AZ Alkmaar

Lore & Background

AZ was founded on 10 May 1967 as AZ '67, from a merger of Alkmaar '54 and FC Zaanstreek. The club won the Eredivisie in 1980–81 and 2008–09, reached the UEFA Cup final in 1981 (lost to Ipswich Town), and has won the KNVB Cup five times, most recently in 2025–26, and the Johan Cruyff Shield twice, in 2009 and 2026. The Molenaar brothers invested heavily in the 1970s and early 1980s, leading to success. After relegation in 1988, the club spent much of the next decade in the second tier. Businessman Dirk Scheringa revived the club in the mid-1990s, leading to a return to the Eredivisie and the 1997-98 Eerste Divisie title. The club moved to a new 17,000 capacity stadium, AZ Stadion, in summer 2006.

Reader's Guide

AZ plays in the Eredivisie. The club's home matches are at AZ Stadion. Notable managers include Georg Keßler (1978–82) and Louis van Gaal (2008–09). Key historical players include Kees Kist (club's highest ever goalscorer with 212 goals), Jan Peters, Hugo Hovenkamp, John Metgod, and Kristen Nygaard.

Did You Know?

• Kees Kist was the first Dutchman to win the European Golden Boot in 1979.
• AZ's unbeaten run of 32 home matches in European competitions lasted from 1977 to 2007.