FC Zürich

Zürich
Full name Fussballclub Zürich
Nickname(s) Der Stadtclub (The City Club)[1]
Founded 1 August 1896 (1896-08-01)
Ground Letzigrund, Zürich
Ground Capacity 26,104
Chairman Ancillo Canepa
Manager Uli Forte
League Super League
2016–17 Swiss Challenge League, 1st (promoted)
Website Club website

Fussballclub Zürich, commonly abbreviated to FC Zürich, FCZ or simply Zürich, is a Swiss football club based in the city of Zürich and currently playing in the Super League, the first tier in the Swiss football league system. The club was founded in 1896 and has won the Swiss Super League 12 times and the Swiss Cup nine times. The club won the 2009 Swiss Super League and last won the Swiss Cup in 2016. They play their home games at the Letzigrund in Zürich, which seats 25,000 spectators. For the women's team see FC Zürich Frauen.

History

Chart of FC Zürich table positions in the Swiss football league system

1896–1924

The club was founded on 1 August 1896 by former members of the three local clubs (FC Turicum, FC Viktoria, and FC Excelsior). One of them was the FC Barcelona founder, Joan Gamper.

Zürich won its first title in the Swiss Serie A in 1901–02, but did not win it again until 1923–24.

Until the 1930s, the club's sporting remit also included rowing, boxing, athletics, and handball, but later focused solely on football.

1925–1960

Between 1925 and 1960, Zürich were in the "wilderness years," devoid of success. The club struggled to keep in the top flight and were relegated from the Super League in 1933–34, playing in the 1. Liga until 1941. In 1940–41, they returned to the Nationalliga, where they stayed until their relegation in 1945–46. They were back in the Nationalliga A in 1947–48 and stayed in the top flight until relegated once more in 1956–57. They were promoted from the Nationalliga B to contest the 1958–59 Nationalliga A, finishing in third place.

1960–1981

This period was known as the "Golden Years" by the FCZ faithful. At this time, the club was run by the legendary President Edwin Nägeli and had players such as Köbi Kuhn, Fritz Künzli, Ilija Katić, René Botteron, and many more. Zürich won seven championships in the years 1963, 1966, 1968, 1974, 1975, 1976 and 1981. They also won the Swiss Cup five times in 1966, 1970, 1972, 1973, and in 1976. FCZ also had some success in Europe getting to the semi-finals of the European Cup 1963–64, before losing to Real Madrid and also reaching the semi-finals in the European Cup 1976–77, where they lost to Liverpool.

1981–2005

Following the club's league title in 1981, the club went into a decline and in 1988 they were relegated to the Nationalliga B. Zürich returned to the top league in 1990. The club did make it to last 16 of the UEFA Cup 1998–99, but were beaten by Roma. The club won the Swiss Cup in 2000, beating Lausanne in the final and also in 2005 beating Luzern.

2006–2016

Season Rank League Ø Attendance[2][3]
2006 1/10 SL 10'008
2007 1/10 SL 10'870
2008 3/10 SL 12'186
2009 1/10 SL 9'829
2010 7/10 SL 10'700
2011 2/10 SL 11'750
2012 6/10 SL 10'511
2013 4/10 SL 10'741
2014 5/10 SL 9'564
2015 3/10 SL 9'389
2016 10/10 SL 8'701
2017 1/10 CL 9'702

On 13 May 2006, FCZ ended their 25 years wait for a league title with a dramatic final day victory against FC Basel to win the Super League. They won thanks to a goal scored in the 93rd minute by Iulian Filipescu. The goal gave FCZ a 2 – 1 victory and secured the title on goal difference over FC Basel. In 2006–07, they also won the league.

In the 2007–08 season, FCZ finished in third place. In the 2008–09 season, they won the league, edging out BSC Young Boys. 2009 they qualified for the first time in the club's history for the group-stage of the UEFA Champions League. In the 2010–11 season FCZ finished second. The following seasons they finished mostly in mid-table positions. FCZ won the Swiss Cup 2014 with a 2:0 victory after extra time against FC Basel.

In the 2015–16 season the club finished last, one point behind FC Lugano and was relegated to the Swiss Challenge League. Four days after the final game of the season FCZ won the Swiss Cup 2016 beating FC Lugano 1:0.

Recent years

In the 2016–17 season FC Zürich won the Challenge League ahead of Neuchâtel Xamax and returned after one year to the Super League.

Honours

Rivalries

Local club Grasshopper, along with FC Basel, are the main rivals of FCZ. Due to the intense rivalry, these matches are so-called "High Risk Games," with an increased police presence in and around the stadium.

Zürich

Since its inception, FCZ has always had a fiery relationship with neighbouring club Grasshopper over sporting supremacy in the city. Grasshoppers are known as the club of the elite and FCZ are known as the club of the workers. The matches between the two clubs are known as the only true local derby in Swiss professional football.

Final vs. FC Basel, 13 May 2006

Before the last round of the 2005–06 Swiss Super League, Zürich were three points behind FC Basel in the league table. The last game of the season was contested by these two clubs vying for the league title at St. Jakob Park, Basel. Alhassane Keita scored the first goal for Zürich. In the second half, Mladen Petrić equalised. FC Basel were seconds away from the title when in the 93rd minute, Florian Stahel passed the ball to Iulian Filipescu, who scored and made it 2 – 1 for Zürich. Zürich won the league title due to their superior goal difference. After the final whistle, the field was stormed by Basel supporters who also attacked Zürich players (see 2006 Basel Hooligan Incident).

Players

Current squad

Updated 9 August 2017.

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
1 Latvia GK Andris Vaņins
3 Switzerland MF Maren Haile-Selassie
4 Switzerland DF Albin Sadrijaj
5 Switzerland DF Armin Alesevic
6 Iceland MF Victor Pálsson
7 Switzerland MF Adrian Winter
8 Switzerland MF Antonio Marchesano
9 Switzerland FW Michael Frey
11 Ghana FW Raphael Dwamena
13 Switzerland DF Alain Nef
14 Senegal FW Moussa Koné
17 Sierra Leone DF Umaru Bangura
18 The Gambia DF Pa Modou Jagne
19 France MF Yassin Maouche
No. Position Player
21 Slovenia FW Džengis Čavušević
22 Switzerland MF Kevin Rüegg
23 Switzerland MF Fabian Rohner
24 Switzerland DF Michael Kempter
25 Switzerland GK Yanick Brecher
26 Switzerland DF Cédric Brunner
27 Switzerland MF Marco Schönbächler
28 Switzerland FW Kilian Pagliuca
29 Senegal MF Sangoné Sarr
31 Switzerland DF Merlind Kryeziu
37 Ivory Coast MF Gilles Yapi Yapo
41 Switzerland DF Kay Voser
51 Switzerland MF Izer Aliu
68 Switzerland MF Roberto Rodríguez

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
Switzerland GK Novem Baumann (on loan at FC Rapperswil-Jona until the end of the 2017–18 season)
Switzerland DF Nicolas Stettler (on loan at FC Winterthur until the end of the 2017–18 season)

Notable former players

Players and managers admitted to the FC Zurich Hall of Fame

source:[4]

Players for the Swiss national football team

Players with World Cup appearances for their national teams

Player records

Most appearances
(Swiss League since 1960)
  PlayerApps
1SwitzerlandGrobKarl Grob513
2SwitzerlandKuhnJakob Kuhn398
3SwitzerlandLandoltRuedi Landolt353
4ItalyMartinelliRosario Martinelli344
5 SwitzerlandFischerUrs Fischer303
6SwitzerlandStierliPirmin Stierli251
7SwitzerlandLüdiHeinz Lüdi244
8SwitzerlandTaroneDaniel Tarone238
9SwitzerlandNefAlain Nef230
10SwitzerlandLeimgruberWerner Leimgruber229

Top scorers
(Swiss League since 1960)
  PlayerGoals
1SwitzerlandKünzliFritz Künzli158
2ItalyMartinelliRosario Martinelli126
3SwitzerlandKuhnJakob Kuhn79
4SwitzerlandRisiPeter Risi76
5SwitzerlandSeilerWalter Seiler62
6SwitzerlandSahinErcument Sahin60
7GuineaKeitaAlhassane Keita58
7GermanyStürmerKlaus Stürmer58
9SwitzerlandBrizziBruno Brizzi56
10FranceAlphonseAlexandre Alphonse55

source appearances:[5]

source scorers:[6]

Managers

  • France Gilbert Gress (16 April 2000 – 30 June 2001)
  • Switzerland Georges Bregy (1 July 2001 – 27 March 2003)
  • Switzerland Walter Grüter (interim) (27 March 2003 – 30 June 2003)
  • Switzerland Lucien Favre (1 July 2003 – 30 June 2007)
  • Switzerland Bernard Challandes (1 July 2007 – 19 April 2010)
  • Switzerland Urs Fischer (interim) (19 April 2010 – 30 June 2010)
  • Switzerland Urs Fischer (1 July 2010 – 12 March 2012)
  • Switzerland Harald Gämperle (interim) (13 March 2012 – 8 June 2012)
  • Switzerland Urs Meier (interim) (14 April 2012 – 24 May 2012)
  • Austria Rolf Fringer (1 July 2012 – 26 Nov 2012)
  • Switzerland Urs Meier (interim) (26 Nov 2012 – 30 Dec 2012)
  • Switzerland Urs Meier (1 Jan 2013 – 3 August 2015)
  • SwitzerlandItaly Massimo Rizzo (interim) (3 August 2015 – 31 August 2015)
  • Finland Sami Hyypiä (31 August 2015 – 12 May 2016)
  • Switzerland Uli Forte (13 May 2016 – )

FC Zürich in Europe

Season Competition Round Opponent Score
1963–64 European Cup Q Republic of Ireland Dundalk 3 – 0, 1 – 2
1/8 Turkey Galatasaray 2 – 0, 0 – 2, 2 – 2
1/4 Netherlands PSV 0 – 1, 3 – 1
1/2 Spain Real Madrid 1 – 2, 0 – 6
1966–67 European Cup 1R Scotland Celtic 0 – 2, 0 – 3
1967–68 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup 1R Spain Barcelona 3 – 1, 0 – 1
2R England Nottingham Forest 1 – 2, 1 – 0
1/8 Portugal Sporting CP 3 – 0, 0 – 1
1/4 Scotland Dundee 0 – 1, 0 – 1
1968–69 European Cup 1R Denmark AB 1 – 3, 2 – 1
1969–70 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup 1R Scotland Kilmarnock 3 – 2, 1 – 3
1970–71 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1R Iceland Knattspyrnufélag Akureyrar 7 – 1, 7 – 0
1/8 Belgium Club Brugge 0 – 2, 3 – 2
1972–73 Cup Winners' Cup 1R Wales Wrexham 1 – 1, 1 – 2
1973–74 Cup Winners' Cup 1R Belgium Anderlecht 2 – 3, 1 – 0
1/8 Sweden Malmö FF 0 – 0, 1 – 1
1/4 Portugal Sporting CP 0 – 3, 1 – 1
1974–75 European Cup 1R England Leeds United 1 – 4, 2 – 1
1975–76 European Cup 1R Hungary Újpest 0 – 4, 5 – 1
1976–77 European Cup 1R Scotland Rangers 1 – 1, 1 – 0
1/8 Finland Turun Palloseura 2 – 0, 1 – 0
1/4 East Germany Dynamo Dresden 2 – 1, 2 – 3
1/2 England Liverpool 1 – 3, 0 – 3
1977–78 UEFA Cup 1R Bulgaria CSKA Sofia 1 – 0, 1 – 1
2R Germany Eintracht Frankfurt 0 – 3, 3 – 4
1979–80 UEFA Cup 1R Germany Kaiserslautern 1 – 3, 1 – 5
1981–82 European Cup 1R East Germany Dynamo Berlin 0 – 2, 3 – 1
1982–83 UEFA Cup 1R Cyprus Pezoporikos Larnaca 2 – 2, 1 – 0
2R Hungary Ferencváros 1 – 1, 1 – 0
1/8 Portugal Benfica 1 – 1, 0 – 4
1983–84 UEFA Cup 1R Belgium Antwerp 1 – 4, 2 – 4
1998–99 UEFA Cup 2Q Ukraine Shakhtar Donetsk 4 – 0, 2 – 3
1R Cyprus Anorthosis Famagusta 4 – 0, 3 – 2
2R Scotland Celtic 1 – 1, 4 – 2
1/8 Italy Roma 0 – 1, 2 – 2
1999–00 UEFA Cup Q Malta Sliema Wanderers 3 – 0, 1 – 0
1R Belgium Lierse 1 – 0, 4 – 3
2R England Newcastle United 1 – 2, 1 – 3
2000–01 UEFA Cup 1R Belgium Genk 1 – 2, 0 – 2
2005–06 UEFA Cup 2Q Poland Legia Warsaw 1 – 0, 4 – 1
1R Denmark Brøndby 0 – 2, 2 – 1
2006–07 Champions League 2Q Austria Red Bull Salzburg 2 – 1, 0 – 2
2007–08 UEFA Champions League 3Q Turkey Beşiktaş 1 – 1, 0 – 2
2007–08 UEFA Cup 1R Italy Empoli 1 – 2, 3 – 0
Group E Czech Republic Sparta Prague 2–1
France Toulouse 2–0
Russia Spartak Moscow 0–1
Germany Bayer Leverkusen 0–5
Round of 32 Germany Hamburg 1 – 3, 0 – 0
2008–09 UEFA Cup 2Q Austria Sturm Graz 1 – 1, 1 – 1
1R Italy Milan 1 – 3, 0 – 1
2009–10 UEFA Champions League 3Q Slovenia Maribor 2 – 3, 3 – 0
PO Latvia Ventspils 3 – 0, 2 – 1
Group C Spain Real Madrid 2 – 5, 0 – 1
Italy Milan 1 – 0, 1 – 1
France Marseille 0 – 1, 1 – 6
2011–12 UEFA Champions League 3Q Belgium Standard Liège 1 – 1, 1 – 0
PO Germany Bayern Munich 0 – 2, 0 – 1
2011–12 UEFA Europa League Group D Portugal Sporting CP 0 – 2, 0 – 2
Romania Vaslui 2 – 2, 2 – 0
Italy Lazio 1 – 1, 0 – 1
2013–14 UEFA Europa League 3Q Czech Republic Slovan Liberec 1 – 2, 1 – 2
2014–15 UEFA Europa League PO Slovakia Spartak Trnava 3 – 1, 1 – 1
Group A Cyprus Apollon Limassol 2 – 3, 3 – 1
Germany Borussia Mönchengladbach 1 – 1, 0 – 3
Spain Villareal CF 1 – 4, 3 – 2
2015–16 UEFA Europa League 3Q Belarus Dinamo Minsk 0 – 1, 1 – 1 (a.e.t.)
2016–17 UEFA Europa League Group L Spain Villareal CF 1 – 1, 1 – 2
Romania Steaua București 0 – 0, 1 – 1
Turkey Osmanlıspor 2 – 1, 0 – 2

References

  1. "Profile: FC Zürich". www.uefa.com. UEFA. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
  2. "Schweiz » Super League » Zuschauer". weltfussball.at. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
  3. "Zuschauerzahlen Super League". sfl.ch. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
  4. "Hall of Fame (Auswahl des FCZ-Museums)". dbfcz.ch. dbfcz. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  5. "Top 10 Einsätze für den FCZ". dbfcz.ch. dbfcz. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  6. "Top 10 Tore für den FCZ". dbfcz.ch. dbfcz. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
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