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| AZ Alma | |
|---|---|
| Clubname | AZ Alma |
| Fullname | AZ Alma |
| Founded | 1948 |
| Ground | Stadion de Zilverberg |
| Capacity | 8,200 |
| Chairman | Jan van Dijk |
| Manager | Marco Willems |
| League | Eerste Divisie |
| Season | 2024–25 |
| Position | 7th |
| Pattern la1 | _redborder |
| Pattern b1 | _whitestripes |
| Pattern ra1 | _redborder |
| Leftarm1 | FFFFFF |
| Body1 | FF0000 |
| Rightarm1 | FFFFFF |
| Shorts1 | 000000 |
| Socks1 | FF0000 |
AZ Alma is a professional football club based in the town of Almelo, Netherlands. Founded in 1948, the club has competed in the Dutch football pyramid, primarily in the Eerste Divisie and regional competitions, and has contributed players to national, continental, and international tournaments. AZ Alma is known for a local rivalry, a modest stadium, and a youth academy that has fed higher-tier Dutch clubs and KNVB selections.
AZ Alma was established in 1948 during the post‑war period when clubs such as Ajax, Feyenoord, and PSV were consolidating Dutch football structures. Early decades saw competition in regional leagues alongside clubs like Go Ahead Eagles and PEC Zwolle. The club experienced promotions and relegations through the Tweede Divisie and Derde Divisie before achieving stable performances in the Eerste Divisie during the 1990s and 2000s, often facing rivals such as FC Volendam and Helmond Sport. AZ Alma's centenary ambitions were shaped by municipal partnerships with the Gemeente Almelo and training agreements with professional academies including AZ Alkmaar and FC Twente. Notable seasons included cup runs in the KNVB Cup and qualification for promotion play-offs against teams like Excelsior and RKC Waalwijk.
AZ Alma plays home matches at Stadion de Zilverberg, a ground with a capacity of approximately 8,200 located in Almelo, near facilities used by Sportpark Het Hooiveld and local clubs. The stadium has undergone renovations modeled on stands at De Grolsch Veste and pitch improvements inspired by Johan Cruijff ArenA standards for drainage and turf. Ancillary facilities include an indoor training hall comparable to those at Olympisch Stadion (Amsterdam) for youth sessions, dedicated physiotherapy suites used by staff formerly employed at FC Utrecht and a media center meeting NOS broadcasting requirements for regional fixtures.
First-team squads have included players who later moved to Eredivisie clubs, and former internationals with caps for Netherlands national football team youth levels. Coaching staff have featured managers with ties to RKC Waalwijk and Sparta Rotterdam coaching trees; current manager Marco Willems previously served as assistant at Heracles Almelo and SC Cambuur. Prominent alumni include midfielders scouted by AZ Alkmaar and defenders transferred to FC Groningen. The club employs sports scientists trained at VU University Amsterdam and scouts who formerly worked with Feyenoord Academy.
AZ Alma's competitive record includes multiple promotions from regional divisions into the national Tweede Divisie and notable KNVB Cup performances against ADO Den Haag and Vitesse. The club has participated in promotion play-offs and finished in play-off positions alongside Sparta Rotterdam and Willem II in various seasons. League finishes fluctuated, with best-ever runs seeing top-four placings in the Eerste Divisie earning play-off matches versus NAC Breda and PEC Zwolle. Results in regional cups mirror those of peers like Quick '20 and DSV De Treffers.
Supporter culture includes a supporters' association modeled after groups at FC Utrecht and ADO Den Haag, with matchday choreographies and local derbies against Heracles Almelo drawing heightened interest. Fan initiatives collaborate with the KNVB and municipal authorities for community projects, charity matches featuring retired professionals from Ajax Legends and appearances by former internationals. Local media coverage from outlets like Tubantia and regional radio stations mirrors supporter engagement, while supporter songs and chants reference Almelo landmarks and historic matches versus Go Ahead Eagles.
AZ Alma runs an academy serving age groups from under-8s to under-21s, with a curriculum influenced by methodologies at Ajax Youth Academy, FC Twente Academy, and PSV Academy. The academy has produced players who entered professional pathways at AZ Alkmaar, FC Groningen, and Heracles Almelo, and representatives for Netherlands national under-17 football team. Partnerships with local schools and sports institutions such as ROC van Twente support dual-career education, and coaching staff hold licenses from KNVB coaching courses. The club's talent identification program competes in tournaments like the Johan Cruyff Shield youth events and regional youth cups against academies including PEC Zwolle and SC Heerenveen.
Category:Football clubs in the Netherlands Category:Sports clubs established in 1948