Editing AZ Alkmaar (section)

===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>