Parma Calcio 1913 facts for kids
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| Full name | Parma Calcio 1913 S.r.l. | |||
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| Nickname(s) | I Crociati (The Crusaders) I Gialloblu (The Yellow and Blues) I Ducali (The Duchy Men) Gli Emiliani (The Emilians) |
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| Founded | 27 July 1913 as Verdi Foot Ball Club 27 July 2015 as Parma Calcio 1913 |
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| Stadium | Stadio Ennio Tardini | |||
| Stadium capacity |
27,906 | |||
| President | Kyle Krause | |||
| Head coach | Fabio Pecchia | |||
| League | Serie A | |||
| 2018–19 | Serie A, 14th of 20 | |||
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Parma Calcio 1913 is a professional football club from Parma, Italy. The team plays in Serie A, which is the top football league in Italy. They earned their spot in Serie A after being promoted from Serie B in the 2023–24 season.
The club was first started in December 1913. The current club, Parma Calcio 1913, was refounded in 2015. Since 1923, Parma has played its home games at the Stadio Ennio Tardini. This stadium is often called Il Tardini and can hold 27,906 fans.
Parma had a very successful period between 1992 and 2002. During this time, they won eight major trophies. Their best league finish was second place in the 1996–97 season. They have won the Coppa Italia three times, the Supercoppa Italiana once, the UEFA Cup twice, the European Super Cup once, and the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup once.
In late 2003, the club faced big financial problems because its main sponsor, Parmalat, had a huge financial scandal. This led to the club going bankrupt in 2015. After this, Parma had to restart in Serie D, which is a lower league. But they made an amazing comeback, getting promoted three times in a row to return to the top league in 2018.
Contents
History of Parma Calcio 1913
Starting Years (1913–1968)
The club began in July 1913 as Verdi Foot Ball Club. It was named to honor the famous opera composer Giuseppe Verdi, who was born in the Parma area. The team first wore yellow and blue colors.
Later in 1913, the club became Parma Foot Ball Club. They started wearing white shirts with a black cross. Parma began playing in official leagues after World War I in the 1919–20 season. Their home stadium, the Stadio Ennio Tardini, started being built two years later.
Parma became a founding member of Serie B in 1929. They stayed there for three years before moving down a league. In 1930, the club changed its name to Associazione Sportiva Parma. They joined Serie C in 1935 and were promoted back to Serie B in 1943. Football then stopped because of Second World War.
After the war, Parma played in Serie B for three years. They were then relegated to Serie C in 1949. The team spent five more seasons in Serie C before playing in Serie B for eleven years. During this time, they reached ninth place in 1955, which was a club record. In those days, many players also had other jobs or were still studying.
Parma played in a European competition for the first time in 1960–61. They won against a Swiss team in the Coppa delle Alpi. However, they were relegated to Serie C in 1964–65, and then to Serie D in 1966.
New Beginnings (1968–1989)
The club faced big problems and was forced to close down in 1968. It changed its name to Parma Football Club that year. In 1969, another local team, Associazione Calcio Parmense, was promoted to Serie D. On January 1, 1970, this team took over Parma's history and rights. This meant they could use the famous Crociata (cross) shirts, the club badge, and the city's name.
This change brought better luck for the club. They won the Serie D championship and spent three years in Serie C. They were then promoted to Serie B, but only for a short time. They went back down to Serie C in their second season. It took until the end of the 1970s to return to Serie B, but again, they only stayed for one season.
Under manager Cesare Maldini, Parma returned to Serie B in 1984. They won their division on the last day of the season. But they only stayed in Serie B for one year before being relegated again.
Arrigo Sacchi helped the club get back to Serie B in 1986. That season, the team did very well, almost getting promoted to Italy's top league. They also beat A.C. Milan in the Coppa Italia. This result was so impressive that Milan's owner, Silvio Berlusconi, hired Sacchi as their new manager. After Sacchi left, the team had two average finishes in the league.
Years of Success and Challenges (1989–2004)
Nevio Scala became the head coach in 1989. In 1990, Scala led Parma to a historic promotion to Serie A. They won a key game against Reggiana 2-0. Money from their main sponsor, Parmalat, helped the team become stronger. In 1991, the club played in a UEFA competition for the first time.
Scala helped Parma win its first four major trophies. The first was the Coppa Italia in 1991–92, where they beat Juventus. The next year, they won their first international trophy, the Cup Winners' Cup, by beating Antwerp 3-1 at Wembley.
The following season, Parma won the European Super Cup by beating Milan. However, they lost the Cup Winners' Cup final to Arsenal. Scala's last big win with Parma was the UEFA Cup in 1995, again against Juventus.
Carlo Ancelotti took over as coach in 1996. He led the team to a record second-place finish in Serie A in 1997. This meant Parma played in the UEFA Champions League the next year. Alberto Malesani became coach in 1998. In his first season, the club won two cups: the Coppa Italia and the UEFA Cup. They also won the 1999 Supercoppa Italiana in August 1999.
In 2000, star player Hernán Crespo was sold for a world record fee. Parma won their third Coppa Italia trophy in 2002 against Juventus. This success made them known as one of the "Seven Sisters" of Italian football. However, in April 2004, the club faced major financial problems due to the collapse of Parmalat. The club was in special management for three years.
Another Rebirth (2004–Present)
The club was reformed as Parma Football Club SpA in June 2004. The 2004–05 season was difficult, with Parma finishing in a low position. The next season, they finished tenth. In 2006, they returned to European competition after the Calciopoli scandal.
In January 2007, Tommaso Ghirardi bought the club. Manager Claudio Ranieri helped the team avoid being relegated to Serie B in 2007. However, Parma was relegated to Serie B in 2008 after 18 years in the top league.
Francesco Guidolin helped Parma get promoted back to Serie A in their first attempt, finishing second. He then led the team to eighth place in 2009–10, just missing out on European qualification. In 2012, Roberto Donadoni became coach and led the team to eighth place with a club record seven-match winning streak.
In 2014, Parma finished sixth in Serie A. However, they were not allowed to play in the Europa League because of unpaid taxes. This led to more financial problems and changes in ownership. In March 2015, the club declared bankruptcy with huge debts. The club was allowed to finish the season but ended up last in the league. Some of Parma's trophies were even put up for auction to help pay off the debts.
The club was refounded as S.S.D. Parma Calcio 1913 in July 2015. It was named after the year the original club was founded. Former coach Nevio Scala became president, and former player Luigi Apolloni became head coach. In their first season, over 9,000 season tickets were sold, which was a record for Serie D. Parma won promotion from Serie D to Lega Pro (a professional league) with three games left. They finished first with 94 points and did not lose a single game.
Parma finished second in their group in the 2016–17 Lega Pro season. They were promoted to Serie B after winning a play-off final. On May 18, 2018, Parma achieved a third promotion in three seasons. This made them the first Italian club to do this. They finished second in Serie B and returned to Serie A for the 2018–19 Serie A season, just three years after their bankruptcy.
In their first season back in Serie A, Parma finished 14th, staying out of the relegation zone. For the 2019–20 Serie A season, Parma finished 11th. Dejan Kulusevski, who played for Parma on loan, won the Best Young Player in Serie A award.
Before the 2020–21 Serie A season, manager Roberto D'Aversa was replaced by Fabio Liverani. Liverani was later replaced by D'Aversa again. Parma finished last in the season and was relegated to Serie B. In September 2020, American businessman Kyle Krause bought Parma.
Enzo Maresca became the new head coach for the 2021–22 Serie B season. He was later replaced by Giuseppe Iachini. Parma finished 12th that season. Franco Vázquez was one of the top scorers in the league with 14 goals. Fabio Pecchia took over as coach for the 2022–23 Serie B season. Parma was promoted to Serie A in the following season.
Team Colors and Badge
The club first wore blue and blue checkered shirts, which were the traditional colors of the city of Parma. These colors date back to 1545. After World War I, they started wearing white shirts with a black cross. This design was inspired by Juventus' colors. White remained the main color for home kits for many years, often with yellow or blue. In the 1950s, they tried blue shirts and blue and yellow striped shirts.
The cross shirts returned in 1970 and were worn until 1983. After Parma was promoted to Serie A in 1990, the team became very strong. The white shirts became the away kit, and the team wore yellow and blue striped shirts at home from 1998 to 2004. This was a very successful time for the club, and these shirts became famous. Even today, the team is often called the Gialloblù (Yellow and Blues). After the Parmalat company collapsed, the club went back to its traditional white shirts with a cross. Yellow and blue are still used for Parma's away kits.
Parma's logo changed in 2005 to show the name change from Parma A.C. to Parma F.C. The logo has mostly stayed the same over the years. It features the city's yellow and blue colors and the club's black cross on a white background. For the 2000–01 season, they tried a new badge with a prancing bull, but it was not popular and was quickly changed back. A new badge with similar features was introduced for the 2014–15 season. The club refounded in 2015 adopted a new logo.
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Parma F.C.'s crest until 2012
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Parma F.C. logo, 2014–15
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S.S.D. Parma Calcio 1913 badge, 2015–16
Home Grounds
Parma did not have a permanent home at first. They used a public space called Piazza d'Armi. In 1914, they started using land near the Via Emilia, but it was sold. So, they went back to Piazza d'Armi before moving to Tre Pioppi, which was the city's first fenced-off pitch.
Parma moved into the Stadio Ennio Tardini in 1923 and still plays there today. The stadium has changed a lot since it was first planned. Many improvements were made after the club was first promoted to Serie A in the early 1990s.
Since 1996, the first team has trained and played friendly matches at the Centro Sportivo di Collecchio in Collecchio. This training center is about 15 kilometers southwest of the stadium. Parma's youth teams also play their home games there. In 2018, the refounded Parma Calcio 1913 bought the training center.
Fan Support
Parma fans are known for being calm and enjoying the game. They are often seen as less biased than some other fans. However, they have become more impatient recently. Fans were praised for their loyalty in 2015. Even though the club was playing in Serie D after bankruptcy, more season tickets were sold than the previous year in Serie A.
In Northeast Italy, Parma is the fifth most supported team. The top three are Inter Milan, Juventus, and Milan, which are not from that region. Parma fans have three main groups: il Centro di Coordinamento dei Parma Club, l'Associazione Petitot, and the club's ultras, Boys Parma. The Boys Parma group was started in 1977 by young fans. They sit in the northern end of the home stadium, called La Curva Nord.
In 2008, the Curva Nord was renamed to honor Matteo Bagnaresi. He was a member of Boys Parma 1977 who died on his way to a game. The number 12 shirt has been retired for Parma fans. This means no player wears that number. It shows that the supporters, especially those in the Curva Nord, are considered the twelfth man on the field. Parma's club anthem is Il grido di battaglia, which means "The Battle Cry".
Team Rivalries
Parma has rivalries with other clubs in its region and across Italy. Some of these are very intense local games. Their biggest rivals are Reggiana, in a match called the Derby dell'Enza. This rivalry comes from a long-standing competition between the cities of Parma and Reggio Emilia.
Parma also plays the Derby dell'Emilia against Bologna. Bologna and Parma are the two most successful clubs in the Emilia-Romagna region. They have won the region's only national titles. Other local rivalries include the Derby dei Ducati with Modena, and the Derby del Ducato against Piacenza.
Juventus is also considered a big rival of Parma. This is because of their many important matches, including Parma's 1995 UEFA Cup victory. They also played in several Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana finals. It's interesting that Parma's original colors were inspired by Juventus. But in the late 1990s, Parma changed its home kit to yellow and blue to be different from Juventus. Parma also has rivalries with Vicenza and Genoa.
In Italy, clubs sometimes have friendly relationships called gemellaggi. Parma has a good relationship with Empoli. This started in 1984 when Parma fans congratulated Empoli fans on a win, even though the Empoli fans didn't know the game had ended due to fog. Parma also has a strong bond with the fans of Sampdoria.
Club Ownership
In 1991, the club was bought by Parmalat, a large Italian food company. This helped Parma become very successful on the field. However, the club faced major financial problems in 2004 when Parmalat went bankrupt.
In January 2007, businessman Tommaso Ghirardi bought the club. Later, in December 2014, Ghirardi sold his share to a company from Cyprus. This made Parma one of the first Serie A clubs to be owned by foreign investors.
In February 2015, the new owner sold his share. The club was in a very bad financial state, with players' salaries not being paid. In March 2015, the club was declared bankrupt.
The new club, S.S.D. Parma Calcio 1913 S.r.L., was started in 2015. It was owned by a group of local businessmen. They also allowed fans to own a part of the club. Fans could buy shares and own about 25% of the club.
In June 2017, a Chinese business group called Desports bought a majority share (60%) in the club. The local businessmen kept 30%, and fans kept 10%. In October 2018, the local group bought back control of the club, getting 60% of the shares again. The Chinese partners then owned 30%. Pietro Pizzarotti became the new president.
In 2020, Parma was bought by the Krause Group, an American company. Since 2013, the main sponsor of the club has been Cetilar by Pharmanutra.
Players
Current Squad
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Players on Loan
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Retired Jersey Numbers
6 – This number was retired for the club captain Alessandro Lucarelli after he stopped playing. Lucarelli played the most league games for the club. He stayed with Parma when they were relegated to Serie D in 2015 and helped them get promoted three times back to Serie A.
12 – This number is reserved for the fans who sit in the Curva Nord at the Stadio Ennio Tardini. They are seen as the "12th man" on the field. This tradition started in the 2002–03 season.
Club Officials
Owner
- Kyle Krause
- Club Management
- President: Kyle Krause
- Coaching Staff
- Manager: Fabio Pecchia
- Assistant Manager: Antonio Porta
- Goalkeeper Coach: Valerio Visconti
- Athletic Coach: Marco Antonio Ferrone
- Technical Collaborator: Gennaro Troianiello
Ferdinando Coppola
Club Achievements
Parma has won eight major titles in its history. All of these wins happened in a ten-year period between 1992 and 2002. These trophies make Parma the eleventh most successful team in Italian football history. They are also the fourth most successful Italian team in European competitions.
National Titles
League Competitions
- Serie A
- Second Place: 1996–97
- Serie B
- Winners: 2023–24
- Second Place: 2008–09, 2017–18
- Serie C
- Winners: 1953–54, 1972–73, 1983–84, 1985–86
- Serie D
- Winners: 1969–70, 2015–16
Cup Competitions
- Coppa Italia
- Winners: 1991–92, 1998–99, 2001–02
- Runners-up: 1994–95, 2000–01
- Supercoppa Italiana
- Winners: 1999
- Runners-up: 1992, 1995, 2002
European Titles
- UEFA Cup
- Winners: 1994–95, 1998–99
- European Cup Winners' Cup
- Winners: 1992–93
- Runners-up: 1993–94
- European Super Cup
- Winners: 1993
Divisional Movements
| Series | Years | Last | Promotions | Relegations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 28 | 2024–25 | - |  4 (1926, 2008, 2015✟, 2021) |
| B | 30 | 2023–24 |  5 (1925, 1990, 2009, 2018, 2024) |
6 (1932, 1949, 1965, 1975, 1980, 1985) |
| C | 30 | 2016–17 | 7 (1946, 1954, 1973, 1979, 1984, 1986, 2017) |
1 (1966) |
| 88 out of 93 years of professional football in Italy since 1929 | ||||
| D | 5 | 2015–16 | 2 (1970, 2016) |
never |
Images for kids
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Parma in their yellow and blue shirts in 1956–57.
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Parma in their classic Crociata (cross) shirt in 1973–74.
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Nevio Scala coached Parma from 1989 to 1996, leading them from the second division to European trophies.
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Hernán Crespo played for Parma in two periods (1996–2000 and 2010–2012). He won three trophies and became the club's top goalscorer.
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Parma F.C.'s crest until 2012
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Parma F.C. logo, 2014–15
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S.S.D. Parma Calcio 1913 badge, 2015–16
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Stadio Ennio Tardini, Parma's home stadium.
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The coat of arms of the House of Farnese. Their colors inspired many of Parma's kits.
See also
In Spanish: Parma Calcio 1913 para niños
