They are one of the most successful clubs in Belgium, having won theBelgian league on ten occasions, most recently in2007–08 and2008–09. They have been in the top flight without interruption since 1921, longer than any other Belgian side. They have also won eightBelgian Cups, and in1981–82 they reached the final of theEuropean Cup Winners' Cup, which they lost 2–1 againstBarcelona.[2]
Standard players are nicknamedles Rouches[leʁuʃ] because of their red jerseys. The French word for red,rouge, when pronounced with a Liège accent, sounds likerouche.
In March 2022, Standard Liège was acquired by US-based private investment firm777 Partners.[3] In October 2024 it was announced that 777 Partners were declared bankrupt by a London court, making the future ownership unclear.
On the first day of school in September 1898, the pupils ofCollège Saint-Servais in Liège started a football club, which they called Standard of Liège in reference toStandard Athletic Club ofParis.[4] Standard, whose official name is Royal Standard Club of Liège, was based in Cointe and Grivegnée before settling permanently in 1909 inSclessin, an industrial neighbourhood in Liège.[4] Standard initially joined the Belgian First League in 1909 before returning to the lower leagues a few years later. The club then gained promotion back to the top division in 1921 and has never been relegated since.[4][5]
Club crest from 1923–1952
Shortly after World War II,Roger Petit, a former player and team captain, became general secretary of the club. Petit worked alongside PresidentHenrard Paul to establish Standard among the elite of Belgian football. In 1954, Standard won their first club trophy, theBelgian Cup, which was soon followed by a first national title in1957–58.
At European level, in the 1960s, the club reached the semi-finals of theEuropean Cup in1961–62, falling to beaten finalistsReal Madrid 0–6 on aggregate,[6] and the same stage of the Cup Winners' Cup in the year1966–67, losing to eventual championsBayern Munich.[7]
The 1960s and early 1970s brought much success to the club, as Standard won six Belgian First Division titles, two Belgian Cups and aLeague Cup.
Driven by theAustrianErnst Happel, Standard won the Belgian Cup again in 1981. The following year,Raymond Goethals took control of the team. Playing by the "Raymond Science" philosophy of football, the club was twice the champions of Belgium, twice winners of the Belgian Supercup (in three appearances) and reached the final of the European Cup Winners' Cup in1982. Standard played againstBarcelona in thefinal at theCamp Nou on 12 May 1982, losing the match 1–2 to the Spaniards.[4][8]
In 1984, these exploits were tainted by the revelation of theStandard-Waterschei Affair [fr]. Just days before the match against Barcelona, to secure the championship of Belgium and guard against last minute injuries, Standard had approachedRoland Janssen, the captain ofThor Waterschei, to ensure that Thor players threw the final game of the season.[4] This scandal involved several players, includingEric Gerets, and coachRaymond Goethals, who fled to Portugal to escape suspension.[4] In compensation the Standard players gave their game bonuses to the Waterschei players.[4] Following the scandal, Standard was deprived of many of its playing staff due to long-term suspensions and it took the club several years to recover from the incident.
Following the scandal of 1982, it took 25 years before Standard won the Belgium Championship again, lifting the title on 20 April 2008.[4] The club won the Belgian league again the following year, securing the club's tenth league title on 24 May 2009 after a home-and-away game against rivalsAnderlecht.[4] Standard won the national cup once more in2011, defeatingWesterlo 2–0 in thefinal at theKing Baudouin Stadium on 21 May 2011.[9] The club was bought by businessmanRoland Duchatelet on 23 June 2011,[11] who then took overEnglish clubCharlton in December 2013, creating an affiliation between the two clubs.[12]
On 20 October 2014,Guy Luzon resigned as manager of Standard with the club sitting in 12th position in thePro League standings and having taken only two points from threeUEFA Europa League matches.[13] Luzon laterbecame head coach of Charlton.[14] Assistant and former midfielderIvan Vukomanović took over as caretaker-manager.[13]
The stadium is popularly called Sclessin. That is not the official name, butStade Maurice Dufrasne.Sclessin is the district where the stadium is located. Maurice Dufrasne was the fifth chairman of Standard. He was also the driving force behind the move of Standard fromGrivegnée to Sclessin. It was opened in 1909. Initially it was just a field, players had to change in a nearby pub.[16]
A year later a first stand was built. By 1924 the club could accommodate 24,000 spectators. Around 1970 it reached its maximum capacity with 43,000 spectators.[17]
Sclessin received a new main stand in 1985, and seven years later, in 1992, works started on the stand at the opposite side. Both ends got redeveloped in the late 1990s in preparation of theEuro 2000 tournament.[18]
Standard fan group, prior to a 2017 derby match againstRoyal Charleroi.
Standard Liège supporters share a fierce rivalry withRSC Anderlecht, dubbed the Belgian "Clasico".[19] The rivalry not only reflects the traditional geographical one between the two cities of Liège andBrussels, but also a class divide, with Anderlecht being perceived as the team of the bourgeois elite and Standard, based in an industrial district, as the workers club. The two teams were also the two most successful teams in Belgium for long periods until the emergence ofClub Brugge.[19] Many players have played for both clubs, most notably Standard title winning captainSteven Defour, who when returning to Sclessin under Anderlecht's purple colours was greeted with a largetifo with his head decapitated.[20]
Standard also has a traditional city derbies withRFC Seraing andRFC Liège.[21] In recent years, they have also developed a rivalry with fellowWalloon clubSporting Charleroi, with several matches having been stopped due to crowd disturbances between the two sets of supporters.[22]
Matches with Limburgish clubsRacing Genk andSTVV also are characterised with heightened tensions. This is due to the proximity of Genk and Sint-Truiden with the city of Liège and the historical ties of the mining and steel industries of these regions in Belgium. The rivalry between Standard and Racing Genk was fueled by the events of 17 May 2011.[23] In this title match Standard wingerMehdi Carcela was hit in the face with a tackle by Genk defenderChris Mavinga. Carcela lost consciousness and was subbed off. Mavinga was not sent off after his reckless intervention. Genk went on to win the title with 1–1 draw, but it left many Standard fans with a sour taste.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
^B. Dubois, Th. Evens, Ph. Leruth,1892–1992 : La jeunesse centenaire. Livre officiel du Centenaire du Royal Football Club Liégeois. Bruxelles, Labor, 1992, p. 276.
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