Willem II Tilburg

History

Established on 12 August 1896 in Tilburg as Tilburgia, the club first played at the Gemeentelijk Sportpark Tilburg and in 1995 relocated to the Koning Willem II Stadion, the ground where they have played ever since. Willem were champions of the Eredivisie in 1916, 1952 and 1955. The Tricolores also won two KNVB Cups in 1944 and 1963 and were also crowned champs of the Eerste Divisie in 1958, 1965 and 2014.

With regard to European competition, Willem II first appeared in UEFA Cup Winners' Cup of 1963 where they lost to Manchester United in the first round by an aggregate score of 7–2. In 1998–99, Willem once again competed in the Cup Winners' Cup and after beating Dinamo Tbilisi of Georgia 6–0 in both legs, Willem then lost to Spanish side Real Betis in the second round, 4–1 on aggregate. A second place in the Eredivisie of 1999 guaranteed the club a UEFA Champions League berth for the first time. At the tournament's group stage, Willem only attained two points in their six group G matches and were thus eliminated. After reaching the KNVB Cup final in 2005 where they lost 4–0 against PSV Eindhoven, Willem II again qualified again for the UEFA Cup, in which they lost to French side AS Monaco in the first round by 5–1 on aggregate.

At the end of the 2010–11 season, Willem II were relegated from the Eredivisie for the first time in 24 years. In the 2011–12 season under new manager Jurgen Streppel Willem II was promoted back to the Eredivisie, but they went right back down the next season after finishing bottom of the table. The club became champions of the Eerste Divisie in the subsequent season and were thus promoted back to the Eredivisie.

In early 2015, journalists at De Volkskrant revealed that Willem II had its matches fixed by an "Asian gambling syndicate", who had paid Willem's players a total sum of €100,000 to lose matches against Ajax and Feyenoord (in October and December 2009). According to the journalists, midfielder Ibrahim Kargbo was the Asians' main contact within the club; Kargbo denies having accepted their money. The Royal Dutch Football Association called the affair "the most concrete case of match fixing in the Netherlands" and took legal action as well as asking UEFA and FIFA to reevaluate previous matches.

In 2019, Willem II reached the KNVB Cup final for the fourth time in their history. They beat AZ Alkmaar in the semi-finals after a penalty shoot-out, but were heavily beaten by in the final by Ajax.

The fans of Willem II have close links with the fans of English championship club Bristol City. Willem supporters have been known to travel to Bristol, with Bristol City fans heading the other way to Tilburg. At Bristol City's game on 31 October 2009 against Sheffield Wednesday, some Willem II fans were seen in the 'Eastend' of the Ashton Gate Stadium, and songs were sung about Willem II by City fans. On 3 August 2024, the teams played each other for the first time in a pre-season friendly at Ashton Gate stadium in Bristol.

Rivalries

Willem II longest-running and deepest rivalry is with their neighbour, NAC Breda. This rivalry originated in the 1920s. Matches between the two are referred to as the derby of Brabant. The two cities of Breda and Tilburg are just 20 kilometres apart, leading to an intense feeling of a cross-town rivalry, heightened by a feeling that it is city against city with local pride at stake.

Players

Current squad

Out on loan

Notable players

National team players

The following players were called up to represent their national teams in international football and received caps during their tenure with Willem II:

• ;Armenia
  • Armenia Aras Özbiliz (2018–2019)
  • Armenia Norair Aslanyan (2013–2015)
• ;Belgium
  • Belgium Tom Caluwé (2000–2006)
  • Belgium Geert De Vlieger (2000–2004)
  • Belgium Moussa Dembélé (2005–2006)
• ;Burkina Faso
  • Burkina Faso Ousmane Sanou (1996–2001)
• ;Cape Verde
  • Cape Verde Josimar Lima (2009–2011)
• ;Curaçao
  • Curaçao Darryl Lachman (2016–2018)
  • Curaçao Charlton Vicento (2014–2015)
  • Curaçao Raymond Victoria (1998–2006)A Dutch-born footballer, Raymond Victoria represented Netherlands Antilles internationally, prior to the countries dissolution in 2010, with Curaçao considered by both UEFA and FIFA as the only inherit successor to the national team of former Netherlands Antilles.
  • Curaçao Jason Wall (2013–2014)
  • Curaçao Nuelson Wau (1999–2007; 2009)A Dutch-born footballer, Nuelson Wau represented Netherlands Antilles internationally, prior to the countries dissolution in 2010, with Curaçao considered by both UEFA and FIFA as the only inherit successor to the national team of former Netherlands Antilles.
• ;Czech Republic
  • Czech Republic Tomáš Galásek (1996–2000)
• ;Ecuador
  • Ecuador Diego Palacios (2018–2019)
  • Ecuador Jhonny Quiñónez (2019)
• ;Finland
  • Finland Sami Hyypiä (1995–1999)
  • Finland Joonas Kolkka (1996–1998; 2011–2012)
  • Finland Jukka Koskinen (1997–1999)
  • Finland Veli Lampi (2010–2011)
  • Finland Niki Mäenpää (2009–2011)
• ;Gambia
  • Gambia Jatto Ceesay (1995–2005)
• ;Ghana
  • Ghana Kwasi Okyere Wriedt (2020–2022)
• ;Greece
  • Greece Vangelis Pavlidis (2019–2021)
  • Greece Marios Vrousai (2019–2020)
  • Greece Konstantinos Tsimikas (2017–2018)
  • Greece Kostas Lamprou (2014–2017, 2022–2023)
• ;Guinea
  • Guinea Sékou Soumah (1992–1995)
  • Guinea Mohamed Sylla (1989–1995)
• ;Hungary
  • Hungary Csaba Fehér (2005–2006)
  • Hungary Zsombor Kerekes (2005–2007)
• ;Indonesia
  • Indonesia Nathan Tjoe-A-On (2025-Present)
  • Indonesia Thom Haye (2016–2018)
  • Indonesia Ole Romeny (2020–2021)
• ;Israel
  • Israel Ben Sahar (2014–2015)
• ;Kosovo
  • Kosovo Donis Avdijaj (2018–2019)
• ;Luxembourg
  • Luxembourg Aurélien Joachim (2012–2013)
• ;Morocco
  • Morocco Youssef Mariana (2000–2004)
  • Morocco Adil Ramzi (1998–2000)
  • Morocco Tarik Sektioui (2000–2004)
• ;Netherlands
  • Netherlands Tinus van Beurden (1910–1926)
  • Netherlands Jan Brooijmans (1954–1967)
  • Netherlands Sjel de Bruyckere (1950–1956)
  • Netherlands Jan Gielens (1924–1925)
  • Netherlands Gerrit Horsten (1922–1925)
  • Netherlands Jo Jole (1922–1923)
  • Netherlands Coy Koopal (1956–1964)
  • Netherlands Denny Landzaat (1999–2003; 2014)
  • Netherlands Huub de Leeuw (1928–1939)
  • Netherlands Herman van Loon (1928–1931)
  • Netherlands Sjef Mertens (1945–1961)
  • Netherlands Toine van Mierlo (1979–1981; 1982–1983)
• Netherlands (continued)
  • Netherlands Harry Mommers (1909–1925)
  • Netherlands Jo Mommers (1946–1955)
  • Netherlands Jan van Roessel (1951–1957)
  • Netherlands Jos van Son (1912–1929)
  • Netherlands Piet Stevens (1916–1924)
  • Netherlands Henk Vriens (1961–1973)
• ;New Zealand
  • New Zealand James McGarry (2018–2020)
  • New Zealand Michael Woud (2018–2021)
• ;Northern Ireland
  • Northern Ireland James Quinn (2002–2005)
• ;Peru
  • Peru Renato Tapia (2019)
• ;Sierra Leone
  • Sierra Leone Ibrahim Kargbo (2006–2010)
• ;Slovakia
  • Slovakia Adam Němec (2015–2016)
• ;Suriname
  • Suriname Jeredy Hilterman (2023–2024)
• ;Sweden
  • Sweden Sebastian Holmén (2019–2021)
  • Sweden Alexander Isak (2019)
• ;United States
  • United States Earnie Stewart (1990–1996)
• Players in bold actively play for Willem II and for their respective national teams. Years in brackets indicate careerspan with Willem II.

National team players by Confederation

Member associations are listed in order of most to fewest current and former Willem II players represented internationally

Players in international tournaments

The following is a list of Willem II players who have competed in international tournaments, including the FIFA World Cup, UEFA European Championship, CONCACAF Gold Cup, Copa América, Africa Cup of Nations, Amílcar Cabral Cup, and the Caribbean Cup. To this date no Willem II players have participated in the AFC Asian Cup, or the OFC Nations Cup while playing for Willem II.

Domestic results

|} ↓ relegation

↑ promotion

|}

Below is a table with Willem II's domestic results since the introduction of the Eredivisie in 1956.

Club officials

Coaches

Honours

• National Football League Championship/Eredivisie
  • Winners (3): 1915–16, 1951–52, 1954–55
  • Runners-up (1): 1998–99
• Eerste Divisie
  • Winners (4): 1956–57, 1964–65, 2013–14, 2023–24
  • Runners-up (1): 1986–87
• KNVB Cup
  • Winners (2): 1943–44, 1962–63
  • Runners-up (2): 2004–05, 2018–19

References

Notes

References

1. "Historisch Overzicht".
2. (17 January 2015). "Goksyndicaat fixte duels Willem II". de Volkskrant.
3. (17 January 2015). "KNVB: meest concrete zaak tot nu toe". [[Nederlandse Omroep Stichting.
4. "The club named after a king!".
5. "Video: Dutch fans pay emotional tribute to Bristol City supporter Mark Saunders".