Heracles Almelo

Heracles Almelo is a Dutch professional football club based in Almelo, founded in 1903. The club has won the Dutch national title twice, in 1927 and 1941. Heracles won the Eerste Divisie title during the 2004–05 season, gaining promotion to the Eredivisie for the first time in 28 years. The club remained in the top division for 17 seasons before suffering relegation at the end of the 2021–22 season. In 2012, they reached the KNVB Cup final for the first time in the club's history, losing to PSV in the final. The club's main rival is Twente.

History

The club was founded on 3 May 1903 as Heracles, after the demigod son of Zeus. They changed their name on 1 July 1974 to SC Heracles '74 and finally settled on the current name in 1998.

Heracles finished sixth in the Eredivisie during the 2015–16 season, qualifying for the end of season European play-offs. The club first defeated Groningen and then Utrecht and thus qualified for the first time in club history for European football, starting in the third qualifying round of the 2016–17 UEFA Europa League.

A run of three consecutive losses saw Heracles end the 2021–22 season in sixteenth place, condemning them to the promotion/relegation play-offs. The club were relegated to the Eerste Divisie after losing 6-1 to Excelsior on aggregate in the semifinals. Less than a year later, the Heraclieden sealed an immediate return to the top flight, with a 3-0 home win over Jong PSV securing them a top two finish in the 2022–23 Eerste Divisie and only a week after PEC Zwolle had done so. On 19 May 2023, Heracles won their third Eerste Divisie title after defeating Jong Ajax in the last round of play.

Stadium

Heracles Almelo currently play at the Erve Asito in Almelo. The Erve Asito was built in 1999 with a capacity 6,900, this was expanded in 2005 to hold 8,500. The pitch at the Erve Asito is artificial turf. After renovation of the stadium at the beginning of 2015–16 season, it currently holds 13,500 spectators.

Honours

National

• Eredivisie
  • Champions: 1926–27, 1940–41
• Eerste Divisie
  • Winners: 1984–85, 2004–05, 2022–23
• KNVB Cup
  • Runners-up: 2011–12

Domestic results

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

European record

Notes

• 3Q: Third qualifying round

Current squad

As of 1 February 2024

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Former players

Africa

Burundi

• Mohamed Amissi

Europe

Belgium

• Lucas Schoofs

Germany

• Janis Blaswich
• Orestis Kiomourtzoglou
• Mark Uth
• Robin Gosens

Hungary

• Adrián Szőke

Netherlands

• Marijn de Kler
• Tim Breukers
• Robin Pröpper
• Teun Bijleveld
• Rai Vloet
• Silvester van der Water
• Mats Knoester
• Jeff Hardeveld
• Delano Burgzorg

Sweden

• Samuel Armenteros

Turkey

• Sinan Bakış

North America

Curaçao

• Jeremy Cijntje
• Brandley Kuwas

United States

• Luca de la Torre

Coaching staff

As of 20 February 2024

Former coaches

References

External links

• Fansite – HAFC.nl (in Dutch)
• Tactical formations at football-lineups.com (in English)