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Excelsior
Full name	Excelsior Rotterdam
Nickname(s)	The Kralingers; Roodzwarten (red-blacks); The Wonder; Oud papier-club (Paper recycling club)
Founded	23 July 1902; 122 years ago
Ground	Van Donge & De Roo Stadion
Capacity	4,500
Chairman	Bob de Lange
Head coach	Ruben den Uil
League	Eerste Divisie
2023–24	Eredivisie, 16th of 18 (relegated via play-offs)
Website	excelsiorrotterdam.nl
Home colours	Away colours
	Current season

Excelsior Rotterdam, commonly known as Excelsior, is a Dutch professional football club based in Rotterdam. It plays in the Eerste Divisie, the 2nd tier of Dutch football from the 2024–25 season following relegation. The club was founded on 23 July 1902 and was formerly known as "Rotterdamse Voetbal en Atletiek Vereniging Excelsior" (Rotterdam Football and Athletics Club Excelsior). Excelsior's home stadium is the Stadion Woudestein – for sponsorship reasons known as the Van Donge & De Roo Stadion – which has a capacity of about 4,500, one of the smallest stadiums hosting professional football in the Netherlands.

History

Early history

Excelsior was officially formed on 23 July 1902 as Rotterdamse Voetbal en Atletiek Vereniging Excelsior (English: Rotterdam Football and Athletics Club Excelsior). The initial founders of the club, a group of close friends located in the Kralingen district of Rotterdam, started playing football matches on the fields of the eighteenth century buitenplaats Woudesteyn. After the actual establishment of the club, the municipality officially gave permission to use the land.^[2] As football was still an elite sport at the beginning of the 20th century, Excelsior became one of the first working class clubs in the Netherlands.^[3]

First successes

In the season 1945–46, Excelsior gained their first success by promoting to the Eerste Klasse, the highest tier of Dutch football before professional football was introduced in 1954. The deciding match against VUC was played in De Kuip and attracted 52.000 spectators. Excelsior relegated in the next season, but managed to promote for the second time in the season 1951–52. After the introduction of professional football, Excelsior won the Eerste Divisie championship three times (1974, 1979 and 2006) and promoted to the Eredivisie various times, usually to relegate not long afterwards.

Excelsior once reached the KNVB Cup final in the season 1929–30, but lost the match to fellow Rotterdam club Feyenoord (0–1). Excelsior's biggest pre-war achievement was the win of the Zilveren Bal trophy. Excelsior beat Feyenoord (5–0) in the finals of the highly rated pre-season tournament.^[3]

Founding father of Dutch professional football

In the mid-fifties, Excelsior were the leading club behind the introduction of professional football in the Netherlands. When the KNVB continued to refuse payments in football, Excelsior chairman Henk Zon and board member Aad Libregts managed to persuade association president Hans Hopster, in cooperation with the directors of Feyenoord, Sparta and ADO Den Haag. In August 1954 the KNVB accepted the proposal and professional football was introduced in the Netherlands.

Pioneers

Being the smallest professional club in Rotterdam, Excelsior always had to be creative to survive. This creativity made Excelsior play a pioneering role within Dutch football. In 1958 Excelsior became the first Dutch club with covered stands. Later, in 1974, Excelsior also were the first Dutch club with shirt advertising. Against the then existing rules, the club put an 'A' on the shirt. The character was supposed to stand for 'Team A', but in reality it stood for Akai, the company of main investor Rob Albers. The KNVB decided to ban the 'A' from the shirt and it would take until 1982 for shirt advertising to be introduced. Akai would adorn the shirts of Excelsior until the season 1999–00.^[3]

Millennium

In 2002, the year in which the club was officially 100 years old, Excelsior returned to the Eredivisie. They did this after spending more than 20 years in the second tier of Dutch football. They were relegated after one season. In the 2005/2006 season Excelsior became champions of the Eerste Divisie and were promoted back to the Eredivisie once again.

Between 1997 and 2005 Excelsior had a partnership with Rotterdam rivals Feyenoord. Excelsior became Feyenoord's satellite club. As such, Feyenoord gave Excelsior money and players (either on loan or free transfer).

A majority of the Excelsior fans have always been against a partnership with Feyenoord. Michel van der Neut, chairman of Excelsior's supporters club, claimed: "Excelsior sold her soul with the extended partnership. Excelsior simply stops existing this way."^[4]

Recent history

In 2010 Excelsior returned to the highest tier of Dutch football, after defeating crosstown rival Sparta Rotterdam in the final of the Eredivisie promotion/relegation play-offs. The team was mostly composed by Feyenoord loanees and was coached by former Feyenoord youth coach Alex Pastoor. In the 2010–11 season Excelsior made a flying start in the Eredivisie, gaining ten points in its first five matches, including a home victory in the Rotterdam derby against Feyenoord (3–2). In the remainder of the season, Excelsior upset some of the larger league teams at home, winning against AZ and getting draws against Groningen and eventual league champions Ajax. In the final match of the regular season, Excelsior got a 4–1 win away at Vitesse Arnhem, a result that left them one goal short of staying up. Finishing 16th, Excelsior had to face FC Den Bosch and Helmond Sport in the relegation / promotion play-offs. A 4–2 home win against Helmond sport ensured another season of Eredivisie football for Excelsior.

Excelsior finished bottom of the table in the Eredivisie at the end of the 2011–12 season, managing only four wins in 34 matches. The club was again relegated to the Eerste Divisie and has had ups and downs since. In the 2022–23 season Excelsior will be playing in the Eredivisie after being relegated in 2019.^{[citation needed]}

Stadium

Excelsior's home venue is Stadion Woudestein, which has a capacity of 4,500 seats, one of the smallest stadiums hosting professional football in the Netherlands. The official name of the stadium is Van Donge & De Roo Stadion.

The club had two short spells at different locations. For the season 1907–1908 Excelsior played on the Afrikaanderplein. After returning to Woudestein, Excelsior moved to the Toepad terrain for seasons 1922–1939. When the Dutch government decided to build marine barracks on the Toepad area right before the start of the Second World War, Excelsior moved back to the familiar Woudestein.^[3]

In the early nineties Excelsior went through a difficult period. The club barely survived a financial crisis, but a newly appointed board under the chairmanship of Martin de Jager had one important goal; a new Excelsior stadium. Various plans were made, one of them being a joint stadium for Excelsior and Sparta, but eventually none of the plans were implemented. Due to financial pressure, Excelsior decided to take the plunge and started renovating Woudestein themselves. The club built two new stands themselves and with the help of the municipality the main stand got renovated as well, including business seats and office space. On 31 July 2000, the new stadium was opened with a friendly match against Feyenoord.^[5]

When Excelsior promoted to the Eredivisie after the season 2009–10, the club decided to replace the grass surface with artificial turf. Main reason for the change was the lack of financial resources to install under-soil heating, which is mandatory for clubs participating on the highest level of Dutch football.^[6]

Supporters and rivalries

Paper recycling club

Excelsior is known as the Oud papier-club (paper recycling club), because former chairman Henk Zon often used to collect old paper in order to secure the financial position of the club.

Mascot

Since 2008 'Woutje Stein' is the official Excelsior mascot. He is named after the Woudestein-stadium.

Rivalries

Rotterdam is the city with the most professional teams in the Netherlands. Besides Excelsior there are Feyenoord and Sparta Rotterdam.

Rivalry against Sparta

Excelsior is from the Kralingen-neighbourhood and Sparta Rotterdam is from the Spangen-neighbourhood. Both clubs are not always playing in the Eredivisie, hence they play matches against each other in both the Eredivisie and the Eerste Divisie. The Feyenoord partnership Excelsior had in the past has resulted in more hatred from Sparta Rotterdam supporters.

One of the more spectacular matches between Excelsior and Sparta was the 2010 derby. Excelsior managed to gain promotion to the Eredivisie by winning against Sparta in the 94th minute of the match.^[7]

Rivalry against Feyenoord

Ever since the clubs used to work together Excelsior players and supporters have grown a more serious rivalry against Feyenoord. The majority of Excelsior supporters never wanted a cooperation with Feyenoord in the first place. On 22 May 2009, Excelsior supporters hosted a funeral as they felt like their club's identity had died due to the partnership with Feyenoord.^[8]

In 2017 Excelsior won against Feyenoord (3–0), resulting in the latter not winning the Eredivisie title on that day. This resulted in riots.^[9]

Honours

League

Eerste Divisie
- Winners (3): 1973–74, 1978–79, 2005–06
- Promotion (6): 1969–70, 1981–82, 2001–02, 2009–10, 2013–14, 2021–22
Tweede Divisie
- Promotion (1): 1968–69

Domestic results

Below is a table with Excelsior's domestic results since the introduction of the Eredivisie in 1956.

Domestic Results since 1956
Domestic league	League result	Qualification to	KNVB Cup season	Cup result
2022–23 Eredivisie	15th	–	2022–23	second round
2021–22 Eerste Divisie	6th	Eredivisie (winning promotion/releg. play-offs)	2021–22	second round
2020–21 Eerste Divisie	9th	–	2020–21	Quarter-final
2019–20 Eerste Divisie	7th	–	2019–20	second round
2018–19 Eredivisie	16th	Eerste Divisie (relegation)	2018–19	first round
2017–18 Eredivisie	11th	–	2017–18	first round
2016–17 Eredivisie	12th	–	2016–17	second round
2015–16 Eredivisie	15th	–	2015–16	third round
2014–15 Eredivisie	15th	–	2014–15	Semi-final
2013–14 Eerste Divisie	3rd	Eredivisie (winning promotion/releg. play-offs)	2013–14	round of 16
2012–13 Eerste Divisie	15th	–	2012–13	second round
2011–12 Eredivisie	18th	Eerste Divisie (relegation)	2011–12	third round
2010–11 Eredivisie	16th	– (surviving promotion/relegation play-offs)	2010–11	Fourth round
2009–10 Eerste Divisie	3rd	Eredivisie (winning promotion/releg. play-offs)	2009–10	Third round
2008–09 Eerste Divisie	5th	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion	2008–09	Round of 16
2007–08 Eredivisie	18th	Eerste Divisie (relegation)	2007–08	Round of 16
2006–07 Eredivisie	16th	– (surviving promotion/relegation play-offs)	2006–07	Third round
2005–06 Eerste Divisie	1st	Eredivisie (promotion)	2005–06	Second round
2004–05 Eerste Divisie	12th	–	2004–05	Second round
2003–04 Eerste Divisie	2nd	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion	2003–04	Third round
2002–03 Eredivisie	17th	Eerste Divisie (losing promo./releg. play-offs)	2002–03	Quarter-final
2001–02 Eerste Divisie	2nd	Eredivisie (winning promotion/releg. play-offs)	2001–02	Round of 16
2000–01 Eerste Divisie	2nd	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion	2000–01	Round of 16
1999–00 Eerste Divisie	4th	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion	1999–00	Round of 16
1998–99 Eerste Divisie	6th	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion	1998–99	Second round
1997–98 Eerste Divisie	16th	–	1997–98	Group stage
1996–97 Eerste Divisie	17th	–	1996–97	Group stage
1995–96 Eerste Divisie	16th	–	1995–96	Group stage
1994–95 Eerste Divisie	3rd	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion	1994–95	Second round
1993–94 Eerste Divisie	12th	–	1993–94	Third round
1992–93 Eerste Divisie	14th	–	1992–93	Round of 16
1991–92 Eerste Divisie	15th	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion	1991–92	Third round
1990–91 Eerste Divisie	19th	–	1990–91	Second round
1989–90 Eerste Divisie	14th	–	1989–90	Second round
1988–89 Eerste Divisie	3rd	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion	1988–89	First round
1987–88 Eerste Divisie	8th	–	1987–88	Round of 16
1986–87 Eredivisie	18th	Eerste Divisie (relegation)	1986–87	Quarter-final
1985–86 Eredivisie	15th	–	1985–86	First round
1984–85 Eredivisie	12th	–	1984–85	Round of 16
1983–84 Eredivisie	13th	–	1983–84	First round
1982–83 Eredivisie	9th	–	1982–83	Second round
1981–82 Eerste Divisie	3rd	Eredivisie (winning promotion/releg. play-offs)	1981–82	Round of 16
1980–81 Eredivisie	17th	Eerste Divisie (relegation)	1980–81	Second round
1979–80 Eredivisie	9th	–	1979–80	Second round
1978–79 Eerste Divisie	1st	Eredivisie (promotion)	1978–79	Second round
1977–78 Eerste Divisie	4th	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion	1977–78	Semi-final
1976–77 Eerste Divisie	4th	promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion	1976–77	Round of 16
1975–76 Eredivisie	18th	Eerste Divisie (relegation)	1975–76	Second round
1974–75 Eredivisie	14th	–	1974–75	Second round
1973–74 Eerste Divisie	1st	Eredivisie (promotion)	1973–74	Round of 16
1972–73 Eredivisie	17th	Eerste Divisie (relegation)	1972–73	Round of 16
1971–72 Eredivisie	15th	–	1971–72	Quarter-final
1970–71 Eredivisie	16th	–	1970–71	Second round
1969–70 Eerste Divisie	2nd	Eredivisie (promotion)	1969–70	Second round ^{[citation needed]}
1968–69 Tweede Divisie	2nd	Eerste Divisie (promotion)	1968–69	Second round ^{[citation needed]}
1967–68 Tweede Divisie	16th	–	1967–68	Quarter-final ^{[citation needed]}
1966–67 Tweede Divisie	9th	–	1966–67	DNC ^{[citation needed]}
1965–66 Tweede Divisie	9th (group B)	–	1965–66	Group stage ^{[citation needed]}
1964–65 Eerste Divisie	16th	Tweede Divisie (relegation)	1964–65	Second round ^{[citation needed]}
1963–64 Eerste Divisie	9th	–	1963–64	Round of 16 ^{[citation needed]}
1962–63 Eerste Divisie	8th	–	1962–63	Third round ^{[citation needed]}
1961–62 Eerste Divisie	2nd	–	1961–62	? ^{[citation needed]}
1960–61 Eerste Divisie	4th (group B)	–	1960–61	? ^{[citation needed]}
1959–60 Eerste Divisie	11th (group A)	–	not held	not held
1958–59 Eerste Divisie	6th (group B)	–	1958–59	? ^{[citation needed]}
1957–58 Eerste Divisie	7th (group A)	–	1957–58	? ^{[citation needed]}
1956–57 Eerste Divisie	9th (group B)	–	1956–57	? ^{[citation needed]}

Current squad

As of 31 August 2024

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


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
2	DF	NED	Ilias Bronkhorst
3	DF	NED	Kik Pierie
4	DF	NED	Django Warmerdam
5	DF	SWE	Casper Widell
6	MF	BEL	Xander Blomme (on loan from Go Ahead Eagles)
7	FW	ITA	Seydou Fini (on loan from Genoa)
10	MF	NED	Lance Duijvestijn
11	MF	USA	Zach Booth
12	DF	FRA	Arthur Zagré
14	FW	CUW	Rayvien Rosario
15	MF	NED	Noah Naujoks
17	FW	SWE	Richie Omorowa
18	DF	NED	Seb Loeffen
19	FW	NED	Nesto Groen


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
20	MF	NED	Lennard Hartjes
21	FW	BEL	Jacky Donkor
22	DF	NED	José de Almeida Reis
23	MF	NED	Cedric Hatenboer
24	MF	NED	Joshua Eijgenraam
28	DF	SMA	Ronan Olivacce
29	FW	NED	Mike van Duinen
30	FW	NED	Derensili Sanches Fernandes
31	DF	NED	Giuliano Cairo
32	DF	NED	Siem De Moes
33	FW	NED	Jerolldino Armantrading
34	DF	NED	Serano Seymor
38	GK	NED	Pascal Kuiper
40	GK	NED	Calvin Raatsie

Out on loan

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


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
—	FW	SWE	Oscar Uddenäs (at AIK until 30 June 2025)

Player of the year

The Excelsior 'Player of the Year' award is voted for by the club's supporters, in recognition of the best overall performance by an individual player throughout the football season. The annual election is organized by the supporters club Pro Excelsior since 1996.^[10]^[11]

Season	Winner
1995–96	Marinus Dijkhuizen
1996–97	John Schuurhuizen
1997–98	Ferry de Haan
1998–99	Michael van der Kruis
1999–00	David Connolly
2000–01	Jarda Simr
2001–02	Michel Breuer
2002–03	Steve Olfers
2003–04	Danny Buijs
2004–05	Brett Holman
2005–06	Luigi Bruins
2006–07	René van Dieren

Season	Winner
2007–08	Kees Luijckx
2008–09	Jeffrey Altheer
2009–10	Ryan Koolwijk
2010–11	Daan Bovenberg
2011–12	Roland Alberg
2012–13	Jordy Deckers
2013–14	Lars Veldwijk
2014–15	Sander Fischer
2015–16	Rick Kruys
2016–17	Nigel Hasselbaink
2017–18	Hicham Faik
2018–19	Jerdy Schouten

Managers

Current staff

Position	Name
Head coach	Ruben den Uil
Assistant head coach	André Hoekstra
Assistant coach / technology strategist	Takahisa Shiraishi
Team manager	Dennis van der Neut
Goalkeeping coach	Ronald Graafland
Fitness coach	Mario Meijer
Physio	Maurice de Groot
Physio	Rinus Kerskes
Club doctor	Robert Jan de Vos
Kit manager	Rien van Wijk
Kit manager	John van Tilburg
Chief scout	Dave Coelers
Scout	Bert Ebbens

Former managers

Season(s)	Manager
1954–56	Rinus Smits
1956–62	Bob Janse
1962–68	Rinus Smits
1968–70	Bob Janse
1970	Jaap Kouters
1970–71	Bob Janse
1971–73	Joop Castenmiller
1973–75	Ben Peeters
1975–76	Thijs Libregts Bob Janse
1976–80	Thijs Libregts
1980–82	Hans Dorjee
1982–86	Rob Jacobs
1986–88	Henk Wullems
1988–90	Joop van Daele
1990	Martin van der Kooy
1990–92	Sándor Popovics
1992–94	Cor Pot
1994–95	Rob Baan

Season(s)	Manager
1995–96	Hans van der Pluijm
1996-03	Adrie Koster
2003–04	Henk van Stee
2004–05	John Metgod
2005–06	Mario Been
2006–09	Ton Lokhoff
2009–11	Alex Pastoor
2011–12	John Lammers
2012–13	Leon Vlemmings
2013–14	Jon Dahl Tomasson
2014–15	Marinus Dijkhuizen
2015–16	Alfons Groenendijk
2016–18	Mitchell van der Gaag
2018–19	Adrie Poldervaart
2019–20	Ricardo Moniz
2020–24	Marinus Dijkhuizen

Players

National team players

The following players were called up to represent their national teams in international football and received caps during their tenure with Excelsior Rotterdam:

Aruba
- Mishawn Molina (2023–2024)
- Kymani Nedd (2023–present)
Cape Verde
- Jeffry Fortes (2016–2020)
- Toni Varela (2014–2015)
Curaçao
- Nathan Markelo (2022–2023)
- Rayvien Rosario (2024–present)
DR Congo
- Jordan Botaka (2013–2015)
Ghana
- Christian Gyan (1998; 2006–2007)

Guinea
- Ahmad Mendes Moreira (2019–2021)
Iceland
- Mikael Anderson (2018–2019)
- Ögmundur Kristinsson (2017–2018)
- Árni Sveinsson (1978–1979)
Japan
- Takafumi Ogura (1993–1994)
Netherlands
- Maarten Grobbe (1922–1932)
- Heimen Lagerwaard (1950–1963)
- Andwelé Slory (2005–2007)
- Arie Vermeer (1940–1956)

Republic of Ireland
- David Connolly (1999–2001)
- Troy Parrott (2023–2024)
Sint Maarten
- Len Bleeker (2023–2024)
- Ronan Olivacce (2023–present)
Trinidad & Tobago
- Levi García (2018)

Players in bold actively play for Excelsior Rotterdam and for their respective national teams. Years in brackets indicate careerspan with Excelsior.

National team players by Confederation

Member associations are listed in order of most to least amount of current and former Excelsior players represented Internationally

Total national team players by confederation
Confederation	Total	(Nation) Association
AFC	1	Japan (1)
CAF	5	Cape Verde (2), DR Congo (1), Ghana (1), Guinea (1)
CONCACAF	7	Aruba (2), Curaçao (2), Sint Maarten (2), Trinidad & Tobago (1)
CONMEBOL	0
OFC	0
UEFA	9	Netherlands (4), Iceland (3), Ireland (2)

Players in international tournaments

The following is a list of Excelsior Rotterdam players who have competed in international tournaments, including the Africa Cup of Nations. To this date no Excelsior players have participated in the FIFA World Cup, UEFA European Championship, CONCACAF Gold Cup, AFC Asian Cup, Copa América or the OFC Nations Cup while playing for Excelsior Rotterdam.

Cup	Players
2015 Africa Cup of Nations	Toni Varela

References

^ "Cookies op AD.nl – AD.nl". www.ad.nl. Archived from the original on 12 March 2017. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
^ "De geschiedenis van Stadion Woudestein" [The history of Stadion Woudestein]. Supportersclub Pro Excelsior (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 26 May 2010. Retrieved 5 July 2010.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Excelsior Historie" [Excelsior History]. Excelsior Rotterdam (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 26 February 2012. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
^ "Supportersvereniging roept op tot actie" [Supportersclub calls for action]. ERFC.nl (in Dutch). 21 May 2009. Archived from the original on 25 May 2009. Retrieved 2 July 2010.
^ "Excelsior Stadion" [Excelsior Stadium]. Excelsior Rotterdam (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 16 September 2013. Retrieved 21 August 2010.
^ "Excelsior op kunstgras in eredivisie" [Excelsior on artificial turf in Eredivisie]. Excelsior Rotterdam (in Dutch). 4 June 2010. Archived from the original on 28 July 2017. Retrieved 21 August 2010.
^ "Wedstrijdverslag op ELF Voetbal". Archived from the original on 8 June 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
^ "Supportersvereniging roept op tot actie - Excelsior Rotterdam FC". www.erfc.nl. Archived from the original on 25 May 2009. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
^ "Rellen in Rotterdam na nederlaag Feyenoord bij Excelsior". 7 May 2017. Archived from the original on 5 April 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
^ "Jeffrey Altheer beste speler 2008/2009" [Jeffrey Altheer best player 2008/2009]. ERFC.nl (in Dutch). 8 September 2009. Retrieved 5 July 2010. ^{[dead link‍]}
^ "Supportersclub". Pro Excelsior (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 26 September 2010. Retrieved 5 July 2010.