Debreceni Vasutas Sport Club is a Hungarian professional football club based in Debrecen that competes in the Nemzeti Bajnokság I, the first tier of Hungarian football.[1] They are best known internationally for reaching the group stages of the UEFA Champions League in the 2009–10 season.[2] Debrecen have become the most successful club in Hungary since 2000, winning the Hungarian League seven times.[3]
Debrecen was founded on 12 March 1902 as Debreceni Vasutas Sport Club.[4] The club first reached the Nemzeti Bajnokság I in the 1943–44 season. Debrecen rose to domestic prominence in the early 2000s when they won their first Hungarian league title in 2004–05 season. Since then the club managed to win seven titles in the 2010s total. However, in the late 2010s the club lost its governmental support and started to decline. In the 2016–17 Nemzeti Bajnokság I, they were escaping from relegation.
At international level, Debrecen reached their biggest success when they managed to reach the 2009–10 UEFA Champions League group stage.[5] The following year they reached the group stages of the 2010–11 UEFA Europa League.[6] In the following years, DVSC competed in the Champions League and the European League qualifiers. In 2023-2024, DVSC played in the European Conference League. The team played against the Armenian Alashkert FC and qualified to the next round, in which Loki clashed with Rapid Wien and finished their European journey that year.
Crest and colours
Naming history
1902–12: Egyetértés Football Club
1912–48: Debreceni Vasutas
1948–49: Debreceni Vasutas Sport Egyesület
1949–55: Debreceni Lokomotív
1955–56: Debreceni Törekvés
1957–79: Debreceni Vasutas Sport Club
1979–89: Debreceni Munkás Vasutas Sport Club
1989–95: Debreceni Vasutas Sport Club
1995–99: DVSC-Epona
1999–01: Debreceni VSC
2001–02: Netforum-DVSC
2002: Debreceni VSC
2003–05: DVSC-MegaForce
2005–06: DVSC-AVE Ásványvíz
2006–16: DVSC-TEVA
2016–: Debreceni Vasutas Sport Club
Manufacturers and shirt sponsors
The following table shows in detail Debreceni VSC kit manufacturers and shirt sponsors by year:
On 10 May 2014, the first official match was played at the new stadium between Debrecen and Újpest in the 2013–14 Hungarian League season. The match ended with a 3–1 victory over the Budapest-based rival, Újpest. The first goal of the match was scored by Kulcsár in the 27th minute. Although Vasiljević equalised the score in the 37th minute, Debrecen were able to clinch the victory in the second half due to an own goal by Antón in the 46-minute and a goal by Vadnai in the 85th minute.[8][9]
On 22 May 2014, the first match of the Hungary national football team was played at the stadium in front of 20,000 spectators, which ended with a 2–2 draw against Denmark national football team. The first goal was scored by the former Debrecen player Dzsudzsák. Eriksen equalised the score in the 56th minute. The debutant Varga took the lead in the 69th minute again, but the score was equalised by Schöne in the 72nd minute.[10][11][12]
Supporters
Supporters of DVSC are mainly based in Debrecen, Hungary. However, the club is popular in all over Hungary. Club's main ultras group is Szívtiprók Ultras Debrecen (SZ.U.D.), which is the largest and oldest faction, founded in 1994.[13] As of 2000, SZ.U.D started to divide itself, in factions of ultras outside Debrecen, such as SZ.U.D. Budapest, SZ.U.D. Nagyvárad and SZ.U.D. Hódmezővásárhely. Among smaller groups are considered Force Field, Red Territory and Vadmacskák, which are the oldest. However, since 2009, new ultras factions, such as Sziporkák, Debrecen Hooligans, Barrabrava Debrecen and others appeared. This while several, like North Side Hooligans were dissolved in early 2000s. Debrecen has fierce rivalries with Nyíregyháza, Békéscsaba and competitive rivalries with Ferencváros, Újpest and Videoton.
On 27 May 2017, it was announced that Andy Vajna could replace Gábor Szima as the owner of Debrecen. Nevertheless, Andy Vajna added that he likes football but he does not want to invest into football.[16]
On 15 August 2017, it was revealed that Gábor Szima, the owner of Debrecen, might leave the club and a Greek tycoon might arrive.[17]
On 1 July 2020, Szima resigned as the owner of the club.[18] The 73 percent of the shares of the club were purchased by the local government. László Papp, mayor of Debrecen, announced that the main goal is to be promoted to the first league again.
On 18 December 2020, it was announced that the DVSC Egyesület purchased the majority of the shares.[19]
On 27 June 2022, Ike Thierry Zaengel was appointed as the chairman and owner of the club.[20]
^"Hungarian League winners". The Rec Sport Soccer Statistics Foundation. 15 July 2014. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
