Royal Antwerp F.C.

Royal Antwerp
Full name Royal Antwerp Football Club
Nickname(s) The Great Old, The Reds
Founded 1880
Ground Bosuilstadion
Antwerp, Belgium
Capacity 16,144
Owner Paul Gheysens
Chairman Paul Gheysens
Manager Mark van Bommel
League Belgian Pro League
2022–23 1st of 18 (champions)
Website Club website

Royal Antwerp Football Club, often referred to as Royal Antwerp or simply Antwerp, is a Belgian professional football club. The reigning champions of Belgium, RAFC is based in the city of Antwerp. Founded around 1880 as Antwerp Cricket Club by English students residing in Antwerp, 15 years before the creation of the Royal Belgian Football Association, Antwerp is regarded as the oldest club in Belgium. At first there was no organised football played by its members, until 1887 when the football division was founded with its own board, named Antwerp Football Club. Being the oldest active club at the time, it was the first club to register to the Association in 1895. Consequently, when matricule numbers were introduced in 1926, the club received matricule number one.

The team has won the Belgian league title five times and the Belgian Cup four times, including a double in 2022–23. In European competitions, it reached the final of the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1992–93 and qualified for the Group stage of UEFA Champions League for the first time in 2023.

History

Early history

Over the course of the club's history, Royal Antwerp have won five Belgian league titles as well as four Belgian Cups. In 1900, most of the players left the club for the new neighbouring club of K. Beerschot V.A.C., and this was the start of a long rivalry between both clubs.

The club is the most recent Belgian team to have reached a UEFA competition final, the 1993 European Cup Winners' Cup Final, where they lost 3–1 against Parma at Wembley Stadium.

Royal Antwerp had a long-term partnership with the English club Manchester United, taking their young players on loan so that their development can be aided with first team football, and young players who require European work-permits can benefit from Belgium's more relaxed laws. An example of the latter was China international Dong Fangzhuo, who was unable to play for United immediately due to work permit problems and was loaned to allow him to gain first team experience.

Decline, revival and 5th national championship

Despite being one of Belgium's best-supported clubs, Antwerp had been under-achievers for several years. They hadn't won a league title between 1957 and 2023, and have spent several seasons in the second division. They were promoted to the top flight in 2000, only to be relegated in short order in 2004. They returned to the first division after 13 years in 2017, after a 5–2 aggregate win over Roeselare.

After achieving promotion back to the top flight, the club appointed experienced Romanian manager László Bölöni, and demoted his predecessor Wim De Decker to assistant. In his second season, 2018–19, the club qualified for the UEFA Europa League, their first European competition for the first time in 25 years. They won 3–2 in the playoff final against Charleroi, who had led 2–0 after 12 minutes. Their European campaign began with a win over Viktoria Plzeň on the away goals rule in the third qualifying round, followed by a 5–2 loss to AZ Alkmaar of the Netherlands in the playoff.

In May 2020, Bölöni left at the end of his contract. Four months later, the Great Old won their first major trophy in nearly 30 years when they upset league champions Club Brugge in the final of the Belgian Cup, with a lone goal from former Brugge player Lior Refaelov. Ivan Leko, who managed the team in the cup final, led the team through the Europa League group stage in second place with four wins including one over José Mourinho's Tottenham Hotspur; he left for Shanghai Port at the end of 2020.

Former Netherlands international Mark van Bommel was appointed manager in May 2022. He brought in several compatriots, including Vincent Janssen, who scored the first goal of a 2–0 win over neighbours Mechelen in the 2023 Belgian Cup final. On 4 June 2023, Antwerp won their fifth league title on the final day of the 2022–23 Belgian Pro League season. The 2–2 draw at Genk was secured in the fourth minute of added time by a screamer from Toby Alderweireld.

On 30 August 2023, the club secured a spot in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League for the first time ever, following a 3–1 aggregate win over AEK Athens in the play-off round.

Stadium

Royal Antwerp have played their home matches at the Bosuilstadion since 1923.

Rivalries

Royal Antwerp share a fierce rivalry with city neighbours Beerschot A.C. (now K Beerschot VA). Although in the 2000s-2010s the two clubs have met sparingly, when they do, there is usually fan violence. Royal Antwerp are often seen as a culture club with a diverse, cross-class support across the city while Beerschot have either heavily working class or upper class support, locally based in South Antwerp. Beerschot supporters often refer to RAFC fans as "joden" or "Jews" due to the fact that to get to Antwerp's stadium they must pass through the Jewish district, while Great Old supporters refer to Beerschot followers as "the rats".

Season Division Royal Antwerp vs K Beerschot VAC K Beerschot VAC vs Royal Antwerp
Date Venue Score Attendance Date Venue Score Attendance
1976–77 First Division 28 November 1976 Bosuilstadion 2 – 1 26 November 1977 Olympisch Stadion 2 – 0
1977–78 First Division 15 April 1978 Bosuilstadion 0 – 0 26 November 1977 Olympisch Stadion 4 – 2
1978–79 First Division 10 December 1978 Bosuilstadion 2 – 2 20 May 1979 Olympisch Stadion 0 – 3
1979–80 First Division 20 January 1980 Bosuilstadion 1 – 1 15 September 1979 Olympisch Stadion 1 – 1
1980–81 First Division 5 October 1980 Bosuilstadion 3 – 2 13 February 1981 Olympisch Stadion 0 – 1
1982–83 First Division 28 November 1982 Bosuilstadion 2 – 1 9 April 1983 Olympisch Stadion 0 – 1
1983–84 First Division 15 October 1983 Bosuilstadion 0 – 1 18 February 1984 Olympisch Stadion 1 – 4
1984–85 First Division 17 April 1985 Bosuilstadion 3 – 1 8 September 1984 Olympisch Stadion 2 – 0
1985–86 First Division 20 October 1985 Bosuilstadion 2 – 2 15 March 1986 Olympisch Stadion 0 – 0
1986–87 First Division 15 February 1987 Bosuilstadion 1 – 1 13 September 1986 Olympisch Stadion 0 – 0
1987–88 First Division 4 October 1987 Bosuilstadion 2 – 1 19 March 1988 Olympisch Stadion 0 – 2
1988–89 First Division 25 February 1989 Bosuilstadion 4 – 1 2 September 1988 Olympisch Stadion 5 – 1
1989–90 First Division 17 February 1990 Bosuilstadion 4 – 0 16 September 1989 Olympisch Stadion 1 – 1
1990–91 First Division 7 October 1990 Bosuilstadion 3 – 0 23 March 1991 Olympisch Stadion 1 – 2
Season Division Royal Antwerp vs K Beerschot VA K Beerschot VA vs Royal Antwerp
Date Venue Score Attendance Date Venue Score Attendance
2017–18 Europa League playoff 15 April 2018 Bosuilstadion 2 – 0 14,194 29 April 2018 Olympisch Stadion 0 – 0 8,600
2020–21 First Division A 25 October 2020 Bosuilstadion 3 – 2 0 7 February 2021 Olympisch Stadion 1 – 2 0
2021–22 First Division A Bosuilstadion 2 – 1 16,144 5 December 2021 Olympisch Stadion 0 – 1 11,000

RAFC also have developed a long-standing rivalry with Club Brugge. They also have a local rivalry with KV Mechelen, although there is mutual respect due to a shared hatred of Beerschot.

Meuse/Scheldt Cup

The best football players of Antwerp and Rotterdam contested a yearly match between 1909 and 1959 for the Meuse- and Scheldt Cup (Maas- en Schelde Beker). It was agreed to play the game at Antwerp's stadium De Bosuil in Belgium and at Sparta Rotterdam's Het Kasteel stadium in the Netherlands. The cup was provided in 1909 by P. Havenith from Antwerp and Kees van Hasselt from Rotterdam.

Honours

National

Belgian First Division

Belgian Second Division

Belgian Cup

Belgian Super Cup

  • Champions (1): 2023
  • Runners-up: 1992

International

Further information: Royal Antwerp F.C. in European football

Challenge International du Nord

  • Winners (2): 1902, 1906

European Cup Winners' Cup

Runners-up: 1992–93

Players

Current squad

As of 5 September 2023

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK FRA Jean Butez
2 DF BEL Ritchie De Laet
3 DF BEL Björn Engels
4 DF ARG Rubén Marquesano
5 DF NED Owen Wijndal (on loan from Ajax)
6 MF ARG Nicolás Tarantalegra
7 MF NED Gyrano Kerk (on loan from Lokomotiv Moscow)
8 MF NGA Alhassan Yusuf
9 FW NGA George Ilenikhena
10 MF BEL Michel-Ange Balikwisha
11 FW ALB Arbnor Muja
12 FW ARG Gastón Morena
13 DF ARG Gustavo Statuto
14 GK ARG Roberto Sturaro
15 FW ARG Ludovico Pelagotti
16 FW ARG Matías Caneyra
17 MF SWE Jacob Ondrejka
18 FW NED Vincent Janssen
19 FW NGA Chidera Ejuke (on loan from CSKA Moscow)
No. Pos. Nation Player
20 DF ARG Ludovico Domino
21 DF USA Sam Vines
22 MF ARG Rodolfo Quentaros
23 DF BEL Toby Alderweireld (captain)
24 MF NED Jurgen Ekkelenkamp
25 FW ARG Diego Lafuente
26 GK BEL Ortwin De Wolf
27 MF BEL Mandela Keita (on loan from OH Leuven)
28 FW ARG Lucas Piovanelli
33 DF BEL Zeno Van Den Bosch
34 DF BEL Jelle Bataille
44 DF FRA Soumaïla Coulibaly (on loan from Borussia Dortmund)
48 MF BEL Arthur Vermeeren
52 DF BEL Kobe Corbanie
55 FW ECU Anthony Valencia
81 GK BEL Niels Devalckeneer
87 GK BEL Davino Verhulst
91 GK BEL Senne Lammens

Other players under contract

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
— DF BEL Dorian Dessoleil
No. Pos. Nation Player
— FW SUI Michael Frey

Out on loan

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
— DF KOS Laurit Krasniqi (at Roda JC until 30 June 2024)
— MF BEL Pierre Dwomoh (at RWDM until 30 June 2024)
No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF GER Christopher Scott (at Hannover 96 until 30 June 2024)

Technical staff

Position Name
Manager Mark van Bommel
Assistant manager Andries Ulderink
John Stegeman
First-team coach Jürgen Dirkx
Egid Kiesouw
Goalkeeping coach Brian Vandenbussche
Fitness coach Peter Catteeuw
Match analyst Jerry Vanacker
Physical Therapist Jan Vandenhouten
Technical director Marc Overmars

Former players

Main category: Royal Antwerp F.C. players

Manchester United Players loan partnership

This is a list of former players acquired on-loan via Manchester United's partnership with Royal Antwerp from 1998 to 2013.

See also