Vålerenga Fotball

Vålerenga Fotball () is a Norwegian professional football club from Oslo and a part of the multi-sport club Vålerengens IF. The club currently competes in the Eliteserien after being promoted from the Norwegian First Division in 2024. Founded in 1913, the club is named after the neighborhood of Vålerenga. Vålerenga's home ground is Intility Arena, located in Valle-Hovin. Vålerenga are five-time league champions and four-time Norwegian Football Cup champions, having last won the league in 2005 and the cup in 2008. Vålerenga is generally considered to be the largest football club in Oslo, and they are known for their loyal supporters.

History

thumb|left|VIF players at Sotahjørnet in 1946

Early days (1913–45)

The history of Vålerenga Fotball goes back to Fotballpartiet Spark, which was founded in 1898 by pastor Hans Møller Gasmann. An early mission for Gasmann was to give the local youth social activity and exercise. On a larger scale, the club was part of the movement known as Muscular Christianity. A successor to this football club, Idrettslaget Spring, was founded on 29 July 1913 by a group of teenage factory workers. A year later, the club changed its name to Vaalerengens Idrættsforening. Rooted in the neighborhood of Vålerenga on the east end of Oslo, the club would recruit players and supporters from the many workers in the area, in a society then characterized by its low mobility between social strata. Within its first seasons, Vålerengen would compete with the major clubs in Oslo at that time: Lyn, Mercantile and Frigg. Where Lyn and Frigg had a strong identity with the academia and the upper classes, Vålerengen developed a working class identity. The signing of striker Vidar Örn Kjartansson in front of 2014 season proved to be a huge success, with the Icelandic player scoring 25 goals in 29 games, helping the Oslo club secure a sixth place in the league after a drop in form in the latter half of the season.

On 13 July 2016, Ronny Deila was appointed as the new head coach. Deila was originally planned to take over in January 2017, but was involved in the coaching team for the final games of the 2016 season. Kjetil Rekdal was to become director of sports, but left the club in early 2017. In December 2019, Ronny Deila left to become the coach of New York City Football Club. In January 2020, Dag-Eilev Fagermo became the new head coach.

Vålerenga moved into their newly built stadium, Intility Arena, in September 2017. This was a historic move for the club, after spending 104 years without owning a home stadium. The new stadium is also close to Vålerenga neighborhood of Oslo.

Colours

Up to 1913, Vålerenga's kit was moss green. In 1914, the Norwegian State Railways had a set of blue and red kits left over, which Vålerenga bought cheaply, so their official colours became blue and red. The 2006 season away kit was white with a touch of moss green.

Stadium

In 2017, Vålerenga opened their own home ground at Valle Hovin in Eastern Oslo, called Intility Arena. The stadium has a capacity of 17,333 on domestic games (15,389 on international games), and the playing surface is artificial grass. The very first match in the ground saw the Vålerenga women's team beat Kolbotn Fotball 2–0 on 9 September 2017, with Stephanie Verdoia being the first ever goalscorer on the Arena. The next day, the men's team lost 2–1 to Sarpsborg 08 in their first game at the stadium. The ground was first called Vålerenga kultur- og idrettspark, before the club agreed a contract with the IT company Intility to rename the stadium.

The construction of the new arena

Following a press statement made on 15 May 2008, Vålerenga announced that they would be moving home to Valle Hovin after purchasing the area of the proposed stadium for the symbolic sum of 1 Norwegian Krone. In late 2014, the plans were accepted by the city council of Oslo. On 10 June 2014, the European Free Trade Association Surveillance Authority accepted the plans for the stadium.

The foundation stone of the new stadium was laid on 29 July 2015, the club's 102nd anniversary. Construction was begun in the summer of 2015 and is planned to be completed in 2017. An independent supporter club called Klanen ("The Clan") was founded in 1991. The senior team of Vålerenga has reserved shirt number 12 for their supporters.

Rivalries

Vålerenga's main rivals include Lillestrøm, Ham Kam, Kongsvinger, Brann and Lyn. Since the 90s, the main supporter club has actively worked hard for social issues and against hooliganism. Despite this, as recently as 2019, isolated individuals within the club's support have engaged in disruptive and dangerous activities during live matches.

500px|thumb|centre|Klanen celebrating the bronze medal after the final game of the 2006 season

Honours

Eliteserien:
Winners (5): 1965, 1981, 1983, 1984, 2005
Runners-up (3): 1948–49, 2004, 2010
Norwegian Cup:
Winners (4): 1980, 1997, 2002, 2008
Runners-up (2): 1983, 1985
Norwegian First Division/Landsdelsserien:
Winners (7): 1953–54, 1958–59, 1976, 1993, 1997, 2001, 2024
Superfinalen:
Runners-up (1): 2009

Recent seasons

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="text-align:center"

! scope=col rowspan="2" | Season

! scope=col colspan="11" class=unsortable | League

! scope=col rowspan="2" | Cup

! scope=col colspan="3" class=unsortable | Other competitions

! scope=col colspan="2" class=unsortable | Top goalscorer

! scope=col rowspan="2" class=unsortable | Ref(s)

! scope=col | Division

! scope=col width="20" |

! scope=col |

! scope=col width="20" |

! scope=col | Name

! scope=col | Goals

! scope=row align=left | 1999

| Tippeligaen || 26 || 8 || 4 || 14 || 40 || 53 || −13 || 28 || 11th || 6,626 ||4R|| — || — || — || align=left | || ||

! scope=row align=left | 2000

| Tippeligaen || 26 || 5 || 9 || 12 || 32 || 44 || −12 || 24 ||bgcolor="#FFCCCC" | 12th || 7,630 ||QF|| — || — || — || align=left | || ||

! scope=row align=left | 2001

| 1. divisjon || 30 || 19 || 8 || 3 || 71 || 29 || +42 || 62 ||bgcolor="#DDFFDD"| 1st|| ||QF|| — || — || — || align=left | || ||

! scope=row align=left | 2002

| Tippeligaen || 26 || 7 || 12 || 7 || 38 || 31 || +7 || 33 || 8th || 8,782 ||bgcolor=gold|W|| — || — || — || align=left | || ||

! scope=row align=left | 2003

| Tippeligaen || 26 || 6 || 10 || 10 || 30 || 33 || −3 || 28 || 12th || 9,336 ||QF|| — ||3R || — || align=left | || ||

! scope=row align=left | 2004

| Tippeligaen || 26 || 13 || 9 || 4 || 40 || 22 || +18 || 48 ||bgcolor=silver|2nd|| 14,392 ||3R|| — || — || — || align=left | || ||

! scope=row align=left | 2005

| Tippeligaen || 26 || 13 || 7 || 6 || 40 || 27 || +13 || 46 ||bgcolor=gold|1st|| 15,658 ||SF||3QR||1R|| — || align=left | || ||

! scope=row align=left | 2006

| Tippeligaen || 26 || 13 || 5 || 8 || 43 || 28 || +15 || 44 ||bgcolor="#c96"|3rd|| 13,873 ||QF||2QR|| — || — || align=left | || ||

! scope=row align=left | 2007

| Tippeligaen || 26 || 10 || 6 || 10 || 34 || 34 || 0 || 36 || 7th || 13,837 ||4R|| — ||1R|| — || align=left | || ||

! scope=row align=left | 2008

| Tippeligaen || 26 || 8 || 6 || 12 || 31 || 37 || −6 || 30 || 10th || 12,700 ||bgcolor=gold|W|| — || — || — || align=left | || ||

! scope=row align=left | 2009

| Tippeligaen || 30 || 12 || 4 || 14 || 47 || 50 || −3 || 40 || 7th || 10,788 || SF || — ||3QR|| — || align=left | || ||

! scope=row align=left | 2010

| Tippeligaen || 30 || 19 || 4 || 7 || 69 || 36 || +33 || 61 ||bgcolor=silver| 2nd || 13,646 || 2R || — || — || — || align=left | || ||

! scope=row align=left | 2011

| Tippeligaen || 30 || 14 || 5 || 11 || 42 || 33 || +9 || 47 || 7th || 13,331 || 2R || — ||3QR|| — || align=left | || ||

! scope=row align=left | 2012

| Tippeligaen || 30 || 12 || 5 || 13 || 42 || 44 || −2 || 41 || 8th || 10,768 || 3R || — || — || — || align=left | || ||

! scope=row align=left | 2013

| Tippeligaen || 30 || 10 || 6 || 14 || 41 || 50 || −9 || 36 || 11th || 9,900 || QF || — || — || — || align=left | || ||

! scope=row align=left | 2014

| Tippeligaen || 30 || 11 || 9 || 10 || 59 || 53 || +6 || 42 || 6th || 9,751 || 4R || — || — || — || align=left | || ||

! scope=row align=left | 2015

| Tippeligaen || 30 || 14 || 7 || 9 || 49 || 41 || +8 || 49 || 7th || 10,099 || 2R || — || — || — || align=left | || ||

! scope=row align=left | 2016

| Tippeligaen || 30 || 10 || 8 || 12 || 41 || 39 || +2 || 38 || 10th || 9,074 || QF || — || — || — || align=left | || ||

! scope=row align=left | 2017

| Eliteserien || 30 || 11 || 6 || 13 || 48 || 46 || +2 || 39 || 8th || 9,703 || SF || — || — || — || align=left | || ||

! scope=row align=left | 2018

| Eliteserien || 30 || 11 || 9 || 10 || 39 || 44 || −5 || 42 || 6th || 9,180 || QF || — || — || — || align=left | || ||

! scope=row align=left | 2019

| Eliteserien || 30 || 8 || 10 || 12 || 39 || 44 || −5 || 34 || 10th || 7,834 || 3R || — || — || — || align=left | || ||

! scope=row align=left | 2020

| Eliteserien || 30 || 15 || 10 || 5 || 51 || 33 || +18 || 55 ||bgcolor="#c96"| 3rd || 200 || Cancelled || — || — || — || align=left | || ||

! scope=row align=left | 2021

| Eliteserien || 30 || 11 || 12 || 7 || 46 || 37 || +9 || 45 || 7th || 4,318 || 3R || — || — || 2QR || align=left | || ||

! scope=row align=left | 2022

| Eliteserien || 30 || 13 || 5 || 12 || 52 || 49 || +3 || 44 || 6th || 8,670 || 3R || — || — ||| — || align=left | || ||

! scope=row align=left | 2023

| Eliteserien || 30 || 7 || 8 || 15 || 39 || 50 || -11 || 29 ||bgcolor="#FFCCCC" | 14th || 10,542 || SF || — || — ||| — || align=left | || ||

! scope=row align=left | 2024

| OBOS-ligaen || 30 || 21 || 6 || 3 || 82 || 31 || +51 || 69 ||bgcolor="#DDFFDD"| 1st || 10,542 || QF || — || — ||| — || align=left | || ||

! scope=row align=left | 2025

| Eliteserien || 30 || 13 || 4 || 13 || 49 || 50 || -1 || 43 || 6th || 8,670 || 1R || — || — ||| — || align=left | || ||

Source:

European record

Summary

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"

! style="width:160px;"|Competition

! style="width:30px;"|Pld

! style="width:30px;"|W

! style="width:30px;"|D

! style="width:30px;"|L

! style="width:30px;"|GF

! style="width:30px;"|GA

! style="width:150px;"|Last season played

| European Cup UEFA Champions League

| 14

| 4

| 3

| 7

| 17

| 25

| 2006–07

| UEFA Cup UEFA Europa League

| 24

| 6

| 9

| 21

| 28

| 2011–12

| UEFA Europa Conference League

| 2

| 1

| 0

| 1

| 2

| 4

| 2021–22

| UEFA Cup Winners' Cup

| 8

| 1

| 4

| 3

| 11

| 17

| 1998–99

| UEFA Intertoto Cup

| 2

| 1

| 0

| 1

| 2

| 1999

| Inter-Cities Fairs Cup

| 4

| 0

| 4

| 5

| 13

| 1965–66

|Total

|54

|13

|16

|25

|57

|89

Source: uefa.com, Last updated on 29 July 2021 Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against. Defunct competitions indicated in italics. Notes: This summary includes matches played in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, which was not endorsed by UEFA and is not counted in UEFA's official European statistics.

List of matches

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%; text-align: center;"

! style="width:60px;"|Season

! style="width:150px;"|Competition

! style="width:30px;"|Round

! style="width:150px;"|Opponent

! style="width:30px;"|Home

! style="width:30px;"|Away

! style="width:75px;"|Agg.

| 1964–65

| Inter-Cities Fairs Cup

| R1

| style="text-align:left;"| Everton

| style="background:#fdd;"|2–5

| style="background:#fdd;"|2–4

| 4–9

|- style="background:#eee;"

| 1965–66

| Inter-Cities Fairs Cup

| R2

| style="text-align:left;"| Hearts

| style="background:#fdd;"|1–3

| style="background:#fdd;"|0–1

| 1–4

| rowspan=2|1966–67

| rowspan=2|European Cup

| R1

| style="text-align:left;"| 17 Nëntori

| N/A

| w/o

| R2

| style="text-align:left;"| Linfield

| style="background:#fdd;"|1–4

| style="background:#ffd;"|1–1

| 2–5

|- style="background:#eee;"

| 1975–76

| UEFA Cup

| R1

| style="text-align:left;"| Athlone Town

| style="background:#ffd;"|1–1

| style="background:#fdd;"|1–3

| 2–4

| 1981–82

| Cup Winners' Cup

| R1

| style="text-align:left;"| Legia Warszawa

| style="background:#ffd;"|2–2

| style="background:#fdd;"|1–4

| 3–6

|- style="background:#eee;"

| 1982–83

| European Cup

| PR

| style="text-align:left;"| Dinamo București

| style="background:#dfd;"|2–1

| style="background:#fdd;"|1–3

| 3–4

| 1984–85

| European Cup

| R1

| style="text-align:left;"| Sparta Prague

| style="background:#ffd;"|3–3

| style="background:#fdd;"|0–2

| 3–5

|- style="background:#eee;"

| 1985–86

| European Cup

| R1

| style="text-align:left;"| Zenit Leningrad

| style="background:#fdd;"|0–2

| 0–4

| 1986–87

| UEFA Cup

| R1

| style="text-align:left;"| Beveren

| style="background:#ffd;"|0–0

| style="background:#fdd;"|0–1

| 0–1

|- style="background:#eee;"

| rowspan=3|1998–99

| rowspan=3|Cup Winners' Cup

| R1

| style="text-align:left;"| Rapid București

| style="background:#ffd;"|0–0

| style="background:#ffd;"|2–2

| 2–2 (a)

|- style="background:#eee;"

| R2

| style="text-align:left;"| Beşiktaş

| style="background:#dfd;"|1–0

| style="background:#ffd;"|3–3

| 4–3

|- style="background:#eee;"

| QF

| style="text-align:left;"| Chelsea

| style="background:#fdd;"|2–3

| style="background:#fdd;"|0–3

| 2–6

| 1999–00

| Intertoto Cup

| R1

| style="text-align:left;"| Ventspils

| style="background:#dfd;"|1–0

| style="background:#fdd;"|0–2

| 1–2

|- style="background:#eee;"

| rowspan=3|2003–04

| rowspan=3|UEFA Cup

| R1

| style="text-align:left;"| Grazer AK

| style="background:#ffd;"|0–0

| style="background:#ffd;"|1–1

| 1–1 (a)

|- style="background:#eee;"

| R2

| style="text-align:left;"| Wisła Kraków

| style="background:#ffd;"|0–0

| 0–0 (4–3 p)

|- style="background:#eee;"

| R3

| style="text-align:left;"| Newcastle United

| style="background:#ffd;"|1–1

| style="background:#fdd;"|1–3

| 2–4

| rowspan=3|2005–06

| rowspan=2|Champions League

| QR2

| style="text-align:left;"| Haka

| style="background:#dfd;"|1–0

| style="background:#dfd;"|4–1

| 5–1

| QR3

| style="text-align:left;"| Club Brugge

| style="background:#dfd;"|1–0

| style="background:#fdd;"|0–1

| 1–1 (3–4 p)

| UEFA Cup

| R1

| style="text-align:left;"| Steaua București

| style="background:#fdd;"|0–3

| style="background:#fdd;"|1–3

| 1–6

|- style="background:#eee;"

| 2006–07

| Champions League

| QR2

| style="text-align:left;"| Mladá Boleslav

| style="background:#ffd;"|2–2

| style="background:#fdd;"|1–3

| 3–5

| rowspan=3|2007–08

| rowspan=3|UEFA Cup

| QR1

| style="text-align:left;"| Flora Tallinn

| style="background:#dfd;"|1–0

| 2–0

| QR2

| style="text-align:left;"| Ekranas

| style="background:#dfd;"|6–0

| style="background:#ffd;"|1–1

| 7–1

| R1

| style="text-align:left;"| Austria Wien

| style="background:#ffd;"|2–2

| style="background:#fdd;"|0–2

| 2–4

|- style="background:#eee;"

| 2009–10

| Europa League

| QR3

| style="text-align:left;"| PAOK

| style="background:#fdd;"|1–2

| style="background:#dfd;"|1–0

| 2–2 (a)

| rowspan=2|2011–12

| rowspan=2|Europa League

| QR2

| style="text-align:left;"| Mika

| style="background:#dfd;"|1–0

| 2–0

| QR3

| style="text-align:left;"| PAOK

| style="background:#fdd;"|0–2

| style="background:#fdd;"|0–3

| 0–5

|- style="background:#eee;"

| 2021–22

| QR2

| style="text-align:left;"| Gent

| style="background:#dfd;"|2–0

| style="background:#fdd;"|0–4

| 2−4

Records

Largest victory in the top division: 8–0 vs. Lisleby, 1951
Longest consecutive seasons in the top division: 17 seasons (2002–2023)
Most top division matches since 1963: Morten Berre, 281 matches (2003–14)
Most goals in mandatory matches: Einar Bruno Larsen, 99 goals (1957–68)
Most goals in a single season: Viðar Örn Kjartansson, 25 goals in 29 matches (2014)
Record attendance: Ullevaal Stadion, 23 October 2005. The 2005 season's last home game, against Rosenborg, 24894 spectators
Biggest win in a European cup match: 6–0 vs. Ekranas, 30 August 2007 (7–1 overall)

(numbers as of 3 September 2007)

Players and staff

First-team squad

Out on loan

Notable past players and staff

Andrej Ilić
Aki Riihilahti
Allan Kierstein Jepsen
Arni Gautur Arason
Aron Dønnum
Bjørn Arild Levernes
Bojan Zajic
Christian Grindheim
Daniel Fredheim Holm
Daniel Håkans
David Brocken
Deshorn Brown
Einar Bruno Larsen
Egil Olsen
Erik Foss
Erik Hagen
Fegor Ogude
Felix Horn Myhre
Freddy dos Santos
Giancarlo Gonzalez
Ghayas Zahid
Gunder Bengtsson
Henning Berg
Henry Johansen
Jones El-Abdellaoui
John Carew
Jørn Andersen
Kjell Roar Kaasa
Kjetil Rekdal
Kjetil Wæhler
Kristofer Hæstad
Lars Bohinen
Lars Hirschfeld
Luton Shelton
Martin Andresen
Mohammed Abdellaoue
Mohammed Fellah
Morten Berre
Nils Arne Eggen
Odin Thiago Holm
Odd Iversen
Osame Sahraoui
Pa-Modou Kah
Pascal Simpson
Ronny Deila
Ronny Johnsen
Sam Adekugbe
Simen Juklerød
Steffen Iversen
Thomas Holm
Tobias Grahn
Tom Henning Hovi
Tore Krogstad
Troy Perkins
Tore Andre Flo
Vidar Davidsen
Vidar Orn Kjartansson

Retired and reserved numbers

Number 12 is reserved for the fans (often referred to as the 12th man)

Coaching staff

{| class="wikitable"

! Position

! Name

|Director of football|| Joacim Jonsson

|Head coach|| Johannes Moesgaard

|Assistant coach|| Trond Fredriksen

|Goalkeeper coach|| Gjermund Østby

|Fitness coach|| Aaron Horne

|Head of analysis|| Lars-Erik Samuelsen

|Head of academy|| Thomas Hafstad

|Reserve team coach|| Øystein Sanden

|Physio|| Carl Fredrik Birkemo

|Physio|| Martin Flesland

|Equipment manager|| Egil Larsen

|Club doctor|| Erik Rosenlund

Managers

Henry "Tippen" Johansen (1944)
Kristian "Svarten" Henriksen (1947–48)
Henry "Tippen" Johansen (1949)
Willibald Hahn (1955)
Kristian "Svarten" Henriksen (1957–58)
Knut "Bossen" Osnes (1962)
Joar Hoff (1978)
Gunder Bengtsson (1983), (1984)
Olle Nordin (1985)
Svein Ivar Sigernes (1987–88)
Olle Nordin (1 Jan 1990 – Dec 31, 1992)
Vidar Davidsen (1 Jan 1993 – Dec 31, 1997)
Lars Tjærnås (1 Jan 1998 – Aug 6, 1998)
Egil "Drillo" Olsen (9 Aug 1998 – June 16, 1999)
Knut Arild Løberg (17 June 1999 – Dec 31, 1999)
Tom Nordlie (1 Jan 2000 – Dec 31, 2000)
Kjetil Rekdal (1 Jan 2001 – Aug 20, 2006)
Petter Myhre (21 Aug 2006 – July 27, 2007)
Harald Aabrekk (28 July 2007 – Dec 31, 2007)

Martin Andresen (2008 – Dec 31, 2012)
Kjetil Rekdal (8 Jan 2013– 31 Dec 2016)
Ronny Deila (1 Jan 2017 – 6 Jan 2020)
Dag-Eilev Fagermo (31 Jan 2020 – 12 June 2023)
Geir Bakke (12 July 2023 – 6 May 2026)
Petter Myhre (interim) (6 May 2026 – )

References

Nome, Petter. Vi er Vål'enga. Oslo: Cappelen, 1997. .

External links

Vålerenga Fotball På Nett
Klanen, official Vålerenga supporters club

History

Early days (1913–45)

Colours

Stadium

The construction of the new arena

Rivalries

Honours

Recent seasons

European record

Summary

List of matches

Records

Players and staff

First-team squad

Out on loan

Notable past players and staff

Retired and reserved numbers

Coaching staff

Managers

See also

References

External links