Excelsior

Excelsior are one of Dutch football's most enduring and characterful clubs, a Rotterdam institution with roots stretching back to 1902 that has spent much of its history competing in the Eredivisie and Eerste Divisie while carving out an identity as the working-class heart of a great football city. Playing in red and black at their intimate stadium, Excelsior have maintained a passionate local identity distinct from their more famous Rotterdam neighbours and celebrated their return to the Eredivisie in 2022 after winning the Eerste Divisie title. Founded in 1902, Excelsior play at Van Donge and De Roo Stadion (capacity around 3,500) in Rotterdam, Netherlands. They compete in the Eredivisie. Key achievements include winning the Eerste Divisie title in 2021-22 to secure promotion to the Eredivisie. Nicknamed the Red and Blacks, they wear red and black. Excelsior's red and black kits are a proud symbol of working-class Rotterdam identity, worn across more than 120 years of Dutch football. The Eerste Divisie-winning shirts from 2021-22, when Excelsior clinched promotion back to the Eredivisie, mark one of the more recent highlights in a long kit history that traces back to the early 20th century. Every red and black Excelsior shirt carries the spirit of a club that has always represented a distinct corner of Rotterdam football, standing proud alongside their more famous city neighbours.