IFK Göteborg
Encyclopedia
IFK Göteborg is a Swedish professional football club
based in Gothenburg
. Founded in 1904, the club has won 18 national championship titles, five national cup titles, and two UEFA Cups.
IFK is arguably the most successful club in Sweden together with Malmö FF
, and one of the most successful clubs in all of northern Europe, as it is the only Scandinavian team to have won a pan-European competition. IFK won the UEFA Cup in 1982 and 1987. They currently rank in the highest Swedish league, Allsvenskan
, where they have played for the majority of their history. They have played top flight football in Sweden since 1977, which currently is the longest top flight tenure of any club in Sweden — the second longest is Helsingborgs IF
, since 1993.
IFK is one of the most popular football clubs in Sweden, with diverse country-wide support. Since the start of the 2009 season, they play all their home games at the newly built Gamla Ullevi
stadium.
IFK Göteborg was founded at Café Olivedal on 4 October 1904, becoming the 39th IFK association
. A committee for football was created at the historic first meeting; the association's first football match ended in a 4–1 victory against a club from the local area, IK Viking. The foundation of IFK Göteborg was important for the development of football in the city, as until that point, Örgryte IS
, the largest of Gothenburg clubs, were dominant. IFK Göteborg represented some needed competition.
IFK Göteborg became the first Swedish team in four years to beat Örgryte IS in 1907. They then went on to win their first Swedish Championship in 1908 by winning the cup tournament Svenska Mästerskapet
, and three players from the club were selected to play for Sweden
in the national team's first match. That year IFK played teams from outside Sweden for the first time, meeting the Danish clubs Østerbro BK and Boldklubben af 1893.
In 1910, the team played in blue and white striped jerseys for the first time. Two years later the team drew 1–1 in a game against the 1912 Swedish Olympic team, and the newspapers in Stockholm
nominated IFK Göteborg as "the best Swedish football club ever". IFK Göteborg won Svenska Serien
—the highest Swedish league at the time, but not the Swedish Championship deciding competition—for the fifth time in a row in 1917. The early IFK Göteborg team had no trainer; the club gained its first such official in 1921, when Hungarian manager Sándor Bródy
was hired. Bródy was appointed manager for IFK two years later. The first Swedish official national league, Allsvenskan
, started in late 1924, the year the legendary Filip Johansson
made his debut for IFK Göteborg. The club finished second, but Johansson scored 39 goals in 22 games and was the league's top goalscorer.
IFK won their first Allsvenskan title in 1934–35, the ten previous seasons of the league saw the club finish in the top four. Swedish football was dominated by teams from Gothenburg
during these years, but IFK Göteborg were surprisingly relegated in 1937–38, although the team was promoted back to Allsvenskan the next season. Back in the highest division, IFK finished second, with the league continuing despite the breakout of World War II
. IFK won another title in 1941–42 with a strong team, but the rest of the decade saw mixed results. The 1940s team included the talented Gunnar Gren
, who became the top scorer in 1946–47. He was also awarded Guldbollen
as the best player in Sweden, and won an Olympic gold medal with the Swedish team at the 1948 Olympics
. When Gren left in 1949, IFK were relegated from Allsvenskan
the following season. As happened the last time IFK played in a lower league, they were promoted directly back to Allsvenskan after one season in Division 2. IFK went on to compete in a European Cup—the European Champion Clubs' Cup
—for the first time in 1958, but were eliminated in the second round by SC Wismut
. In 1959, the all-time Allsvenskan record attendance of 52,194 was set when IFK played Örgryte IS
at Nya Ullevi
.
After an unglamorous decade, IFK were led by manager and retired footballer Bertil Johansson
to a surprising championship title in 1969. The following season was one of the darkest in their history. IFK were relegated, and unlike previous relegations they did not make an immediate return. After three seasons in the second league IFK had lost all signs of being a team from Allsvenskan, and had still not managed to gain promotion. But after hard work from board member Anders Bernmar and others to get the club on the right track, IFK were promoted to Allsvenskan in 1976. In 1979, IFK hired Sven-Göran Eriksson
as manager. He introduced the 4–4–2 system with "pressure and support"—called the Swenglish
model—which would give IFK great success later on, and his first season at the club ended with a second place in Allsvenskan and the club's first gold medal in Svenska Cupen
.
After reinforcing the team with several expensive players—including Thomas Wernerson and Stig Fredriksson
—IFK had finished second in the league and reached the quarter-finals in the UEFA Cup as 1981 came to an end. 1982 then became a turbulent season as the whole board was replaced and the club almost went bankrupt—even needing to borrow money from the official supporter's association to travel to Valencia to play the quarter-final of the UEFA Cup. After the troubled start IFK won every competition they entered, including Allsvenskan, the Allsvenskan play-off, Svenska Cupen, and the UEFA Cup, defeating Hamburger SV
4–0 on aggregate in the finals. During the following 15 years the club was the leading club in Swedish football, winning the Swedish championship ten times, the domestic cup three times and the UEFA Cup twice.
IFK managed to field a strong team for a couple of years and won gold in the league in both 1983 and 1984, and the cup in 1983. In 1986, the team reached the semi-finals of the European Cup
but were defeated on penalties against FC Barcelona
. A new team of talents won both the UEFA Cup and Allsvenskan once again in 1987, after beating Dundee United
in the UEFA Cup final. The youth manager Roger Gustafsson
took over the team from Gunder Bengtsson
in 1990, and his time with IFK was to become very successful, winning Allsvenskan five times between 1990 and 1995.
As IFK won the 1993 Allsvenskan, they qualified for European competition. IFK advanced to the group stage of the Champions League
, where they faced FC Barcelona
, Manchester United
and Galatasaray
. Elimination at the group stage was widely anticipated, but IFK Göteborg confounded expectations by winning the group and advancing to the knockout stage. However, IFK Göteborg was eliminated in the quarter-finals by Bayern Munich
on away goals
.
The last years before the new millennium were disappointing for IFK, providing a stark contrast to the earlier success. The team only managed a silver in 1997 and an eighth place in 1998, after buying several expensive players who failed to produce. IFK changed manager in the middle of a season two years in a row—in 1998 and 1999—when the club never before had changed manager even once during an ongoing season. The last year of the decade ended with a sixth place finish. The new millennium offered varied results, with the club playing a relegation play-off in 2002, but challenging for the championship in 2001, 2004, and 2005. In 2007, the first title in eleven years was secured in the last round of Allsvenskan. The club then won the national cup Svenska Cupen
the next season. IFK Göteborg are still considered to be one of the "Big Three" in Swedish football, along with Malmö FF
and AIK
, despite only having won two titles in the last ten years.
are blue and white, and IFK Göteborg is no exception. The club's first kit was a blue jersey with a single horizontal white stripe and a four-pointed star, one of the IFK association symbols, in white on the chest. During the next few years, white or blue jerseys without stripes were used. In 1910, a kit comprising a blue and white vertically striped jersey and blue shorts was used for the first time, inspired by the kit of Kjøbenhavns Boldklub
. This kit has remained as the home colours ever since. A blue and white logotype of the main sponsor ICA—a grocery store chain—has figured on the jersey front since 1982, and has almost become part of the jersey. No other major sponsors are seen on the kit which, together with the long time use, has made the kit a classic in Swedish football. ICA was replaced by financial institution Prioritet Finans as the main sponsor at the start of the 2011 season. The traditional away kit is red and white, in different styles, though other colour combinations, for example orange and white, have been used, mainly in the 1990s and 2000s. The away kit introduced in 2005 once again uses red and white. An almost completely white third kit with blue details was introduced in mid-2007 after requests from supporters. The most recent away kit features a pink jersey with black shorts.
The crest of IFK Göteborg has its origins in the coat of arms
of the city of Gothenburg
which in turn is based on several other heraldic
arms. The lion on a field of silver and blue is the heraldic arms of the Folkung
aätt, holding the Three Crowns
of Sweden, both symbols being used in the Coat of arms of Sweden
. This arm was granted to the city by Gustavus Adolphus
. The coat-of-arms of Gothenburg sees the lion facing the sinister (heraldic right) side which often is interpreted as a fleeing lion, the normal being a lion facing the dexter (left) side, but IFK chose to have the lion facing dexter on the club crest. Adding the three letters IFK
on top and the crest used since it first appeared on the kit in 1919 is complete.
Historically, IFK Göteborg's main home stadium has been Gamla Ullevi
, where the majority of the competitive games have been played. The club has played there in two separate periods, most recently after leaving Ullevi
(Nya Ullevi) in 1992, although matches attracting large crowds—such as derbies
against the rivals Örgryte IS
and GAIS
, or international games—were still played at the larger Ullevi stadium. Gamla Ullevi's capacity was 18,000 when used in the 1990s and 2000s, while Nya Ullevi has a capacity of 43,200.
Gamla Ullevi was demolished on 9 January 2007 to make place for a new stadium, New Gamla Ullevi
, with a capacity of 18,800. The new stadium was completed in late 2008, but not opened until the start of the 2009 season
. During construction, IFK Göteborg played the 2007 and 2008 seasons
at Nya Ullevi.
On 11 April 2009 IFK Göteborg played their first game on the new New Gamla Ullevi
stadium and won against Djurgården with 6–0 in front of 18,276 spectators.
IFK Göteborg have used three other stadia as official home grounds. The first ground was Idrottsplatsen, in use from 1905 to 1916. It was built in 1896 for the cycling club Göteborgs Velocipedklubb, and was originally used for track cycling
. During the 1909 season
IFK Göteborg also used Örgryte IS
' home ground of the time, Balders Hage
, due to a conflict with the owners of Idrottsplatsen. The third official stadium was Walhalla Idrottsplats, used for a number of home matches at the same time as Idrottsplatsen. A fourth ground, Slottsskogsvallen
, has never been the official home ground, but has nonetheless been used a number of times for IFK Göteborg home matches.
Idrottsplatsen fell into decline due to poor leadership and a troubled economy in the 1910s, and a decision was made to completely renovate the arena with the help of outside sponsorship and funding. The construction of the new football ground was started in 1915 and used the site of Idrottsplatsen as foundation. The new stadium, originally named Ullervi, but later changed to Ullevi and finally Gamla Ullevi, was opened in 1916. It was the home ground of IFK Göteborg until 1958, when Nya Ullevi—built for the 1958 World Cup
held in Sweden—was opened. Due to a number of seasons with low attendance in Swedish football in the late 1980s and early 1990s, a move back to Gamla Ullevi was made in 1992.
, which was considered a middle class club, and in later years an upper class club, like most clubs of that time. IFK became popular amongst the working class, creating a fierce rivalry based upon both local pride and social class. In the early 20th century, supporters were supposed to act as gentlemen, applauding and supporting both their own team, and the opponents. However, this proved a hard task for supporters of the Gothenburg teams. Local patriotism and class differences sometimes resulted in fights and pitch invasions, making the Swedish press view IFK and Örgryte fans as the scum of Swedish football.
After World War I
, the rivalry calmed, and Gothenburg supporters became known as friendly and sportsmanlike fans. However, this only applied to the behaviour on home ground, as IFK supporters continued to behave badly when travelling to away matches by train (called göteborgstågen, the Gothenburg trains), a phenomenon that grew quickly in the 1920s. This behaviour peaked in 1939, just after the outbreak of World War II
, when approximately 1,900 IFK fans travelled to Borås
to see IFK play Elfsborg
. After a 2–3 loss, the fans fought with the Borås police, before returning home to Gothenburg and disturbing a wartime blackout
exercise.
As in most other parts of the world, the decades following the World War II were relatively free from football violence and the supporter culture did not change much. Swedish football culture started to change in the late 1960s, becoming heavily inspired and influenced by the English supporter culture. This flourished in the 1970s and 1980s, giving birth to some of the most well-known Swedish supporters clubs, AIK
's Black Army, Djurgårdens IF
's Blue Saints (later Järnkaminerna
), and IFK Göteborg's supporters club, Änglarna
(the Angels). The first attempt to found an IFK supporters club was made in 1969, but interest diminished when IFK Göteborg were relegated from the highest league the following year. The supporters club was not re-founded until 1973, which is considered the year of foundation of Änglarna.
As the club gained success in European club tournaments in the 1980s and 1990s, and thousands of IFK fans travelled to Hamburg
, Barcelona, Dundee
, Milan, Manchester and Munich
, the supporters gained influence on the club, for example by lending money to the almost bankrupt IFK Göteborg so the team could go to Valencia
to play the quarter-final in the UEFA Cup in 1982, or by being the main force behind the move back to Gamla Ullevi in 1992. The early 1990s saw a downward trend in attendance numbers, even though the club was successful on the pitch, but the trend turned in the later years of the decade and the first few years of the new millennium brought the club's highest average attendance since the early 1980s.
In the 2000s, supporter culture in Sweden started to shift from being English-influenced to being more influenced by the Southern European countries and their football culture, making tifo
s and ultras
a common sight in Swedish arenas. From acting as an almost uniform group of fans gathered under the same flag, the supporter club Änglarna, IFK fans created separate supporter factions, including Ultra Bulldogs, Young Lions and West Coast Angelz. IFK is the most popular football club in Sweden; a 2004 survey concluded that IFK Göteborg had support from 13% of Swedish football fans. A majority, 55%, of football fans in Gothenburg support IFK, and the club is the fourth most popular in Stockholm
(after AIK, Djurgårdens IF and Hammarby IF
) and the second most popular in Malmö
, after Malmö FF
.
Sixteen of the following players have either been chosen for the greatest ever IFK Göteborg team in a 2004 poll by readers of the regional newspaper Göteborgs-Posten
, or have been chosen for the dream team presented in the club's official 100 year jubilee book published in 2004. (Some are present in both lineups.) Another two players who have gained more than 90 caps for the national team are also included. The players are listed according to when they debuted for IFK Göteborg (year in parentheses):
News sites
Supporter sites
Football team
A football team is the collective name given to a group of players selected together in the various team sports known as football.Such teams could be selected to play in an against an opposing team, to represent a football club, group, state or nation, an All-star team or even selected as a...
based in Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
. Founded in 1904, the club has won 18 national championship titles, five national cup titles, and two UEFA Cups.
IFK is arguably the most successful club in Sweden together with Malmö FF
Malmö FF
Malmö Fotbollförening, also known simply as Malmö FF, are a Swedish professional football club based in Malmö. The club is affiliated with Skånes Fotbollförbund and play their home games at Swedbank Stadion. The club colours, reflected in their crest and kit, are sky blue and white...
, and one of the most successful clubs in all of northern Europe, as it is the only Scandinavian team to have won a pan-European competition. IFK won the UEFA Cup in 1982 and 1987. They currently rank in the highest Swedish league, Allsvenskan
Allsvenskan
Allsvenskan is a Swedish professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Swedish football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 16 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with Superettan...
, where they have played for the majority of their history. They have played top flight football in Sweden since 1977, which currently is the longest top flight tenure of any club in Sweden — the second longest is Helsingborgs IF
Helsingborgs IF
Helsingborgs IF , commonly referred to as Helsingborg and locally HIF, is a Swedish football club located in Helsingborg. They are currently playing in the highest Swedish league, Allsvenskan...
, since 1993.
IFK is one of the most popular football clubs in Sweden, with diverse country-wide support. Since the start of the 2009 season, they play all their home games at the newly built Gamla Ullevi
Gamla Ullevi (2008)
Gamla Ullevi is a football stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden that opened on 5 April 2009. The stadium replaced the city's previous main football stadium, also called Gamla Ullevi, and is the home ground of three football clubs: GAIS, IFK Göteborg and Örgryte IS. It is also the national stadium for the...
stadium.
History
Idrottsföreningen Kamraterna
Idrottsföreningen Kamraterna , usually abbreviated IFK is a central organisation for a large number of sports clubs in Sweden. There are also eight IFK clubs in Finland but they are organised separately...
. A committee for football was created at the historic first meeting; the association's first football match ended in a 4–1 victory against a club from the local area, IK Viking. The foundation of IFK Göteborg was important for the development of football in the city, as until that point, Örgryte IS
Örgryte IS
Örgryte IS, also commonly referred to as ÖIS, is a Swedish football club based in Gothenburg.-History:The club was founded on 4 December 1887 and participated in the first football match in Sweden on 22 May 1892. Örgryte IS has won 12 national championship titles and one national cup title. After...
, the largest of Gothenburg clubs, were dominant. IFK Göteborg represented some needed competition.
IFK Göteborg became the first Swedish team in four years to beat Örgryte IS in 1907. They then went on to win their first Swedish Championship in 1908 by winning the cup tournament Svenska Mästerskapet
Svenska Mästerskapet
Svenska Mästerskapet was a Swedish football cup held to decide the Swedish Champions between 1896 and 1925.-Previous winners:-Cup champions:...
, and three players from the club were selected to play for Sweden
Sweden national football team
The Swedish national football team represents Sweden in association football and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association, the governing body for Football in Sweden. Sweden's home ground is Råsunda Stadium in Stockholms län and their head coach is Erik Hamrén. Sweden made their first...
in the national team's first match. That year IFK played teams from outside Sweden for the first time, meeting the Danish clubs Østerbro BK and Boldklubben af 1893.
In 1910, the team played in blue and white striped jerseys for the first time. Two years later the team drew 1–1 in a game against the 1912 Swedish Olympic team, and the newspapers in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
nominated IFK Göteborg as "the best Swedish football club ever". IFK Göteborg won Svenska Serien
Svenska Serien
Svenska Serien was the highest league in Swedish football, and was played 1910–1917, 1920–1921 and 1922–1924. It was then replaced by the current-day league Allsvenskan...
—the highest Swedish league at the time, but not the Swedish Championship deciding competition—for the fifth time in a row in 1917. The early IFK Göteborg team had no trainer; the club gained its first such official in 1921, when Hungarian manager Sándor Bródy
Sándor Bródy (footballer)
Sándor Bródy was a Jewish-Hungarian football player. He competed for Hungary at the 1912 Olympics and was a star in the national side.His first appearance in Ferencvaros was in 1902 and he played in the starting lineup until 1914....
was hired. Bródy was appointed manager for IFK two years later. The first Swedish official national league, Allsvenskan
Allsvenskan
Allsvenskan is a Swedish professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Swedish football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 16 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with Superettan...
, started in late 1924, the year the legendary Filip Johansson
Filip Johansson
Filip Johansson was a famous Swedish football striker born in Surte north of Gothenburg. He was nicknamed Svarte-Filip, meaning Black-Filip. The name itself referring to the pitch black colour of his hair...
made his debut for IFK Göteborg. The club finished second, but Johansson scored 39 goals in 22 games and was the league's top goalscorer.
IFK won their first Allsvenskan title in 1934–35, the ten previous seasons of the league saw the club finish in the top four. Swedish football was dominated by teams from Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
during these years, but IFK Göteborg were surprisingly relegated in 1937–38, although the team was promoted back to Allsvenskan the next season. Back in the highest division, IFK finished second, with the league continuing despite the breakout of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. IFK won another title in 1941–42 with a strong team, but the rest of the decade saw mixed results. The 1940s team included the talented Gunnar Gren
Gunnar Gren
Gunnar Gren was a Swedish football player and coach. He is best known for playing for IFK Gothenburg and AC Milan. He was part of the famous "Gre-No-Li" trio of forwards at A.C. Milan and the Swedish national team...
, who became the top scorer in 1946–47. He was also awarded Guldbollen
Guldbollen
Guldbollen, , is a Swedish football award given by the Aftonbladet and the Swedish Football Association to the best male Swedish footballer each year....
as the best player in Sweden, and won an Olympic gold medal with the Swedish team at the 1948 Olympics
Football at the 1948 Summer Olympics
The 1948 Olympic Games title was won by Sweden, managed by Englishman George Raynor.-Summary:Sweden, whose Football Association forbade professionalism within domestic football, ran out as winners and only used 12 players throughout the entire tournament but there were exceptional performances put...
. When Gren left in 1949, IFK were relegated from Allsvenskan
Allsvenskan
Allsvenskan is a Swedish professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Swedish football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 16 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with Superettan...
the following season. As happened the last time IFK played in a lower league, they were promoted directly back to Allsvenskan after one season in Division 2. IFK went on to compete in a European Cup—the European Champion Clubs' Cup
European Champion Clubs' Cup
The European Champion Clubs' Cup, also known as Coupe des Clubs Champions Européens, or simply the European Cup, is a trophy awarded annually by UEFA to the football club that wins the UEFA Champions League...
—for the first time in 1958, but were eliminated in the second round by SC Wismut
FC Erzgebirge Aue
FC Erzgebirge Aue is a German football club based in Aue, Saxony. The former East German side was a charter member of the 3. Liga in 2008–09, after being relegated from the 2. Bundesliga in 2007–08. The city of Aue has a population of about 18,000 making it one of the smallest cities to ever...
. In 1959, the all-time Allsvenskan record attendance of 52,194 was set when IFK played Örgryte IS
Örgryte IS
Örgryte IS, also commonly referred to as ÖIS, is a Swedish football club based in Gothenburg.-History:The club was founded on 4 December 1887 and participated in the first football match in Sweden on 22 May 1892. Örgryte IS has won 12 national championship titles and one national cup title. After...
at Nya Ullevi
Ullevi
Ullevi is a stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden. The stadium was built for the 1958 FIFA World Cup, but since then Ullevi has also hosted the 1995 World Championships in Athletics and the 2006 European Championships in Athletics, the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup finals in 1983 and 1990, the UEFA Euro 1992...
.
After an unglamorous decade, IFK were led by manager and retired footballer Bertil Johansson
Bertil Johansson
Bertil "Bebben" Johansson is a former Swedish football striker and football manager.After starting his career playing for the local club Sävedalens IF, he joined IFK Göteborg in 1955 and won a Swedish Championship with the club...
to a surprising championship title in 1969. The following season was one of the darkest in their history. IFK were relegated, and unlike previous relegations they did not make an immediate return. After three seasons in the second league IFK had lost all signs of being a team from Allsvenskan, and had still not managed to gain promotion. But after hard work from board member Anders Bernmar and others to get the club on the right track, IFK were promoted to Allsvenskan in 1976. In 1979, IFK hired Sven-Göran Eriksson
Sven-Göran Eriksson
Sven-Göran Eriksson , in Sweden commonly referred to just by his nickname Svennis, is a Swedish ex-football manager. From October 2010 to October 2011 he managed Football League Championship side Leicester City....
as manager. He introduced the 4–4–2 system with "pressure and support"—called the Swenglish
Swenglish
Swenglish is a colloquial term meaning either:*English spoken with a heavy Swedish accent*English spoken or written as heavily influenced by Swedish vocabulary, grammar, or syntax- English heavily influenced by Swedish :- Pronunciation :...
model—which would give IFK great success later on, and his first season at the club ended with a second place in Allsvenskan and the club's first gold medal in Svenska Cupen
Svenska Cupen
Svenska Cupen , is a knockout cup competition in Swedish football and the main Swedish football cup. Svenska Cupen usually refers to the men's tournament, although a women's tournament is also held. Each year 98 teams compete, comprising the 16 teams from Allsvenskan and the 16 teams of Superettan...
.
Stig Fredriksson
Stig Fredriksson is a former Swedish football defender. He played for IFK Göteborg during a large part of his career, winning two UEFA Cups , as well as four Swedish Championships with the club. He also played 56 matches for the national team, captaining 15 of them.-References:...
—IFK had finished second in the league and reached the quarter-finals in the UEFA Cup as 1981 came to an end. 1982 then became a turbulent season as the whole board was replaced and the club almost went bankrupt—even needing to borrow money from the official supporter's association to travel to Valencia to play the quarter-final of the UEFA Cup. After the troubled start IFK won every competition they entered, including Allsvenskan, the Allsvenskan play-off, Svenska Cupen, and the UEFA Cup, defeating Hamburger SV
Hamburger SV
Hamburger Sport-Verein, usually referred to as HSV in Germany and Hamburg in international parlance, is a German multi-sport club based in Hamburg, its largest branch being its football department...
4–0 on aggregate in the finals. During the following 15 years the club was the leading club in Swedish football, winning the Swedish championship ten times, the domestic cup three times and the UEFA Cup twice.
IFK managed to field a strong team for a couple of years and won gold in the league in both 1983 and 1984, and the cup in 1983. In 1986, the team reached the semi-finals of the European Cup
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
but were defeated on penalties against FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
. A new team of talents won both the UEFA Cup and Allsvenskan once again in 1987, after beating Dundee United
Dundee United F.C.
Dundee United Football Club is a Scottish professional football club located in the city of Dundee. Formed in 1909, originally as Dundee Hibernian, the club changed to the present name in 1923...
in the UEFA Cup final. The youth manager Roger Gustafsson
Roger Gustafsson
Roger Gustafsson is a former Swedish football player and manager. He has played in the highest Swedish league, Allsvenskan, with GAIS, but is better known as the best performing manager in Allsvenskan ever, having won five Swedish championships with IFK Göteborg...
took over the team from Gunder Bengtsson
Gunder Bengtsson
Gunder Bengtsson is a former Swedish association football coach.Bengtsson started his career as assistant coach under Sven-Göran Eriksson at IFK Göteborg. In 1982, after Eriksson won the UEFA Cup 1981–82 and left the club for Benfica, Bengtsson became head coach for a few months...
in 1990, and his time with IFK was to become very successful, winning Allsvenskan five times between 1990 and 1995.
As IFK won the 1993 Allsvenskan, they qualified for European competition. IFK advanced to the group stage of the Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
, where they faced FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
, Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
and Galatasaray
Galatasaray S.K. (football team)
Galatasaray Anonim Şirketi is a Turkish football club, part of the Galatasaray S.K. multi-sport club of Istanbul. Galatasaray is a major sports club in Turkey, holding 17 Turkish Super League titles and the highest number of Turkish Cups....
. Elimination at the group stage was widely anticipated, but IFK Göteborg confounded expectations by winning the group and advancing to the knockout stage. However, IFK Göteborg was eliminated in the quarter-finals by Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups....
on away goals
Away goals rule
The away goals rule is a method of breaking ties in association football and other sports when teams play each other twice, once at each team's home ground. By the away goals rule, the team that has scored more goals "away from home" will win if scores are otherwise equal...
.
The last years before the new millennium were disappointing for IFK, providing a stark contrast to the earlier success. The team only managed a silver in 1997 and an eighth place in 1998, after buying several expensive players who failed to produce. IFK changed manager in the middle of a season two years in a row—in 1998 and 1999—when the club never before had changed manager even once during an ongoing season. The last year of the decade ended with a sixth place finish. The new millennium offered varied results, with the club playing a relegation play-off in 2002, but challenging for the championship in 2001, 2004, and 2005. In 2007, the first title in eleven years was secured in the last round of Allsvenskan. The club then won the national cup Svenska Cupen
Svenska Cupen
Svenska Cupen , is a knockout cup competition in Swedish football and the main Swedish football cup. Svenska Cupen usually refers to the men's tournament, although a women's tournament is also held. Each year 98 teams compete, comprising the 16 teams from Allsvenskan and the 16 teams of Superettan...
the next season. IFK Göteborg are still considered to be one of the "Big Three" in Swedish football, along with Malmö FF
Malmö FF
Malmö Fotbollförening, also known simply as Malmö FF, are a Swedish professional football club based in Malmö. The club is affiliated with Skånes Fotbollförbund and play their home games at Swedbank Stadion. The club colours, reflected in their crest and kit, are sky blue and white...
and AIK
AIK Fotboll
AIK, , an abbreviation for Allmänna Idrottsklubben, , when needed internationally AIK Stockholm, is a Swedish football club based at Råsunda stadium in Solna, a municipality in Stockholm County bordering to Stockholm City Centre...
, despite only having won two titles in the last ten years.
Colours and crest
The traditional colours of all IFK associationsIdrottsföreningen Kamraterna
Idrottsföreningen Kamraterna , usually abbreviated IFK is a central organisation for a large number of sports clubs in Sweden. There are also eight IFK clubs in Finland but they are organised separately...
are blue and white, and IFK Göteborg is no exception. The club's first kit was a blue jersey with a single horizontal white stripe and a four-pointed star, one of the IFK association symbols, in white on the chest. During the next few years, white or blue jerseys without stripes were used. In 1910, a kit comprising a blue and white vertically striped jersey and blue shorts was used for the first time, inspired by the kit of Kjøbenhavns Boldklub
Kjøbenhavns Boldklub
Kjøbenhavns Boldklub or KB is a Danish sports club based in Copenhagen. The club was founded April 26, 1876 on the grassy fields in outer Copenhagen which later became Fælledparken. Football and cricket has been played in KB since 1879, making KB the oldest football club on Continental Europe and...
. This kit has remained as the home colours ever since. A blue and white logotype of the main sponsor ICA—a grocery store chain—has figured on the jersey front since 1982, and has almost become part of the jersey. No other major sponsors are seen on the kit which, together with the long time use, has made the kit a classic in Swedish football. ICA was replaced by financial institution Prioritet Finans as the main sponsor at the start of the 2011 season. The traditional away kit is red and white, in different styles, though other colour combinations, for example orange and white, have been used, mainly in the 1990s and 2000s. The away kit introduced in 2005 once again uses red and white. An almost completely white third kit with blue details was introduced in mid-2007 after requests from supporters. The most recent away kit features a pink jersey with black shorts.
The crest of IFK Göteborg has its origins in the coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
of the city of Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
which in turn is based on several other heraldic
Heraldry
Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound harja-waldaz, "army commander"...
arms. The lion on a field of silver and blue is the heraldic arms of the Folkung
Folkung
In modern Swedish, Folkung has two meanings, which appear to be opposites:# The medieval "House of Bjelbo" in Sweden, which produced several Swedish statesmen and kings....
aätt, holding the Three Crowns
Three Crowns
Three Crowns is a national emblem of Sweden, present in the Coat of Arms of the Realm of Sweden, and composed by three yellow or gilded coronets ordered two above and one below, placed on a blue background....
of Sweden, both symbols being used in the Coat of arms of Sweden
Coat of arms of Sweden
The greater national coat of arms and the lesser national coat of arms are the official coats of arms of Sweden.- Escutcheon :...
. This arm was granted to the city by Gustavus Adolphus
Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden
Gustav II Adolf has been widely known in English by his Latinized name Gustavus Adolphus Magnus and variously in historical writings also as Gustavus, or Gustavus the Great, or Gustav Adolph the Great,...
. The coat-of-arms of Gothenburg sees the lion facing the sinister (heraldic right) side which often is interpreted as a fleeing lion, the normal being a lion facing the dexter (left) side, but IFK chose to have the lion facing dexter on the club crest. Adding the three letters IFK
Idrottsföreningen Kamraterna
Idrottsföreningen Kamraterna , usually abbreviated IFK is a central organisation for a large number of sports clubs in Sweden. There are also eight IFK clubs in Finland but they are organised separately...
on top and the crest used since it first appeared on the kit in 1919 is complete.
Stadia
Gamla Ullevi (2008)
Gamla Ullevi is a football stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden that opened on 5 April 2009. The stadium replaced the city's previous main football stadium, also called Gamla Ullevi, and is the home ground of three football clubs: GAIS, IFK Göteborg and Örgryte IS. It is also the national stadium for the...
, where the majority of the competitive games have been played. The club has played there in two separate periods, most recently after leaving Ullevi
Ullevi
Ullevi is a stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden. The stadium was built for the 1958 FIFA World Cup, but since then Ullevi has also hosted the 1995 World Championships in Athletics and the 2006 European Championships in Athletics, the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup finals in 1983 and 1990, the UEFA Euro 1992...
(Nya Ullevi) in 1992, although matches attracting large crowds—such as derbies
Local derby
In many countries the term local derby, or simply just derby means a sporting fixture between two, generally local, rivals, particularly in association football...
against the rivals Örgryte IS
Örgryte IS
Örgryte IS, also commonly referred to as ÖIS, is a Swedish football club based in Gothenburg.-History:The club was founded on 4 December 1887 and participated in the first football match in Sweden on 22 May 1892. Örgryte IS has won 12 national championship titles and one national cup title. After...
and GAIS
GAIS
Göteborgs Atlet- och Idrottssällskap is a Swedish football club based in Gothenburg, currently playing in Allsvenskan. The club is commonly referred to simply as GAIS, while its fans also refers to the club as grönsvart or the mackerels because of the traditional shirt colours...
, or international games—were still played at the larger Ullevi stadium. Gamla Ullevi's capacity was 18,000 when used in the 1990s and 2000s, while Nya Ullevi has a capacity of 43,200.
Gamla Ullevi was demolished on 9 January 2007 to make place for a new stadium, New Gamla Ullevi
Gamla Ullevi (2008)
Gamla Ullevi is a football stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden that opened on 5 April 2009. The stadium replaced the city's previous main football stadium, also called Gamla Ullevi, and is the home ground of three football clubs: GAIS, IFK Göteborg and Örgryte IS. It is also the national stadium for the...
, with a capacity of 18,800. The new stadium was completed in late 2008, but not opened until the start of the 2009 season
2009 in Swedish football
The 2009 season in Swedish football, starting January 2009 and ending December 2009:- Official titles :- Competitions :- Promotions :- Relegations :- International qualifications :- 2009 Allsvenskan :...
. During construction, IFK Göteborg played the 2007 and 2008 seasons
2008 in Swedish football
The 2008 season in Swedish football, starting January 2008 and ending December 2008:- Official titles :- Competitions :- Promotions :- Relegations :- International qualifications :- 2008 Allsvenskan 2008 :...
at Nya Ullevi.
On 11 April 2009 IFK Göteborg played their first game on the new New Gamla Ullevi
Gamla Ullevi (2008)
Gamla Ullevi is a football stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden that opened on 5 April 2009. The stadium replaced the city's previous main football stadium, also called Gamla Ullevi, and is the home ground of three football clubs: GAIS, IFK Göteborg and Örgryte IS. It is also the national stadium for the...
stadium and won against Djurgården with 6–0 in front of 18,276 spectators.
IFK Göteborg have used three other stadia as official home grounds. The first ground was Idrottsplatsen, in use from 1905 to 1916. It was built in 1896 for the cycling club Göteborgs Velocipedklubb, and was originally used for track cycling
Track cycling
Track cycling is a bicycle racing sport usually held on specially built banked tracks or velodromes using track bicycles....
. During the 1909 season
1909 in Swedish football
- Official titles :- Competitions :- Promotions :- Relegations :- Stockholmsserien klass 1 1909 :- Stockholmsserien klass 2 1909 :- Göteborgsserien klass I 1909 :- Svenska Mästerskapet 1909 :Final- Corinthian Bowl 1909 :Final...
IFK Göteborg also used Örgryte IS
Örgryte IS
Örgryte IS, also commonly referred to as ÖIS, is a Swedish football club based in Gothenburg.-History:The club was founded on 4 December 1887 and participated in the first football match in Sweden on 22 May 1892. Örgryte IS has won 12 national championship titles and one national cup title. After...
' home ground of the time, Balders Hage
Balders Hage
Balders Hage was a ballcourt and public square in the centre of Gothenburg, Sweden. The ballcourt was inaugurated on 1 January 1898 but was abandoned in 1909 when Walhalla IP was built. The club Örgryte IS was founded on Balders Hage, and played some of their matches there. Balders Hage is now part...
, due to a conflict with the owners of Idrottsplatsen. The third official stadium was Walhalla Idrottsplats, used for a number of home matches at the same time as Idrottsplatsen. A fourth ground, Slottsskogsvallen
Slottsskogsvallen
Slottsskogsvallen is a multi-use stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden. It is currently used mostly for football and athletics. It is the home ground of Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC. The stadium holds 8,480 people and was built in 1923. It is counted as one of the most beautiful arenas in Sweden. The Swedish...
, has never been the official home ground, but has nonetheless been used a number of times for IFK Göteborg home matches.
Idrottsplatsen fell into decline due to poor leadership and a troubled economy in the 1910s, and a decision was made to completely renovate the arena with the help of outside sponsorship and funding. The construction of the new football ground was started in 1915 and used the site of Idrottsplatsen as foundation. The new stadium, originally named Ullervi, but later changed to Ullevi and finally Gamla Ullevi, was opened in 1916. It was the home ground of IFK Göteborg until 1958, when Nya Ullevi—built for the 1958 World Cup
1958 FIFA World Cup
The 1958 FIFA World Cup, the sixth staging of the World Cup, was hosted by Sweden from 8 June to 29 June. The tournament was won by Brazil, who beat Sweden 5–2 in the final for their first title. To date, this marks the only occasion that a World Cup staged in Europe was not won by a European...
held in Sweden—was opened. Due to a number of seasons with low attendance in Swedish football in the late 1980s and early 1990s, a move back to Gamla Ullevi was made in 1992.
Supporters
Before the foundation of IFK Göteborg, the dominant club in the Gothenburg area was Örgryte ISÖrgryte IS
Örgryte IS, also commonly referred to as ÖIS, is a Swedish football club based in Gothenburg.-History:The club was founded on 4 December 1887 and participated in the first football match in Sweden on 22 May 1892. Örgryte IS has won 12 national championship titles and one national cup title. After...
, which was considered a middle class club, and in later years an upper class club, like most clubs of that time. IFK became popular amongst the working class, creating a fierce rivalry based upon both local pride and social class. In the early 20th century, supporters were supposed to act as gentlemen, applauding and supporting both their own team, and the opponents. However, this proved a hard task for supporters of the Gothenburg teams. Local patriotism and class differences sometimes resulted in fights and pitch invasions, making the Swedish press view IFK and Örgryte fans as the scum of Swedish football.
After World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the rivalry calmed, and Gothenburg supporters became known as friendly and sportsmanlike fans. However, this only applied to the behaviour on home ground, as IFK supporters continued to behave badly when travelling to away matches by train (called göteborgstågen, the Gothenburg trains), a phenomenon that grew quickly in the 1920s. This behaviour peaked in 1939, just after the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, when approximately 1,900 IFK fans travelled to Borås
Borås
Borås is a locality and the seat of Borås Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden. It had 63,441 inhabitants in 2005.- Geography :Borås is located at the point of two crossing railways, among them the railway between Gothenburg and Kalmar, and is often considered the Swedish city gaining the...
to see IFK play Elfsborg
IF Elfsborg
IF Elfsborg is a Swedish football club located in Borås. The club has won five national championship titles, the latest in 2006, and two national cup titles. Currently playing in the highest Swedish league, Allsvenskan. Elfsborg is based at Borås Arena...
. After a 2–3 loss, the fans fought with the Borås police, before returning home to Gothenburg and disturbing a wartime blackout
Blackout (wartime)
A blackout during war, or apprehended war, is the practice of collectively minimizing outdoor light, including upwardly directed light. This was done in the 20th century to prevent crews of enemy aircraft from being able to navigate to their targets simply by sight, for example during the London...
exercise.
AIK Fotboll
AIK, , an abbreviation for Allmänna Idrottsklubben, , when needed internationally AIK Stockholm, is a Swedish football club based at Råsunda stadium in Solna, a municipality in Stockholm County bordering to Stockholm City Centre...
's Black Army, Djurgårdens IF
Djurgårdens IF
Djurgårdens Idrottsförening, more commonly known as Djurgårdens IF, is a Swedish sports club with several departments, located in Stockholm.-History:...
's Blue Saints (later Järnkaminerna
Järnkaminerna
Järnkaminerna, The Iron Stoves in English, is the largest official supporter club of the sports club Djurgårdens IF. Järnkaminerna is also a nickname for the sports club itself.-History:...
), and IFK Göteborg's supporters club, Änglarna
Supporterklubben Änglarna
Supporterklubben Änglarna , often called only Änglarna, is the official supporters' association of the Swedish football club IFK Göteborg, from Gothenburg. Änglarna is not attached to the club, and is controlled and organised by people not hired by the club...
(the Angels). The first attempt to found an IFK supporters club was made in 1969, but interest diminished when IFK Göteborg were relegated from the highest league the following year. The supporters club was not re-founded until 1973, which is considered the year of foundation of Änglarna.
As the club gained success in European club tournaments in the 1980s and 1990s, and thousands of IFK fans travelled to Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, Barcelona, Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
, Milan, Manchester and Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, the supporters gained influence on the club, for example by lending money to the almost bankrupt IFK Göteborg so the team could go to Valencia
Valencia CF
Valencia Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, Spain. They play in La Liga and are one of the most successful and biggest clubs in Spanish Football and European Football. Valencia have won six La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey trophies, two Fairs Cups which was the...
to play the quarter-final in the UEFA Cup in 1982, or by being the main force behind the move back to Gamla Ullevi in 1992. The early 1990s saw a downward trend in attendance numbers, even though the club was successful on the pitch, but the trend turned in the later years of the decade and the first few years of the new millennium brought the club's highest average attendance since the early 1980s.
In the 2000s, supporter culture in Sweden started to shift from being English-influenced to being more influenced by the Southern European countries and their football culture, making tifo
Tifo
Tifo, originally the Italian word for the phenomenon of supporting a sport team, is mostly used as a name for any spectacular choreography displayed by supporters on the terraces of an arena or stadium in connection with a sport event, mostly a football match....
s and ultras
Ultras
Ultras are a type of sports fans renowned for their fanatical support and elaborate displays. They are predominantly European followers of football teams...
a common sight in Swedish arenas. From acting as an almost uniform group of fans gathered under the same flag, the supporter club Änglarna, IFK fans created separate supporter factions, including Ultra Bulldogs, Young Lions and West Coast Angelz. IFK is the most popular football club in Sweden; a 2004 survey concluded that IFK Göteborg had support from 13% of Swedish football fans. A majority, 55%, of football fans in Gothenburg support IFK, and the club is the fourth most popular in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
(after AIK, Djurgårdens IF and Hammarby IF
Hammarby IF
Hammarby Fotboll is a Swedish football club based in Johanneshov - just south of Södermalm, the southernmost district of Stockholm city centre...
) and the second most popular in Malmö
Malmö
Malmö , in the southernmost province of Scania, is the third most populous city in Sweden, after Stockholm and Gothenburg.Malmö is the seat of Malmö Municipality and the capital of Skåne County...
, after Malmö FF
Malmö FF
Malmö Fotbollförening, also known simply as Malmö FF, are a Swedish professional football club based in Malmö. The club is affiliated with Skånes Fotbollförbund and play their home games at Swedbank Stadion. The club colours, reflected in their crest and kit, are sky blue and white...
.
Current squad
.Out on loan
For season transfers, see transfers winter 2011–2012.Players
| The Göteborgs-Posten Göteborgs-Posten Göteborgs-Posten is a major daily newspaper in Sweden. It is published in Gothenburg, with containing coverage of local, regional, national and international issues. It is chiefly distributed in western Götaland. It has the second largest national circulation, after Dagens Nyheter and before... team. |
Sixteen of the following players have either been chosen for the greatest ever IFK Göteborg team in a 2004 poll by readers of the regional newspaper Göteborgs-Posten
Göteborgs-Posten
Göteborgs-Posten is a major daily newspaper in Sweden. It is published in Gothenburg, with containing coverage of local, regional, national and international issues. It is chiefly distributed in western Götaland. It has the second largest national circulation, after Dagens Nyheter and before...
, or have been chosen for the dream team presented in the club's official 100 year jubilee book published in 2004. (Some are present in both lineups.) Another two players who have gained more than 90 caps for the national team are also included. The players are listed according to when they debuted for IFK Göteborg (year in parentheses):
- 1900s–1920s:
Erik BörjessonErik BörjessonErik Oskar "Börje" Börjesson was an outstanding Swedish football striker in the early 20th century. He was born in Jonsered outside Göteborg in Sweden....
(1907), Filip 'Svarte-Filip' JohanssonFilip JohanssonFilip Johansson was a famous Swedish football striker born in Surte north of Gothenburg. He was nicknamed Svarte-Filip, meaning Black-Filip. The name itself referring to the pitch black colour of his hair...
(1924) - 1930s–1940s: Arne NybergArne NybergArne Nyberg was a Swedish football striker born in Säffle.After starting his career playing for a local club, he joined IFK Göteborg in 1932 and won two Swedish Championships with the club. He played for IFK the rest of his career and also worked for the club after retiring as an active player...
(1932), Gunnar GrenGunnar GrenGunnar Gren was a Swedish football player and coach. He is best known for playing for IFK Gothenburg and AC Milan. He was part of the famous "Gre-No-Li" trio of forwards at A.C. Milan and the Swedish national team...
(1940) - 1950s–1960s: Bengt 'Fölet' BerndtssonBengt BerndtssonBengt Berndtsson was a Swedish football winger. He was nicknamed Fölet .After starting his career playing for two local clubs, he joined IFK Göteborg in 1951 and won a Swedish Championship with the club...
(1950), Bertil 'Bebben' JohanssonBertil JohanssonBertil "Bebben" Johansson is a former Swedish football striker and football manager.After starting his career playing for the local club Sävedalens IF, he joined IFK Göteborg in 1955 and won a Swedish Championship with the club...
(1954), Donald Niklasson (1967) - 1970s: Torbjörn NilssonTorbjörn NilssonTorbjörn Anders Nilsson is a Swedish former football striker and coach. He is considered to be one of the best Swedish footballers of all time, having won the Swedish championship twice and the UEFA Cup once with IFK Göteborg, where he spent most of his career...
(1975), Tommy Holmgren (1977), Glenn HysénGlenn HysénGlenn Ingvar Hysén is a football manager and former player who played for leading Dutch, Italian and English clubs and won 68 caps for Sweden...
(1978), Ruben Svensson (1978), Glenn StrömbergGlenn StrömbergGlenn Peter Strömberg is a Swedish former footballer. He won the 1982 UEFA Cup with IFK Göteborg. Apart from Göteborg, he has also played for Benfica and Atalanta. He was voted Swedish footballer of the year, winning Guldbollen 1985. For his majestic way of playing in the midfield he was nicknamed...
(1979) - 1980s: Stig FredrikssonStig FredrikssonStig Fredriksson is a former Swedish football defender. He played for IFK Göteborg during a large part of his career, winning two UEFA Cups , as well as four Swedish Championships with the club. He also played 56 matches for the national team, captaining 15 of them.-References:...
(1980), Roland NilssonRoland NilssonRoland Nilsson is a Swedish football manager and the current manager of FC Copenhagen. As a player, Nilsson played 116 games for Sweden, making him second only to Thomas Ravelli in international appearances for Sweden...
(1983), Håkan MildHåkan MildStig Håkan Mild is a former Swedish football midfielder and current director of sports of IFK Göteborg, his main club as player, with which he won four Swedish Championships...
(1988), Thomas RavelliThomas RavelliThomas Ravelli is a retired Swedish footballer who played as a goalkeeper.His 21-year professional career was almost exclusively associated with Öster and Göteborg, for whom he amassed Allsvenskan totals of 430 games....
(1989) - 1990s: Magnus ErlingmarkMagnus ErlingmarkMagnus Erlingmark is a Swedish formerfootballer. He has made 37 appearances and scored one goal the national team, including the 1994 FIFA World Cup and Euro 1992. He has won four Swedish Championships.-Clubs:*BK Forward...
(1993), Niclas Alexandersson (1996)
Managers
Listed according to when they became managers for IFK Göteborg (year in parentheses):- 1910s–1940s:
József NagyJózsef Nagy (footballer born 1892)József Nagy was an Hungarian footballer and manager from Budapest. He is most noted for his career as a footballing manager; Nagy managed the Swedish national football team and Swedish clubs and then he moved onto Serie A where he managed three clubs, Pro Vercelli, Bologna and Genoa. He also...
(1945) - 1950s–1980s: Bertil 'Bebben' JohanssonBertil JohanssonBertil "Bebben" Johansson is a former Swedish football striker and football manager.After starting his career playing for the local club Sävedalens IF, he joined IFK Göteborg in 1955 and won a Swedish Championship with the club...
(1967), Sven-Göran ErikssonSven-Göran ErikssonSven-Göran Eriksson , in Sweden commonly referred to just by his nickname Svennis, is a Swedish ex-football manager. From October 2010 to October 2011 he managed Football League Championship side Leicester City....
(1979) - 1990s–2000s: Roger GustafssonRoger GustafssonRoger Gustafsson is a former Swedish football player and manager. He has played in the highest Swedish league, Allsvenskan, with GAIS, but is better known as the best performing manager in Allsvenskan ever, having won five Swedish championships with IFK Göteborg...
(1990), Bosse Johansson (2003)
Domestic
- Swedish ChampionsSwedish football championsSwedish football champions is a title held by the winners of the highest Swedish football league played each year, Allsvenskan. IFK Göteborg holds the record of most titles with 18 Swedish championships. After winning the 2011 Allsvenskan, Helsingborgs IF are the reigning Swedish football...
- Winners (18): 1908, 1910, 1918, 1934–35, 1941–42, 1957–58, 1969, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2007
League
- AllsvenskanAllsvenskanAllsvenskan is a Swedish professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Swedish football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 16 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with Superettan...
:- Winners (13): 1934–35, 1941–42, 1957–58, 1969, 1982, 1984, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2007
- Runners-up (11): 1924–25, 1926–27, 1929–30, 1939–49, 1979, 1981, 1986, 1988, 1997, 2005, 2009
- Svenska SerienSvenska SerienSvenska Serien was the highest league in Swedish football, and was played 1910–1917, 1920–1921 and 1922–1924. It was then replaced by the current-day league Allsvenskan...
:- Winners (5): 1912–13, 1913–14, 1914–15, 1915–16, 1916–17
- Fyrkantserien:
- Winners (2): 1918, 1919
- MästerskapsserienMästerskapsserienMästerskapsserien was a short-lived Swedish football league played 1991 and 1992 to decide the Swedish Champions. The top six teams from Allsvenskan qualified for Mästerskapsserien while the four bottom had to play the promotion and relegation Kvalsvenskan league with four and two teams from...
:- Winners (1): 1991
Cups
- Svenska CupenSvenska CupenSvenska Cupen , is a knockout cup competition in Swedish football and the main Swedish football cup. Svenska Cupen usually refers to the men's tournament, although a women's tournament is also held. Each year 98 teams compete, comprising the 16 teams from Allsvenskan and the 16 teams of Superettan...
:- Winners (5): 1978–79, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1991, 2008
- Runners-up (5): 1985–86, 1998–99, 2004, 2007, 2009
- Allsvenskan play-offsAllsvenskan play-offsThe Allsvenskan play-offs was a Swedish football cup held to decide the Swedish football champions between 1982 and 1990. The cup was created to increase the average attendance for Allsvenskan since public interest had dropped remarkably in the previous years. The four best placed teams in...
:- Winners (5): 1982, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1990
- Runners-up (1): 1985
- Svenska MästerskapetSvenska MästerskapetSvenska Mästerskapet was a Swedish football cup held to decide the Swedish Champions between 1896 and 1925.-Previous winners:-Cup champions:...
:- Winners (3): 1908, 1910, 1918
- SupercupenSupercupenSupercupen is a one-off fixture in Swedish football played between the Allsvenskan champions and the winners of Svenska Cupen. The fixture is played before the start of the Allsvenskan season. In the event of a club winning the Double the runner up of the Allsvenskan takes part...
:- Winners (1): 2008
- Runners-up (2): 2009, 2010
European
- UEFA Cup:
- Winners (2): 1981–82, 1986–87
- Royal LeagueRoyal LeagueThe Royal League was an annual Scandinavian football tournament held three times between teams from the three Scandinavian monarchies , starting after the end of the regular domestic seasons of Norway and Sweden. Denmark, however, are in mid-season when the tournament starts...
:- Runners-up (1): 2004–05
Records
- Home victory, Allsvenskan: 9–1 vs. IK SleipnerIK SleipnerIdrottsklubben Sleipner is a sports club in Norrköping, Sweden; the main sports are football and ten-pin bowling. It was founded in 1903, and named after Odin's horse Sleipnir. Currently, the club's senior men's team plays football in the Division 1 Södra...
, 10 May 1925; 8–0 vs. Hammarby IFHammarby IFHammarby Fotboll is a Swedish football club based in Johanneshov - just south of Södermalm, the southernmost district of Stockholm city centre...
, 2 June 1925; 8–0 vs. Stattena IFStattena IFStattena IF is a Swedish football club located in Helsingborg. The club played two seasons in the Allsvenskan in 1927-28 and 1929-30.-Background:The original club Stattena was one of the two clubs which in 1907 formed Helsingborgs IF...
, 21 April 1930 - Away victory, Allsvenskan: 9–2 vs. IFK EskilstunaIFK EskilstunaIFK Eskilstuna is a Swedish football club located in Eskilstuna in Södermanland County. In their early seasons IFK had a proud record as a Allsvenskan club but they now play in Division 3 Västra Svealand which is the fifth tier of Swedish football....
, 8 October 1933; 7–0 vs. IK SleipnerIK SleipnerIdrottsklubben Sleipner is a sports club in Norrköping, Sweden; the main sports are football and ten-pin bowling. It was founded in 1903, and named after Odin's horse Sleipnir. Currently, the club's senior men's team plays football in the Division 1 Södra...
, 20 April 1941 - Home loss, Allsvenskan: 2–9 vs. Malmö FFMalmö FFMalmö Fotbollförening, also known simply as Malmö FF, are a Swedish professional football club based in Malmö. The club is affiliated with Skånes Fotbollförbund and play their home games at Swedbank Stadion. The club colours, reflected in their crest and kit, are sky blue and white...
, 10 September 1949 - Away loss, Allsvenskan: 0–7 vs. IFK NorrköpingIFK NorrköpingIFK Norrköping is a Swedish football club based in Norrköping. The club, formed on 29 May 1897, is currently playing in the first division of Swedish football, Allsvenskan...
, 1 May 1960 - Highest attendance, Nya UlleviUlleviUllevi is a stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden. The stadium was built for the 1958 FIFA World Cup, but since then Ullevi has also hosted the 1995 World Championships in Athletics and the 2006 European Championships in Athletics, the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup finals in 1983 and 1990, the UEFA Euro 1992...
: 52,194 vs. Örgryte ISÖrgryte ISÖrgryte IS, also commonly referred to as ÖIS, is a Swedish football club based in Gothenburg.-History:The club was founded on 4 December 1887 and participated in the first football match in Sweden on 22 May 1892. Örgryte IS has won 12 national championship titles and one national cup title. After...
, 3 June 1959 - Highest attendance, Gamla Ullevi: 31,064 vs. GAISGAISGöteborgs Atlet- och Idrottssällskap is a Swedish football club based in Gothenburg, currently playing in Allsvenskan. The club is commonly referred to simply as GAIS, while its fans also refers to the club as grönsvart or the mackerels because of the traditional shirt colours...
, 27 May 1955 - Highest attendance, SlottsskogsvallenSlottsskogsvallenSlottsskogsvallen is a multi-use stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden. It is currently used mostly for football and athletics. It is the home ground of Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC. The stadium holds 8,480 people and was built in 1923. It is counted as one of the most beautiful arenas in Sweden. The Swedish...
: 21,580 vs. AIKAIK FotbollAIK, , an abbreviation for Allmänna Idrottsklubben, , when needed internationally AIK Stockholm, is a Swedish football club based at Råsunda stadium in Solna, a municipality in Stockholm County bordering to Stockholm City Centre...
, 25 October 1931 - Highest average attendance, season: 23,796, 1977
- Most appearances, total: 609, Mikael NilssonMikael Nilsson (born 1968)Mikael Nilsson is a former Swedish football defender. He played for a local club called Tomtens IF and IFK Falköping until 1987 when he moved to IFK Göteborg, where he stayed until he ended his active career in 2001 due to an eye injury. During these years, he played 609 first team matches, which...
1987–01 - Most appearances, Allsvenskan: 348, Bengt 'Fölet' BerndtssonBengt BerndtssonBengt Berndtsson was a Swedish football winger. He was nicknamed Fölet .After starting his career playing for two local clubs, he joined IFK Göteborg in 1951 and won a Swedish Championship with the club...
1951–67 - Most goals scored, total: 333, Filip 'Svarte-Filip' JohanssonFilip JohanssonFilip Johansson was a famous Swedish football striker born in Surte north of Gothenburg. He was nicknamed Svarte-Filip, meaning Black-Filip. The name itself referring to the pitch black colour of his hair...
1924–34 - Most goals scored, Allsvenskan: 180, Filip 'Svarte-Filip' JohanssonFilip JohanssonFilip Johansson was a famous Swedish football striker born in Surte north of Gothenburg. He was nicknamed Svarte-Filip, meaning Black-Filip. The name itself referring to the pitch black colour of his hair...
1924–34 - Most goals scored, season, Allsvenskan: 39, Filip 'Svarte-Filip' JohanssonFilip JohanssonFilip Johansson was a famous Swedish football striker born in Surte north of Gothenburg. He was nicknamed Svarte-Filip, meaning Black-Filip. The name itself referring to the pitch black colour of his hair...
1924–25
Footnotes
- A. The title of "Swedish Champions" has been awarded to the winner of four different competitions over the years. Between 1896 and 1925 the title was awarded to the winner of Svenska MästerskapetSvenska MästerskapetSvenska Mästerskapet was a Swedish football cup held to decide the Swedish Champions between 1896 and 1925.-Previous winners:-Cup champions:...
, a stand-alone cup tournament. No club were given the title between 1926 and 1930 even though the first-tier league AllsvenskanAllsvenskanAllsvenskan is a Swedish professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Swedish football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 16 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with Superettan...
was played. In 1931 the title was reinstated and awarded to the winner of Allsvenskan. Between 1982 and 1990 a play-offAllsvenskan play-offsThe Allsvenskan play-offs was a Swedish football cup held to decide the Swedish football champions between 1982 and 1990. The cup was created to increase the average attendance for Allsvenskan since public interest had dropped remarkably in the previous years. The four best placed teams in...
in cup format was held at the end of the league season to decide the champions. After the play-off format in 1991 and 1992 the title was decided by the winner of MästerskapsserienMästerskapsserienMästerskapsserien was a short-lived Swedish football league played 1991 and 1992 to decide the Swedish Champions. The top six teams from Allsvenskan qualified for Mästerskapsserien while the four bottom had to play the promotion and relegation Kvalsvenskan league with four and two teams from...
, an additional league after the end of Allsvenskan. Since the 1993 season the title has once again been awarded to the winner of Allsvenskan.
External links
Supporter club sitesNews sites
Supporter sites