Editing AZ Alkmaar (section)

==History==

===1910–1972: Foundation and first years===
AZ was founded on 10 May 1967 as AZ&nbsp;'67, the result of a merger of Alkmaar&nbsp;'54 and FC Zaanstreek.<ref name="fus">{{Cite web |title=AZ Historie - De fusie van Alkmaar Zaanstreek |url=http://azhistorie.nl/de_fusie.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211211013705/http://azhistorie.nl/de_fusie.html |archive-date=Dec 11, 2021 |language=nl}}</ref> Alkmaar&nbsp;'54 was founded as a professional team in April&nbsp;1954 to play in the 10-team NBVB league, created because the [[Royal Dutch Football Association]] (KNVB) refused to organize a professional league (the KNVB took over in 1955). Alkmaar&nbsp;'54, and by extension AZ, played the first professional match in the Netherlands: on 14&nbsp;August 1954, they won 3–0 at home against Venlo&nbsp;'54, with [[Klaas Smit]] scoring the first and third goal.<ref>[https://www.venlonaren.net/informatie-vvv-venlo/alkmaar-54-en-venlo-spelen-allereerste-profduel/ Alkmaar '54 en Venlo spelen allereerst profduel] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190426011014/https://www.venlonaren.net/informatie-vvv-venlo/alkmaar-54-en-venlo-spelen-allereerste-profduel/ |date=26 April 2019 }} {{in lang|nl}}, [[Algemeen Dagblad]], 25 June 2008.</ref> After winning the {{Lang|nl|[[Eerste Divisie]]|italic=no}} in 1960–61, it played one year in the Eredivisie.

FC Zaanstreek had been playing since 1910 as the Kooger Football Club (KFC). KFC had nearly become national champion in 1934 through a narrow loss to [[AFC Ajax|Ajax]] in the finals.{{refn|group=note|Klaas en Cees Molenaar had been at this match and blamed Ajax' late equalizer on a mistake by the referee; they claimed they then swore to once become national champion with their team, with which they succeeded 47 years later.<ref>Rob Bruins Slot and Dirk Jan Roeleven, [https://www.anderetijden.nl/aflevering/436/AZ-of-hoe-maak-je-een-topclub AZ, of: hoe maak je een topclub] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190426011012/https://www.anderetijden.nl/aflevering/436/AZ-of-hoe-maak-je-een-topclub |date=26 April 2019 }}, [[VPRO]], ''[[Andere Tijden]]'' {{in lang|nl}}</ref>}} The team became professional in 1955. In 1964 the professional part of KFC was renamed FC Zaanstreek, while the amateurs played on as KFC.
[[File:Het elftal van AZ 67 (18.8.1968).jpg|thumb|238x238px|AZ 67's squad in 1968]]
Also in 1964, the brothers Cees and Klaas Molenaar, former players and trainers for KFC and owners of a growing appliance store chain, sought to create a powerful football team in Zaanstreek by merging the two local professional teams: KFC and Zaanlandsche Football Club. After the ZFC leadership thwarted this attempt, the Molenaars successfully merged FC Zaanstreek with Alkmaar&nbsp;'54 in 1967. FC&nbsp;Zaanstreek had finished 7th and Alkmaar&nbsp;'54 12th in [[1966–67 Eerste Divisie]]. The team would be based in Alkmaar, though the second team originally trained and played in [[Koog aan de Zaan]].<ref name=fus/><ref>Martin Rep, [https://www.deorkaan.nl/hoe-het-profvoetbal-verdween-uit-de-zaanstreek/ Hoe het profvoetbal verdween uit de Zaanstreek] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190426011011/https://www.deorkaan.nl/hoe-het-profvoetbal-verdween-uit-de-zaanstreek/ |date=26 April 2019 }} {{in lang|nl}}, De Orkaan, 10 August 2018.</ref>

===1972–1985: Molenaar years===
Partially through the hiring of expensive foreign players, the new club soon acquired large debts. In 1972, the Molenaar brothers bailed it out and invested heavily in the club, to the point that AZ '67 were successful in the late 1970s and early '80s, regularly playing European football from 1977 to 1982 while also winning three [[KNVB Cup]]s over that period.

After four close league campaigns, AZ finally became [[Eredivisie|Dutch champions]] in [[1980–81 Eredivisie|1981]], becoming the only team other than the "big three" of Ajax, {{Lang|nl|[[Feyenoord]]|italic=no}} and [[PSV Eindhoven|PSV]] to do so in a 44-year period spanning from 1965 to 2009 (when AZ once again won the league title). They won the title with overwhelming power, winning 27 of 34 matches and only losing once, while scoring a club record 101 goals and conceding just 30. That same season, AZ reached the [[1981 UEFA Cup Final|final of the UEFA Cup]], losing 5–4 on aggregate to [[Ipswich Town F.C.|Ipswich Town]]. The next year, in the [[1981–82 European Cup|European Cup]], they lost in the second round 3–2 on aggregate to [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]].

[[Georg Keßler]] was AZ's manager over most of these years (1978–82), while star players included: [[Kees Kist]], the club's highest ever goalscorer with 212 goals and the first ever Dutchman to win the [[European Golden Shoe|European Golden Boot]] in 1979 when he scored 34 goals in a season; [[Jan Peters (footballer, born 1954)|Jan Peters]], who played 120 matches for AZ during this period scoring 30 goals from midfield; and [[Hugo Hovenkamp]], who played 239 matches in defence for AZ from 1975 to 1983, as well as receiving 31 caps for the [[Netherlands national football team|Netherlands national team]] from 1977 to 1983 and playing each match in [[UEFA Euro 1980]] while an AZ player. Additional stars included [[John Metgod]], who spent six years at AZ playing 195 matches as a defender, scoring 26 goals including a goal against Ipswich Town in the final of the UEFA Cup. Like Hovenkamp, Metgod was also included in the Dutch squad for Euro 1980. Meanwhile, Danish forward [[Kristen Nygaard (footballer)|Kristen Nygaard]] spent ten years at AZ, scoring 104 goals in 363 matches between 1972 and 1982.

===1985–1993: Interim years===

Co-owner [[Cees Molenaar]] died in 1979. AZ's fortunes deteriorated after his brother, Klaas Molenaar, left the club in 1985. After several mid-table finishes in previous seasons, AZ was relegated in 1988 from the [[Eredivisie]], ending the season on 28 points from 34 matches and falling to the {{Lang|nl|[[Eerste Divisie]]|italic=no}} due to the superior goal difference of [[Roda JC]]. This relegation was significant since it occurred just seven years after the club's historic domestic double and marked the end of AZ's first period of success in Dutch football. Following this, AZ spent much of the next decade in the second tier, struggling to find a return to the top flight.

===1993–2009: Scheringa years===
The involvement of businessman Dirk Scheringa in the mid-1990s marked the revival of the club as AZ returned to the Eredivisie, winning the [[1997-98 Eerste Divisie]] title. The club achieved consecutive finishes around the middle positions in the league until ending up in third place in the [[2004-05 Eredivisie]] season, AZ's highest position for 23 years. In the summer of 2006, the club moved to a new 17,000 capacity stadium, [[AZ Stadion]].

Despite playing strongly for the majority of the 2006–07 season, AZ's season ended in disappointment. First, entering the last matchday of the [[2006–07 Eredivisie]] season, AZ led PSV and Ajax on goal difference at the top of the league table, but ended up third after losing their last match against 16th placed team [[S.B.V. Excelsior|Excelsior]], AZ played with ten men for 80 minutes. Additionally, AZ then lost the [[2006–07 KNVB Cup#Final|KNVB Cup final]] to Ajax 8–7 after a penalty shoot-out, while also falling to Ajax over two play-off matches for participation in the [[2007–08 UEFA Champions League|Champions League]]. After the season, key players like [[Tim de Cler]], [[Danny Koevermans]] and [[Shota Arveladze]] left the team.

[[File:AZ Larisa UEFA Cup0708.jpg|thumb|right|220px|AZ versus [[Larissa F.C.|Larissa]] in a [[2007–08 UEFA Cup]] match]]
A remarkable run ended in the 2007–08 season: after AZ lost a group stage match against [[Everton F.C.|Everton]] (3–2) in the [[2007–08 UEFA Cup|UEFA Cup]], the club's unbeaten run of 32 home matches in European competitions – lasting from 1977 to 2007 – ended. AZ had a poor season, suffering elimination in the first round of the KNVB Cup and the group stage of the UEFA Cup, as well as finishing the [[2007–08 Eredivisie]] in a disappointing 11th place. Towards the latter stages of the season, in March 2008, AZ manager [[Louis van Gaal]] had initially tendered his resignation, but after protests the players and directors, he rescinded his resignation.

The [[2008–09 Eredivisie|2008–09 season]] had an unpromising start after two opening defeats against [[NAC Breda]] and [[ADO Den Haag]]. However, starting with a 1–0 victory over defending league champions PSV, AZ did not lose a match in its next 28 matches, including a run of 11-straight matches where AZ did not concede an opposition goal. Three weeks before the end of the season, AZ became Eredivisie champions, edging nearest title rivals [[FC Twente|Twente]] and Ajax comfortably. This was a historic achievement for the club as this was the first title-winning season for 28 years, and it also meant a return to the [[UEFA Champions League]].

Being league champions, AZ qualified for the [[2009–10 UEFA Champions League|Champions League]] for only the second time. It was drawn into a group alongside [[Arsenal FC]], [[Standard Liège]] and [[Olympiacos]] but only took four points from six matches and finished bottom of their group.

===2009–2014: Advocaat–Verbeek years ===
For the 2009–10 season, [[Ronald Koeman]] succeeded Louis van Gaal, who had departed to manage [[FC Bayern Munich|Bayern Munich]] after leading AZ to the championship. Koeman was officially hired on 17 May 2009, but on 5 December, AZ announced he was no longer in charge of the club after losing 7 of his first 16 matches. Former [[Rangers F.C.|Rangers]] and [[FC Zenit Saint Petersburg|Zenit Saint Petersburg]] manager [[Dick Advocaat]] took over for the remainder of the season. Under Advocaat, AZ achieved solid results and secured European football for the next season.

For the 2010–11 season, AZ appointed [[Gertjan Verbeek]] as its new manager. They finished the [[2010–11 Eredivisie]] in fourth place, thus securing [[2011–12 UEFA Europa League|Europa League football]] for the next season, while in the [[2010–11 KNVB Cup|KNVB Cup]], AZ reached the last eight, where they were beaten by rivals Ajax by a 1–0 scoreline. AZ also finished third in their [[2010–11 UEFA Europa League|Europa League]] group, thus failing to qualifying for the competition's knockout round.

In the 2011–12 season, AZ finished fourth in the [[2011–12 Eredivisie|Eredivisie]], though performed significantly better in cup competitions, reaching the semi-finals in the [[2011–12 KNVB Cup|KNVB Cup]] (losing to [[Heracles Almelo|Heracles]] after extra time) and the quarter-finals in the Europa League. In the latter, the club ultimately lost to [[Valencia CF|Valencia]] after having defeated [[Udinese Calcio|Udinese]], [[R.S.C. Anderlecht|Anderlecht]], [[Malmö FF]], [[FK Austria Wien|Austria Wien]], [[FC Metalist Kharkiv|Metalist Kharkiv]], [[Aalesunds FK|Aalesund]] and [[FK Baumit Jablonec|Baumit Jablonec]] to reach that stage.

On 21 December 2011, during the quarter-finals of the [[2011–12 KNVB Cup]], a 19-year-old Ajax fan invaded the [[Amsterdam Arena]] pitch in the 36th minute with Ajax winning 1–0, attacking AZ goalkeeper [[Esteban Alvarado]]. The fan slipped and Alvarado kicked the fan twice, prompting the referee to issue the goalkeeper a red card. Following this, AZ manager Gertjan Verbeek ordered his players to leave the pitch for the dressing room in protest. The match was later played on 19 January 2012, with Alvarado's red card rescinded; AZ won 3–2.

The 2012–13 season started in the [[2012–13 UEFA Europa League qualifying phase and play-off round|Europa League]] with a qualifying play-off round against [[Guus Hiddink]]'s [[FC Anzhi Makhachkala|Anzhi Makhachkala]]. AZ was hammered 6–0 on aggregate. Disappointingly, AZ finished tenth in the [[2012–13 Eredivisie]], although the club won the [[2012–13 KNVB Cup]] after defeating PSV 2–1 in the [[2012–13 KNVB Cup#Final|final]]. As cup winners, AZ automatically qualified for the [[2013–14 UEFA Europa League|2013–14 Europa League]].

In September 2013, just one day after emphatically beating PSV, at the time the [[2013–14 Eredivisie|league leaders]], Verbeek was dismissed as first team manager by the club due to "a lack of chemistry" between management and players.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11912/8948012/eredivisie-az-alkmaar-announce-surprise-sacking-of-coach-gertjan-verbeek|title=Eredivisie: AZ Alkmaar announce surprise sacking of coach Gertjan Verbeek|access-date=3 August 2014|archive-date=22 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141222221850/http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11912/8948012/eredivisie-az-alkmaar-announce-surprise-sacking-of-coach-gertjan-verbeek|url-status=live}}</ref> He was replaced by Dick Advocaat for the remainder of the season until a permanent replacement could be found. Advocaat took AZ to the semi-finals of the [[2013–14 KNVB Cup|KNVB Cup]], the quarter-finals of the [[2013–14 UEFA Europa League|Europa League]] and eighth in the league, ultimately losing to [[FC Groningen|Groningen]] in the Europa League play-off final round (their 58th match of the season, a club record).

=== 2014–2019: Van den Brom years ===
The [[2014–15 Eredivisie|2014–15 season]] began with a new manager, former [[SC Heerenveen|Heerenveen]] manager and Ajax great [[Marco van Basten]]. However, after just three matches into the season, Van Basten resigned as manager to become assistant manager under [[Alex Pastoor]], citing heavy stress as the main reason.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2014/09/16/van-basten-doet-stap-terug-bij-az-alex-pastoor-nieuwe-trainer-a1422387|title=Van Basten doet stap terug bij AZ, Alex Pastoor nieuwe trainer|newspaper=NRC |date=16 September 2014 |access-date=21 January 2017|archive-date=12 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210412185749/https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2014/09/16/van-basten-doet-stap-terug-bij-az-alex-pastoor-nieuwe-trainer-a1422387|url-status=live |last1=Zandstra |first1=Philippus }}</ref> Pastoor was the interim manager during two matches under Van Basten's absence and received the official title on 16 September, but contract negotiations failed and he left the club just two days later. A week later, [[John van den Brom]] was appointed manager. Under Van den Brom, AZ quickly rose up to the sub-top, eventually finished the season in third place, surpassing Feyenoord on the final season's matchday and qualifying for the [[2015–16 UEFA Europa League|2015–16 Europa League]].

The [[2015–16 Eredivisie]] started with AZ selling most of its first-team players from the previous season during the summer transfer period. As a response, AZ bought players from other Dutch clubs, notably [[Vincent Janssen]] from [[Almere City FC|Almere City]], [[Alireza Jahanbakhsh]] from [[N.E.C. (football club)|NEC]] and [[Ben Rienstra]] from [[PEC Zwolle]]. In December, it was announced free agent [[Ron Vlaar]] signed a contract until the end of the season after training with the club for a few weeks prior.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/dec/07/ron-vlaar-az-alkmaar-aston-villa|title=Former Aston Villa captain Ron Vlaar joins AZ Alkmaar until end of season|agency=Press Association|date=7 December 2015|website=The Guardian|access-date=21 January 2017|archive-date=12 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170312062535/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/dec/07/ron-vlaar-az-alkmaar-aston-villa|url-status=live}}</ref> Vlaar quickly became team captain and helped lift AZ from tenth place to a fourth-place finish in the league. Along this rise, new signing Vincent Janssen scored 27 goals for the club, earning him the Eredivisie top goalscorer title. In the [[2015–16 KNVB Cup]], AZ made it to the semi-finals, losing 3–1 to Feyenoord. AZ won the first two qualification rounds to qualify for the 2015–16 Europa League group stage, but finished last in their group.

At the start of the [[2016–17 Eredivisie]], AZ sold last season's performer Vincent Janssen to [[Tottenham Hotspur F.C.|Tottenham Hotspur]] and long-time midfielder [[Markus Henriksen]] to [[Hull City A.F.C.|Hull City]]. In the [[2016–17 UEFA Europa League|2016–17 Europa League]], AZ finished second in Group D, surviving the group stage for the third time in five seasons.

=== 2020–2024: Slot–Jansen years ===
After an excellent [[2019–20 Eredivisie|2019/20 season]] in which AZ beat league leaders [[AFC Ajax|Ajax]] home and away, aided by consistent performances from youth academy talents such as [[Teun Koopmeiners]], [[Myron Boadu]], [[Calvin Stengs]] and [[Owen Wijndal]], the season was forced to end early due to the effects of the [[COVID-19]] pandemic. Joint on points with Ajax at the top of the table, AZ were given second place on goal difference, and subsequently earned Qualification to the [[2020–21 UEFA Champions League#Second qualifying round|Champions League second qualifying round]].

A poor start to their [[2020–21 Eredivisie|2020/21 Eredivisie]] campaign saw AZ draw five games in a row, before eventually picking up a victory against [[RKC Waalwijk]] on 1 November 2020.
[[File:Матч «Динамо» - АЗ 2-0. 15 сентября 2020 года — 1137461.jpg|thumb|244x244px|AZ Alkmaar's squad in a match against [[FC Dynamo Kyiv|Dynamo Kyiv]] in the Champions League qualifiers 2021.]]
AZ also struggled in European competitions this season. Despite a strong start, with a 3–1 extra time come back against [[FC Viktoria Plzeň|Viktoria Plzen]] in the Champions League qualifiers, the club lost 2–0 to [[FC Dynamo Kyiv|Dynamo Kyiv]] several weeks later, seeing them fall back into the [[UEFA Europa League|Europa League]]. After victory against [[S.S.C. Napoli|Napoli]] and [[HNK Rijeka|Rijeka]] early in the pool stages, AZ was on track to advance, though lost to [[Real Sociedad]] away, obtained a 0–0 draw in the reverse fixture, and also drew 1–1 with [[S.S.C. Napoli|Napoli]]. Following these results, AZ needed to defeat [[HNK Rijeka|Rijeka]] away to advance. However, the departure the week before the game of manager [[Arne Slot]] saw an unorganised team lose 2–1 to Rijeka, ending their European dream.

In 2022–2023, AZ stepped up their performance in Europa Conference League play, winning five out of six Group E matches against [[SC Dnipro-1]], [[Apollon Limassol FC|Apollon Limassol]] and [[FC Vaduz|Vaduz]], then beating [[S.S. Lazio|Lazio]] 4–2 on aggregate. However, their run was ended by defeats to [[West Ham United F.C.|West Ham United]], with AZ's home leg marred by supporter violence.<ref>{{cite news |last=Steinberg |first=Jacob |date=2023-05-19 |title=AZ Alkmaar coach ashamed after fans confront West Ham players families |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/may/19/i-feel-ashamed-az-alkmaar-manager-apologises-following-fan-trouble |work=The Guardian |access-date=2023-05-19 |ref=none |archive-date=19 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230519150337/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/may/19/i-feel-ashamed-az-alkmaar-manager-apologises-following-fan-trouble |url-status=live }}</ref> 

In the 2023–24 season, AZ had a disappointed season, they get eliminated early in the group stage of the [[2023–24 UEFA Europa Conference League|UEFA Conference League]]. After only winning against the amateurs club [[Quick Boys]] on penalty shootout in the [[2023–24 KNVB Cup|KNVB]], AZ fired coach [[Pascal Jansen]] on 17 January 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-01-17 |title=AZ neemt per direct afscheid van trainer Jansen: 'Jammer en teleurstellend' |url=https://nos.nl/artikel/2505253-az-neemt-per-direct-afscheid-van-trainer-jansen-jammer-en-teleurstellend |access-date=2025-05-14 |website=nos.nl |language=nl}}</ref>

=== 2024–Present: Maarten Martens years ===
Their new manager was [[Maarten Martens]], a former AZ player. After joined the club, he led AZ to a fourth place in the league, which secured the qualification for [[2024–25 UEFA Europa League|Europa League]]. In 2025, AZ reached the final of the [[2024 KNVB Cup final|KNVB Cup]], but then lost against [[Go Ahead Eagles]] on penalty shootout. On 9 May 2025, AZ extended Martens's contract until the summer of 2028.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-05-14 |title=Maarten Martens extends contract with AZ: “I still see a lot of potential and opportunities to grow” |url=https://ground.news/article/az-and-coach-martens-to-continue-working-together |access-date=2025-05-14 |website=Ground News |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Maarten Martens verlengt contract bij AZ: “Ik zie nog veel rek en kansen om te groeien” |url=https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20250509_94656528 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250510212034/https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20250509_94656528 |archive-date=2025-05-10 |access-date=2025-05-14 |work=Het Nieuwsblad |language=nl-BE}}</ref>