Molde FK facts for kids
Molde Fotballklubb is a football club from Molde, Norway. They play in the Eliteserien, which is the top football league in Norway. The club started on June 19, 1911, and was first called International. In 1915, they changed their name to Molde.
Molde is a very successful club. They have won the league five times (in 2011, 2012, 2014, 2019, and 2022). They have also won the Norwegian Cup six times (in 1994, 2005, 2013, 2014, 2022, and 2023). Molde is one of only two Norwegian clubs to have played in the UEFA Champions League, which is a big European tournament.
The team plays its home games at the Aker Stadion. This stadium can hold 11,249 fans. It opened in 1998 and was a gift from local business people Kjell Inge Røkke and Bjørn Rune Gjelsten. Molde's fan club is called Tornekrattet, which means "Thicket of thorns". This name comes from Molde city's nickname, "The Town of Roses". Molde's biggest rival is Rosenborg.
Club History
Molde FK has a long and interesting history, growing from a small local team to one of Norway's best.
Early Days (1911–1963)
Molde FK was started on June 19, 1911, by Klaus Daae Andersen. The first chairman was J. Ferdinand Dahl. The club was first named International. This might have been because they played against teams from cruise ships or trading ships. Or it could have been to welcome the many Danish workers in the Gideon engine factory.
On August 5, 1912, the club played its first official match. It was an away game against Kristiansund and ended in a 2–2 draw. In 1915, the club changed its name to Molde Fotballklubb. They played in the top league for the first time in 1939–40. But that season was stopped because of the German occupation. In 1947–48, Molde was moved down from the top league.
Breaking Through (1964–1977)
On August 2, 1964, Molde surprised everyone. They beat Fredrikstad 3–2 in the Norwegian Cup. Fredrikstad was a very strong team back then. Players like Jan Fuglset, Torkild Brakstad, and Harry Hestad played for Molde during this time.
In 1970, Molde moved up to the second-highest league. They stayed there for three seasons. Then, on September 16, 1973, they won 5–1 against Sogndal. This win meant they were promoted to the top league, the Eliteserien.
In 1974, Molde was back in the top division. Many talented young players joined the team. Also, older stars like Fuglset, Brakstad, and Hestad returned. Molde did very well that season. They were even leading the league for many weeks. In the end, they finished second, just one point behind the champions, Viking. Since then, Molde has usually stayed in the top league. They have become one of Norway's top clubs. Many Molde players have also played for the national team.
Ups and Downs (1978–1993)
Between 1978 and 1984, Molde often moved between leagues. They were moved down from the top league in even-numbered years. Then they were promoted back up in odd-numbered years.
In 1982, Molde played in their first ever cup final. They lost 3–2 against Brann at Ullevaal Stadion. This was even though they were moved down from the top league that year.
The 1987 season was very exciting. Molde was very close to winning the league title. They just needed a draw at home against Moss in the last game. But Moss won 2–0, and Molde finished second. The crowd for that game was 14,615, which was a record for the old Molde stadium.
Molde played in another cup final in 1989. They drew 2–2 with Viking in the first match. But Viking won the replay 2–1. In 1993, Molde was moved down from the top league again. The club also had money problems. But local business people Kjell Inge Røkke and Bjørn Rune Gjelsten started to help the club. They invested a lot of money to pay off debts and buy new players. They also helped build the new stadium.
The Silver Generation (1994–2000)
In 1994, Åge Hareide was Molde's coach. The team finished second in their league group and moved back up to the top division. Molde also reached the semi-final of the 1994 Norwegian Cup. They beat their main rivals Rosenborg 4–3 overall. Molde then won their first ever trophy by beating Lyn 3–2 in the final.

In 1995, Molde became famous for their three strikers: Ole Gunnar Solskjær, Arild Stavrum, and Ole Bjørn Sundgot. In their first league game, Molde won 6–0 against Brann. Solskjær scored two goals in that game. Molde won six games in a row and stayed near the top of the league. They finished second, 15 points behind Rosenborg.
Solskjær scored 31 goals in 42 games for Molde. He was then sold to Manchester United in 1996. Molde finished eighth that season. In 1997, they finished fourth.
In 1998, Molde did not lose any of their first 21 matches. This was a Norwegian record for a long time. But then they lost to Vålerenga. Rosenborg then took over the top spot. Rosenborg won the league that year, and Molde finished second again.
The year 1999 was a very good season for Molde. They finished second in the league. They also reached the semi-final of the 1999 Norwegian Cup. Molde also played in the UEFA Champions League. They beat CSKA Moscow and Mallorca to reach the group stage. This was a huge achievement for a team from a small city. In the group stage, Molde played against big teams like Real Madrid, Porto, and Olympiacos. They won one game and lost five, finishing last in their group.
From "Gunder method" to Relegation (2001–2006)
In 2001, Gunder Bengtsson became Molde's head coach. In 2002, he led Molde to second place in the league. However, fans were not very excited because of the team's defensive style of play.
In 2003, Molde started the season poorly. Bengtsson was fired and Odd Berg took over. Molde struggled but avoided being moved down from the league. In 2004, the team finished 11th.
In 2005, Bo Johansson became the new coach. Molde won their second Norwegian Football Cup title. They beat Lillestrøm 4–2 in the final after extra time. But in the league, they finished 12th. They had to play a special playoff to stay in the top league, which they won. Bo Johansson left after one season. Arild Stavrum became the new coach.
Because they won the Norwegian Cup, Molde played in the 2006–07 UEFA Cup. They played against the Scottish team Rangers. Molde lost 2–0 overall. In the same year, Molde was moved down from the top league. They had been close to being moved down for four seasons. Arild Stavrum was fired at the end of the season.
A New Era (2007–Present)
In December 2006, Kjell Jonevret became the new head coach. In 2007, Molde won the second-highest league, the 2007 1. divisjon. This meant they were promoted back to the top league. In 2009, Molde was again the second-best team in Norway, behind Rosenborg. Molde also beat Rosenborg 5–0 in the cup quarter-final. In the final, Molde lost to their local rivals Aalesunds FK after a penalty shootout.
In 2010, Jonevret was fired because the team was not doing well. Uwe Rösler took over as coach. Under him, Molde played much better and avoided being moved down.
Before the club's 100-year anniversary in 2011, former Molde and Manchester United player Ole Gunnar Solskjær came back to manage the club. On June 19, 2011, Molde celebrated their anniversary with a 2–0 win. They were at the top of the league table. Molde then won their first league championship on October 30, 2011. They successfully defended their title in 2012. In 2013, Molde won the Norwegian Cup for the third time. Solskjær left the club in January 2014 to manage Cardiff City.
Under the new manager Tor Ole Skullerud, Molde won both the league and the cup in 2014. This was their first "double" win. But Skullerud was fired in 2015, and Solskjær returned. On December 19, 2018, Solskjær left again to become manager of Manchester United. Erling Moe then became Molde's permanent manager. Moe led Molde to their fourth league title in his first full season.
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Åge Hareide, coach 1986–1991, 1994–1997
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Ole Gunnar Solskjær, manager 2011–2014, 2015–2018
Team Kit
Molde's home kit is blue shirts, white shorts, and white socks. Their away kit usually has white shirts, blue shorts, and blue socks. For European games, they often wear all-blue home kits or all-white away kits.
Molde's first shirt sponsor was Opel in 1980. Over the years, they have had different sponsors. Since 2003, Sparebanken Møre has been their main shirt sponsor.
From 2002 to 2013, Molde's shirts were made by Umbro. In 2014, Molde signed a deal with Nike. Since 2022, Adidas has been their kit supplier.
Kit Suppliers and Shirt Sponsors
Period | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
---|---|---|
1973–1979 | Adidas | none |
1980 | Hummel | Opel |
1981–1982 | Storebrand | |
1983–1986 | Glamox | |
1987–1989 | Norsk Tipping | |
1990 | DnB | |
1991 | Expert | |
1992–1999 | Diadora | G-Sport |
2000–2001 | Commit | |
2002 | Umbro | |
2003–2013 | Sparebanken Møre | |
2014–2021 | Nike | |
2022– | Adidas |
Home Stadiums
Molde's current stadium is the Aker Stadion. It is located by the sea in central Molde. The stadium cost a lot of money, mostly paid by investor Kjell Inge Røkke. Because of him, the stadium is sometimes called "Røkkeløkka". The official name became Aker Stadion in 2006.
The stadium opened on April 18, 1998. The Prime Minister of Norway, Kjell Magne Bondevik, who was a Molde fan, officially opened it. In the first game, Molde beat Lillestrøm 4–0. About 13,010 fans came to watch. The record number of fans at Aker Stadion is 13,308. This was for a game against Rosenborg in 1998. When Molde played in the 1999–2000 UEFA Champions League group stage, more seats were added. Today, the stadium can hold 11,249 people.
Before Aker Stadion, Molde played at Molde Idrettspark since 1955. This was a city-owned sports ground. It opened on August 28, 1955. About 2,500 fans watched the first game there. The record attendance at Molde Idrettspark was 14,615 in 1987. Today, Molde Idrettspark is used by other local teams.
Fan Support
Molde's official fan club is called Tornekrattet. This name means "The thicket of thorns" in English. It refers to Molde city's nickname, "The Town of Roses." The fan club started after Molde won the 1994 Norwegian Football Cup final.
Rivalries
Molde's biggest rival is Rosenborg. These two teams have often fought for the top league title. They have won many titles between them, making their games very exciting. Molde also has rivalries with other teams from their region, like Aalesund and Kristiansund.
Players
Current Squad
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Player Records
Here are some interesting records held by Molde FK players in the top division. Current players are shown in bold.
Most Matches PlayedThis list shows the top 10 Molde players with the most games played in the top division.
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Most Goals ScoredThis list shows the top 12 Molde players who have scored the most goals in the top division.
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Player of the Season
This award is given to the best player of the season.
Molde FK Player of the Season (1983–2013) | |||||
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Season | Name | Nationality | Position | Notes | Ref |
1983 | Jan Berg | ![]() |
Midfielder | RB-kruset (Awarded by newspaper Romsdals Budstikke) | |
1984 | Inge Bratteteig | ![]() |
Goalkeeper | RB-kruset | |
1985 | Inge Bratteteig | ![]() |
Goalkeeper | RB-kruset | |
1986 | Ulrich Møller | ![]() |
Defender | RB-kruset | |
1987 | Ulrich Møller | ![]() |
Defender | RB-kruset | |
1988 | Thor André Olsen | ![]() |
Goalkeeper | RB-kruset | |
1989 | Thor André Olsen | ![]() |
Goalkeeper | RB-kruset | |
1990 | Thor André Olsen | ![]() |
Goalkeeper | RB-kruset | |
1991 | Øyvind Leonhardsen | ![]() |
Midfielder | RB-kruset | |
1992 | Ulrich Møller | ![]() |
Defender | RB-kruset | |
1993 | Morten Bakke | ![]() |
Goalkeeper | RB-kruset | |
1994 | Morten Bakke | ![]() |
Goalkeeper | RB-kruset | |
1995 | Petter Rudi | ![]() |
Midfielder | RB-kruset | |
1996 | Petter Christian Singsaas | ![]() |
Defender | RB-kruset | |
1997 | Morten Bakke | ![]() |
Goalkeeper | RB-kruset | |
1998 | Trond Andersen | ![]() |
Defender | RB-kruset | |
1999 | Andreas Lund | ![]() |
Forward | RB-kruset | |
2000 | Odd Inge Olsen | ![]() |
Midfielder | RB-kruset | |
2001 | Daniel Berg Hestad | ![]() |
Midfielder | RB-kruset | |
2002 | Eddie Gustafsson | ![]() |
Goalkeeper | RB-kruset | |
2003 | Magnus Kihlberg | ![]() |
Midfielder | RB-kruset | |
2004 | Petter Rudi | ![]() |
Midfielder | RB-kruset | |
2005 | Daniel Berg Hestad | ![]() |
Midfielder | RB-kruset | |
2006 | Petter Christian Singsaas | ![]() |
Defender | RB-kruset | |
2007 | Daniel Berg Hestad | ![]() |
Midfielder | RB-kruset | |
2008 | Vegard Forren | ![]() |
Defender | RB-kruset | |
2009 | Makhtar Thioune | ![]() |
Midfielder | RB-kruset | |
2010 | Magne Hoseth | ![]() |
Midfielder | RB-kruset | |
2011 | Espen Bugge Pettersen | ![]() |
Goalkeeper | RB-kruset | |
2012 | Magnus Wolff Eikrem | ![]() |
Midfielder | RB-kruset | |
2013 | Martin Linnes | ![]() |
Defender | Decided by Molde players and staff |
Season | Name | Nationality | Position | Notes | Ref |
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2014 | Vegard Forren | ![]() |
Defender | RB-kruset | |
2015 | Mohamed Elyounoussi | ![]() |
Midfielder | RB-kruset | |
2016 | Ruben Gabrielsen | ![]() |
Defender | Vote on club website | |
2017 | Björn Sigurðarson | ![]() |
Forward | Decided by Molde players and staff | |
2018 | Eirik Hestad | ![]() |
Midfielder | RB-kruset | |
2019 | Magnus Wolff Eikrem | ![]() |
Midfielder | RB-kruset | |
2020 | Stian Rode Gregersen | ![]() |
Defender | RB-kruset | |
2021 | Fredrik Aursnes | ![]() |
Midfielder | RB-kruset | |
2022 | Magnus Wolff Eikrem | ![]() |
Midfielder | RB-kruset | |
2023 | Magnus Wolff Eikrem | ![]() |
Midfielder | RB-kruset |
Club Officials
Molde FK has a team of people who help run the club.
Club Directors
Role | Name |
---|---|
Chairman | Odd Ivar Moen |
Managing director | Øystein Neerland |
Chief Financial Officer | Odin Holm Olsen |
Marketing director | Per Eikrem |
Media officer and Match day director | Per Lianes |
Coaching Staff
Role | Name |
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Manager | ![]() |
First team assistant coach | ![]() |
First team assistant coach | ![]() |
First team goalkeeping coach | ![]() |
Fitness coach | ![]() |
Individual players coach | ![]() |
Analysis manager | ![]() |
Performance analyst | ![]() |
Chief Scout | ![]() |
Club Achievements
Molde is one of the most successful football clubs in Norway. They have won many trophies.
Domestic Trophies
League Titles
- Top League (Eliteserien)
- Champions (5 times): 2011, 2012, 2014, 2019, 2022
- Runners-up (11 times): 1974, 1987, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2009, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021
Cup Wins
- Norwegian Cup:
- Winners (6 times): 1994, 2005, 2013, 2014, 2021–22, 2023
- Runners-up (3 times): 1982, 1989, 2009
Double Wins
- League and Cup: 2014 (They won both the league and the cup in the same year!)
Club Records
Here are some of Molde FK's impressive club records.
Accomplishment | Record |
---|---|
Most appearances | Daniel Berg Hestad 666 (900 in total) |
Most goals | Jan Fuglset 164 |
Most goals scored in a league game | 6, Jan Fuglset vs Strømsgodset in 1976 |
Longest unbeaten run | 24 games in 2014 |
Greatest victory in Eliteserien | 8–0 vs Moss in 1996 |
Heaviest loss in Eliteserien | 0–8 vs Stabæk in 2006 |
European Football History
Molde FK has played in several big European football tournaments. Here are their overall statistics in these competitions.
Tournament | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win% |
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Champions League | 33 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 47 | 38 | +9 | 30.30 |
Europa League / UEFA Cup | 77 | 29 | 18 | 30 | 105 | 99 | +6 | 37.66 |
UEFA Europa Conference League | 16 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 30 | 21 | +9 | 43.75 |
Cup Winners' Cup | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 8 | −3 | 25.00 |
Total | 129 | 47 | 33 | 49 | 185 | 163 | +22 | 36.43 |
Recent Seasons
This table shows Molde's performance in the league and cup in recent years.
Season | League | Cup | Europe | Top goalscorer (league) | ||||||||||
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Division | Pos | G | W | D | L | GS | GA | Pts | Att | Name | Goals | |||
2014 | Tippeligaen | 1 | 30 | 22 | 5 | 3 | 62 | 24 | 71 | 9,243 | Winner | UEFA Europa League – Third qualifying round | Mohamed Elyounoussi | 13 |
2015 | Tippeligaen | 6 | 30 | 15 | 7 | 8 | 62 | 31 | 52 | 8,952 | Quarter-final | UEFA Champions League – Third qualifying round UEFA Europa League – Round of 32 |
Ola Kamara | 14 |
2016 | Tippeligaen | 5 | 30 | 13 | 6 | 11 | 48 | 42 | 45 | 8,392 | Third round | Mohamed Elyounoussi Harmeet Singh |
5 | |
2017 | Eliteserien | 2 | 30 | 16 | 6 | 8 | 50 | 35 | 54 | 7,785 | Semi-final | Björn Bergmann Sigurðarson | 16 | |
2018 | Eliteserien | 2 | 30 | 18 | 5 | 7 | 63 | 36 | 59 | 7,111 | Second round | UEFA Europa League – Play-off round | Erling Haaland | 12 |
2019 | Eliteserien | 1 | 30 | 21 | 5 | 4 | 72 | 31 | 68 | 6,956 | Third round | UEFA Europa League – Play-off round | Leke James | 17 |
2020 | Eliteserien | 2 | 30 | 20 | 2 | 8 | 77 | 36 | 62 | 200 | Cancelled | UEFA Champions League – Play-off round UEFA Europa League – Round of 16 |
Leke James | 13 |
2021 | Eliteserien | 2 | 30 | 18 | 6 | 6 | 70 | 40 | 60 | 600 | Winner | UEFA Europa Conference League – Third qualifying round | Ohi Omoijuanfo | 27 |
2022 | Eliteserien | 1 | 30 | 25 | 3 | 2 | 71 | 25 | 78 | 6,388 | Quarter-final | UEFA Europa Conference League – Group stage | Datro Fofana | 15 |
2023 | Eliteserien | 5 | 30 | 15 | 6 | 9 | 65 | 39 | 51 | 6,681 | Winner | UEFA Champions League – Play-off round UEFA Europa League – Group stage UEFA Europa Conference League – Knockout round play-offs |
Emil Breivik Ola Brynhildsen Magnus Grødem |
7 |
2024 (in progress) | Eliteserien | 4 | 29 | 15 | 7 | 7 | 64 | 35 | 52 | 6,681 | UEFA Europa League – Play-off round | Kristian Eriksen | 14 |
Molde Managers
Here is a list of the managers who have led Molde FK over the years.
Arne Legernes (player-manager) and Gunnar Talsethagen (1956–1957)
Charlie Pohl (1958)
Gunnar Talsethagen (1959–1961)
Ulf Møller (1962)
Gunnar Talsethagen (1963–1968)
Harry Hestad and Torkild Brakstad (both player-managers) (1969)
Torkild Brakstad (player-manager) (1970–71)
Harry Hestad and Torkild Brakstad (both player-managers) (1972)
Jan Fuglset (player-manager) (1973)
Joseph Hooley (1974)
Torkild Brakstad, Jan Fuglset and Harry Hestad (all player-managers) (1974)
Jack Johnsen (1975)
Torkild Brakstad and Jan Fuglset (both player-managers) (1976)
Huib Ruygrook (1977–1979)
Torkild Brakstad (1980–1981)
Jan Fuglset (player-manager) (1982–1984)
Joseph Hooley (1984)
Hans Backe (1985)
Åge Hareide and Harry Hestad (1986–1989)
Åge Hareide (1990–1991)
Ulrich Møller (caretaking player-manager) (1991)
Jan Fuglset and Ulrich Møller (player-manager) (1992–1993)
Åge Hareide (1994–1997)
Erik Brakstad (1998–2000)
Gunder Bengtsson (2001–2003)
Odd Berg (caretaker) (2003)
Reidar Vågnes (2004–2005)
Bo Johansson (2005)
Arild Stavrum (2006)
Kjell Jonevret (2007–2010)
Uwe Rösler (interim) (2010)
Ole Gunnar Solskjær (2011–2014)
Tor Ole Skullerud (2014–2015)
Erling Moe (caretaker) (2015)
Ole Gunnar Solskjær (2015–2018)
Erling Moe (2018–present)
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