Palermo FC facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Palermo

Full name	Palermo Football Club
Nickname(s)	I Rosanero (The Pink and Blacks) Le Aquile (The Eagles)
Founded	1 November 1900; 124 years ago (1900-11-01) as Anglo Palermitan Athletic and Football Club
Ground	Stadio Renzo Barbera
Ground Capacity	36,365
Owner	City Football Group (94.94%) Hera Hora S.r.l. (5%) Associazione Amici Rosanero (0.06%)
Chairman	Dario Mirri
Head coach	Alessio Dionisi
League	Serie D Group I
2018–19	Serie B, 11th of 19 (resigned)
Home colours Away colours Third colours

Palermo Football Club is an Italian professional football team from Palermo, Sicily. They currently play in Serie B, which is Italy's second-highest football league. The club is also part of the City Football Group, which owns several football clubs around the world.

Palermo FC was first started on November 1, 1900, as the Anglo Palermitan Athletic and Football Club. This makes it one of the oldest football clubs in Italy. Over the years, the club has won the Coppa Italia Serie C once and five Serie B league titles. They have also played in three Coppa Italia finals and spent 29 seasons in Serie A, Italy's top league. The team has also competed in European tournaments five times, all in the UEFA Cup/Europa League.

History of Palermo FC

Palermo's journey through Italy's football leagues since 1929.

The exact start date of Palermo FC is a bit unclear, but most people agree it was November 1, 1900. It was first called the Anglo Palermitan Athletic and Football Club. A young man named Ignazio Majo Pagano, who learned about football in London, helped start the club. The first team had three Englishmen and nine people from Palermo. Their first colors were red and blue.

The team's first recorded match was on December 30, 1900, where they lost 5–0 to an amateur English team. Their first official win was on April 18, 1901, beating Messina Football Club 3–2.

Changing Colors and Early Success (1907–1947)

An old Palermo FBC logo.

The first team lineup of the Anglo-Palermitan Athletic & Football Club in 1900.

In 1907, the club changed its name to Palermo Foot-Ball Club. This is when they also changed their team colors to the famous pink and black. From 1908 until World War I, Palermo played in the Lipton Challenge Cup. They won this competition three times, including a big 6–0 win in 1912.

After World War I, the club was restarted in 1919 as Unione Sportiva Palermo. They mostly played in a southern Italian league. In 1927, the club faced money problems and closed down. But it was reformed a year later by joining with another team, Vigor Palermo. They were then called Palermo FootBall Club again.

The team moved up to Serie B in 1930 and then reached Serie A, Italy's top league, in 1932. They also moved to a new stadium, the Stadio Littorio, which is now known as Stadio Renzo Barbera. Palermo played in Serie A until 1936.

Due to financial difficulties, the club was removed from the Italian Football Federation in 1940. It was then reformed as Unione Sportiva Palermo-Juventina and continued playing. The club couldn't finish the 1942–43 season because of World War II. After the war, the club became US Palermo.

Ups and Downs (1947–2002)

Santiago Vernazza, a great goalscorer for Palermo.

After World War II, Palermo won the Serie B championship in 1947–48 and returned to Serie A. They had famous players like Čestmír Vycpálek from Czechoslovakia and Santiago Vernazza from Argentina. Palermo often moved between Serie A and Serie B during this time. Their best Serie A finish was eighth place in the 1961–62 season.

In 1970, Renzo Barbera became the new chairman. Even though they were mostly in Serie B, Palermo reached the Italian Cup finals twice, losing both times. In 1986, the club was again removed from the football federation because of money problems. A year later, in 1987, the club was restarted with a new name and began playing in Serie C2, which they quickly won.

In the 1990s, Palermo moved between Serie B and Serie C1. In March 2000, the chairman of Roma, Franco Sensi, bought Palermo. The team was promoted to Serie B in 2001 after a thrilling end to the season.

The Zamparini Era and European Football (2002–2013)

Maurizio Zamparini, a former chairman and owner of Palermo.

In 2002, Maurizio Zamparini bought Palermo. He wanted to bring the club back to Serie A and play in European competitions. After one try, Palermo won the Serie B championship in 2003–04 and returned to Serie A after 31 years! This was under coach Francesco Guidolin.

The 2004–05 season was great. Palermo finished sixth in Serie A, which meant they qualified for the UEFA Cup (now called the Europa League) for the first time ever. Star player Luca Toni scored 20 league goals, a club record. Palermo continued to play in the UEFA Cup in the following seasons.

Fabrizio Miccoli, a former captain and record goalscorer for Palermo.

In the 2010–11 season, Palermo returned to European football. They also reached their third Coppa Italia final, but lost 3–1 to Internazionale. This was a big moment for the club during Zamparini's time.

Challenges and a Fresh Start (2011–Present)

After 2011, Palermo faced more changes in coaches and players. In the 2012–13 season, after nine years in Serie A, Palermo was relegated back to Serie B.

Giuseppe Iachini led Palermo to win the Serie B title in 2014, setting a new points record.

However, they quickly bounced back! Under coach Giuseppe Iachini, Palermo won the Serie B title in 2013–14 with a record 86 points. They returned to Serie A for the 2014–15 Serie A season, playing well with stars like Paulo Dybala and Franco Vázquez.

The next few seasons were tough, with many coaching changes. In 2016–17, Palermo was relegated to Serie B again. In 2017, Maurizio Zamparini stepped down as chairman after 15 years.

In 2019, the club faced serious financial problems and was even excluded from all professional leagues. But a new beginning came on July 23, 2019. A new club, "Hera Hora srl," was formed and allowed to join Serie D, a non-professional league. Palermo won Serie D in 2019–20 and was promoted to Serie C. On July 16, 2020, the club officially changed its name to Palermo Football Club.

In 2021–22 Serie C, Palermo earned promotion back to Serie B after beating Padova in the playoffs. This was a great return after just three years out of the league. On July 4, 2022, the club was bought by the City Football Group, which also owns Manchester City F.C.. Dario Mirri, the previous owner, remained as chairman.

Team Colors and Badge

A letter from 1905 suggesting pink and black as Palermo's new colors.

Palermo's original red-blue kit, worn from 1900 until 1907.

Palermo's official badge, created in 2019, shows a white eagle's head and three pink and black feathers inside a black letter 'P'. The eagle is a symbol of the city of Palermo and is also on the city's official coat of arms.

When the club first started, Palermo played in red and blue shirts. But on February 27, 1907, they changed to their unique pink and black colors. This happened when the club's name changed to "Palermo FootBall Club."

Count Giuseppe Airoldi, one of the club's founders, suggested the pink and black colors. In a letter from 1905, he described them as "colors of the bitter and the sweet." He thought these colors suited a team whose results were "as up and down as a Swiss clock." He also noted that red and blue were very common colors for teams in Italy.

The team had to wait three months for their new pink shirts because the special fabric was not available in Palermo. It had to be imported from England. The first time they wore the new shirts was in a friendly match against Sir Thomas Lipton's crew team, which Palermo won 2–1.

For a short time, from 1936 to 1940, the team was forced to wear red and yellow jerseys. These were the official colors of the city of Palermo at the time. When the club was restarted in 1941, they wore light blue shirts. But they quickly switched back to the popular pink and black colors just one year later.

Shirt Sponsors and Manufacturers

The Stadium: Stadio Renzo Barbera

Stadio Renzo Barbera, Palermo's home stadium.

Palermo plays its home matches at the Stadio Renzo Barbera. This stadium first opened in 1932. It was originally called Stadio Littorio. The first match played there was on January 24, 1932, where Palermo won 5–1 against Atalanta. In 1936, its name was changed to Stadio Michele Marrone.

After World War II, in 1948, the stadium was renamed Stadio La Favorita. It was also changed to remove a running track and add more seating, increasing its capacity to 30,000. In 1984, it was made even bigger, to hold 50,000 people.

For the 1990 FIFA World Cup, the stadium was renovated again. More seats were added, but the total capacity was reduced to 37,619. In 2002, the stadium was renamed in honor of Renzo Barbera, who was a famous Palermo chairman in the 1970s.

In 2024, Palermo opened its very own training center in the city of Torretta. This was the first training center in the club's history.

Palermo Supporters

Palermo fans during a Sicilian derby in 2006.

Most Palermo supporters live in the city of Palermo and nearby areas. However, the club is also very popular across Western Sicily and among Sicilians who have moved to northern Italy. Some Palermo fans living in Germany even started their own football club called FC Rosaneri in honor of Palermo.

Supporting Palermo is strongly linked to a sense of Sicilian identity. It's common to see Sicilian flags waved by fans during matches. Palermo fans also have a special friendship with the supporters of Lecce. This bond grew stronger when Fabrizio Miccoli, a well-known Lecce supporter, became captain of Palermo. He also became the club's top goalscorer and record holder for most Serie A appearances.

Palermo's biggest rivals are Catania, another team from Sicily. Matches between Palermo and Catania are called Sicilian derbies. There is also a rivalry with Messina, but it is usually less intense than the one with Catania.

A survey from 2008 showed that Palermo has about 1.47 million fans in Italy. This places them among the top ten most supported Italian teams. For example, at the Coppa Italia final in Rome in 2011, it was estimated that 25,000 to 35,000 fans from Palermo were there, outnumbering the opposing team's fans.

Palermo Players

Current Squad

No. Position Player 1 GK Sebastiano Desplanches 3 DF Kristoffer Lund 4 DF Rayyan Baniya (on loan from Trabzonspor) 5 DF Fabio Lucioni 6 MF Claudio Gomes 7 FW Francesco Di Mariano 8 MF Jacopo Segre 9 FW Matteo Brunori (captain) 10 MF Filippo Ranocchia 11 FW Roberto Insigne 12 GK Manfredi Nespola 14 MF Aljosa Vasic 16 GK Alfred Gomis 17 FW Federico Di Francesco 18 DF Ionuț Nedelcearu

No. Position Player 19 FW Stredair Appuah 20 FW Thomas Henry (on loan from Hellas Verona) 21 FW Jérémy Le Douaron 23 DF Salim Diakité 25 DF Alessio Buttaro 26 MF Valerio Verre 27 DF Niccolò Pierozzi 28 MF Alexis Blin 29 DF Patryk Peda 30 MF Dario Šarić 32 DF Pietro Ceccaroni 43 DF Dimitrios Nikolaou 46 GK Salvatore Sirigu 63 GK Francesco Cutrona 77 GK Francesco Di Bartolo

Players Out on Loan

No. Position Player DF Giuseppe Aurelio (at Spezia until 30 June 2025) DF Simon Graves (at PEC Zwolle until 30 June 2025) MF Samuele Damiani (at Ternana until 30 June 2025)

No. Position Player MF Leo Štulac (at Reggiana until 30 June 2026) FW Giacomo Corona (at Pontedera until 30 June 2025) FW Giuseppe Fella (at Cavese until 30 June 2025)

Famous Former Players

In 2020, for the club's 120th birthday, Palermo created a hall of fame. Fans voted for their favorite players. Some of the most voted players include:

• Fabrizio Miccoli
• Eugenio Corini
• Javier Pastore
• Paulo Dybala
• Luca Toni
• Edinson Cavani
• Salvatore Sirigu

Club Officials

Board of Directors Role Name President Dario Mirri CEO and General Manager Giovanni Gardini Board members Simon Richard Cliff Alberto Galassi Theodore Macbeath Brian Marwood Sporting Director Morgan De Sanctis International Scout Giulio Migliaccio Chief Scout Leonardo Masieri Chief of Youth System Francesco Farina

Current Coaching Staff Role Name Head coach Alessio Dionisi Assistant coach Paolo Cozzi Fitness coach Fabio Spighi Emanuele Tononi Technical collaborator Diego Daldosso Massimiliano Sigolo Luca Vigiani Goalkeeping coach Guido Nanni Match analyst Federico Montalto Fitness coach assistant Guglielmo Pillitteri

Palermo Managers

In 2020, as part of the club's 120th anniversary, fans also voted for the best manager in Palermo's history. The winner was Francesco Guidolin. He led Palermo to win promotion to Serie A in 2004 after 31 years. He also guided them to their best-ever Serie A finish (5th place) and their first European qualification.

Other popular managers who were considered include:

• Delio Rossi
• Giuseppe Iachini
• Čestmír Vycpálek

Club Achievements

• Serie B
  • Champions (5): 1931–32, 1947–48, 1967–68, 2003–04, 2013–14
• Serie C1
  • Champions (4): 1941–42, 1945–46, 1992–93, 2000–01
• Serie C2
  • Champions (1): 1987–88
• Serie D
  • Champions (1): 2019–20
• Prima Divisione
  • Champions (1): 1929–30
• Coppa Italia Serie C
  • Winners (1): 1992–93

Other Titles

• Coppa Federale Siciliana

• Winners (1): 1920

• Whitaker Challenge Cup

• Winners (1): 1908

• Lipton Challenge Cup

• Winners (5): 1910, 1912, 1913, 1914, 1915

• Torneo di Tunisi
  • Winners (1): 1923
• Campionato Primavera:
  • Winners (1): 2008–09
• Campionato Nazionale Dante Berretti:
  • Winners (1): 2000–01
• Coppa Allievi Professionisti:
  • Winners (1): 1997–98
• Campionato Giovanissimi Regionali:
  • Winners (2): 2011–12, 2012–13

Club Records

Luca Toni scored 30 goals in the 2003–04 season, a record for Palermo.

• Most appearances in all competitions – 372, Roberto Biffi (1988–1999)
• Most European appearances – 15, Andrea Barzagli, Franco Brienza and Mattia Cassani
• Most Serie A league appearances – 165, Fabrizio Miccoli (2007–2013)
• Most league goals – 74, Fabrizio Miccoli (2007–2013)
• Most Serie A league goals – 74, Fabrizio Miccoli (2007–2013)
• Most Coppa Italia cup goals – 7, Massimo De Stefanis (1979–1984)
• Most Europa League/UEFA Cup goals – 4, Franco Brienza (2000–2013), Abel Hernández (2009–2014)
• Most goals in all competitions – 81, Fabrizio Miccoli (2007–2013)
• Most goals in a season – 30, Luca Toni (2003–2004)
• Current player with most appearances – 94, Ivan Marconi (as of June 30, 2023)
• Biggest win and biggest home win in Serie A – 8–0 (against Pro Patria, November 5, 1950)
• Biggest away win – 8–1 (against Potenza, March 1, 1942)
• Biggest defeat and biggest away defeat – 0–9 (against Milan, February 18, 1951)
• Biggest home defeat – 0–7 (against Udinese, February 27, 2011)
• Highest number of points in Serie A league – 65 points (2009–10) 5th position
• Best series without home defeats – 26 (March 15, 2009 – August 29, 2010)
• Greatest series of consecutive victories in Serie A league – 5 (2006–07)

Competitions Played

League History

Level	Category	Participations	First Season	Last Season	Moves
A	Serie A	29	1932–33	2016–17	9
B	Serie B	46	1930–31	2023–24	9 3 ✟ 3
C	Prima Divisione	1	1929–30		6
	Serie C	3	1941–42	2021–22
	Serie C1	9	1984–85	2000–01
	Serie C2	1	1987–88		1
87 out of 90 years of professional football in Italy since 1929
D	Serie D	1	2019–2020		1

National Cup Competitions

International Competitions

Palermo in Europe

UEFA Cup / UEFA Europa League Matches

Season	Round	Opponent	Home Score	Away Score	Total Score	Reference
2005–06	First round	Anorthosis	2–1	4–0	6–1
	Group B	Maccabi Petah Tikva	N/A	2–1	1st
		Lokomotiv Moscow	0–0	N/A
		Espanyol	N/A	1–1
		Brøndby	3–0	N/A
	Round of 32	Slavia Prague	1–0	1–2	2–2 (a)
	Round of 16	Schalke 04	1–0	0–3	1–3
2006–07	First round	West Ham United	3–0	1–0	4–0
	Group H	Eintracht Frankfurt	N/A	2–1	4th
		Newcastle United	0–1	N/A
		Fenerbahçe	N/A	0–3
		Celta Vigo	1–1	N/A
2007–08	First round	Mladá Boleslav	0–1 (aet)	1–0	1–1 (2–4 p)
2010–11	Play-off round	Maribor	3–0	2–3	5–3
	Group F	Sparta Prague	2–2	2–3	3rd
		Lausanne-Sport	1–0	1–0
		CSKA Moscow	0–3	1–3
2011–12	Third qualifying round	Thun	2–2	1–1	3–3 (a)

Images for kids

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  Joseph Whitaker, an honorary chairman in the early 1900s.

See also

In Spanish: Palermo Football Club para niños