K.A.A. Gent facts for kids
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| Full name | Koninklijke Atletiek Associatie Gent | |||
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| Nickname(s) | De Buffalo's (The Buffalos) Gantoise | |||
| Founded | 1864 (as a gymnastics association) 1900 (as a football association) |
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| Ground | Planet Group Arena | |||
| Capacity | 20,175 | |||
| Chairman | Sam Baro | |||
| Sporting Director | Arnar Viðarsson | |||
| Head coach | Wouter Vrancken | |||
| League | Belgian Pro League | |||
| 2023–24 | Belgian Pro League, 7th of 16 | |||
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Koninklijke Atletiek Associatie Gent, usually called Gent or De Buffalo's, is a famous Belgian sports club. It is based in the city of Ghent, East Flanders. The football team is the most well-known part of the club. They have played in the top Belgian league, the Belgian First Division A, since the 1989–90 season.
Gent won the national league title once, in 2014–15. They have also won the Belgian Cup four times. The team plays its home games at the Planet Group Arena. Their team colors are blue and white.
The club started as a gymnastics and athletics group in 1864. This makes it one of the oldest sports clubs in Belgium. It was first known by its French name, La Gantoise. In 1971, the name changed to the Dutch version we know today. The football part of the club began in 1900. The nickname De Buffalo's came from a visit by Buffalo Bill's Wild West circus in the early 1900s. The club's logo shows a Native American profile. This comes from the feather headdresses worn by chiefs in Buffalo Bill's show.
Gent played in the top Belgian football league from 1913–14 to 1928–29. They returned to the top league from 1936–37 to 1966–67. In the 1970s and 1980s, the club moved between the first and second divisions. They came back to the top league for good in 1989. Their best result in European competitions was reaching the quarter-finals of the 1991–92 UEFA Cup. Besides football, Gent also has sections for track and field and field hockey.
Contents
Club History: The Buffalo's Journey
Early Days and Growth (1864-1914)
In 1864, a group called 'Société Gymnastique la Gantoise' started to promote gymnastics. Over time, different sports joined. In 1891, this group merged with others to form 'Association Athlétique La Gantoise'. This new club included sports like athletics, boxing, and hockey.
Football became popular in Ghent in the late 1800s. In 1900, students from the College of Melle started a football section for KAA Gent. Their first president was Dr. Hector Priem. The team first played in black and white. But by October 31, 1900, they changed to blue and white. This is when they officially joined the Belgian football union.
KAA Gent played its first official game in November 1900. In 1901, they played against Racing Club Gantois, a bigger local team. KAA Gent lost 10–0. Even so, KAA Gent got a lower "matricule number" (a unique club ID). This showed they were recognized earlier by the football association.
Moving Stadiums and Royal Status (1913-1970)
For many years, the team played in the Belgian Second Division. In 1913, the club moved to the Albertlaan. They built a new stadium with a football pitch, training fields, and tennis courts. Sadly, during World War I, the stadium burned down in 1915.
In 1912–13, KAA Gent won the Second Division championship. In 1914, the team received a special "royal title." This meant they could add "Royal" to their name. They became 'Association Royale Athlétique La Gantoise'.
In 1920, the team moved again to Gentbrugge. Here, the Jules Ottenstadion was built. KAA Gent went back to the Second Division. They returned to the top league in 1936. In the mid-1950s, the team played some of its best football. They finished third in 1953–54 and second in 1954–55.
In 1964, KAA Gent won the Belgian Cup. This was their first major trophy! Because of this win, they became the first Belgian team to play in the European Cup Winners' Cup. They lost to West Ham United in the first round. In 1967, the club was relegated again. But they quickly returned to the top league after just one year.
New Name and European Adventures (1971-2010)
In 1971, the club's name was officially changed to the Dutch "Koninklijke Atletiek Associatie Gent." The 1970s were tough for Gent. They were relegated to the Second Division in 1971. In 1974, they even dropped to the Third Division. But they bounced back to the Second Division after one season. They returned to the First Division in 1980.
The 1980s were much better. In 1984, they won the Belgian Cup again. During this time, they played in European competitions four times. In 1986–87, Gent reached the Third Round of the UEFA Cup. In 1988, they briefly fell to the Second Division. But they quickly returned to the First Division thanks to promotion play-offs. A key person was Marc Mortier, who helped the team financially. He brought in over 1.25 million euros in sponsorship.
In 1990–91, Gent played very well and finished third in the league. This earned them a spot in the UEFA Cup. They beat teams like Lausanne-Sport, Eintracht Frankfurt, and Dynamo Moscow. They reached the quarter-finals, where they lost to Ajax.
Results varied in the following years. But by the late 1990s, they improved again. In 1999–00, KAA Gent qualified for European football. They reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Intertoto Cup in 2001.
In 2004, Georges Leekens became coach. He led the team to strong performances. A memorable win was 4–1 against rival Club Brugge in 2006. In 2006–07 and 2007–08, they finished fourth in the Belgian Pro League.
In 2008, Michel Preud'homme became coach. In 2008–09, the team finished fourth again. In 2009–10, Gent had a big battle for second place with Club Brugge. They won a key match 6–2 against Brugge. This earned them a spot in the UEFA Champions League. A week later, Gent won the Belgian Cup again, beating Cercle Brugge.
First League Title and European Success (2013-Present)
On July 17, 2013, the club opened its new stadium, the Ghelamco Arena. They won their first game there 2–0 against VfB Stuttgart.
On May 21, 2015, Gent made history! They won their first-ever Belgian Pro League title by beating Standard Liège 2–0. This win meant they automatically qualified for the group stage of the UEFA Champions League.
In the Champions League, Gent was in a tough group with Zenit Saint Petersburg, Valencia, and Lyon. But they played better than expected!
- They drew 1–1 with Lyon at home, earning their first Champions League point.
- They lost 1–2 to Zenit and Valencia.
- Then, they beat Valencia 1–0 at home for their first Champions League victory!
- They also beat Lyon 2–1 away with a dramatic last-minute goal.
- Finally, they won 2–1 against Zenit. This meant Gent finished second in their group. They became only the second Belgian team ever to reach the Champions League knockout phase!
In the Round of 16, they played Wolfsburg. They lost 2–3 at home and 0–1 away, ending their Champions League journey. But it was their best European season ever!
In the 2016–17 season, they played in the UEFA Europa League. They beat Tottenham Hotspur 3–2 on aggregate. About 8,000 Gent fans traveled to Wembley for the away game! In the next round, they lost to fellow Belgian team KRC Genk.
Rivalries
KAA Gent has a strong rivalry with Club Brugge. This match is often called the "Battle of Flanders" by the media. This is because it's a match between two of Flanders' main cities. Many Club Brugge fans also live in Ghent. But KAA Gent fans are very proud of their local identity. Gent fans sometimes call Club Brugge fans "boeren" (peasants). This is partly because West Flanders has a farming background.
Honours: Gent's Trophies
- Belgian First Division
- Winners (1): 2014–15
- Runners-up (3): 1954–55, 2009–10, 2019–20
- Belgian Cup
- Winner (4): 1963–64, 1983–84, 2009–10, 2021–22
- Runners-up (2): 2007–08, 2018–19
- Belgian Super Cup
- Winners (1): 2015
- Runners-up (3): 1983–84, 2010, 2022
- UEFA Intertoto Cup
- Runners-up (2): 2006, 2007
European Record: How Gent Plays in Europe
KAA Gent has played many matches in European competitions. Here's a summary of their performance:
| Competition | Played | Won | Drew | Lost | GF | GA | GD | Win% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UEFA Champions League | 13 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 14 | 23 | −9 | 30.77 |
| Cup Winners' Cup | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | −3 | 25.00 |
| UEFA Cup / UEFA Europa League | 81 | 28 | 21 | 32 | 108 | 122 | −14 | 34.57 |
| UEFA Europa Conference League | 15 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 19 | 10 | +9 | 53.33 |
| Total | 113 | 41 | 25 | 47 | 143 | 160 | −17 | 36.28 |
Legend: GF = Goals For (goals scored). GA = Goals Against (goals conceded). GD = Goal Difference.
Players and Staff
Current Squad: Meet the Team
Here are some of the players currently on the KAA Gent team:
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Players on Loan
Some players are currently playing for other teams on loan:
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Technical Staff and Management
The club has a team of people who help run it, from coaches to directors:
| Name | Position |
|---|---|
| Wouter Vrancken |  Head Coach |
| Danijel Milićević |  Assistant Coach |
| Kevin Van Dessel | Assistant Coach |
| Franky Vandendriessche | Goalkeeper Coach |
| Stijn Matthys | Physical Coach |
| Ivan De Witte | Chairman |
| Michel Louwagie | Managing Director |
| Manu Ferrera | Youth director |
Famous Former Players
Many great players have played for KAA Gent.
- Six players from Gent have been top scorers in the Belgian league: Maurice Willems, Ronny Martens, Erwin Vandenbergh, Ole Martin Arst, Jonathan David, and Hugo Cuypers.
- Roland Storme won the Golden Shoe award in 1958–59.
- Frédéric Herpoel was chosen as the best goalkeeper in 2004.
- Mbark Boussoufa won many awards, including "pro-player of the year."
- Ahmed "Mido" Hossam also won the Ebony Shoe award in 2001.
- Maurice Willems scored the most goals for Gent, with 185 goals between 1952 and 1962.
- Armand Seghers played the most games for the first team, with 507 matches from 1949 to 1960.
- Richard Orlans played for the Belgium National Team 21 times while at Gent.
- Frédéric Herpoel won the Jean-Claude Bouvy Trophy four times for being the "most valuable player."
- Leon Mokuna was the first African player in Belgian football in 1957.
Jean-Claude Bouvy Trophy
The Jean-Claude Bouvy Trophy is an award given each year to K.A.A. Gent's most valuable player. It started in 1979 and was named after Jean-Claude Bouvy, a Gent player who sadly died in a car crash in 1986.
Trophy Winners
| Season | Player | Nationality |
|---|---|---|
| 1978–79 | Filip Benoot | Belgium |
| 1979–80 | Roger Coenye | Belgium |
| 1980–81 | Luc Criel | Belgium |
| 1981–82 | André Laurijssen | Belgium |
| 1982–83 | Søren Busk |  Denmark |
| 1983–84 | No trophy awarded | |
| 1984–85 | Ronny Martens | Belgium |
| 1985–86 | Michel De Wolf | Belgium |
| 1986–87 | Michel De Wolf | Belgium |
| 1987–88 | André Laurijssen | Belgium |
| 1988–89 | Augustine Eguavoen |  Nigeria |
| 1989–90 | Henri Balenga |  DR Congo |
| 1990–91 | Erwin Vandenbergh | Belgium |
| 1991–92 | Eric Viscaal |  Netherlands |
| 1992–93 | Zsolt Petry |  Hungary |
| 1993–94 | Tony Herreman | Belgium |
| 1994–95 | Suvad Katana | Bosnia-Herzegovina |
| 1995–96 | Suvad Katana | Bosnia-Herzegovina |
| 1996–97 | Tony Herreman | Belgium |
| 1997–98 | Stijn Vreven | Belgium |
| 1998–99 | Pieter Collen | Belgium |
| 1999–00 | Eric Joly |  France |
| 2000–01 | Geri Çipi |  Albania |
| 2001–02 | Frédéric Herpoel | Belgium |
| 2002–03 | Frédéric Herpoel | Belgium |
| 2003–04 | Frédéric Herpoel | Belgium |
| 2004–05 | Frédéric Herpoel | Belgium |
| 2005–06 | Mbark Boussoufa |  Morocco |
| 2006–07 | Adékambi Olufadé |  Togo |
| 2007–08 | Bryan Ruiz |  Costa Rica |
| 2008–09 | Bryan Ruiz | Costa Rica |
| 2009–10 | Bojan Jorgačević |  Serbia |
| 2010–11 | Bojan Jorgačević | Serbia |
| 2011–12 | Bernd Thijs | Belgium |
| 2012–13 | Hannes Van der Bruggen | Belgium |
| 2013–14 | Christophe Lepoint | Belgium |
| 2014–15 | Laurent Depoitre | Belgium |
| 2015–16 | Nana Asare |  Ghana |
| 2016–17 | Lovre Kalinić |  Croatia |
| 2017–18 | Samuel Gigot | France |
| 2018–19 | Dylan Bronn |  Tunisia |
| 2019–20 | Jonathan David |  Canada |
| 2020–21 | Alessio Castro-Montes | Belgium |
| 2021–22 | Tarik Tissoudali | Morocco |
| 2022–23 | Hugo Cuypers | Belgium |
Kit Sponsors: Team Colors and Brands
The team's jerseys have changed over the years. Here's a look at the brands that made their kits and the main sponsors on their shirts:
| Period | Kit supplier | Shirt sponsor (chest) |
|---|---|---|
| 1977–1980 | Beton-Wegenbouw Gent | |
| 1980–1984 | Le Coq Sportif | |
| 1984–1986 | Bellewaerde Park | |
| 1986–1988 | Maes-Pils | |
| 1988–1996 | adidas | vdk bank |
| 1996–2004 | Umbro | |
| 2004–2007 | Nike | |
| 2007–2013 | Jako | |
| 2013–2015 | Masita | |
| 2015–2018 | Jartazi | |
| 2018–2023 | Craft | |
| 2023– | Baloise |
Images for kids
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1914 logo of La Gantoise
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During a 2010 game against SV Zulte Waregem
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See also
In Spanish: K. A. A. Gante para niños
