Union Luxembourg
Encyclopedia
Union Sportive Luxembourg, usually known as Union Luxembourg, was a football
club, based in Luxembourg City, in southern Luxembourg
. It is now a part of Racing FC Union Luxembourg
.
and Jeunesse Sportive Verlorenkost
. Although US Hollerich had been one of the top clubs in Luxembourg, winning five titles consecutively, by 1925, its success had dried up. From the merger until the Second World War, the club would win only one trophy: the championship
in 1927.
In 1940, the Nazis renamed Union, along with all other clubs as part of the process of Germanisation
. Between 1940 and 1944, Union's name would be Verein für Rasenspiele 08 Luxemburg. The end of occupation and reversion of moniker did little to change Union's success (or lack thereof); a solitary Luxembourg Cup
was all that Union had to show for the first fifteen years of freedom after the war.
However, that all changed very swiftly, as Union hit its stride, beginning with another cup victory in 1959. Between 1959 and 1971, Union won two league titles and the Luxembourg Cup five times. Another barren spell followed; the 1970s and 1980s saw Luxembourg finish consistently in the top four in the league, but, in seventeen years, Luxembourg reached only two cup finals and finished in the two top just once.
Another sudden spike of success came at the end of the 1980s. Luxembourg won three National Division titles back-to-back between 1990 and 1992 and returned to the habit of European qualification. Nonetheless, as with so many clubs in Luxembourg during the 1990s and 2000s, Union could not withstand the pressure to consolidate. Union arranged a merger with CA Spora Luxembourg
and CS Alliance 01 to form its modern form, Racing FC Union Luxembourg
, to take effect after the 2004-05 season
. As it happens, Union was relegated in 2004-05 (as was Spora), marking an unfitting end to one of Luxembourg's most successful clubs.
Without having won a tie, Union won two matches against European opponents. The first came in 1970-71, against Turkish
side Göztepe
in the Cup Winners' Cup. Göztepe had won the first leg 5-0, but Union managed a 1-0 victory in the home leg (this was very limited revenge, as Göztepe had knocked Union out the previous year, too). Their second victory was over Bodø/Glimt
of Norway
, by one goal to nil, having losing the first leg 4-1. Union also managed draws against Botev Plovdiv
and Djurgårdens IF in 1984-85 and 1989-90 respectively.
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
club, based in Luxembourg City, in southern Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
. It is now a part of Racing FC Union Luxembourg
Racing FC Union Luxembourg
Racing Football Club Union Luxembourg , usually abbreviated to Racing FC, is a football club, based in Luxembourg City, in southern Luxembourg.-History:...
.
History
Union Luxembourg was formed in 1925 as an amalgam of US Hollerich BonnevoieUS Hollerich Bonnevoie
US Hollerich Bonnevoie is a defunct football team which was merged with Jeunesse Sportive Verlorenkost to create Union Sportive Luxembourg in 1925....
and Jeunesse Sportive Verlorenkost
Jeunesse Sportive Verlorenkost
JS Verlorenhost is a defunct football team which was merged with US Hollerich Bonnevoie to create Union Sportive Luxembourg in 1925....
. Although US Hollerich had been one of the top clubs in Luxembourg, winning five titles consecutively, by 1925, its success had dried up. From the merger until the Second World War, the club would win only one trophy: the championship
Luxembourg National Division
The National Division is the highest football league in Luxembourg. Until 2011, it is to be known as the BGL Ligue, after the Luxembourg Football Federation managed to seal a sponsorship deal with Fortis. Before 2006, it contained twelve teams, but it expanded to fourteen for the 2006-07 season,...
in 1927.
In 1940, the Nazis renamed Union, along with all other clubs as part of the process of Germanisation
Germanisation
Germanisation is both the spread of the German language, people and culture either by force or assimilation, and the adaptation of a foreign word to the German language in linguistics, much like the Romanisation of many languages which do not use the Latin alphabet...
. Between 1940 and 1944, Union's name would be Verein für Rasenspiele 08 Luxemburg. The end of occupation and reversion of moniker did little to change Union's success (or lack thereof); a solitary Luxembourg Cup
Luxembourg Cup
The Luxembourg Cup is the national knockout cup competition in Luxembourgian football. It was first held in 1922, and has been held annually since, with the exception of the four seasons during the German occupation during Second World War.-Winners:...
was all that Union had to show for the first fifteen years of freedom after the war.
However, that all changed very swiftly, as Union hit its stride, beginning with another cup victory in 1959. Between 1959 and 1971, Union won two league titles and the Luxembourg Cup five times. Another barren spell followed; the 1970s and 1980s saw Luxembourg finish consistently in the top four in the league, but, in seventeen years, Luxembourg reached only two cup finals and finished in the two top just once.
Another sudden spike of success came at the end of the 1980s. Luxembourg won three National Division titles back-to-back between 1990 and 1992 and returned to the habit of European qualification. Nonetheless, as with so many clubs in Luxembourg during the 1990s and 2000s, Union could not withstand the pressure to consolidate. Union arranged a merger with CA Spora Luxembourg
CA Spora Luxembourg
CA Spora Luxembourg was a football club, based in Luxembourg City, in southern Luxembourg. It is now a part of Racing FC Union Luxembourg.-History:...
and CS Alliance 01 to form its modern form, Racing FC Union Luxembourg
Racing FC Union Luxembourg
Racing Football Club Union Luxembourg , usually abbreviated to Racing FC, is a football club, based in Luxembourg City, in southern Luxembourg.-History:...
, to take effect after the 2004-05 season
Luxembourg National Division 2004-05
The 2004-05 season of Luxembourg's National Division ran from 7 August 2004 to 29 May 2005. The league title was won by F91 Dudelange.-Teams:The 2004-05 season saw the National Division's roster of twelve clubs include:...
. As it happens, Union was relegated in 2004-05 (as was Spora), marking an unfitting end to one of Luxembourg's most successful clubs.
Honours
- National DivisionLuxembourg National DivisionThe National Division is the highest football league in Luxembourg. Until 2011, it is to be known as the BGL Ligue, after the Luxembourg Football Federation managed to seal a sponsorship deal with Fortis. Before 2006, it contained twelve teams, but it expanded to fourteen for the 2006-07 season,...
- Winners (6): 1926-27, 1961-62, 1970-71, 1989-90, 1990-91, 1991-92
- Runners-up (9): 1921-22, 1947-48, 1962-63, 1963-64, 1964-65, 1965-66, 1972-73, 1992-93, 1997-98
- Luxembourg CupLuxembourg CupThe Luxembourg Cup is the national knockout cup competition in Luxembourgian football. It was first held in 1922, and has been held annually since, with the exception of the four seasons during the German occupation during Second World War.-Winners:...
- Winners (10): 1946-47, 1958-59, 1962-63, 1963-64, 1968-69, 1969-70, 1985-86, 1988-89, 1990-91, 1995-96
- Runners-up (10): 1922-23, 1925-26, 1932-33, 1936-37, 1960-61, 1961-62, 1966-67, 1977-78, 1982-83, 1996-97
European Competition
Union Luxembourg qualified for UEFA European competition 21 times.- UEFA Champions LeagueUEFA Champions LeagueThe 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...
- Qualifying round (1): 1971-72
- First round (4): 1962-63, 1990-91, 1991-92, 1992-93
- UEFA Cup Winners' CupUEFA Cup Winners' CupThe UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was a football club competition contested annually by the most recent winners of all European domestic cup competitions. The cup is one of the many inter-European club competitions that have been organised by UEFA. The first competition was held in the 1960–61 season—but...
- Qualifying round (2): 1996-97, 1997-98
- First round (8): 1963-64, 1964-65, 1969-70, 1970-71, 1978-79, 1984-85, 1986-87, 1989-90
- UEFA CupUEFA CupThe UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
- Qualifying round (1): 1998-99
- First round (5): 1965-66, 1966-67, 1973-74, 1988-89, 1993-94
Without having won a tie, Union won two matches against European opponents. The first came in 1970-71, against Turkish
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
side Göztepe
Göztepe A.S.
Göztepe SK are a Turkish sports club in Güzelyalı, İzmir.They were founded in 1925 as a breakaway club from Altay. Their colours are red-yellow. They merged with İzmirspor and were renamed as Doğanspor in 1937. Some supporters of İzmirspor opposed the merger and founded Ateşspor in 1938. Doğanspor...
in the Cup Winners' Cup. Göztepe had won the first leg 5-0, but Union managed a 1-0 victory in the home leg (this was very limited revenge, as Göztepe had knocked Union out the previous year, too). Their second victory was over Bodø/Glimt
F.K. Bodø/Glimt
FK Bodø/Glimt is a Norwegian football club from the town of Bodø and was founded in 1916. Its nickname is the original club name: Glimt.Bodø/Glimt have been Northern Norwegian champions nine times, Norwegian Cup Champions twice and league runners-up three seasons .Glimt are known for their yellow...
of Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, by one goal to nil, having losing the first leg 4-1. Union also managed draws against Botev Plovdiv
PFC Botev Plovdiv
PFC Botev Plovdiv , is the oldest Bulgarian football club from the city of Plovdiv, which currently competes in Bulgaria's second football league, the B PFG....
and Djurgårdens IF in 1984-85 and 1989-90 respectively.