Excelsior Rotterdam
Dutch football club
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Excelsior Rotterdam (Dutch pronunciation: [ɛkˈsɛlsijɔr rɔtərˈdɑm]), commonly known as Excelsior, is a Dutch professional football club based in Rotterdam. Founded on 23 July 1902, it competes in the Eredivisie, the highest tier of the Dutch football league system. The team plays its home matches at Stadion Woudestein, which has a capacity of approximately 4,500, making it one of the smallest stadiums used by professional clubs in the Netherlands.
Roodzwarten (red-blacks)
The Wonder
Oud papier-club (Paper recycling club)
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| Full name | Excelsior Rotterdam | ||
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| Nicknames | The Kralingers Roodzwarten (red-blacks) The Wonder Oud papier-club (Paper recycling club) | ||
| Founded | 23 July 1902 | ||
| Ground | Stadion Woudestein | ||
| Capacity | 4,500[1] | ||
| Chairman | Bob de Lange | ||
| Head coach | Ruben den Uil | ||
| League | Eredivisie | ||
| 2024–25 | Eerste Divisie, 2nd of 20 (promoted) | ||
| Website | excelsiorrotterdam | ||
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Excelsior has spent much of its history fluctuating between the top two divisions, achieving multiple promotions and relegations. The club's most notable periods of sustained top-flight presence occurred in the early 2010s and again in the early 2020s. Known for its long-standing partnership with Feyenoord, from which it has frequently received loaned players, Excelsior has developed a reputation for nurturing young talent. The club's local rivalry with Sparta Rotterdam is a regular feature of Rotterdam football.
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.
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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]
Promotion–relegation cycle and consolidation (2010–2019)
Excelsior returned to the Eredivisie in 2010 after defeating city rivals Sparta Rotterdam in the promotion–relegation play-offs.[5] The decisive goal was scored by Guyon Fernandez deep into stoppage time, only minutes after Sparta had taken the lead. Coached by Alex Pastoor, the squad was largely composed of loanees from Feyenoord.[6]
The club made a strong start to the 2010–11 season, collecting ten points from its first five matches, including a 3–2 home victory over Feyenoord in the Rotterdam derby.[7] Later in the season, Excelsior recorded several notable results at home, defeating AZ and drawing against both Groningen and eventual champions Ajax. A 4–1 away victory over Vitesse on the final matchday left the club one goal short of automatic safety.[8] Finishing 16th, Excelsior retained its top-flight status via the relegation play-offs.[9]
The following season proved more difficult, and Excelsior finished bottom of the table in the 2011–12 Eredivisie with only four league wins, resulting in relegation to the Eerste Divisie.[10] A disappointing 2012–13 campaign followed, culminating in a 15th-place finish under Leon Vlemmings.[11][12]
Ahead of the 2013–14 season, Jon Dahl Tomasson was appointed head coach, but he departed in December 2013 to join Roda JC.[13] He was replaced by Marinus Dijkhuizen, under whom Excelsior enjoyed a strong second half of the season, highlighted by an 8–0 away victory over Telstar.[14] The club finished third and secured promotion to the Eredivisie through the play-offs, marking its eighth promotion to the top flight.[15]
In January 2014, chairman Albert de Jong revealed that Excelsior had narrowly avoided bankruptcy, citing a financial deficit of approximately €3 million, largely attributed to poor sporting results during the 2012–13 season.[16]
Excelsior remained in the Eredivisie for five consecutive seasons from 2014 to 2019. The club secured survival in both the 2014–15 and 2015–16 seasons with 15th-place finishes, the latter under Alfons Groenendijk. Following Groenendijk's departure, Mitchell van der Gaag was appointed head coach.[17] After several seasons spent battling relegation, Excelsior were relegated at the end of the 2018–19 season.[18]
Recent promotions and renewed top-flight presence (2020–present)
Marinus Dijkhuizen returned as head coach in 2020.[19] In May 2022, Excelsior achieved promotion to the Eredivisie after a dramatic play-off final against ADO Den Haag. After drawing 1–1 at home and falling behind in the return leg, Excelsior scored three goals in the final 13 minutes to force extra time. Despite conceding again, the team equalised through captain Redouan El Yaakoubi before winning the penalty shoot-out, with goalkeeper Stijn van Gassel saving the decisive penalty.[20]
Excelsior spent two seasons in the Eredivisie before being relegated at the end of the 2023–24 season.[21] The club returned immediately, securing promotion on 2 May 2025 following a 5–0 victory over Jong PSV, marking another swift return to the top tier of Dutch football.[22]
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.[23]
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.[24]
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.[25]
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.[26]
In 2017 Excelsior won against Feyenoord (3–0), resulting in the latter not winning the Eredivisie title on that day. This resulted in riots.[27]
Honours
Domestic results
Below is a table with Excelsior's domestic results since the introduction of the Eredivisie in 1956.
| Domestic Results since 1956 | ||||
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| Domestic league | League result | Qualification to | KNVB Cup season | Cup result |
| 2024–25 Eerste Divisie | 2nd | Eredivisie (promotion) | 2024–25 | Round of 16 |
| 2023–24 Eredivisie | 16th | Eerste Divisie (relegation) | 2023–24 | Round of 16 |
| 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 7 February 2026
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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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.
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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.[28][29]
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Managers
Current staff
| Position | Name |
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| 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
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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:
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- 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
| Confederation | Total | (Nation) Association |
|---|---|---|
| AFC | 2 | Japan (1),  Indonesia (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 |
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 2015 Africa Cup of Nations | Toni Varela |
