It would have been a dream for Basel to reach the final, which was played in their home stadium, St. Jakob-Park. Despite not reaching the final, their European journey was considered a success.

See also

• FC Basel
• List of FC Basel players
• List of FC Basel seasons
• Football in Switzerland