Sparta Rotterdam facts for kids
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| Full name | Sparta Rotterdam | ||
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| Nickname(s) | De Kasteelheren (The Castle Lords) De Rood-Witte Gladiatoren (The Red-White Gladiators) |
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| Founded | 1 April 1888 | ||
| Ground | Sparta Stadion | ||
| Capacity | 11,026 | ||
| Chairman | Leo Ruijs | ||
| Head Coach | Maurice Steijn | ||
| League | Eredivisie | ||
| 2022–23 | Eredivisie, 6th of 18 | ||
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Sparta Rotterdam is a professional football club from Rotterdam, a big city in the Netherlands. It was started on April 1, 1888. This makes Sparta Rotterdam the oldest professional football team in the Netherlands!
Sparta plays in the Eredivisie, which is the top football league in the Netherlands. They have won this league six times. The club is one of three professional football teams in Rotterdam. The other two are Excelsior and Feyenoord.
Contents
History of Sparta Rotterdam
How Sparta Began
On Easter Sunday, April 1, 1888, eight students in Rotterdam created a cricket club. They called it the Rotterdamsche Cricket & Football Club Sparta. The club started in the garden of one of the students' homes. The students were between 13 and 16 years old. They came from rich families, as only wealthy people had time and money for sports back then.
At first, Sparta was mainly a cricket club. But soon, the boys got a proper football. They started playing football, which was a new sport from the United Kingdom. In July 1888, a football part of the club was officially formed. Sparta was the first club in the Netherlands to use a goal with a crossbar and nets. Before that, teams just used a rope between the posts.
First Football Matches
In their first year, Sparta players only played against each other. These games happened in different places around Rotterdam. There was no main football organization yet, so clubs had to invite each other to play.
Sparta got its first challenge on December 28, 1888. But the game couldn't be played because the field was too wet. In April 1889, Sparta got a special field from the city. They also got their first clubhouse.
Joining the Football League
In March 1890, Sparta joined the Dutch Football and Athletics Association. This group later became the KNVB, which runs football in the Netherlands today. Sparta played its first official match later that year.
In 1892, Sparta decided to focus only on football. On December 18, 1892, Sparta won a game 17–0 against Amersfoortsche FC. This is still a record for a Dutch league match! One player, Freek Kampschreur, scored 9 goals in that game. In 1893, Sparta and another team, Go Ahead, were promoted to the highest Dutch league.
Sparta was also the first Dutch club to play against a foreign team. On March 18, 1893, they played against Harwich & Parkeston F.C. from England. The English team was much better and won 8–0. Later, Sparta helped create the Rotterdam Football Association in 1894.
New Ideas in Football
Sparta was known for trying new things. In 1896, they tried to organize a match between a women's team from Sparta and an English women's team. But the Dutch Football Association did not allow it.
Over the years, Sparta brought many new ideas to Dutch football. They introduced:
- The header (hitting the ball with your head).
- Goals with crossbars and nets.
- Brightly colored shirts.
In 1899, Sparta's leaders visited Sunderland in England. They loved Sunderland's red and white striped jerseys. So, they decided that Sparta would also wear red and white stripes with black shorts. Today, this is still Sparta's famous uniform.
Sparta's First Golden Age
From 1900, Sparta played a big role in Dutch football. Many of its leaders were also on the board of the Dutch Football Association. In 1901, Sparta started organizing the "Zilveren Bal" (Silver Ball) competition, which was a very important cup tournament.
In 1905, Sparta helped organize the first home match for the Dutch national team. They played against Belgium and won 4–0. This game took place at Sparta's stadium, the Schuttersveld.
For many years, Sparta was known as "the eternal number 2" because they often finished second or third. But this changed in 1909. Sparta won the national championship in 1909, 1911, 1912, 1913, and 1915. They also won other cups during this time. Sparta hired its first coach, Edgar Chadwick from England, which helped them become very successful. Star players like Bok de Korver, Huug de Groot, and Cas Ruffelse were key to their success.
On October 15, 1916, Sparta moved to its new stadium, Het Kasteel (The Castle). This stadium was built with money from 27 people in Rotterdam. It became known as "The Castle" because of its two tower-like parts. The stadium was updated in 1999 and is still Sparta's home today.
Recent Years
Sparta Rotterdam played in the top league until the 2002–03 season. Then, they were moved down to a lower league. They came back to the top league in 2005–06. In 2010, they were moved down again. On August 20, 2010, Sparta won a game 12–1 against Almere City. This was a record-tying win for a Dutch league match! One player, Johan Voskamp, scored 8 goals in that game.
After six years in the lower league, Sparta won promotion back to the Eredivisie in April 2016. However, they were moved down again in May 2018. They earned promotion back to the Eredivisie in 2019.
Sparta has won six national titles (1909, 1911, 1912, 1913, 1915, and 1959). They have also won the national cup three times (1958, 1962, and 1966).
Sparta's Youth Academy
Sparta has a very strong youth academy called the Sparta Jeugdopleiding. It has a four-star rating and is one of the best in the country. It has won awards for being the national academy of the year many times.
Many famous international football players have learned and grown up in Sparta's youth academy. Some of these players include:
- Danny Blind
- Memphis Depay
- Georginio Wijnaldum
- Kevin Strootman
- Rick van Drongelen
- Marten de Roon
These players went on to play for big clubs and their national teams.
Jong Sparta Rotterdam is the second team of Sparta Rotterdam. It is made up of young players who are not quite ready for the main team. They play in the Tweede Divisie, which is the third-highest league in the Netherlands.
Sparta's Achievements
National Titles
- Netherlands Football League Championship / Eredivisie (Top League): 6 times
- 1908–09, 1910–11, 1911–12, 1912–13, 1914–15, 1958–59
- Eerste Divisie (Second League): 1 time
- 2015–16
- KNVB Cup (National Cup): 3 times
- 1957–58, 1961–62, 1965–66
Other Awards
- Rotterdam Easter Tournament
- Runners-up (2): 1934, 1948
Images for kids
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A chart showing Sparta Rotterdam's league performance over the years.
