Widzew Łódź facts for kids
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| Full name | RTS Widzew Łódź | |||
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| Nickname(s) | Widzewiacy, Czerwona Armia (Red Army) | |||
| Founded | 5 November 1910 as TMRF Widzew | |||
| Ground | Widzew Łódź Stadium | |||
| Capacity | 18,018 | |||
| Chairman | Michał Rydz | |||
| Manager | Željko Sopić | |||
| League | Ekstraklasa | |||
| 2024–25 | Ekstraklasa, 13th of 18 | |||
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RTS Widzew Łódź is a famous Polish football club from Łódź. It was started way back in 1910. The team's main colors are red and white. This is why they are often called Czerwona Armia (Red Army) or Czerwono-biało-czerwoni (Red-white-reds). Widzew Łódź plays in the Ekstraklasa, which is the top football league in Poland. They have been in this league since the 2022–23 season.
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Club History: How Widzew Łódź Started
The club began in 1910 as the Society of Physical Development Fans Widzew. Its name comes from the Widzew area of Łódź. The letters RTS stand for Workers' Sports Association. Polish workers and German factory owners from the WIMA textile factory helped create the club.
At first, the club couldn't use the word "workers'" in its name. This was because Łódź was under Russian rule at the time. The club's special sayings are "Together We Create Power" and "Always 12". The "Always 12" motto means their fans are like the twelfth player on the field.
The team plays its games at the Widzew Łódź Stadium in Łódź. Many fans call this stadium the "Heart of Łódź."
After World War I, Poland became independent again. The club was officially restarted in 1922. It was then called Workers' Sports Association Widzew Łódź.
During World War II, some former Widzew Łódź players were among those who lost their lives.
Widzew's Big Wins
Widzew Łódź has won the Polish league championship four times. They won in 1980–81, 1981–82, 1995–96, and 1996–97. They also won the Polish Cup in 1985.
Winning the League: 1995–96 and 1996–97
After winning two championships in the early 1980s, Widzew won the league again 14 years later. In the 1995–96 season, they had an amazing year. They let in only 22 goals in 34 matches, which was the fewest in the league. They also scored a lot, with 84 goals, and earned 88 points. Thanks to their great goalkeeper, Andrzej Woźniak, the team did not lose a single game that season!
In the next season, 1996–97, they won the championship again. This was the second time in their history they won back-to-back titles. They scored 74 goals and only let in 21.
European Adventures
Widzew has played 117 matches in European competitions. They won 42 of these games. One of their most famous moments was beating Manchester United in the 1980–81 UEFA Cup. Their biggest success was reaching the semi-finals of the 1982–83 European Cup. On their way, they even knocked out Liverpool, who had won the cup three times before!
Recent Club Journey
In 2007, Sylwester Cacek, a wealthy Polish businessman, bought Widzew.
In 2008, the Polish Football Association decided Widzew should be moved down a league. This was because of a past issue. However, Widzew won their league that year and stayed in the second division. They won the second division again in 2009–10 and were promoted to the Ekstraklasa. But after four seasons, they were moved down again in 2013–14.
Due to money problems, Widzew ended up last in the 2014–15 season and went bankrupt.
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Two local businessmen, Marcin Ferdzyn and Grzegorz Waranecki, helped restart the club. They formed a new group called Association of the Reactivation of the Sports Traditions of Widzew Łódź. This new group continued the club's history. They started playing in the fifth tier of Polish football in 2015–16.
The team quickly moved up the leagues. They won promotion in their first season in the fifth tier. In 2016–17, they finished third in the third tier, and the next season they moved up to the second tier. In the 2021–22 season, Widzew finished second in the second tier. This meant they returned to the Ekstraklasa for the first time since the 2013–14 season!
Club Achievements
National League Titles
- Ekstraklasa (First Division)
- Champions: 1980–81, 1981–82, 1995–96, 1996–97
- Runners-up: 1976–77, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1994–95, 1998–99
- I liga (Second Division)
- Champions: 2005–06, 2008–09, 2009–10
National Cup Wins
- Polish Cup
- Winners: 1984–85
- Polish Super Cup
- Winners: 1996
- Runners-up: 1997
- Polish League Cup
- Runners-up: 1977
European Achievements
- UEFA Champions League/European Cup
- Semi-finalists: 1982–83
- Copa del Sol
- Runners-up: 2013
Youth Team Success
- Polish U19 championship
- Runners-up: 1995
Players of Widzew Łódź
Current Team Squad
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Players on Loan
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Retired Jersey Numbers
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Famous Players
Many talented players have played for Widzew Łódź over the years. Some of the most well-known include:
Zbigniew Boniek- Marek Citko
- Marek Dziuba
- Paweł Janas
- Tomasz Łapiński
- Józef Młynarczyk
- Włodzimierz Smolarek
- Mirosław Szymkowiak
- Artur Wichniarek
- Andrzej Woźniak
- Roman Wójcicki
- Władysław Żmuda
Club Managers
Many different managers have led Widzew Łódź throughout its history. Here are some of them:
- Leszek Jezierski (1972–76)
- Jacek Machciński (1979–81)
- Władysław Jan Żmuda (1981–84)
- Franciszek Smuda (1995–98, 2002, 2003, 2017–18)
- Czesław Michniewicz (2010–11)
- Janusz Niedźwiedź (2021–2023)
- Daniel Myśliwiec (2023–2025)
Željko Sopić (2025–)
Widzew Łódź Stadium
The club's original home was the Municipal Stadium, which opened in 1930. It could hold about 10,500 fans. In early 2015, the old stadium was taken down to build a brand new one with 18,000 seats.
While the new stadium was being built, Widzew played their home games in other places. They played in Byczyna and at the UKS SMS Łódź stadium.
The first match at the new Widzew Łódź Stadium was on March 18, 2017. Widzew won 2–0 against Motor Lubawa. A huge crowd of 17,443 fans came to watch!
Widzew Fans
Widzew has one of the biggest fan groups in Poland. They have fan clubs all over the country.
Rivalries
Widzew's biggest rival is ŁKS Łódź. Their games are known as the Łódź Derby. Legia Warsaw is also a big rival. Their matches are called the Derby of Poland because these two clubs often competed for the league title. GKS Bełchatów is another rival.
Friendships
Widzew fans also have friendly relationships with fans from other clubs. These include Ruch Chorzów, Elana Toruń, KKS Kalisz, and Wisła Kraków. A small group of their most passionate fans, called ultras, are also friends with fans of the Hungarian team Honvéd. This friendship comes from the good relationship between Hungary and Poland.
TMRF Widzew Łódź: A Fan-Created Team
In 2014, some active supporters of Widzew created their own football team called TMRF Widzew. They did this because they had disagreements with the main club's management at the time. Only Widzew supporters were allowed to play on this team.
More to Explore
- Football in Poland
- List of football teams
See also
In Spanish: Widzew Lodz para niños
