PSV Eindhoven was founded on 31 August 1913 in the Dutch home town of Philips. On 31 August 2027 it turns 114. It reaches its birthday as Dutch champion for the third year in a row.

From the Philips Elftal to PSV

Philips had already created its own football team in 1910, the Philips Elftal, started by eight people, which won its first match in spring 1911, 4-0. The venture died out in 1912, after financial problems and strikes at the factories. A year later the company tried again, in a more organised way.

The occasion was the 1913 celebrations marking 100 years since the Netherlands was freed from Napoleon. That is how the Philips Sport Vereniging, the "Philips Sports Society", was born. For decades the team was open only to company employees, and the short name PSV took hold from 1916.

A red drink and a white notepad

The colours were chosen by the first chairman, Jan Willem Hofkes, at the founding meeting. According to one story, he liked the contrast between the red raspberry drink he was having and his white notepad. And so the team became red and white.

The first kit had a shirt with red and white vertical stripes, black shorts and striped socks. From the 1970s the shirt was mostly plain red, and the stripes returned in 1989. It was Ruud Gullit who, during his time there, changed the shorts from black to white.

A light bulb on the badge

The first badge showed a light bulb and the words "Philips Sport" inside a circle. Next came a shield with vertical stripes and the letters PSV, and then the oval with horizontal stripes and a flag, which is still in use. The two stars above it stand for 20 league titles.

The Philips logo went on the shirt in 1982, in one of football's longest-running sponsorships. The team has played on the same spot since 1913, at what was then the Philips Sportpark, where the first wooden stand was built in 1916. Today the Philips Stadion holds 35,000 spectators.

The night in Stuttgart

The first European trophy came in 1978, in the UEFA Cup. After a 0-0 draw in Bastia, PSV won 3-0 in Eindhoven with goals from Willy van de Kerkhof, Gerrie Deijkers and Willy van der Kuijlen.

On 25 May 1988, at the Neckarstadion in Stuttgart, the team faced Benfica in the European Cup final. After a 0-0 draw Hans van Breukelen saved the Portuguese side's sixth penalty and PSV won 6-5. It was the peak of a treble, together with the Dutch league and cup, and five of its players celebrated Euro 1988 with the Netherlands a few weeks later.

From Romário to Gakpo

PSV is known as a club that makes stars. Ronald Koeman, Romário, Ronaldo, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Arjen Robben, Park Ji-sung, Memphis Depay and Cody Gakpo all played there. The list also includes Phillip Cocu, Jaap Stam, Mark van Bommel, Georginio Wijnaldum and Denzel Dumfries.

In the 2025-26 season, with Peter Bosz as coach, it won its 27th title, the third in a row. It was crowned champion earlier than any other team in Eredivisie history, with a club record of 14 straight away wins.

Celebrate with us

From a team for the workers of one factory to the top of Europe, PSV has stayed true to red and white. Happy 114th birthday!

See our collectible jerseys at sportarena.gr.

Photo: PSV's Philips Stadion in Eindhoven – Steven Lek, Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.