Feyenoord
Rotterdam Overview
How
to create a top football team: take one idealistic
millionaire with money from mining interests,
add a Rotterdam pub called De Keijser, mix in
a few enthusiastic local players, knead them
into a team named Wilhelmina and leave to develop
for 16 years.
From such beginnings in 1908 did one of the
great Dutch teams originate. Four years - and
two name changes later (from Hillesluise Football
Club to RVC Celeritas) - the team finally emerged
as Feyenoord. They were, from the outset, an
ambitious club but had to wait until 1921, when
thanks to the services of an Englishman, Bill
Julian, they finally gained promotion to the
top flight.
In 1924 - just 16 years after their foundation
- Feyenoord won their first league championship
and kicked off a roller-coaster ride that would
span the rest of the century and beyond. During
that time they would win 14 Dutch championships,
ten Dutch Cups as well as a European Cup and
two UEFA Cups. More importantly for their fans
they would also give rivals AFC Ajax a run for
their money.
The Second World War was a watershed. Before
hostilities Feyenoord had won five Dutch championships,
the fifth in 1940, but afterwards - with the
bombed De Kuip stadium having to be rebuilt
and rivatalised - the team struggled for nearly
two decades before winning their sixth league
title in 1961
The catalyst for that revival was Coen Moulijn,
who arrived at the club in 1954. A team was
gradually built around him and three league
championships and a Dutch Cup were garnered
in just four years during the early 1960s thanks
in large part to his services. As a consequence
a life-sized portrait of Moulijn now hangs in
tribute at the entrance to the Home of History
at the stadium.
Feyenoord won the league title again in 1969
and the next year enjoyed their greatest moment
when, guided by their Austrian manager Ernst
Happel, they won the European Champion Club's
Cup final in 1970, beating Celtic FC 2-1 at
Milan's San Siro stadium. Further European honours
soon followed when - now coached by Wiel Coerver
- Feyenoord won the 1974 UEFA Cup, beating Tottenham
Hotspur FC 2-0 in the second leg of the final
in front of 63,000 fans at the De Kuip stadium
to seal a 4-2 aggregate victory.
Feyenoord, who are the Netherlands' most passionately
supported club, won their most recent league
championship in 1998/1999, under the experienced
coach Leo Beenhakker and in 1999-2000 made an
impression in the UEFA Champions League, reaching
the second group phase. However, better things
were on the horizon and in 2001/02 they won
the UEFA Cup, beating Borussia Dortmund 3-2
in the final.
2001/02: Won UEFA Cup. Third in Dutch league.
Qualified for 2002/03 UEFA Champions League
(after 3-0 aggregate victory over Fenerbahçe
SK in qualifying round).
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Feyenoord
Rotterdam Info
Stadium:
Stadion Feijenoord
Honours:
European Cup:
1970
UEFA
Cup:
1974, 2002
League Winners:
1924, 1928, 1936, 1938, 1940, 1961, 1962,
1965, 1969, 1971, 1974, 1984, 1993, 1999
Dutch
Cup:
1930, 1935, 1965, 1969, 1980, 1984, 1991,
1992, 1994, 1995
Dutch Super Cup:
1991, 1999
QUICK
FACT
They
are the Netherlands most passionately
supported club team.
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