On 23 July 1902 a group of friends from Rotterdam's Kralingen district founded a team of their own. Excelsior turns 125 on 23 July 2027. It is the city's little brother, with a red and black shirt, one of the smallest grounds in the Netherlands and a history full of surprises.

Friends from Kralingen

The founders were already playing on the fields of Woudesteyn before the city gave them permission to use the land. The first official name was a long one: Rotterdamse Voetbal en Atletiek Vereniging Excelsior, a football and athletics club.

The Latin word excelsior means "ever higher". Excelsior was one of the country's first working-class clubs and is older than its big neighbour, Feyenoord.

Red and black, with a neighbourhood flavour

The club's colours are red and black, which is why fans call the team the "Roodzwarten", the red-blacks. Another nickname is "De Kralingers", after the district where it was born.

The neighbourhood is still the big inspiration. The 2025-26 home shirt hid Kralingen's lake, streets and cafés in its design, while the away shirt was inspired by the Trompenburg botanical garden next to the ground.

For 2026-27, manufacturer Robey kept the traditional red and black for the home shirt. The away shirt is champagne-coloured, a tribute to Kralingen's coat of arms.

The banned "A"

In 1974 Excelsior became the first Dutch club with advertising on its shirt. A simple "A" appeared on the chest, for sponsor Akai, but the Dutch FA, the KNVB, banned it.

The partnership survived and Akai stayed on the shirts until 2000. The club also picked up another nickname, "oud-papierclub", the old paper club, because chairman Henk Zon collected waste paper for recycling to support its finances.

Woudestein, the little home

Woudestein is Excelsior's historic home, and in 1958 the club became the first Dutch club with covered stands. The ground has been rebuilt again and again, with today's version opening on 31 July 2000 with a friendly against Feyenoord.

It holds about 4,500 spectators and has an artificial pitch, because the club could not afford under-soil heating. From 2017 to 2025 it was called the Van Donge & De Roo Stadion, and in 2025 it took back its historic name.

Van Persie and the big nights

The relationship with Feyenoord has many sides. In 1930 Excelsior lost 1-0 to them in its only cup final, from 1997 to 2005 it served as their satellite club, and in May 2017 it beat them 3-0 at Woudestein, delaying their title party by a week.

Robin van Persie came through its youth ranks and a stand bears his name. Royston Drenthe, Winston Bogarde and Mario Been also played for the club.

Excelsior has won the Eerste Divisie three times, in 1974, 1979 and 2006. In May 2025 it was promoted to the Eredivisie again, and in 2025-26, under coach Ruben den Uil, it finished 13th and stayed up.

Celebrate with us

A group of friends, a field in Kralingen and 125 years of red and black: Excelsior proves you do not need a huge stadium to have a big heart. Happy birthday to the Kralingers, and always "ever higher"!

See our collectible jerseys at sportarena.gr.

Photo: Woudestein stadium in Rotterdam – Wikifrits, Wikimedia Commons, public domain.