Heracles Almelo () is a Dutch professional football club based in Almelo, founded in 1903. The club competes in the Eredivisie, the top tier of Dutch football, but will play in the Eerste Divisie from the 2026–27 season following relegation. The club has won the Dutch national title twice, in 1927 and 1941. Heracles won the 2004–05 Eerste Divisie, gaining promotion to the Eredivisie for the first time in 28 years. The club remained in the top flight for 17 seasons before suffering relegation at the end of the 2021–22 season. Heracles secured an immediate return to the Eredivisie by winning the 2022–23 Eerste Divisie, but were relegated again three years later.
In 2012, they reached the KNVB Cup final for the first time, 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 Asito Stadion in Almelo. The Asito Stadion was built in 1999 with a capacity 6,900, this was expanded in 2005 to hold 8,500. 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
thumb|280px|Historical chart of league performance
Below is a table with Heracles Almelo's domestic results since the introduction of the Eredivisie in 1956.
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" style="width: 100%; text-align: center;"
! colspan=5 | Domestic Results since 1956
|-
! width="20%" | Domestic league
! width="20%" | League result
! width="20%" | Qualification to
! width="20%" | Domestic cup
! width="20%" | Cup result
|-
| 2025–26 Eredivisie
| bgcolor="pink" | 18th
| Eerste Divisie (relegation)
| 2025–26
| Round of 16
|-
| 2024–25 Eredivisie
| 14th
| –
| 2024–25
| bgcolor="#CD7F32" | Semi-final
|-
| 2023–24 Eredivisie
| 14th
| –
| 2023–24
| First round
|-
| 2022–23 Eerste Divisie
| bgcolor="gold" | 1st
| Eredivisie (promotion)
| 2022–23
| Second round
|-
| 2021–22 Eredivisie
| bgcolor="pink" | 16th
| Eerste Divisie (relegation)
| 2021–22
| Second round
|-
| 2020–21 Eredivisie
| 9th
| –
| 2020–21
| Round of 16
|-
| 2019–20 Eredivisie
| 8th
| –
| 2019–20
| Round of 16
|-
| 2018–19 Eredivisie
| 7th
| – (losing EL play-offs)
| 2018–19
| Second round
|-
| 2017–18 Eredivisie
| 10th
| –
| 2017–18
| Round of 16
|-
| 2016–17 Eredivisie
| 10th
| –
| 2015–16
| Third round
|-
| 2015–16 Eredivisie
| 6th
| Europa League (winning EL play-offs)
| 2015–16
| Fourth round
|-
| 2014–15 Eredivisie
| 14th
| –
| 2014–15
| Round of 16
|-
| 2013–14 Eredivisie
| 14th
| –
| 2013–14
| Round of 16
|-
| 2012–13 Eredivisie
| 12th
| –
| 2012–13
| Quarter-final
|-
| 2011–12 Eredivisie
| 12th
| –
| 2011–12
| bgcolor="silver" | Final
|-
| 2010–11 Eredivisie
| 8th
| – (losing EL play-offs)
| 2010–11
| Fourth round
|-
| 2009–10 Eredivisie
| 6th
| – (losing EL play-offs)
| 2009–10
| Round of 16
|-
| 2008–09 Eredivisie
| 15th
| –
| 2008–09
| Second round
|-
| 2007–08 Eredivisie
| 14th
| –
| 2007–08
| bgcolor="#CD7F32" | Semi-final
|-
| 2006–07 Eredivisie
| 14th
| –
| 2006–07
| Second round
|-
| 2005–06 Eredivisie
| 13th
| – (losing IC play-offs)
| 2005–06
| DSQ
|-
| 2004–05 Eerste Divisie
| bgcolor="gold" | 1st
| Eredivisie (promotion)
| 2004–05
| Third round
|-
| 2003–04 Eerste Divisie
| 4th
| promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion
| 2003–04
| Quarter-final
|-
| 2002–03 Eerste Divisie
| 4th
| promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion
| 2002–03
| Second round
|-
| 2001–02 Eerste Divisie
| 8th
| –
| 2001–02
| Second round
|-
| 2000–01 Eerste Divisie
| 15th
| –
| 2000–01
| Round of 16
|-
| 1999–00 Eerste Divisie
| 7th
| promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion
| 1999–00
| Third round
|-
| 1998–99 Eerste Divisie
| 17th
| –
| 1998–99
| Second round
|-
| 1997–98 Eerste Divisie
| 14th
| –
| 1997–98
| Round of 16
|-
| 1996–97 Eerste Divisie
| 13th
| –
| 1996–97
| Round of 16
|-
| 1995–96 Eerste Divisie
| 8th
| promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion
| 1995–96
| Second round
|-
| 1994–95 Eerste Divisie
| 6th
| promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion
| 1994–95
| Quarter-final
|-
| 1993–94 Eerste Divisie
| 4th
| promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion
| 1993–94
| Third round
|-
| 1992–93 Eerste Divisie
| 17th
| –
| 1992–93
| Third round
|-
| 1991–92 Eerste Divisie
| 6th
| promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion
| 1991–92
| Second round
|-
| 1990–91 Eerste Divisie
| 6th
| –
| 1990–91
| Second round
|-
| 1989–90 Eerste Divisie
| bgcolor="#CD7F32" | 3rd
| promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion
| 1989–90
| First round
|-
| 1988–89 Eerste Divisie
| 12th
| –
| 1988–89
| First round
|-
| 1987–88 Eerste Divisie
| 19th
| –
| 1987–88
| Second round
|-
| 1986–87 Eerste Divisie
| 15th
| –
| 1986–87
| Second round
|-
| 1985–86 Eredivisie
| bgcolor="pink" | 18th
| Eerste Divisie (relegation)
| 1985–86
| Second round
|-
| 1984–85 Eerste Divisie
| bgcolor="gold" | 1st
| Eredivisie (promotion)
| 1984–85
| First round
|-
| 1983–84 Eerste Divisie
| 12th
| –
| 1983–84
| Second round
|-
| 1982–83 Eerste Divisie
| 16th
| –
| 1982–83
| First round
|-
| 1981–82 Eerste Divisie
| 16th
| –
| 1981–82
| Quarter-final
|-
| 1980–81 Eerste Divisie
| 19th
| –
| 1980–81
| First round
|-
| 1979–80 Eerste Divisie
| 10th
| –
| 1979–80
| First round
|-
| 1978–79 Eerste Divisie
| 13th
| –
| 1978–79
| Second round
|-
| 1977–78 Eerste Divisie
| 10th
| –
| 1977–78
| Second round
|-
| 1976–77 Eerste Divisie
| 19th
| –
| 1976–77
| First round
|-
| 1975–76 Eerste Divisie
| 15th
| –
| 1975–76
| Second round
|-
| 1974–75 Eerste Divisie
| 11th
| –
| 1974–75
| Quarter-final
|-
| 1973–74 Eerste Divisie
| 10th
| –
| 1973–74
| Second round
|-
| 1972–73 Eerste Divisie
| 15th
| –
| 1972–73
| Round of 16
|-
| 1971–72 Eerste Divisie
| 14th
| –
| 1971–72
| First round
|-
| 1970–71 Eerste Divisie
| 6th
| –
| 1970–71
| Second round
|-
| 1969–70 Eerste Divisie
| 10th
| –
| 1969–70
| First round
|-
| 1968–69 Eerste Divisie
| 10th
| –
| 1968–69
| Quarter-final
|-
| 1967–68 Eerste Divisie
| 11th
| –
| 1967–68
| Group stage
|-
| 1966–67 Eerste Divisie
| 6th
| –
| 1966–67
| Quarter-final
|-
| 1965–66 Eredivisie
| bgcolor="pink" | 16th
| Eerste Divisie (relegation)
| 1965–66
| Round of 16
|-
| 1964–65 Eredivisie
| 9th
| –
| 1964–65
| Second round
|-
| 1963–64 Eredivisie
| 13th
| –
| 1963–64
| First round
|-
| 1962–63 Eredivisie
| 14th
| –
| 1962–63
| Third round
|-
| 1961–62 Eerste Divisie
| bgcolor="gold" | 1st
| Eredivisie (promotion)
| 1961–62
| ?
|-
| 1960–61 Eerste Divisie
| bgcolor="#CD7F32" | 3rd (group B)
| –
| 1960–61
| ?
|-
| 1959–60 Eerste Divisie
| 4th (group B)
| –
| not held
| not held
|-
| 1958–59 Eerste Divisie
| 7th (group B)
| –
| 1958–59
| ?
|-
| 1957–58 Tweede Divisie
| bgcolor="gold" | 1st (group B)
| Eerste Divisie (promotion)
| 1957–58
| ?
|-
| 1956–57 Tweede Divisie
| bgcolor="#CD7F32" | 3rd (group A)
| –
| 1956–57
| ?
|}
European record
{| class="wikitable"
! Season
! Competition
! Round
! Club
! Home
! Away
! Aggregate
|-
| rowspan="1" | 2016–17
| rowspan="1" | UEFA Europa League
|
| Arouca
| style="text-align:center;" | 1–1
| style="text-align:center;" | 0–0
| style="text-align:center;" | 1–1 (a)
|}
;Notes
- 3Q: Third qualifying round
Current squad
Out on loan
Former 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 Heracles Almelo:
- ;Algeria
- Karim Bridji (2006–2009)
- ;Australia
- Jason Davidson (2011–2014)
- Ajdin Hrustić (2024)
- ;Burundi
- Mohamed Amissi (2020–2022)
- ;Cameroon
- Willie Overtoom (2008–2013)
- ;Canada
- Rob Friend (2007)
- ;Curaçao
- Brandley Kuwas (2016–2019)
- ;Estonia
- Ragnar Klavan (2005–2009)
- ;Finland
- Mika Nurmela (2005–2006)
- ;Ghana
- Kwame Quansah (2004–2014)
- ;Indonesia
- Joey Pelupessy (2014-2018)
- ;Kazakhstan
- Alexander Merkel (2018–2020)
- ;Morocco
- Oussama Tannane (2013–2016)
- ;Netherlands
- Bertus Freese (1918–1936)
- Hennie van Nee (1960–1962; 1963–1965)
- Frits Schipper (1923–1939)
- Frans van der Veen (1936–1941; 1948–1954)
- ;Nigeria
- Cyriel Dessers (2019–2020)
- ;United States
- Luca de la Torre (2020–2022)
- ;Suriname
- Navajo Bakboord (2019–2024)
- Kelvin Leerdam (2024–present)
- ;Syria
- Mohammed Osman (2018–2020)
- ;Tanzania
- Sunday Manara (1977–1978)
- Players in bold actively play for Heracles Almelo and for their respective national teams. Years in brackets indicate careerspan with Heracles.
National team players by Confederation
Member associations are listed in order of most to least amount of current and former Heracles Almelo players represented Internationally
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:left"
|+ Total national team players by confederation<br>
|-
! scope="row" | Confederation
! scope="col" | Total
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | (Nation) Association
|-
| AFC
| 4
| Australia (2), Indonesia (1), Syria (1)
|-
| CAF
| 7
| Algeria (1), Burundi (1), Cameroon (1), Ghana (1), Morocco (1), Nigeria (1), Tanzania (1)
|-
| CONCACAF
| 5
| Suriname (2), Canada (1), Curaçao (1), United States (1)
|-
| CONMEBOL
| 0
|
|-
| OFC
| 0
|
|-
| UEFA
| 7
| Netherlands (4), Estonia (1), Finland (1), Kazakhstan (1)
|}
Players in international tournaments
The following is a list of Heracles Almelo players who have competed in international tournaments, including the FIFA World Cup, AFC Asian Cup and the CONCACAF Gold Cup. To this date no Heracles players have participated in the UEFA European Championship, Africa Cup of Nations, Copa América. or the OFC Nations Cup while playing for Heracles Almelo.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: left"
|- style="text-align: center"
!Cup
!Players
|-
|align="left"| 1938 FIFA World Cup|| Frans van der Veen
|-
|align="left"| 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup|| Rob Friend
|-
|align="left"| 2014 FIFA World Cup|| Jason Davidson
|-
|align="left"| 2019 AFC Asian Cup|| Mohammed Osman
|-
|}
Coaching staff
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Position
!Staff
|-
| Technical director || Nico-Jan Hoogma
|-
| Team Manager || Edwin van Lenthe
|-
| Manager || Tom Uitzetter
|-
| Head coach || Erwin van de Looi
|-
| Assistant coach || René Kolmschot <br/> Ivo Rossen
|-
| First-team coach || Hendrie Krüzen
|-
| First-Team Goalkeeper Coach || Brian van Loo
|-
| Video analyst || Leen den Boer
|-
| Chief scout || Alfred Nijhuis
|-
| Scout || Robin Hoogma
|-
| Physiotherapist || Emiel Bolscher <br/> Léon van Beelen <br/> Ashwien Baidnath
|-
| Kit Manager || Martin Dalhoeven
|}
Former coaches
- Horace Colclough (1920–21)
- Ted Magner (1921–23)
- Horace Colclough (1923–32)
- Robert Roxburgh (1932–35)
- Leslie Lievesley (1 March 1946 – 30 June 1947)
- David Davison (July 1948 – February 1949)
- Gilbert Richmond (1949–53)
- Duggie Lochhead (1953–56)
- Jan Bilj (1956–60)
- Michael Keeping (Sept. 1960 – 30 January 1961)
- Frits van der Elst / Freek Jaarsma (1961 interim)
- Jaap van der Leck (March 1961–63)
- Keith Spurgeon (1 July 1963 – 30 June 1964)
- Jan de Bouter (1964–66)
- Les Talbot (1 July 1966 – 30 June 1967)
- Toon Valks (1967–69)
- Evert Teunissen (1 July 1969 – 30 June 1970)
- Rinus Gosens (1 July 1970 – 30 June 1972)
- Ron Dellow (1 July 1972 – 30 June 1975)
- Jan Verhaert (1975–76)
- Hennie Hollink (1 July 1976 – 30 June 1979)
- Theo Laseroms (1979–81)
- Jan Morsing (1 July 1981 – 3 November 1982)
- Arie Stehouwer (1982–83)
- Gerard Somer (1983–87)
- Jan Morsing (1988)
- Henk van Brussel (1989–90)
- Henk ten Cate (21 November 1990 – 30 June 1992)
- Azing Griever (1 February 1993 – 1 March 1995)
- Jan van Staa (1 July 1995 – 30 June 1996)
- Gerard Marsman (1 July 1996 – 30 June 1998)
- Theo Vonk (8 March 1998 – 30 June 1999)
- Fritz Korbach (1 July 1999 – 30 June 2001)
- Gertjan Verbeek (1 July 2001 – 30 June 2004)
- Peter Bosz (1 July 2004 – 30 June 2006)
- Ruud Brood (1 July 2006 – 24 December 2007)
- Gert Heerkes (2 January 2008 – 30 June 2009)
- Gertjan Verbeek (1 July 2009 – 30 June 2010)
- Peter Bosz (1 July 2010 – 30 June 2013)
- Jan de Jonge (1 July 2013 – 31 August 2014)
- John Stegeman (1 September 2014 – 30 June 2018)
- Frank Wormuth (1 July 2018 – 16 May 2022)
- John Lammers (25 June 2022 – 12 December 2023)
- Erwin van de Looi (21 December 2023 – Present)
References
External links
- Fansite – HAFC.nl
- Tactical formations at football-lineups.com