FC Zürich


Fussballclub Zürich, commonly abbreviated to FC Zürich or simply FCZ, is a Swiss football men's club based in the city of Zürich, in the Canton of Zurich in the Super League, the top tier in its league. The club was founded in 1896 and has won the Swiss Super League 12 times and the Swiss Cup 10 times. The club won the 2009 Swiss Super League and last won the Swiss Cup in 2018. Their home games are played at the Letzigrund in Zürich, which seats 25,000 spectators. For the women's team see FC Zürich Frauen.

History

1896–1924

The club was founded in summer 1896 by former members of the two local clubs FC Turicum and FC Excelsior. Later, the official founding date was set at 1 August 1896. One of the founding members was the later FC Barcelona founder, Joan Gamper, coaching and playing for FC Excelsior and its successor from 1894 to 1897. The new club played its first game on 30 August 1896 on Velorennbahn Hardau in Zürich against FC Phönix St. Gallen with a 3:3 draw. In 1898, FC Excelsior completely merged with FC Zürich and local club FC Victoria joined shortly thereafter.
The debut game was in 1896 with the colors blue and white. The colors where changed to red and white; rivals Grasshopper Club Zürich had the same colors. When Grasshopper Club temporarily retired from the championship in 1909, FCZ returned to the colors blue and white which they continue to use. 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 included rowing, boxing, athletics, and handball, but football would become the focus of the club.

1925–1960

From 1925 to 1960, Zürich struggled to overcome an unsuccessful record and was described as the "wilderness years". They were relegated in 1933–34, playing in the 1. Liga to the 1941 season. 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 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

On 13 May 2006, FCZ ended their 25 years effort to win Super League with a goal in the 93rd minute by Iulian Filipescu against FC Basel. The goal gave FCZ a 2 – 1 victory based on goal difference. They sustained the league title In 2006–07.
In 2008 the local women's team FFC Zürich Seebach was combined with FC Zürich and would play under the name FC Zürich Frauen in the Swiss national league. FC Zürich Frauen is Swiss record champion and 2nd in the alltime table only behind FFC Bern.
In the 2007–08 season, FCZ finished in third place. In a 2008–09 season match, they edged pass BSC Young Boys to win the league title. In 2009, they made their debut play 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 in extra time against FC Basel 2 to 0.
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 to 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. In the 2017–2018 season they finished 4th. On 27 May 2018 they won the Swiss Cup for the tenth time, beating BSC Young Boys 2:1.

Honours

, also from Zürich, and FC Basel are the main rivals of FCZ. Due to the intense rivalry, these matches are so-called high-risk fixtures, 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.

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 match 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. Zürich's success at 2 – 1 was attributed to their superior goal difference. Following the final whistle, Basel supporters stormed the pitch and attacked players on both teams.

Players

Current squad

Out on loan

Reserve squad/Zürich II

The Zürich II/U21 team plays in the Swiss Promotion League.

Notable former players

Players and managers admitted to the FC Zurich Hall of Fame
Players for the Swiss national football team
Players with World Cup appearances for their national teams
PlayerApps
1Karl Grob513
2Jakob Kuhn398
3Ruedi Landolt353
4Rosario Martinelli344
5Werner Leimgruber314
6Urs Fischer303
7Alain Nef277
8Pirmin Stierli248
9Heinz Lüdi244
10Daniel Tarone238

PlayerGoals
1Fritz Künzli158
2Rosario Martinelli126
3Jakob Kuhn79
4Peter Risi76
5Bruno Brizzi74
5Werner Leimgruber74
7Walter Seiler62
8Ercument Sahin60
9Alhassane Keita58
9Klaus Stürmer58

Managers

As of 2019
CompetitionPldWDLGFGA
UEFA Champions League48164285077
UEFA Europa League7825183592125
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup124442416
Inter-Cities Fairs Cup104061212
Total148492673178230

SeasonCompetitionRoundClubHomeAwayAggregate
1963–64European CupPR Dundalk1–23–04–2
1963–64European Cup1R Galatasaray2–00–22–2
1963–64European CupQF PSV3–10–13–2
1963–64European CupSF Real Madrid1–20–61–8
1966–67European Cup1R Celtic0–30–20–5
1967–68Inter-Cities Fairs Cup1R Barcelona3–10–13–2
1967–68Inter-Cities Fairs Cup2R Nottingham Forest1–01–22–2
1967–68Inter-Cities Fairs Cup3R Sporting CP3–00–13–1
1967–68Inter-Cities Fairs CupQF Dundee0–10–10–2
1968–69European Cup1R AB1–31–22–5
1969–70Inter-Cities Fairs Cup1R Kilmarnock3–21–34–5
1970–71European Cup Winners' Cup1R Knattspyrnufélag Akureyrar7–07–114–1
1970–71European Cup Winners' Cup2R Club Brugge3–20–23–4
1972–73European Cup Winners' Cup1R Wrexham1–11–22–3
1973–74European Cup Winners' Cup1R Anderlecht1–02–33–3
1973–74European Cup Winners' Cup2R Malmö FF0–01–11–1
1973–74European Cup Winners' CupQF Sporting CP1–10–31–4
1974–75European Cup1R Leeds United2–11–43–5
1975–76European Cup1R Újpest5–10–45–5
1976–77European Cup1R Rangers1–01–12–1
1976–77European Cup2R Turun Palloseura2–01–03–0
1976–77European CupQF Dynamo Dresden2–12–34–4
1976–77European CupSF Liverpool1–30–31–6
1977–78UEFA Cup1R CSKA Sofia1–01–12–1
1977–78UEFA Cup2R Eintracht Frankfurt3–40–33–7
1979–80UEFA Cup1R Kaiserslautern1–31–52–8
1981–82European Cup1R Dynamo Berlin3–10–23–3
1982–83UEFA Cup1R Pezoporikos Larnaca1–02–23–2
1982–83UEFA Cup2R Ferencváros1–01–12–1
1982–83UEFA Cup3R Benfica1–10–41–5
1983–84UEFA Cup1R Antwerp2–41–43–8
1998–99UEFA Cup2QR Shakhtar Donetsk4–02–36–3
1998–99UEFA Cup1R Anorthosis Famagusta4–03–27–2
1998–99UEFA Cup2R Celtic4–21–15–3
1998–99UEFA Cup3R Roma2–20–12–3
1999–00UEFA CupQR Sliema Wanderers1–03–04–0
1999–00UEFA Cup1R Lierse4–31–05–3
1999–00UEFA Cup2R Newcastle United1–21–32–5
2000–01UEFA Cup1R Genk1–20–21–4
2005–06UEFA Cup2QR Legia Warsaw4–11–05–1
2005–06UEFA Cup1R Brøndby2–10–22–3
2006–07UEFA Champions League2QR Red Bull Salzburg2–10–22–3
UEFA Champions League3QR Beşiktaş1–10–21–3
UEFA Cup1R Empoli3–01–24–2
UEFA CupGroup E Sparta Praguestyle="text-align:center;" 2–13rd
UEFA CupGroup E Toulouse2–0style="text-align:center;" 3rd
UEFA CupGroup E Spartak Moscowstyle="text-align:center;" 0–13rd
UEFA CupGroup E Bayer Leverkusen0–5style="text-align:center;" 3rd
UEFA CupR32 Hamburg1–30–01–3
2008–09UEFA Cup2QR Sturm Graz1–11–12–2
2008–09UEFA Cup1R Milan0–11–31–4
2009–10UEFA Champions League3QR Maribor2–33–05–3
2009–10UEFA Champions LeaguePO Ventspils2–13–05–1
2009–10UEFA Champions LeagueGroup C Real Madrid2–50–14th
2009–10UEFA Champions LeagueGroup C Milan1–11–04th
2009–10UEFA Champions LeagueGroup C Marseille0–11–64th
UEFA Champions League3QR Standard Liège1–01–12–1
UEFA Champions LeaguePO Bayern Munich0–10–20–3
UEFA Europa LeagueGroup D Sporting CP0–20–24th
UEFA Europa LeagueGroup D Vaslui2–02–24th
UEFA Europa LeagueGroup D Lazio1–10–14th
2013–14UEFA Europa League3QR Slovan Liberec1–21–22–4
2014–15UEFA Europa LeaguePO Spartak Trnava1–13–14–2
2014–15UEFA Europa LeagueGroup A Apollon Limassol3–12–33rd
2014–15UEFA Europa LeagueGroup A Borussia Mönchengladbach1–10–33rd
2014–15UEFA Europa LeagueGroup A Villareal CF3–21–43rd
2015–16UEFA Europa League3QR Dinamo Minsk0–11–11–2
2016–17UEFA Europa LeagueGroup L Villareal CF1–11–23rd
2016–17UEFA Europa LeagueGroup L Steaua București0–01–13rd
2016–17UEFA Europa LeagueGroup L Osmanlıspor2–10–23rd
2018–19UEFA Europa LeagueGroup A Bayer Leverkusen3–20–12nd
2018–19UEFA Europa LeagueGroup A Ludogorets Razgrad1–01–12nd
2018–19UEFA Europa LeagueGroup A AEK Larnaca1–21–02nd
2018–19UEFA Europa LeagueR32 Napoli1–30–21–5