SK Rapid Wien facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Rapid Wien

Full name	Sportklub Rapid
Nickname(s)	Die Grün-Weißen (The Green-Whites), Hütteldorfer, Rapidler
Founded	8 January 1899; 126 years ago (1899-01-08)
Ground	Allianz Stadion
Ground Capacity	28,345
Chairman	Alexander Wrabetz
Head coach	Peter Stöger
League	Austrian Bundesliga
2024–25	Austrian Bundesliga, 5th of 12
Home colours Away colours

Sportklub Rapid, usually called Rapid Wien or Rapid Vienna, is a professional football club from Vienna, the capital city of Austria. Rapid Wien has won the most Austrian championship titles, with 32 wins. They won their first title in the 1911–12 season. They also won a German championship in 1941 during a difficult time in history.

Rapid Wien has never been moved down to a lower league, just like their big rival, FK Austria Vienna. Rapid reached the final of the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup twice, in 1985 and 1996, but they lost both times.

The club is often called Die Grün-Weißen (The Green-Whites) because of their team colors. They are also known as Hütteldorfer, which refers to Hütteldorf, the area where their stadium is located.

Club History

The 1. Arbeiter FC in 1898

Rapid Wien started in 1897 as the Erster Wiener Arbeiter-Fußball-Club (First Viennese Workers' Football Club). Their first team colors were red and blue, which they still sometimes use for away games. On January 8, 1899, the club changed its name to Sportklub Rapid. This name was inspired by a German club called Rapide Berlin. People often add "Wien" or "Vienna" when talking about the club, but it's not part of their official name. In 1904, the team changed its colors to green and white.

Rapid Wien won Austria's very first national championship in the 1911–12 season. They won by just one point and then won the title again the next season.

Rapid's Dominance Between World Wars

Rapid Wien became a very strong team between the two World Wars. During this time, Austria was one of the best football nations in Europe. Rapid won three titles in a row from 1919 to 1921.

After Austria became part of Germany in 1938, Rapid joined the German football system. They played in a top league called Gauliga Ostmark. Rapid was the most successful Austrian club during this period. They won the Tschammerpokal (which is like today's DFB-Pokal) in 1938. They beat FSV Frankfurt 3–1 in the final. Then, in 1941, they won the German Championship. They played against FC Schalke 04, which was the strongest German club back then. Rapid came back from being down 3–0 to win the match 4–3!

Rapid in European Competitions

A chart showing Rapid Wien's league performance over time.

As the champions of the 1954–55 season, Rapid Wien was Austria's team for the very first European Cup in the next season. They played against PSV in the first round and won their home game 6–1. Even though they lost the away game 1–0, they still moved on to the quarter-finals. There, they tied 1–1 at home against Milan but lost the away match 7–2. This meant they lost 8–3 overall.

Rapid's best performance in the European Cup was in the 1960–61 season. They reached the semi-finals but were knocked out by Benfica, who went on to win the tournament.

In 1984, Rapid was part of a big controversy in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. They were playing against Celtic. Celtic was winning 4–3 overall when Rapid got a penalty. As Rapid players argued, their defender Rudolf Weinhofer fell down and said he was hit by a bottle from the crowd. However, TV replays showed the bottle didn't hit him. Rapid asked UEFA for the game to be replayed. UEFA made them replay the game far away from Celtic's stadium. The game was played in Manchester, England, and Rapid won 1–0.

Rapid reached their first European final in 1985. They lost 3–1 to Everton in the Cup Winners' Cup Final. Eleven years later, in 1996, they reached the same final again but lost 1–0 to Paris Saint-Germain.

Rapid last played in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League in the 2005–06 season. They won their qualifying matches to get there. However, they finished last in their group, losing all their games against strong teams like Bayern Munich and Juventus.

In 2015, Rapid's youth team took part in the Football for Friendship program, which brings young football players from around the world together.

Women's Football Section

In 2022, members of the club asked for a women's football section to be started, and it was approved. Katja Gürtler became the first head coach in August 2023. The first women's team started playing in the 3rd division of the Austrian Women's football league system in the 2024–25 season.

In their first season, they won their league without losing any games. They also won the regional Cup competition. They then won a special play-off game, which means they will play in the 2. Bundesliga for the 2025–26 season.

Club Culture

The Rapid Quarter-Hour

For a very long time, Rapid fans have had a special tradition called the "Rapid-Viertelstunde" (Rapid Quarter-Hour). This is when fans clap rhythmically during the last 15 minutes of a match, no matter the score or where the game is played. This tradition started as early as 1913. Over the years, there have been many times when the team was losing but managed to win in the final minutes, thanks to their fans' support.

Rapid Wien Fans

A friendship corner in the Fan Shop of 1. FC Nürnberg showing jerseys of Rapid Wien.

The biggest fan club for Rapid Wien is called Ultras Rapid, started in 1988. Other important fan groups include Tornados Rapid and Spirits Rapid.

Rapid's most active supporters gather in the Block West stand at their stadium. This area can hold 8,500 fans. The old Block West at their previous stadium had about 2,700 seats.

Rapid Wien fans have friendly connections with supporters of other clubs. These include 1. FC Nürnberg from Germany, GNK Dinamo Zagreb from Croatia, Venezia F.C. from Italy, Ferencvárosi TC from Hungary, and Panathinaikos F.C. from Greece. Since Rapid, Ferencváros, and Panathinaikos all wear green, their alliance is sometimes called the "Green Brothers."

Rapid's Stadium

Allianz Stadion

Rapid Wien used to play at the Gerhard Hanappi Stadium. This stadium opened on May 10, 1977, with a game against their rival, Austria Wien. The stadium was named after Gerhard Hanappi, a famous player who also designed the stadium. Before 1980, it was known as the Weststadion (Western Stadium) because of its location.

In June 2014, it was announced that a new stadium, the Allianz Stadion, would be built where the old one stood. While the new stadium was being built, Rapid played their home games at the Ernst Happel Stadion.

The Allianz Stadion officially opened on July 16, 2016. Rapid Wien played a friendly match against Chelsea and won 2–0.

Rivalries: The Vienna Derby

A 2010 Vienna derby match between Rapid Wien and Austria Wien.

Rapid Wien has a big rivalry with their local city opponent, FK Austria Wien. This match is known as the Vienna derby. Both clubs are very popular and successful in Austria. They are also the only Austrian clubs that have never been moved down to a lower league.

Both teams originally came from the same part of Vienna, but they have since moved to different districts. Austria Wien is often seen as a club for middle-class fans, while Rapid traditionally has strong support from working-class people in the capital.

The two clubs first played each other in a league game on September 8, 1911. Rapid won that match 4–1. This rivalry is one of the most played derbies in European football, similar to the Old Firm derby in Glasgow between Rangers and Celtic.

Club Achievements

Steffen Hofmann celebrating the championship in 2008.

Rapid Wien holds the record for the most championship titles in Austria, with 32 wins. They also won a German Championship and a German Cup when they were part of Germany's football competition from 1938 to 1945.

•      record

Continental Finals

Cup Winners' Cup

• Runners-up: 1984–85, 1995–96

Team photo for the 2010–2011 season.

Players and Staff

Current Squad

No. Position Player 1 GK Niklas Hedl 4 DF Jakob Schöller 6 DF Serge-Philippe Raux-Yao 8 MF Lukas Grgić 9 FW Ercan Kara 10 FW Petter Nosa Dahl 15 FW Nikolaus Wurmbrand 16 MF Tobias Børkeeiet 17 MF Mamadou Sangaré 18 MF Matthias Seidl (captain) 20 DF Ange Ahoussou 21 MF Louis Schaub 23 DF Jonas Auer 24 DF Jean Marcelin 25 GK Paul Gartler

No. Position Player 27 FW Noah Bischof 28 DF Moritz Oswald 29 MF Romeo Amane 38 DF Jannes Horn 47 DF Amin-Elias Gröller 49 FW Andrija Radulović 50 GK Laurentz Orgler 51 GK Benjamin Göschl 55 DF Nenad Cvetković 71 FW Claudy Mbuyi 77 DF Bendegúz Bolla 90 FW Janis Antiste (on loan from Sassuolo) DF Furkan Demir FW Furkan Dursun FW Oliver Strunz

Players on Loan

No. Position Player DF Benjamin Böckle (at WSG Tirol until 30 June 2026) DF Dominik Vincze (at TSV Hartberg until 30 June 2026)

SK Rapid II (Reserve Team)

No. Position Player 1 GK Christoph Haas 2 DF Eaden Roka 4 DF Jakob Brunnhofer 5 DF Kenan Muharemović 7 FW Jovan Živković 8 MF Ousmane Thiero 10 FW Dominik Weixelbraun 11 MF Yasin Mankan 12 MF Fabian Silber 13 DF Wenzel Lindmoser 18 MF Nicolas Bajlicz 20 FW Daniel Nunoo

No. Position Player 21 FW Yasin Mankan 22 MF Ensar Mušić 27 MF Dalibor Velimirovic 28 MF Lorenz Szladits 31 FW Ismaïl Seydi 33 DF Erik Stehrer 36 DF Daniel Mahiya 37 FW Daris Đezić 39 FW Philipp Moizi 43 DF Lukas Haselmayr 44 GK Manuel Fellner FW René Kriwak

Famous Former Players

Nation	Name	Years	A	Position	G	SR
AUT	Richard Kuthan	1911–1926, 1927-1929	244	Striker	164	0.672
AUT	Josef Uridil	1918–1925, 1926-1927	106	Striker	127	1.198
AUT	Edi Bauer	1911–1926	188	Striker	133	0.707
AUT	Ferdinand Wesely	1920–1931	206	Striker	121	0.587
AUT	Robert Dienst	1948–1962	284	Striker	307	1.080
AUT	Franz Weselik	1923–1934	175	Striker	160	0.914
AUT	Rudolf Flögel	1958–1972	332	Striker	145	0.436
AUT	Matthias Kaburek	1928–1936, 1939-1945	158	Striker	138	0.873
AUT	Johann Riegler	1948–1961	272	Striker	160	0.588
AUT	Peter Schöttel	1986–2002	436	Defender	4	0.009
AUT	Michael Konsel	1985–1997	395	Goalkeeper
AUT	Hans Krankl	1970–1978, 1981–1986	350	Striker	267	0.763
AUT	Gerhard Hanappi	1950–1965	333	Midfielder	114	0.342
AUT	Reinhard Kienast	1978–1992	393	Midfielder	61	0.155
AUT	Heribert Weber	1978–1989	315	Defender	39	0.124
AUT	Helge Payer	2001–2012	298	Goalkeeper
AUT	Franz Binder	1938–1948	242	Striker	267	1.103
AUT	Ernst Happel	1942–1954, 1956–1959	240	Defender	25	0.104
AUT	Walter Zeman	1945–1961	235	Goalkeeper
AUT	Robert Körner	1942–1958	212	Striker	80	0.377
AUT	Alfred Körner	1942–1959	286	Striker	157	0.548
AUT	Andi Herzog	1986–1992, 2002–2003	174	Attacking midfielder	37	0.213
AUT	Andreas Ivanschitz	2000–2005	147	Attacking midfielder	25	0.170
AUT	Leopold Grausam	1963–1970	142	Forward	58	0.408
AUT	Roman Wallner	1999–2004	134	Forward	42	0.313
AUT	Florian Kainz	2014–2016	98	Midfielder	15	0.153
AUT	György Garics	2001–2006	99	Full-back	3	0.030
AUT	Erwin Hoffer	2006–2009	85	Forward	41	0.482
AUT	Guido Burgstaller	2011–2014, 2022–2025	158	Forward	58	0.367
ALB	Hamdi Salihi	2009–2012	67	Forward	36	0.537
BEL	Boli Bolingoli-Mbombo	2017–2019	56	Left-back	3	0.054
BLR	Alyaksandr Myatlitski	1991–1993	58	Defender	9	0.155
BRA	Joelinton	2016–2018	60	Midfielder	15	0.250
BUL	Trifon Ivanov	1995–1997	53	Defender	7	0.132
CAN	Ante Jazić	2001–2004	107	Left-back	1	0.009
CRO	Zlatko Kranjčar	1983–1990	210	Striker	106	0.505
CRO	Mario Bazina	2006–2008	72	Midfielder	18	0.250
CRO	Nikica Jelavić	2008–2010	71	Forward	27	0.380
CZE	René Wagner	1996–2004	220	Forward	75	0.341
CZE	Ladislav Maier	1998–2005	161	Goalkeeper
CZE	Antonín Panenka	1981–1985	127	Attacking midfielder	63	0.496
CZE	Marek Kincl	2004–2007	92	Striker	27	0.278
CZE	Radek Bejbl	2005–2007	59	Defensive midfielder	3	0.051
DEN	Johnny Bjerregaard	1966–1972	151	Striker	96	0.636
FIN	Mako Heikkinen	2007–2013	173	Defensive midfielder	4	0.023
GEO	Giorgi Kvilitaia	2016–2018	55	Striker	17	0.309
GER	Steffen Hofmann	2002–2005, 2006–2018	434	Midfielder	98	0.226
GER	Oliver Freund	1997–2002	126	Midfielder	6	0.048
GER	Jens Dowe	1999–2001	60	Attacking midfielder	7	0.117
GRE	Thanos Petsos	2013–2016, 2017–2018	92	Defensive midfielder	5	0.054
GRE	Taxiarchis Fountas	2019–2022	68	Forward	35	0.515
KOS	Atdhe Nuhiu	2010–2013	59	Forward	13	0.220
MNE	Branko Bošković	2007–2010	104	Attacking midfielder	19	0.183
NED	Gaston Taument	2005–2008	61	Winger	4	0.066
NOR	Jan Åge Fjørtoft	1989–1993	129	Centre forward	63	0.488
POL	Krzysztof Ratajczyk	1996–2001	142	Defender	1	0.007
POL	Maciej Śliwowski	1993–1996	71	Forward	21	0.296
SVK	Marek Penksa	1996–2000	110	Midfielder	18	0.164
SVK	Ján Novota	2011–2017	96	Goalkeeper
SVK	Peter Hlinka	2004–2007	93	Midfielder	11	0.118
SVK	Jozef Valachovič	2004–2007	71	Defender	7	0.099
TJK	Sergei Mandreko	1992–1997	107	Midfielder	16	0.150
USA	Terrence Boyd	2012–2014	59	Forward	28	0.475
YUG	Petar Bručić	1982–1987	118	Midfielder	6	0.051
YUG	Dejan Savićević	1999–2001	44	Midfielder	18	0.409

The players with the most appearances for Rapid Wien are Peter Schöttel (436 games), Steffen Hofmann (434 games), and Michael Konsel (395 games). The top three goal scorers are Josef Uridil, Franz Binder, and Robert Dienst.

Club Staff

Position	Name
President	Alexander Wrabetz
Vice-president	Nikolaus Rosenauer
Sports Coordinator	Steffen Hofmann
Sporting director	Markus Katzer
Manager	Peter Stöger
Assistant managers	Stefan Kulovits Thomas Sageder Daniel Seper
Goalkeeper coach	Jürgen Macho
Fitness coach	Martin Hiden
Athletic coach	Tony Prünster Julian Helml Alexander Steinbichler
Match analyst	Daniel Schmitt
Club doctor	Thomas Balzer Patrick Bitzinger Wojtek Burzec Lukas Brandner Manuel Rosenthaler Wolfgang Skalsky
Physiotherapist	Gerald Kemmer
Kit Manager	Dragisa Vukadinovic

Images for kids

• 

  The 1. Arbeiter FC in 1898

• 

  Historical chart of Rapid Wien league performance

• 

  Friendship corner in the Fan Shop of the 1. FC Nürnberg with trikots of Rapid Wien.

• 

  Allianz Stadion

• 

  A 2010 Wien derby match between Rapid Wien and Austria Wien.

• 

  Steffen Hofmann celebrating the championship 2008.

• 

  Team photo for the 2010–2011 season

See also

In Spanish: SK Rapid Viena para niños