Koninklijke Voetbal Club Westerlo (ˈkoː.ˌnɪŋk.lə.kə ˈvut.bɑl ˈklʏp ˈβɛs.tər.lo) (often simply called
Westerlo ˈβɛs.tər.lo) is a
BelgianBelgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
professional football club located in the city of
WesterloWesterlo is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Antwerp. The municipality comprises seven towns:- Westerlo centrum - Oevel - Tongerlo - Heultje...
in the province of
AntwerpAntwerp is the northernmost province both of the Flemish Region, also called Flanders, and of Belgium. It borders on the Netherlands and the Belgian provinces of Limburg, Flemish Brabant and East Flanders. Its capital is Antwerp which comprises the Port of Antwerp...
. Westerlo has been playing in the Belgian Pro League since 1997–98. Their highest finish is a 6th place in 1999–2000, 2003–04 and
2008–09The 2008–09 season of the Belgian First Division was the 106th season of top-tier football in Belgium. The regular season began on 16 August 2008 and ended on 16 May 2009...
. They have won 1
Belgian CupThe Belgian Cup is the main knockout football competition in Belgium, run by the Belgian Football Association. The first cup was held in 1911-12. The most successful cup club is Club Brugge KV with 10 titles followed by RSC Anderlecht and R Standard de Liège...
. The only player who has ever been called up for the
Belgium national football team while at Westerlo is
Toni BrognoAntonio Brogno is a retired Belgian football striker who was last on the books of Olympic Charleroi. Before that he also played for Sedan, OH Leuven, Westerlo and Sporting Charleroi, where his brother Dante Brogno was an assistant manager. He finished top scorer of the Belgian First Division in...
(7 caps, all of them while at Westerlo).
The club was founded in 1933 and they registered to the Royal Belgian Football Association in 1935, receiving the matricule number 2024. Their colours are yellow and blue. They play their home matches at the
Het KuipjeHet Kuipje is a multi-use stadium in Westerlo, Belgium. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of first-class footballclub K.V.C Westerlo. The stadium capacity is 7892....
. Westerlo are currently a feeder club to English Premiership club Chelsea FC.
History
A football club was founded in the city of Westerlo by students in 1917, and it was named Sportkring De Bist Westerlo. After five years of existence, the club retired. The club Bist Sport was created in 1931 and it changed its name to Sportkring Westerlo two years later. At that time some players left the club to found
Westerlo Sport, the ancestor of
K.V.C. Westerlo. The club registered to the
Belgian Football AssociationThe Royal Belgian Football Association is the governing body of football in Belgium...
on October 1, 1935. In 1939 the club won its
leagueThe Belgian Provincial leagues are the lower leagues for Belgian football. It is divided into 9 regional league systems . Each league system is itself divided into 4 levels...
for the first time. Five years later, Sportkring Westerlo and dissident Westerlo Sport decided to merge in spite of the rivalry between the teams, and the new club was called
V.C. Westerlo.
It became champion of the
Antwerp second divisionThe Belgian Provincial leagues are the lower leagues for Belgian football. It is divided into 9 regional league systems . Each league system is itself divided into 4 levels...
in 1960. Eight years later it played its first season at the national level in
PromotionThe Belgian Promotion is the lowest nationwide division in Belgian football. Since 1905, Promotion has been the name of the lowest nationwide level but it is the fourth one since 1952. There were already 4 leagues at the time . The champion of the Promotion is declared to be the winner of a...
and it won its league to play the
third divisionThe Belgian Third Division is the third highest level in Belgian football. It has two leagues of 18 teams each at the same level. This competition, known as the Belgian Promotion was first played in the 1926-27 season with three leagues, then with four leagues between 1931 and 1952. From 1952...
in 1969. At the end of the season, Westerlo missed a third title in a row, finishing second behind
EupenKönigliche Allgemeine Sportvereinigung Eupen is a Belgian association football club based in the city of Eupen in the German-speaking Community of Belgium, in the province of Liège. They are a Belgian German-speaking club. They first reached the Belgian Pro League in the 2010–11 season. Eupen...
. The next year, the club was relegated after the playoff and it stayed in the Promotion for ten seasons. The club then underwent two relegations in a row and thus played in the Antwerp second division in 1982–83. Westerlo was then promoted for three consecutive years to qualify for the third division once again. In 1993 the club promoted to the
second divisionThe Belgian Second Division is the second-highest division in the Belgian football league system after the Belgian Pro League. It was created by the Belgian Football Association in 1905. Between 2008 and 2010 it was named EXQI League after a television channel owned by the league main sponsor,...
and then to the first division in 1997. In 1996 the club added the prefix
KoninklijkKoninklijk or Koninklijke is an honorary title given to certain companies and non-profit organizations in Belgium and the Netherlands, by the King or Queen in the respective country. It was first introduced by Louis Bonaparte in 1807, the King of the Netherlands at that time, who awarded the title...
e (meaning "Royal" in
DutchDutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
) to its name.
Stadium
Westerlo plays its home matches at
Het KuipjeHet Kuipje is a multi-use stadium in Westerlo, Belgium. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of first-class footballclub K.V.C Westerlo. The stadium capacity is 7892....
, which means "The Small Tank" in Dutch. It is believed to be reference to the
Feijenoord StadionThe Feijenoord Stadion, better known by its nickname De Kuip , is a stadium in Rotterdam, Netherlands that was completed in 1937. The name is derived from the area "Feijenoord" in Rotterdam, and from the club with the same name .Capacity at completion: 64,000. Maximum capacity: 69,000...
that is nicknamed
De Kuip ("The Tank"). Its capacity is of 7,903 with 5,556 seats.
Honours
- Belgian Second Division
The Belgian Second Division is the second-highest division in the Belgian football league system after the Belgian Pro League. It was created by the Belgian Football Association in 1905. Between 2008 and 2010 it was named EXQI League after a television channel owned by the league main sponsor,...
:
- Belgian Second Division Final Round
The Belgian Second Division Final Round is the playoff part of the Belgian Second Division. It is a contested by four teams, the winner being promoted to the first division.-Eligibility:...
:
- Belgian Cup
The Belgian Cup is the main knockout football competition in Belgium, run by the Belgian Football Association. The first cup was held in 1911-12. The most successful cup club is Club Brugge KV with 10 titles followed by RSC Anderlecht and R Standard de Liège...
:
- Winners (1): 2000–01
- Runners-up (1): 2010–11
- Belgian Supercup
The Belgian Supercup is a Belgian club competition played on a single match at the league champion venue since 2004 and formerly at the Stade Roi Baudouin, between the winner of the last Belgian Pro League and that of the last Belgian Cup. If both teams are the same, the opponent is declared to...
:
European record
| Competition |
Appearances |
Matches |
Won |
Drawn |
Lost |
GF |
GA |
UEFA 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...
/Europa League |
2 |
6 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
2 |
8 |
| Intertoto Cup |
2 |
4 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
14 |
| Season |
Competition |
Round |
|
Club |
Home |
Away |
| 2000 |
UEFA Intertoto CupThe UEFA Intertoto Cup, also abbreviated as UI Cup and originally called the International Football Cup, was a summer football competition for European clubs that had not qualified for one of the two major UEFA competitions, the Champions League and the UEFA Cup. The competition was discontinued...
|
1R |
 |
NK PrimorjeNK Primorje is a Slovenian football club, playing in the town of Ajdovščina.-Honours:League* Slovenian Championships:'Cup* Slovenian Cup:- Current squad :As of 31 July 2011- External links :...
|
0–6 |
0–5 |
| 2001–02 |
UEFA 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...
|
1R |
 |
Hertha Berlin |
0–2 |
0–1 |
| 2004 |
UEFA Intertoto CupThe UEFA Intertoto Cup, also abbreviated as UI Cup and originally called the International Football Cup, was a summer football competition for European clubs that had not qualified for one of the two major UEFA competitions, the Champions League and the UEFA Cup. The competition was discontinued...
|
2R |
 |
Tescoma Zlin |
0–0 |
0–3 |
| 2011–12 The 2011–12 UEFA Europa League is the third season of the competition since it was renamed from the UEFA Cup. It began on 30 June 2011 with the first legs of the first qualifying round, and will end on 9 May 2012 with the final to be held at Stadionul Național in Bucharest, Romania...
|
UEFA Europa League |
Q2 |
 |
TPS TurkuTurun Palloseura, TPS for short and nicknamed Tepsi, is a Finnish football club based in Turku. The club was founded in 1922. TPS currently play in the Veikkausliiga, the highest level of Finnish football. They play their home matches at the 9,372 seater Veritas Stadion, Turku.-History:FC TPS Turku...
|
0-0 |
1–0 |
| Q3 |
 |
BSC Young BoysBerner Sport Club Young Boys 1898 is a Swiss sporting club based in the capital city of Bern. The name is often abbreviated to YB . Abroad, YB is often referred to as Young Boys Bern. The club's colors are yellow and black....
|
0-2 |
1-3 |
Current squad
For recent transfers, see List of Belgian football transfers summer 2011.
Notable former players
Alex BrosqueAlex Brosque is an Australian professional football player who currently plays for J. League side Shimizu S-Pulse...
Toni BrognoAntonio Brogno is a retired Belgian football striker who was last on the books of Olympic Charleroi. Before that he also played for Sedan, OH Leuven, Westerlo and Sporting Charleroi, where his brother Dante Brogno was an assistant manager. He finished top scorer of the Belgian First Division in...
Yves De WinterYves De Winter is a Belgian football goalkeeper, who plays for De Graafschap in Eredivisie.- External links :* at transfermarkt.co.uk...
Bernt EvensBernt Evens is a Belgian professional footballer who currently plays for Cercle Brugge, as a defender.-Career:Born in Neerpelt, Evens has played for Genk, Maasland, Antwerp, Westerlo and Club Brugge.-References:...
Wim MennesWim Mennes is a professional football midfielder, who plays for Sint-Truidense.-References:*...
Benoît ThansBenoît Thans is a retired Belgian footballer.-References:* * *...
Kevin VandenberghKevin Vandenbergh is a Belgian footballers who currently plays for K.V. Mechelen. He also earned some caps with Belgium and the Belgian U21 team, with his debut in the national side in 2004...
Stef WilsStef Wils is a Belgian professional footballer. He can play in defense as well as in midfield.Wils started his career at the highest level of Belgian football with Lierse, where he remained 5 seasons. He then signed for VC Westerlo where he was supposed to replace Chris Janssens...
Adnan Mravac Adnan Mravac is a Bosnia and Herzegovina international footballer on a three-year contract with Austrian side SV Mattersburg.-External links:*...
Jaja CoelhoJakson Coelho , commonly known as Jajá Coelho or simply Jajá, is a Brazilian football forward/midfielder...
Paulo HenriquePaulo Henrique Carneiro Filho is a Brazilian footballer currently playing for Turkish Super League club Trabzonspor.-Career:...
Lukáš ZelenkaLukáš Zelenka is a professional footballer, midfield player and former national team player of the Czech Republic.- Career :...
Joe KeenanJoseph John Keenan is an English professional footballer, who plays for Victorian Premier League club South Melbourne, as a left midfielder.-Club career:Keenan started his career with Premier League club Chelsea...
Nabil DirarNabil Dirar , is an Moroccan football midfielder who currently plays for Club Brugge and the Moroccan national team.-Career:His favourite position is attacking left midfielder...
Tosin DosunmuTosin Dosunmu is a Nigerian footballer who currently plays for Royal Antwerp F.C. in Belgium.-Career:Before, he played for AS Nancy, KV Mechelen, K.V.C. Westerlo and Austria Wien. In the season 2005-2006, while he played for Beerschot, Dosunmu became top scorer in the Belgian First Division with...
Patrick OgunsotoPatrick Ogunsoto is a Nigerian professional footballer who currently plays as a forward.-Career:Ogunsoto started his European career at APOEL FC. One year later he was transferred to Ergotelis FC, who played in the third division at the time...
Peter UtakaPeter Utaka is a Nigerian footballer with a Belgian passport currently playing for Danish club Odense Boldklub. He is the younger brother of John Utaka, who currently plays for Montpellier in France.-Club career:...
Bobsam ElejikoBobsam 'Bob' Elejiko was a Nigerian footballer. He played as a central defender for several domestic teams between 2000 and 2011 before his death on the field during a football match.-Football career:...
Emmanuel SarkiEmmanuel Sarki is a football player.- Career :He began his career at Ranchers Bees. Later, in 2002 he transferred to Gowis International....
Obiora OditaObiora Emmanuel Odita is a Nigerian football striker playing for Serbian SuperLiga side FK Javor Ivanjica.-Nigeria:Odita first played for a professional soccer club with now-defunct Udoji United F.C., which was based in Awka, Nigeria. In 2001, he was sold to a more financially stable domestic...
Oleksandr Yakovenko
External links
Official Website KVC Westerlo at UEFA.COM