Grasshopper Club Zurich Explained

Clubname:Grasshopper Club Zurich
Current:2024–25 Grasshopper Club Zürich season
Fullname:Grasshopper Club Zurich
Nickname:Grasshoppers or Hoppers
Short Name:GC, GCZ, Grasshoppers
Ground:Letzigrund
Capacity:26,104
Owner:Los Angeles FC[1] [2]
Chairman:Stacy Johns
Chrtitle:President
Mgrtitle:Sporting director
Manager:Stephan Schwarz
League:Swiss Super League
Season:2023–24
Position:Swiss Super League, 11th of 12
Website:https://www.gcz.ch
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Grasshopper Club Zurich (GCZ), commonly referred to as Grasshopper Club or simply just GC, is a professional multisports club based in Zurich, Switzerland. They are nicknamed the Grasshoppers or sometimes just Hoppers. The oldest and best-known department of the club is its football team. With 27 league titles, the Grasshoppers hold the records for winning the most national championships and the Swiss Cups, with 19 trophies in the latter.[3] The club is the oldest football team in Zurich and maintains a substantial rivalry with FC Zurich.[4]

The origin of Grasshoppers name is unknown, although the most common explanation refers to its early players' energetic post-goal celebrations and that their style of play was nimble and energetic.[5]

After a number of appearances in European Cups and the UEFA Champions League, the Grasshopper Club has become one of Switzerland's most recognizable football clubs. Today, in addition to its main football squad, the club has competitive professional and youth teams in rowing, ice hockey, handball, lawn tennis, court tennis, field hockey, curling, basketball, rugby, squash, floorball and beach soccer.[6]

History

See main article: History of Grasshopper Club Zürich.

Grasshopper Club Zurich was founded on 1 September 1886 by Tom E. Griffith, an English student. In 1893, the Grasshopper Club became the first Swiss team to play in (what was then) Germany, defeating Strasbourg 1–0. The first Swiss championships (then called "Serie A") were held in 1897–98 and were won by the Grasshoppers, as was the first championship played using a league system in 1899–1900.[7]

Their biggest European success to date came in the 1977–78 UEFA Cup where they reached the semi-final against French side Bastia. After a 3–2 win at home, they traveled to Corsica for the second leg but lost 0–1 and were eliminated due to the away goal rule.

In 1997, the Grasshopper Club was incorporated and as of May 2005, it is formally organized as Neue Grasshopper Fussball AG. In doing so, Grasshopper became the first Swiss sports club to go public.[8]

Their to date last Swiss championship title was won in 2003. In 2013, the Grasshoppers ended a ten-year trophy drought with a penalty shoot-out victory over Basel in the Swiss Cup final. It would be the last trophy won for over a decade.

In 2019, the Grasshoppers were relegated to the second division for the first time in 68 years.[9]

In April 2020, it was revealed that the Hong Kong-based Champion Union HK Holding Limited had acquired 90% of GC shares.[10]

On 17 January 2024, a long-term partnership with MLS side Los Angeles FC was announced, with LAFC acquiring over 90% of the shares from the previous owners, Champion Union.[1] [2]

Stadium and grounds

See main article: Hardturm and Letzigrund. Since September 2007, Grasshopper Club Zurich has played all of its home matches in the Letzigrund stadium which is the regular home ground of FC Zurich. After the completion of the new Stadion Zurich (currently in planning stage), both teams are expected to play there.

From 1929 to 2007, the Grasshopper Club had their own home ground in the Hardturm stadium, however, this was demolished in December 2008. Before 1929, home matches were played at various other venues.

Training facilities and their football academy are located in Niederhasli, where in 2005 the club opened a comprehensive facility including five practice pitches, apartments for youth players and offices.

Rivalries

FC Zurich

See main article: Zürich Derby. FC Zurich was founded ten years after GC in 1896. A year later, the first derby between the two Zurich clubs was held as part of the first Swiss championship, where GC defeated FC Zurich 7–2. As the two teams did not always play in the same league, it would take nearly 70 years until the 100th derby. To date, 251 official derbies have been held, with GC leading with 121 wins to FC Zurich's 90, leaving 39 draws.

The 2 October 2011 Swiss league match between the two teams is known by Swiss media as the "Disgrace of Zurich", due to rioting by FC Zurich fans. The violence followed Grasshopper supporters stealing FC Zurich fan banners and displaying them in their own section with a message mocking FC Zurich.

Basel

Basel has long been a rival to GC, owing largely to the rivalry between the two cities. As a result, games between FC Zurich and Basel are also often heated games, often leading to clashes between fans.

From the late 60s to the early 80s, both GC and Basel had numerous Swiss championship victories. However, in 1988, Basel was relegated to the Nationalliga B. The rivalry flared up at the beginning of the 21st century, when FCB's improved performance has made them a mainstay at the top the Swiss league. However, with FCB's rise came GC's downfall and the rivalry has become largely one-sided. The most recent notable meeting between the two teams was the Swiss Cup Final in 2013, where Grasshoppers were able to beat Basel in penalties, with a score of 1–1 after extra time.

Honours

League

Cups

European Competitions

See main article: Grasshopper Club Zürich in European football.

Players

Current squad

Out on loan

Women's team

See main article: Grasshopper Club Zürich (women) and Swiss Women's Super League.

The women's division was founded in 2009, when GC/Schwerzenbach (originally FFC Schwerzenbach) was absorbed into the club.

Notable former players

Players for the Swiss national football team

Players with World Cup appearances for their national teams

Coaching staff

Current coaching staff

PositionNameSince
Head coach 04/2024[11]
Assistant coach 06/2024[12]
Assistant coach Aurelién Mioch 06/2023
Athletic coach Jörg Mikoleit 06/2024
Goalie Coach 06/2021[13]
Video analyst Rain Nappir 04/2021

Academy Coaches and Staff

PositionNameSince
Technical Director Remo Gaugler 05/2024[14]
Technical Director 05/2024
Talent Manager 03/2023[15]
Under 21 02/2024
08/2024[16]
Under 19 Dominik Probst
Francesco Satalino
06/2024[17]
08/2024
Under 17 Jacob Wolf
Goran Petrovic
07/2023[18]
08/2024
Under 16 Raffaele Cardiello
Adriano Mazza
08/2024
08/2024
Under 15 08/2024
08/2024
Head Goalkeeping Coach 08/2024
Goalkeeping Coach Gustavo Steffanuto Moino 08/2024

List of Coaches (since 1925)

Organisation

Board of Directors
PositionNameSince
President Stacy Johns 01/2024
Board member Larry Freedman 01/2024
Vice-president András Gurovits 07/2023
Management
Sporting director Stephan Schwarz 03/2024[19]
Director of Commercial Mike-David Burkhard 07/2024[20]
Head of Communication Milica Ferreira da Silva 07/2023[21]
Head of Human Resources Anna Tang 01/2022
Head of Finance Roland Gebhard 02/2023

See also

External links

Fan sites

Notes and References

  1. Web site: LAFC and Grasshopper Club Zürich form Partnership. Grasshopper Club Zürich . 17 January 2024 . 17 January 2024 .
  2. Web site: LAFC And Grasshopper Club Zürich Form Long-Term Strategic Partnership . . 17 January 2024 . 17 January 2024 .
  3. Web site: Vilotić seals Swiss Cup success for Grasshoppers . UEFA . 20 May 2013 . 9 June 2013 . 11 September 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180911191448/https://www.uefa.com/memberassociations/association=sui/news/newsid=1954325.html . live .
  4. Web site: The great Zurich divide . https://web.archive.org/web/20130530143035/http://www.fifa.com/classicfootball/clubs/rivalries/newsid=1063547/index.html . dead . 30 May 2013 . FIFA . 9 June 2013 .
  5. Web site: GESCHICHTE DES GRASSHOPPER CLUB ZÜRICH . GCZ . 9 June 2013 . 7 January 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160107171144/http://www.gcz.ch/club/geschichte/uebersicht/ . dead .
  6. Web site: Sektionen . GCZ . 9 June 2013 . 15 June 2013 . https://archive.today/20130615113058/http://www.grasshopper-club.ch/ . live .
  7. Web site: Grasshopper Club Zürich . https://web.archive.org/web/20121007123824/http://www.fifa.com/classicfootball/clubs/club=44066/index.html . dead . 7 October 2012 . FIFA . 9 June 2013 .
  8. Web site: White Papers – Resource Library. TechRepublic. 24 August 2006. 18 January 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210118040358/https://www.zdnet.com/. dead.
  9. Web site: Relegation completes demise of most successful Swiss club. Brian. Homewood. 16 May 2019. Reuters. 27 June 2019. 27 June 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190627212507/https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-soccer-swiss-gra-idUKKCN1SM2LF. live.
  10. Web site: Thomas Schifferle . Chinesen übernehmen GC . . 2020-04-09 . 2020-12-14 . 7 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220107142222/https://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/chinesische-holding-uebernimmt-gc-920749279421 . live.
  11. Web site: Grasshopper Club Zürich. Marco Schällibaum appointed new Head Coach at GC Zurich . 10 April 2024. 15 April 2024.
  12. Web site: Grasshopper Club Zürich. START OF TRAINING & COACHING STAFF & COMPLETION . 19 June 2024. 20 June 2024.
  13. Web site: ERMINIO PISERCHIA AND JÖRG STIEL NEW AT GC. 2021-06-18. Grasshopper Club Zürich. www.gcz.ch.
  14. Web site: [hhttps://www.gcz.ch/en/news/article/17/new-management-structure-for-the-youth-division/ New management structure for the youth division]. Grasshopper Club Zürich. www.gcz.ch. 29 May 2024. 3 June 2024.
  15. Web site: SASCHA MÜLLER NEW TALENT MANAGER AT GC ZURICH. Grasshopper Club Zürich. www.gcz.ch. 2023-03-22. 22 March 2023. 22 March 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230322102814/https://www.gcz.ch/en/news/article/17/sascha-mueller-new-talent-manager-at-gc-zurich/. live.
  16. Web site: Saisonauftakt für den Nachwuchs des GC Zürich. Grasshopper Club Zürich. www.gcz.ch. 9 August 2024. 10 August 2024.
  17. Web site: Dominik Probst appointed as new U19 head coach. Grasshopper Club Zürich. www.gcz.ch. 4 June 2024. 7 June 2024.
  18. Web site: GC ZÜRICH STARTET SAISON MIT NEUEN NACHWUCHSTRAINERN. Grasshopper Club Zürich. www.gcz.ch. 2023-07-04. 2023-07-04.
  19. Web site: GC ZURICH APPOINTS STEPHAN SCHWARZ AS SPORTS DIRECTOR. Grasshopper Club Zürich. 27 March 2024. 27 March 2024.
  20. Web site: CHANGE IN THE COMMERCIAL DEPARTMENT AT GC ZURICH. Grasshopper Club Zürich. 21 May 2024. 21 May 2024.
  21. Web site: MILICA FERREIRA DA SILVA TAKES OVER AS HEAD OF COMMUNICATIONS AT GCZ. Grasshopper Club Zürich. 30 June 2023. 30 June 2023.