Grasshopper-Club Zürich commonly referred to as simply GC, GCZ, or Grasshopper is a Swissmultisports club based in Zürich. The oldest and most well known section of Grasshopper-Club Zürich is its football team. With 27 titles, Grasshopper-Club Zürich holds the record for winning the most national championship titles and with 18 victories also the one for the most successes in the Swiss Cup tournament. The origins of Grasshopper's name is unknown, although the most common explanation is rooted in its early players' energetic post-goal celebrations.
Grasshopper was founded on September 1, 1886 by Tom E. Griffith, an English student. With a 20 Swiss franc donation, the club was able to import an English football and blue and white uniforms. Its first match came in October that year against ETH and ended in a goalless draw. In 1893, Grasshopper became the first Swiss team to play in Germany, defeating RC Strasbourg 1-0. 1896 saw the formation of Fussballclub Zürich and the beginning of a storied rivalry. The following year, Grasshopper won the first Swiss Championship, beginning a collection of 27 league championships and 18 Swiss Cup wins. In 1909, Grasshopper withdrew from the football federation until the end of World War I in 1919. In 1997, Grasshopper incorporated and as of May 2005, it is formally organized as Neue Grasshopper Fussball AG. In doing so, Grasshopper became the first Swiss sports club to go public.[1] After a number of high profile friendly and competitive Europe Cup and UEFA Champions League matches, Grasshopper has become Switzerland's most recognizable football club. Today, in addition to its marquee football squad, Grasshopper-Club Zürich maintains competitive professional and youth teams for rowing, ice hockey, handball, lawn tennis, court tennis, field hockey, curling, squash, and unihockey.
Grasshopper used to play its home matches at the Hardturm (Kreis 5 - Zürich). Starting on September 22nd 2007, Grasshopper-Club Zürich will play all of its home matches in the Letzigrund stadium, until the completion of Stadion Zürich Training facilities are located in Niederhasli, where the club opened comprehensive facility including five practice pitches, apartments for youth players and offices in 2005.
Izidor "Dori" Kürschner
Karl Rappan
Alfred "Fredy" Bickel
Albert Sing
Miroslav Blazevic
Leo Beenhakker
Roy Hodgson
Krassimir Balakov
