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. It was first called International and changed its name to Molde in 1915. Molde has 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). They have also finished second in the league eleven times. Molde is one of only two Norwegian clubs to have played in the UEFA Champions League.
Molde plays its home games at the Aker Stadion. This stadium can hold 11,249 fans. It opened in 1998. Local business people Kjell Inge Røkke and Bjørn Rune Gjelsten gave the stadium to the club. Before this, the club played at Molde Idrettspark. Molde's fan club is called Tornekrattet, which means "Thicket of Thorns." This name comes from Molde being known as "The Town of Roses." The club's biggest rival is Rosenborg.
Until the 1970s, Molde mostly played in lower leagues. They had a short time in the top league in 1957–58. In 1974, Molde returned to the top league and finished second. Since then, they have been one of Norway's best clubs. They usually stay in the top division. In 1987, Molde almost won the league but lost the final match to Moss.
In the 1990s and early 2000s, Molde was the second-best team in Norway. They were often behind Rosenborg, who won many titles. Molde won silver medals in the league in 1995, 1998, 1999, and 2002. They also won the cup in 1994 and 2005. In the 1999–2000 season, Molde played in the UEFA Champions League. Big teams like Real Madrid, Porto, and Olympiacos came to Molde.
As of 2017, the club has about 1,000 members. They have around 55 teams in different parts of the club. Erling Moe was the manager from December 2018 until December 2024. Per-Mathias Høgmo became the new head coach in January 2025.
Club History
Early Days (1911–1963)
Molde FK started on June 19, 1911. It was founded by Klaus Daae Andersen. J. Ferdinand Dahl was the first chairman. On April 24, 1912, the club decided to call itself International. This might have been because they played against visitors from cruise ships. Or it could have been for the many Danes working in a local factory.
On August 5, 1912, the club played its first official game. It was an away match against Kristiansund and ended in a 2–2 draw. In 1915, the club changed its name to Molde Fotballklubb. This was because football was becoming more popular in nearby towns. Molde played in the top league in 1939–40. But the season stopped because of the German occupation. After the war, in 1947–48, Molde was moved down from the top league.
The Big Break (1964–1977)
On August 2, 1964, Molde surprised everyone. They beat Fredrikstad 3–2 in the Norwegian Cup. Fredrikstad had won the cup nine times and the league nine times. Players like Jan Fuglset, Torkild Brakstad, and Harry Hestad played for Molde then.
In 1970, Molde moved up to the second-highest league. They played there for three seasons. Then, on September 16, 1973, they won 5–1 against Sogndal. This win moved them up to the top league.
In 1974, Molde was back in the top league. New talented players joined the team. Also, top players like Fuglset, Brakstad, and Hestad returned. Molde surprised other clubs in their first season in the top league. They were even leading the league for many weeks. Molde 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 leading clubs. Many Molde players have played for the national team. Some have also played professionally in other countries.
Ups and Downs (1978–1993)
Between 1978 and 1984, Molde kept moving between leagues. They were moved down from the top league in even-numbered years. Then they were moved back up in odd-numbered years. This happened three times in a row.
In 1982, Molde played in their first cup final. They lost 3–2 against Brann at Ullevaal Stadion. This happened even though they were moved down from the top league that year.
The 1987 season was very close. Molde almost won the league title. They needed a draw at home against Moss in the last game. But Moss won 2–0 at Molde stadium. So, Moss won the league, and Molde finished second. A record 14,615 fans watched that game at the old stadium.
Molde played in their second cup final in 1989. They drew 2–2 with Viking in the first match. Viking won the replay 2–1.
In 1993, Molde was moved down from the top league again. The club also had money problems. Local business people Kjell Inge Røkke and Bjørn Rune Gjelsten started to help the club. Since 1993, they have invested a lot of money. This helped pay old debts, buy new players, and build the new stadium.
The Silver Generation (1994–2000)
Åge Hareide became Molde's coach in 1994. They finished second in their league group and moved back up to the top league. Molde also beat their rivals Rosenborg in the semi-final of the 1994 Norwegian Cup. This sent Molde to their third cup final. Molde won their first title by beating Lyn 3–2 in Oslo.
In the 1995 season, Molde was known for its three strong attackers: Ole Gunnar Solskjær, Arild Stavrum, and Ole Bjørn Sundgot. In their first league game, Molde won 6–0 against Brann. Solskjær scored two goals. 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 July 1996. Molde finished eighth that season. In 1997, Molde finished fourth. Erik Brakstad became the new coach in 1998.
In 1998, Molde played 21 matches without losing. This was a Norwegian record until 2009. Rosenborg then beat Molde's record. In the 22nd game, Molde lost to Vålerenga. Rosenborg won their game and took the top spot. On September 26, 1998, Rosenborg beat Molde 2–0 and won the league. Molde finished second again.
In 1999, Molde had a great season. 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. Molde became the team from the smallest city to reach the Champions League group stage. In the group stage, Molde played against Real Madrid, Porto, and Olympiacos. They won one game and lost five, finishing last in their group. In 2011, for Molde's 100-year anniversary, fans voted 1999 as the club's best year ever.
From "Gunder method" to Relegation (2001–2006)
In November 2000, Gunder Bengtsson became Molde's head coach. In 2002, he led Molde to second place in the league. This was the club's sixth silver medal. But some fans were not happy because of the team's defensive style.
In May 2003, Bengtsson was fired. Odd Berg took over. Molde struggled that season. They avoided being moved down on the last day of the season. In 2004, Reidar Vågnes coached the team. Molde finished 11th, just above the relegation zone.
In 2005, Bo Johansson became coach. Molde won their second Norwegian Cup title in November 2005. They beat Lillestrøm 4–2 in the final. Johansson left after one season. Arild Stavrum became the new coach.
Because they won the cup, Molde played in the 2006–07 UEFA Cup. They played against Scottish team Rangers. Molde lost 2–0 over two games. In the same year, Molde was moved down from the top league. They had been close to relegation for four seasons. Stavrum was fired at the end of the season.
A New Era (2007–Present)
In December 2006, Kjell Jonevret became the new head coach. With Jonevret, Molde won the 2007 1. divisjon and moved back up to the top league. In 2009, Molde was again the second-best team in Norway, behind Rosenborg. Molde beat Rosenborg 5–0 in the cup quarter-final. In the cup final, Molde lost to their local rivals Aalesunds FK after a penalty shootout.
In the 2010 Tippeligaen, Molde was struggling. Jonevret was fired in August 2010. Uwe Rösler took over. Under Rösler, Molde played much better and avoided being moved down. Baye Djiby Fall became the league's top goalscorer that season.
Before the club's 100-year anniversary in 2011, former Molde and Manchester United player Ole Gunnar Solskjær returned to manage the club. Molde 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 coach Cardiff City in England.
Under new manager Tor Ole Skullerud, Molde won both the league and the cup in 2014. This was their first "double" win. Skullerud was fired in August 2015. Solskjær then returned to Molde. On December 19, 2018, Solskjær left again to become the manager of Manchester United. Erling Moe became Molde's permanent manager in April 2019. Moe led Molde to their fourth league title in his first full season.
Molde won their fifth league title in 2022. They also won the Norwegian Cup in 2022 and 2023. Erling Moe left the club in December 2024. Per-Mathias Høgmo became the new head coach in January 2025.
Team Kit
Molde's home kit is blue shirts, white shorts, and white socks. Their away kit is usually white shirts, blue shorts, and blue socks. For European games, they sometimes 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. This partnership has been renewed several times.
From 2002 to 2013, Umbro made Molde's shirts. In December 2013, Molde signed a four-year 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 |
Stadiums
Molde's current home stadium is the Aker Stadion. It is located by the sea in central Molde. The stadium cost a lot of money to build. Most of it was paid for by investor Kjell Inge Røkke. The stadium is sometimes called "Røkkeløkka" after him.
The stadium was first called Molde Stadion. On May 3, 2006, its name changed to Aker Stadion. This was because of a sponsorship deal with Røkke's company, Aker. The stadium officially opened on April 18, 1998. The Prime Minister of Norway, Kjell Magne Bondevik, opened it. In the first game, Molde beat Lillestrøm 4–0. Over 13,000 fans watched. The record number of fans at Aker Stadion is 13,308. This happened on September 26, 1998, when Molde played Rosenborg.
When Molde qualified for the 1999–2000 UEFA Champions League group stage, seats were added to the stadium. This made it an all-seater stadium. Today, Aker Stadion can hold 11,249 people.
Before 1998, Molde played at Molde Idrettspark. This was a multi-use stadium owned by the city. 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 main fan club is called Tornekrattet. This name means "The thicket of thorns" in English. It refers to Molde being known as "The Town of Roses." The fan club started after Molde won the Norwegian Cup in 1994.
Rivalries
Molde has its strongest rivalry with Rosenborg. They also have rivalries with nearby teams like Aalesund and Kristiansund.
The rivalry with Rosenborg is strong because both teams have often fought for the top league title. Together, they have won many league titles. This makes their matches very exciting.
Players
Current Squad
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For season transfers, see 2025 Molde FK season.
Player Records
All current players are in bold.
Most Matches PlayedThis list shows the ten Molde players who have played the most games in the top division.
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Most Goals ScoredThis list shows the twelve Molde players who have scored the most goals in the top division.
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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 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
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
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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Head Coach | ![]() |
Assistant coach | ![]() |
First team coach | ![]() |
Goalkeeping coach | ![]() |
Fitness coach | ![]() |
Analysis manager | ![]() |
Performance analyst | ![]() |
Chief Scout | ![]() |
Medical and Sport Science Staff
Role | Name |
---|---|
Medical coordinator | ![]() |
Physiotherapist | ![]() |
Manual therapist | ![]() |
Sports rehabilitator | ![]() |
Doctor | ![]() |
Doctor | ![]() |
Doctor | ![]() |
Head of sport secretariat | ![]() |
Equipment manager | ![]() |
Assistant equipment manager | ![]() |
Sports nutritionist | ![]() |
Club Honours
Molde is one of the most successful clubs in Norway. They have won many trophies. The club's first trophy was the Norwegian Cup in 1994. In 2011, they won their first league title. In 2014, they won both the league and the cup in the same year.
Domestic Titles
League
- Top League (Eliteserien)
- Champions (5): 2011, 2012, 2014, 2019, 2022
- Runners-up (11): 1974, 1987, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2009, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021
- Third Place (3): 1977, 1988, 1990
- Second Tier League
- Winners (3): 1937–38, 1938–39, 1948–49, 1973, 1983, 2007
Cup
- Norwegian Cup:
- Winners (6): 1994, 2005, 2013, 2014, 2021–22, 2023
- Runners-up (4): 1982, 1989, 2009, 2024
Doubles
- League and Cup: 2014
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 History
Molde has played in several UEFA tournaments. These include the Champions League, Europa League, and Europa Conference League.
Tournament | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win% |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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
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 | Eliteserien | 5 | 30 | 15 | 7 | 8 | 64 | 36 | 52 | 7,145 | Final | UEFA Europa League – Play-off round | Kristian Eriksen | 14 |
2025 (in progress) | Eliteserien | 12 | 15 | 5 | 2 | 8 | 22 | 23 | 17 | 7,145 | Fourth round | Kristian Eriksen Veton Berisha |
3 |
Molde Managers
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 (January 7, 1974 – May 19, 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 (March 1, 1977 – 1979)
Torkild Brakstad (January 4, 1980 – December 31, 1981)
Jan Fuglset (player-manager) (January 11, 1982 – July 21, 1984)
Joseph Hooley (July 22, 1984 – December 31, 1984)
Hans Backe (January 7, 1985 – December 31, 1985)
Åge Hareide and Harry Hestad (January 4, 1986 – December 31, 1989)
Åge Hareide (January 5, 1990 – August 18, 1991)
Ulrich Møller (caretaking player-manager) (August 18, 1991 – December 31, 1991)
Jan Fuglset and Ulrich Møller (player-manager) (January 1, 1992 – December 31, 1993)
Åge Hareide (January 1, 1994 – December 31, 1997)
Erik Brakstad (January 1, 1998 – October 31, 2000)
Gunder Bengtsson (January 1, 2001 – May 22, 2003)
Odd Berg (caretaker) (May 22, 2003 – December 31, 2003)
Reidar Vågnes (January 1, 2004 – March 5, 2005)
Bo Johansson (March 18, 2005 – December 31, 2005)
Arild Stavrum (January 1, 2006 – November 8, 2006)
Kjell Jonevret (January 1, 2007 – August 30, 2010)
Uwe Rösler (interim) (August 31, 2010 – December 31, 2010)
Ole Gunnar Solskjær (January 10, 2011 – January 2, 2014)
Tor Ole Skullerud (January 13, 2014 – August 6, 2015)
Erling Moe (caretaker) (August 7, 2015 – October 21, 2015)
Ole Gunnar Solskjær (October 21, 2015 – December 18, 2018)
Erling Moe (December 19, 2018 – December 8, 2024)
Trond Strande & Eirik Mæland (joint caretakers) (December 8, 2024 – December 30, 2024)
Per-Mathias Høgmo (January 9, 2025 – Present)
Images for kids
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Åge Hareide, head coach 1986–1991, 1994–1997
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Ole Gunnar Solskjær, manager 2011–2014, 2015–2018
History of League Positions (since 1963)
1963– 1970 |
1971– 1973 |
1974– 1978 |
1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984– 1993 |
1994 | 1995– 2006 |
2007 | 2008– | |
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Level 1 | |||||||||||||
Level 2 | |||||||||||||
Level 3 |
Molde played in the top league in 1947–48 and 1957–58. However, the league was organized differently before 1963.
See also
In Spanish: Molde FK para niños