Go Ahead Eagles

Go Ahead Eagles

The Go Ahead Eagles are a Dutch professional football club from the city of Deventer in the province of Overijssel. They play in the Eredivisie, the top tier of Dutch football, having achieved promotion from the second tier Eerste Divisie in the 2020–21 season. The club's home stadium since 1920 is De Adelaarshorst. The club have won the national championship on four occasions: in 1917, 1922, 1930 and 1933. They also won the KNVB Cup in (/wiki/2025KNVBCupfinal) for the first time.

The Go Ahead Eagles have produced several notable athletes including Raimond van der Gouw, René Eijkelkamp, Marc Overmars, Paul Bosvelt, Jan Kromkamp, Victor Sikora, Bert van Marwijk and Demy de Zeeuw while providing Henk ten Cate, Erik ten Hag and Leo Beenhakker with their first tastes of management.

History

Early successes

The club was founded in 1902 as Be Quick by the Hollander brothers. The name was changed to Go Ahead at the request of the Dutch Football Association in 1905, to avoid confusion with another team.

Go Ahead started in the second-tier Tweede Klasse. In 1911, the club reached promotion to the Eastern Eerste Klasse. In 1916, Go Ahead became champions of the Eastern Eerste Klasse for the first time, after which they faced off for the national championship in a competition with the other regional champions. In this championship playoffs for the national championship, however, the southern champions from Willem II proved too strong. A year later, however, Go Ahead took their first league title, a feat repeated in 1922, 1930 and 1933.

Polygoonjournaal from 1922. Decisive match against Blauw-Wit in which Go Ahead became national champion. Location: Sportpark Hilversum. Without sound.

In the period between the First and Second World War, Go Ahead was by far the most successful team in the Eastern league. The club won the regional championship fifteen times during that period, and even won the title eight times in a row from 1916 to 1923. The last pre-war Eastern Championship was won in 1937. After that, the club fell on tough times. In 1941, Go Ahead suffered relegation to the Tweede Klasse. The following year, they promoted again. In (/wiki/1947–48NetherlandsFootballLeagueChampionship), the club became champion of the Eastern First Division for the sixteenth and final time. In the playoffs for the national championship with the other regional champions, Go Ahead finished third behind eventual champions, BVV Den Bosch, and Heerenveen.

Professionalism and Europe

The introduction of professionalism in 1954 was initially unsuccessful for Go Ahead. In 1956, the club finished second to last in the Tweede Divisie. In 1959, promotion to the Eerste Divisie was secured. On 7 October 1962, Go Ahead recorded their biggest win in club history. In Deventer the final score was 11–1 against Roda JC. Promotion to the top-tier Eredivisie followed in 1963. In the twenty-four years that followed, the club continuously played at the highest level. Especially in the second half of the sixties, Go Ahead did well in the Eredivisie. For example, from 1966 to 1969, the club finished in the top five four times in a row, with the 1967–68 season as high point when Go Ahead finished third behind Ajax and Feyenoord.

Go Ahead also had successes in the KNVB Cup in that period. The club reached the semi-finals four seasons in a row from 1965 to 1968. Those of 1966, 1967 and 1968 were lost, but in 1965, Go Ahead reached the final. This was lost 1–0 to Feijenoord, but because Feijenoord was also national champion, Go Ahead qualified for European football. In the first round, Scottish side Celtic, who would eventually go on to win the European Cup a season later, was drawn. Go Ahead lost the two legs, 0–1 and 6–0.

On 1 July 1971, the suffix "Eagles" was added, following a suggestion from then head coach Barry Hughes, as the professional department of Go Ahead separated from the parent club. The eagle is the charge in the coat of arms of the city of Deventer. The club had a strong start with their new name. Go Ahead Eagles were famously the only side to defeat Ajax in any competition during the 1971–72 season when they won 3–2 at De Adelaarshorst in the Eredivisie.

In the 1970s and early 1980s, Go Ahead Eagles was a stable Eredivisie club. Relegation followed in 1987. A short Eredivisie period followed from 1992 to 1996, but afterwards the club played in the second-tier Eerste Divisie. Partly due to the constant postponement of the construction of a new stadium, major financial concerns arose. Thanks to the help of investors, the club managed to survive in November 2003. In exchange for that help, the investors acquired 80% of the club's shares. The club is thus privately owned. The determining factor was former chairman Hans de Vroome, who owned approximately 50% of the shares.

In May 2019, Alex Kroes took over 80% of the shares of Go Ahead Eagles, becoming the new owner. On 16 May 2022, it was announced that Kroes intended to sell his share package to Kees Vierhouten – shareholder since 2021 – as of 1 July 2022, and to leave as owner of Go Ahead Eagles. In August 2022, this sale was officially endorsed by the licensing committee of the Dutch Football Association.

Recent seasons

After almost two decades in the Eerste Divisie, Go Ahead won promotion to the 2013–14 Eredivisie at the end of the 2012–13 season, winning the promotion play-offs. The club remained in the top division for the 2014–15 season, finishing 13th.

Go Ahead Eagles would compete in Europe in the 2015–16 UEFA Europa League due to the Netherlands' first place in UEFA Respect Fair Play ranking. National Fair Play winner Twente withdrew due to financial difficulties, making the place for Go Ahead Eagles. However, they also suffered relegation after losing 2–0 on aggregate to De Graafschap in the May 2015 promotion/relegation play-offs. In July 2015, they were beaten 2–5 on aggregate by Hungarian side Ferencváros in the first Europa League qualifying round with the home leg played in Emmen due to the Adelaarshorst being renovated, and the away leg without spectators because the Hungarians were serving a ban by UEFA.

The club bounced back to the Eredivisie on the first attempt in May 2016 after beating De Graafschap 5–2 on aggregate in the promotion/relegation play-offs, but were relegated again at the end of the 2016–17 season.

In May 2021, Go Ahead finished second in the Eerste Divisie, earning promotion back to the Eredivisie after four seasons in the second tier. On 21 April 2025, Go Ahead claimed their first-ever KNVB Cup.

Honours

Go Ahead Eagles

• Dutch Championship/Eredivisie • Champions (4): 1916–17, 1921–22, 1929–30, 1932–33 • Tweede Divisie • Winners (1): 1958–59 • KNVB Cup • Winners (1): 2024–25 • Runners-up: 1964–65 • Johan Cruyff Shield • Runners-up: (/wiki/2025JohanCruyffShield)

Domestic results

Go Ahead Eagles

Historical chart of league performance

Below is a table with Go Ahead Eagles' domestic results since the introduction of professional football in 1956.

<table><thead><tr><th>Go Ahead Eagles domestic results since 1956</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Domestic league</td><td>League result</td><td>Qualification to</td><td>KNVB Cup season</td><td>Cup result</td></tr><tr><td>2024–25 Eredivisie</td><td>7th</td><td>Europa League</td><td>2024–25</td><td>Winners</td></tr><tr><td>2023–24 Eredivisie</td><td>9th</td><td>Conference League (Q2)</td><td>2023–24</td><td>Round of 16</td></tr><tr><td>2022–23 Eredivisie</td><td>11th</td><td>–</td><td>2022–23</td><td>Round of 16</td></tr><tr><td>2021–22 Eredivisie</td><td>13th</td><td>–</td><td>2021–22</td><td>Semi-final</td></tr><tr><td>2020–21 Eerste Divisie</td><td>2nd</td><td>Eredivisie (promotion)</td><td>2020–21</td><td>Round of 16</td></tr><tr><td>2019–20 Eerste Divisie</td><td>6th</td><td>Season abandoned due to COVID-19 pandemic</td><td>2019–20</td><td>Quarter-final</td></tr><tr><td>2018–19 Eerste Divisie</td><td>5th</td><td>promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion</td><td>2018–19</td><td>Second round</td></tr><tr><td>2017–18 Eerste Divisie</td><td>17th</td><td>–</td><td>2017–18</td><td>Second round</td></tr><tr><td>2016–17 Eredivisie</td><td>18th</td><td>Eerste Divisie (relegation)</td><td>2016–17</td><td>Second round</td></tr><tr><td>2015–16 Eerste Divisie</td><td>5th</td><td>promotion/relegation play-offs: promotion</td><td>2015–16</td><td>Third round</td></tr><tr><td>2014–15 Eredivisie</td><td>17th</td><td>promotion/relegation play-offs: relegation</td><td>2014–15</td><td>Third round</td></tr><tr><td>2013–14 Eredivisie</td><td>13th</td><td>–</td><td>2013–14</td><td>Third round</td></tr><tr><td>2012–13 Eerste Divisie</td><td>6th</td><td>promotion/relegation play-offs: promotion</td><td>2012–13</td><td>Round of 16</td></tr><tr><td>2011–12 Eerste Divisie</td><td>9th</td><td>promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion</td><td>2011–12</td><td>Round of 16</td></tr><tr><td>2010–11 Eerste Divisie</td><td>7th</td><td>promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion</td><td>2010–11</td><td>Fourth round</td></tr><tr><td>2009–10 Eerste Divisie</td><td>5th</td><td>promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion</td><td>2009–10</td><td>Semi-final</td></tr><tr><td>2008–09 Eerste Divisie</td><td>7th</td><td>–</td><td>2008–09</td><td>Second round</td></tr><tr><td>2007–08 Eerste Divisie</td><td>10th</td><td>promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion</td><td>2007–08</td><td>Third round</td></tr><tr><td>2006–07 Eerste Divisie</td><td>7th</td><td>promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion</td><td>2006–07</td><td>Round of 16</td></tr><tr><td>2005–06 Eerste Divisie</td><td>18th</td><td>–</td><td>2005–06</td><td>Third round</td></tr><tr><td>2004–05 Eerste Divisie</td><td>17th</td><td>–</td><td>2004–05</td><td>Round of 16</td></tr><tr><td>2003–04 Eerste Divisie</td><td>9th</td><td>–</td><td>2003–04</td><td>Second round</td></tr><tr><td>2002–03 Eerste Divisie</td><td>7th</td><td>promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion</td><td>2002–03</td><td>Second round</td></tr><tr><td>2001–02 Eerste Divisie</td><td>16th</td><td>–</td><td>2001–02</td><td>Second round</td></tr><tr><td>2000–01 Eerste Divisie</td><td>6th</td><td>promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion</td><td>2000–01</td><td>Second round</td></tr><tr><td>1999–2000 Eerste Divisie</td><td>14th</td><td>–</td><td>1999–00</td><td>Round of 16</td></tr><tr><td>1998–99 Eerste Divisie</td><td>7th</td><td>–</td><td>1998–99</td><td>Round of 16</td></tr><tr><td>1997–98 Eerste Divisie</td><td>9th</td><td>–</td><td>1997–98</td><td>Group stage</td></tr><tr><td>1996–97 Eerste Divisie</td><td>6th</td><td>promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion</td><td>1996–97</td><td>Second round</td></tr><tr><td>1995–96 Eredivisie</td><td>18th</td><td>Eerste Divisie (relegation)</td><td>1995–96</td><td>Second round</td></tr><tr><td>1994–95 Eredivisie</td><td>17th</td><td>– (surviving promotion/relegation play-offs)</td><td>1994–95</td><td>Second round</td></tr><tr><td>1993–94 Eredivisie</td><td>12th</td><td>–</td><td>1993–94</td><td>Third round</td></tr><tr><td>1992–93 Eredivisie</td><td>15th</td><td>–</td><td>1992–93</td><td>Third round</td></tr><tr><td>1991–92 Eerste Divisie</td><td>11th</td><td>Eredivisie (winning prom./releg. play-offs)</td><td>1991–92</td><td>Second round</td></tr><tr><td>1990–91 Eerste Divisie</td><td>7th</td><td>–</td><td>1990–91</td><td>Second round</td></tr><tr><td>1989–90 Eerste Divisie</td><td>9th</td><td>promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion</td><td>1989–90</td><td>Second round</td></tr><tr><td>1988–89 Eerste Divisie</td><td>10th</td><td>promotion competition: no promotion</td><td>1988–89</td><td>First round</td></tr><tr><td>1987–88 Eerste Divisie</td><td>12th</td><td>–</td><td>1987–88</td><td>First round</td></tr><tr><td>1986–87 Eredivisie</td><td>16th</td><td>Eerste Divisie (relegation)</td><td>1986–87</td><td>First round</td></tr><tr><td>1985–86 Eredivisie</td><td>10th</td><td>–</td><td>1985–86</td><td>First round</td></tr><tr><td>1984–85 Eredivisie</td><td>15th</td><td>–</td><td>1984–85</td><td>Quarter-final</td></tr><tr><td>1983–84 Eredivisie</td><td>11th</td><td>–</td><td>1983–84</td><td>Second round</td></tr><tr><td>1982–83 Eredivisie</td><td>12th</td><td>–</td><td>1982–83</td><td>Quarter-final</td></tr><tr><td>1981–82 Eredivisie</td><td>10th</td><td>–</td><td>1981–82</td><td>Second round</td></tr><tr><td>1980–81 Eredivisie</td><td>12th</td><td>–</td><td>1980–81</td><td>Semi-final</td></tr><tr><td>1979–80 Eredivisie</td><td>12th</td><td>–</td><td>1979–80</td><td>Round of 16</td></tr><tr><td>1978–79 Eredivisie</td><td>9th</td><td>–</td><td>1978–79</td><td>Second round</td></tr><tr><td>1977–78 Eredivisie</td><td>16th</td><td>–</td><td>1977–78</td><td>Round of 16</td></tr><tr><td>1976–77 Eredivisie</td><td>11th</td><td>–</td><td>1976–77</td><td>Second round</td></tr><tr><td>1975–76 Eredivisie</td><td>13th</td><td>–</td><td>1975–76</td><td>Round of 16</td></tr><tr><td>1974–75 Eredivisie</td><td>12th</td><td>–</td><td>1974–75</td><td>Second round</td></tr><tr><td>1973–74 Eredivisie</td><td>10th</td><td>–</td><td>1973–74</td><td>Second round</td></tr><tr><td>1972–73 Eredivisie</td><td>14th</td><td>–</td><td>1972–73</td><td>Second round</td></tr><tr><td>1971–72 Eredivisie</td><td>9th</td><td>–</td><td>1971–72</td><td>Round of 16</td></tr><tr><td>1970–71 Eredivisie</td><td>7th</td><td>–</td><td>1970–71</td><td>Second round</td></tr><tr><td>1969–70 Eredivisie</td><td>7th</td><td>–</td><td>1969–70</td><td>Round of 16</td></tr><tr><td>1968–69 Eredivisie</td><td>4th</td><td>–</td><td>1968–69</td><td>Second round</td></tr><tr><td>1967–68 Eredivisie</td><td>3rd</td><td>–</td><td>1967–68</td><td>Semi-final</td></tr><tr><td>1966–67 Eredivisie</td><td>5th</td><td>–</td><td>1966–67</td><td>Semi-final</td></tr><tr><td>1965–66 Eredivisie</td><td>5th</td><td>–</td><td>1965–66</td><td>Semi-final</td></tr><tr><td>1964–65 Eredivisie</td><td>11th</td><td>Cup Winners' Cup</td><td>1964–65</td><td>Final</td></tr><tr><td>1963–64 Eredivisie</td><td>12th</td><td>–</td><td>1963–64</td><td>Second round</td></tr><tr><td>1962–63 Eerste Divisie</td><td>2nd</td><td>Eredivisie (promotion)</td><td>1962–63</td><td>Third round</td></tr><tr><td>1961–62 Eerste Divisie</td><td>4th (group A)</td><td>–</td><td>1961–62</td><td>?</td></tr><tr><td>1960–61 Eerste Divisie</td><td>15th (group B)</td><td>–</td><td>1960–61</td><td>?</td></tr><tr><td>1959–60 Eerste Divisie</td><td>10th (group B)</td><td>–</td><td>not held</td><td>not held</td></tr><tr><td>1958–59 Tweede Divisie</td><td>1st (group B)</td><td>Eerste Divisie (promotion)</td><td>1958–59</td><td>?</td></tr><tr><td>1957–58 Tweede Divisie</td><td>3rd (group B)</td><td>–</td><td>1957–58</td><td>?</td></tr><tr><td>1956–57 Tweede Divisie</td><td>13th (group A)</td><td>–</td><td>1956–57</td><td>?</td></tr></tbody></table>

European record

Go Ahead Eagles

<table><thead><tr><th>Competition</th><th>Round</th><th>Opponent</th><th>Home</th><th>Away</th><th>Aggregate</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1965–66 European Cup Winners' Cup</td><td>R1</td><td>Celtic</td><td>0–6</td><td>0–1</td><td>0–7</td></tr><tr><td>1967 Intertoto Cup</td><td>Group A4</td><td>Lierse</td><td>1–2</td><td>0–2</td><td>4th out of 4</td></tr><tr><td>Rouen</td><td>5–0</td><td>3–4</td></tr><tr><td>Grenchen</td><td>3–1</td><td>0–2</td></tr><tr><td>1969 Intertoto Cup</td><td>Group 2</td><td>Szombierki Bytom</td><td>2–2</td><td>0–1</td><td>3rd out of 4</td></tr><tr><td>Östers IF</td><td>1–1</td><td>2–3</td></tr><tr><td>Lugano</td><td>1–1</td><td>4–0</td></tr><tr><td>1984 Intertoto Cup</td><td>Group 4</td><td>Standard Liège</td><td>1–1</td><td>2–4</td><td>4th out of 4</td></tr><tr><td>OB</td><td>1–1</td><td>0–3</td></tr><tr><td>Eintracht Braunschweig</td><td>2–1</td><td>1–2</td></tr><tr><td>2015–16 UEFA Europa League</td><td>QR1</td><td>Ferencváros</td><td>1–1</td><td>1–4</td><td>2–5</td></tr><tr><td>2024–25 UEFA Conference League</td><td>QR2</td><td>Brann</td><td>0–0</td><td>1–2</td><td>1–2</td></tr><tr><td>2025–26 UEFA Europa League</td><td>League phase</td><td>FCSB</td><td>0–1</td><td>—N/a</td><td>28th out of 36</td></tr><tr><td>Panathinaikos</td><td>—N/a</td><td>2–1</td></tr><tr><td>Aston Villa</td><td>2–1</td><td>—N/a</td></tr><tr><td>Red Bull Salzburg</td><td>—N/a</td><td>0–2</td></tr><tr><td>VfB Stuttgart</td><td>0–4</td><td>—N/a</td></tr><tr><td>Lyon</td><td>—N/a</td><td>1–2</td></tr><tr><td>Nice</td><td>—N/a</td><td>1–3</td></tr><tr><td>Braga</td><td>0–0</td><td>—N/a</td></tr></tbody></table>

Rivalries

Go Ahead Eagles

Go Ahead Eagles' biggest rivals are PEC Zwolle. Both clubs are located close to the river IJssel, hence the name IJssel-derby for their encounters. Other teams who share a rivalry with Go Ahead Eagles include FC Twente and De Graafschap. Go Ahead Eagles fans maintain a friendly relationship with English team Luton Town.

Current squad

Go Ahead Eagles

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

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
1	GK	GER	Luca Plogmann
2	DF	ISL	Alfons Sampsted
3	DF	GER	Gerrit Nauber
4	DF	NED	Joris Kramer
5	DF	IDN	Dean James
7	FW	DEN	Jakob Breum
8	MF	NED	Evert Linthorst
9	FW	ISL	Stefán Ingi Sigurdarson
10	FW	DEN	Søren Tengstedt
11	FW	NOR	Oskar Sivertsen
15	MF	NED	Robbin Weijenberg
16	FW	SWE	Victor Edvardsen
17	MF	BEL	Mathis Suray
18	FW	SUR	Richonell Margaret
19	FW	NED	Jaden Slory (on loan from Feyenoord)
No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
20	DF	NED	Eus Waayers
21	MF	NED	Melle Meulensteen
22	GK	BEL	Jari De Busser
23	FW	BEL	Thibo Baeten
24	MF	NED	Kenzo Goudmijn (on loan from Derby County)
25	DF	NED	Giovanni van Zwam
26	DF	NED	Julius Dirksen
27	FW	NED	Finn Stokkers
28	DF	NED	Pim Saathof
29	DF	DEN	Aske Adelgaard
30	GK	NED	Sven Jansen
32	FW	GHA	Ofosu Boakye
33	GK	NED	Nando Verdoni
34	MF	NED	Yassir Salah Rahmouni

Out on loan

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

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
—	DF	NED	Luca Everink (on loan at Emmen until the end of the 2025–26 season)
—	MF	BEL	Xander Blomme (on loan at Eindhoven until the end of the 2025–26 season)
No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
—	MF	NED	Calvin Twigt (on loan at Willem II until the end of the 2025–26 season)
—	FW	NED	Milan Smit (on loan at Stoke City until the end of the 2025–26 season)

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 Go Ahead Eagles:

• Players in bold actively play for Go Ahead Eagles and for their respective national teams. Years in brackets indicate careerspan with Go Ahead Eagles.

National team players by Confederation

Member associations are listed in order of most to least amount of current and former Go Ahead Eagles players represented Internationally

Confederation	Total	(Nation) Association
AFC	4	Indonesia (4), Malaysia (1), Australia (1)
CAF	5	Nigeria (2), Cape Verde (1), Comoros (1), Togo (1)
CONCACAF	3	Curaçao (2), Suriname (1)
CONMEBOL	0
OFC	0
UEFA	21	Netherlands (11), Denmark (2), Estonia (2), Finland (2), Moldova (2), Faroe Islands (1), Iceland (1)

Players in international tournaments

Go Ahead Eagles

The following is a list of Go Ahead Eagles players who have competed in international tournaments, including the FIFA World Cup, UEFA European Championship, Africa Cup of Nations, CONCACAF Gold Cup, and the Caribbean Cup. To this date no Go Ahead Eagles players have participated in the AFC Asian Cup, or the OFC Nations Cup while playing for Go Ahead Eagles.

Cup	Players
1934 FIFA World Cup	Leo Halle
UEFA Euro 1976	Peter Arntz
1994 Africa Cup of Nations	Peter Rufai
1994 FIFA World Cup	Peter Rufai
2017 Caribbean Cup	Jarchinio Antonia
2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup	Jarchinio Antonia
2021 Africa Cup of Nations	Yacine Bourhane

Coaching staff

Go Ahead Eagles

Position	Name
Head coach	Melvin Boel
Assistant Coach	Henk den Bruggen
Goalkeeping Coach	Matthijs Hoorstwald
Fitness Coach	Maurits Thijkhuis
Trainer scout	Frank Berghuis
Opponent Analyst	Gert Jan Karsten
Scout	Jan Groeneweg Dennis Hulshoff Jules Reimerink
Sports Scientist	Tim van der Meulen
Physiotherapist	Frank Nab
Secretary	Adrie Steenbergen
Kit Manager	Carla Whittie-Bruggeman
Academy Manager	Eric Whittie
Team Manager	Alfred Knippenberg
Technical Director	Paul Bosvelt