Grasshopper Club Zurich

Grasshopper Club Zurich
Full nameGrasshopper Club Zurich
NicknameGrasshoppers or Hoppers
Short nameGC, GCZ, Grasshoppers
Founded1 September 1886 (1886-09-01)
GroundLetzigrund
Capacity26,104
OwnerLAFC Group[1][2]
PresidentStacy Johns
Sporting directorAlain Sutter
CoachGerald Scheiblehner
LeagueSwiss Super League
2024–2511th of 12
Websitegcz.ch
Away colours

Grasshopper Club Zurich (GCZ), commonly referred to as Grasshopper Club or simply just GC, is a professional multisports club based in Zurich, Switzerland. They are nicknamed the jendehs or sometimes just Hoppers. The oldest and best-known department of the club is its football team. With 27 league titles, the Grasshoppers hold the records for winning the most national championships and the Swiss Cups, with 19 trophies in the latter.[3] The club is the oldest football team in Zurich and maintains a substantial rivalry with FC Zurich.[4]

The origin of Grasshoppers name is unknown, although the most common explanation refers to its early players' energetic post-goal celebrations and that their style of play was nimble and energetic.[5]

After a number of appearances in European Cups and the UEFA Champions League, the Grasshopper Club has become one of Switzerland's most recognizable football clubs. Today, in addition to its main football squad, the club has competitive professional and youth teams in rowing, ice hockey, handball, lawn tennis, court tennis, field hockey, curling, basketball, rugby, squash, floorball and beach soccer.[6]

History

Chart of GCZ table positions in the Swiss football league system

Grasshopper Club Zurich was founded on 1 September 1886 by Tom E. Griffith, an English student. In 1893, the Grasshopper Club became the first Swiss team to play in (what was then) Germany, defeating Strasbourg 1–0. The first Swiss championships (then called "Serie A") were held in 1897–98 and were won by the Grasshoppers, as was the first championship played using a league system in 1899–1900.[7]

Their biggest European success to date came in the 1977–78 UEFA Cup where they reached the semi-final against French side Bastia. After a 3–2 win at home, they traveled to Corsica for the second leg but lost 0–1 and were eliminated due to the away goal rule.

In 1997, the Grasshopper Club was 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.[8]

Their to date last Swiss championship title was won in 2003. In 2013, the Grasshoppers ended a ten-year trophy drought with a penalty shoot-out victory over Basel in the Swiss Cup final. It would be the last trophy won for over a decade.

In 2019, the Grasshoppers were relegated to the second division for the first time in 68 years.[9]

In April 2020, it was revealed that the Hong Kong–based Champion Union HK Holding Limited had acquired 90% of GC shares.[10]

On 17 January 2024, a long-term partnership with MLS side Los Angeles FC was announced, with LAFC acquiring over 90% of the shares from the previous owners, Champion Union.[1][2]

Stadium and grounds

Since September 2007, Grasshopper Club Zurich has played all of its home matches in the Letzigrund stadium which is the regular home ground of FC Zurich. After the completion of the new Stadion Zurich (currently in planning stage), both teams are expected to play there.

From 1929 to 2007, the Grasshopper Club had their own home ground in the Hardturm stadium, however, this was demolished in December 2008. Before 1929, home matches were played at various other venues.

Training facilities and their football academy are located in Niederhasli, where in 2005 the club opened a comprehensive facility including five practice pitches, apartments for youth players and offices.

Rivalries

FC Zurich

FC Zurich was founded ten years after GC in 1896. A year later, the first derby between the two Zurich clubs was held as part of the first Swiss championship, where GC defeated FC Zurich 7–2. As the two teams did not always play in the same league, it would take nearly 70 years until the 100th derby. To date, 251 official derbies have been held, with GC leading with 121 wins to FC Zurich's 90, leaving 39 draws.

The 2 October 2011 Swiss league match between the two teams is known by Swiss media as the "Disgrace of Zurich", due to rioting by FC Zurich fans. The violence followed Grasshopper supporters stealing FC Zurich fan banners and displaying them in their own section with a message mocking FC Zurich.

Basel

Basel has long been a rival to GC, owing largely to the rivalry between the two cities. As a result, games between Grasshoppers and Basel are also often heated games, often leading to clashes between fans.

From the late 60s to the early 80s, both GC and Basel had numerous Swiss championship victories. However, in 1988, Basel was relegated to the Nationalliga B. The rivalry flared up at the beginning of the 21st century, when FCB's improved performance has made them a mainstay at the top the Swiss league. However, with FCB's rise came GC's downfall and the rivalry has become largely one-sided. The most recent notable meeting between the two teams was the Swiss Cup Final in 2013, where Grasshoppers were able to beat Basel in penalties, with a score of 1–1 after extra time.

Honours

National

League

  • Swiss Championship
    • Champions (27): 1897–98, 1899–1900, 1900–01, 1904–05, 1920–21, 1926–27, 1927–28, 1930–31, 1936–37, 1938–39, 1941–42, 1942–43, 1944–45, 1951–52, 1955–56, 1970–71, 1977–78, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1997–98, 2000–01, 2002–03 (record)
    • Runner-up (21): 1925–16, 1928–29, 1929–30, 1932–33, 1933–34, 1937–38, 1953–54, 1956–57, 1957–58, 1967–68, 1972–73, 1973–74, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1986–87, 1988–89, 1993–94, 1998–99, 2001–02, 2012–13, 2013–14
  • Nationalliga B/Challenge League
    • Winners (2): 1950–51, 2020–21

Cups

  • Swiss Cup
    • Winners (19): 1925–26, 1926–27, 1931–32, 1933–34, 1936–37, 1937–38, 1939–40, 1940–41, 1941–42, 1942–43, 1945–46, 1951–52, 1955–56, 1982–83, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1993–94, 2012–13 (record)
    • Runner-up (13): 1927–28, 1930–31, 1932–33, 1948–49, 1952–53, 1957–58, 1962–63, 1977–78, 1992–93, 1994–95, 1998–99, 2001–02, 2003–04
  • Swiss League Cup
    • Winners: 1973, 1974–75
    • Runner-up: 1977–78, 1979–80
  • Swiss Super Cup
    • Winners: 1989
    • Runner-up: 1988, 1990

European

Players

Current squad

As of 6 January 2026[11]

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  SUI Nicolas Glaus
2 DF  NED Dirk Abels (3rd captain)
3 DF  SUI Saulo Decarli (vice-captain)
4 DF  BIH Luka Mikulić
5 MF  BEN Hassane Imourane
6 MF  ALB Amir Abrashi (captain)
7 FW  ENG Luke Plange
8 DF  SUI Tim Meyer
9 FW  SUI Nikolas Muci
10 MF  DEN Jonathan Asp Jensen (on loan from Bayern Munich)
11 MF  CIV Salifou Diarrassouba
14 MF  CRO Lovro Zvonarek (on loan from Bayern Munich)
15 DF  MLI Abdoulaye Diaby
16 MF  ITA Matteo Mantini
17 MF  ESP Óscar Clemente
No. Pos. Nation Player
18 FW  KOR Lee Young-jun
19 FW  SUI Emmanuel Tsimba (on loan from Young Boys)
21 MF  SUI Leart Kabashi
22 DF  ITA Pantaleo Creti
28 DF  SUI Simone Stroscio
30 DF  KOS Ismajl Beka
31 DF  AUT Maximilian Ullmann
34 DF  SUI Allan Arigoni
50 GK  KOS Laurent Seji
51 DF  SUI Loris Giandomenico
52 MF  SUI Samuel Marques
58 DF  GER Yannick Bettkober
71 GK  SUI Justin Hammel
73 DF  ITA Dorian Paloschi
— DF  KOS Florian Hoxha

Academy players with first-team contracts

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
54 FW  SUI Samuel Krasniqi
57 DF  ALB Elvir Zukaj
60 MF  SUI Samuele Bengondo
— GK  SUI Orlando Gyr
— GK  SUI Mark Mihaljevic
— DF  KOS Sead Ahmeti
— DF  GER Maher Darwich
— DF  SUI Diego Poloni
— DF  SUI Livio Spring
— DF  KOS Davud Sylaj
No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF  SUI Tariq Blake
— MF  KOS Dardan Destani
— MF  SUI Eliano Guido
— MF  KOS Dior Gerbovci
— MF  BEL Christian Kouam
— MF  SUI Nahom Tesfom
— FW  IRL Tom Bloxham
— FW  SUI Gabriel González
— FW  GER Maksim Kličković
— FW  POR Miguel Martins

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
27 FW  ARG Tomás Verón Lupi (at Nacional until 31 December 2026)
— DF  SUI Joachim Williamson (at Inter Milan U20 until 30 June 2026)
— FW  GAM Alieu Conateh (at Amstetten until 30 June 2026)

Women's team

The women's division was founded in 2009, when GC/Schwerzenbach (originally FFC Schwerzenbach) was absorbed into the club.

As of 1 October 2025[12]

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  SUI Isabel Rutishauser
4 MF  SUI Victoria Laino
6 DF  SUI Luna Lempérière (captain)
7 FW  SUI Janina Egli
8 MF  CRO Ella Ljuština
9 MF  ALB Qendresa Krasniqi
10 MF  SUI Yllka Kadriu
11 FW  AUT Noémie Potier
12 FW  JAM Kayla McKenna
13 DF  SUI Leandra Flury
14 FW  ITA Nicole Arcangeli
15 MF  ESP Marta Cazalla
16 FW  SUI Emanuela Pfister
17 MF  SUI Yade Bayrakdar
18 DF  SUI Luana Valsangiacomo
19 FW  SUI Ramona Kannady
20 MF  MAR Imane Touriss
No. Pos. Nation Player
21 DF  SUI Emma Egli
22 DF  FRA Morgane Nicoli
23 DF  SUI Viola Avduli
24 MF  SUI Giulia Looser
25 MF  FRA Landryna Lushimba Bilombi
26 MF  SUI Laura Kott
27 DF  SUI Melanie Müller
28 FW  SVN Nina Predanič
29 DF  SUI Valentina Gerlof
30 MF  POR Rita Almeida
32 MF  GER Michelle Storni
33 MF  SUI Rebecca Villena
35 DF  GER Laeticia Tyla
41 GK  SUI Yara Zwyssig
90 FW  ARG Dalila Ippólito
99 GK  USA Lauren Kozal

Notable former players

Players for the Swiss national football team

  • Switzerland Alfred "Fredy" Bickel
  • Switzerland Thomas Bickel
  • Switzerland Stéphane Chapuisat
  • Switzerland Patrick de Napoli
  • Switzerland Ricardo Cabanas
  • Switzerland Diego Benaglio
  • Switzerland Christoph Spycher
  • Switzerland Christian Gross
  • Switzerland Marcel Koller
  • Switzerland Stephan Lichtsteiner
  • Switzerland Patrick Müller
  • Switzerland Boris Smiljanić
  • Switzerland Roman Bürki
  • Switzerland Pajtim Kasami
  • Switzerland Ciriaco Sforza
  • Switzerland Alain Sutter
  • Switzerland Kubilay Türkyilmaz
  • Switzerland Johann Vogel
  • Switzerland Eldin Jakupović
  • Switzerland Blaise Nkufo
  • Switzerland Yann Sommer
  • Switzerland Hakan Yakin
  • Switzerland Murat Yakin
  • Switzerland Reto Ziegler
  • Switzerland Raimondo Ponte
  • Switzerland Claudio Sulser
  • Switzerland Stéphane Grichting
  • Switzerland Haris Seferovic
  • Switzerland Philippe Senderos
  • Switzerland Bernt Haas

Players with World Cup appearances for their national teams

  • Austria Kurt Jara
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina Izet Hajrović
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina Senad Lulić
  • Germany Günter Netzer
  • Iran Daniel Davari
  • Italy Vittorio Pozzo
  • New Zealand Wynton Rufer
  • Nigeria Efan Ekoku
  • Nigeria Femi Opabunmi
  • Peru Franco Navarro
  • Poland Tomasz Rząsa
  • Romania Viorel Moldovan
  • Scotland Tosh McKinlay
  • Senegal Papa Bouba Diop
  • Senegal Henri Camara
  • Sweden Ove Grahn
  • Sweden Mats Gren
  • Sweden Kim Källström

Coaching staff

List of coaches (since 1925)

  • Hungary Izidor "Dori" Kürschner (1925–34)
  • Austria Karl Rappan (1935–48)
  • Switzerland Gerhard "Hardy" Walter (1948–50)
  • Germany Willi Treml (1950–55)
  • Austria Willi Hahnemann (1955–58)
  • Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Svetislav Glišović (1958)
  • Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Antun Pogačnik and Switzerland Alfred "Fredy" Bickel (1958–60)
  • Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Branislav Vukosavljević (1960–63)
  • Switzerland Alfred "Fredy" Bickel (1963–64)
  • Germany Albert Sing (1964–66)
  • Switzerland Walter Brunner and Switzerland Werner Schley (1966–67)
  • France Henri Skiba (1967–69)
  • Switzerland Walter Brunner and Switzerland Werner Schley (1969–70)
  • Switzerland René Hüssy (1970–73)
  • Switzerland Erich Vogel and Hungary István Szabó (1973–76)
  • Germany Helmuth Johannsen (1 July 1976 – 30 June 1979)
  • Germany Jürgen Sundermann (1 July 1979 – 30 June 1980)
  • Germany Friedhelm Konietzka (1980–82)
  • Germany Hennes Weisweiler (1 July 1982 – 5 July 1983)
  • Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Miroslav Blažević (1983 – 30 June 1985)
  • Germany Friedhelm Konietzka (1985–86)
  • Austria Kurt Jara (1 November 1986 – 30 June 1988)
  • Germany Ottmar Hitzfeld (1 July 1988 – 30 June 1991)
  • Czechoslovakia Oldrich Svab (1991–92)
  • Netherlands Leo Beenhakker (1 July 1992 – 30 June 1993)
  • Switzerland Christian Gross (1 July 1993 – 23 November 1997)
  • Switzerland Hanspeter Latour (interim) (1997)
  • Austria Rolf Fringer (1 January 1998 – 17 December 1998)
  • Switzerland Roger Hegi (1 January 1999 – 1 August 1999)
  • England Roy Hodgson (1 July 1999 – 30 June 2000)
  • Netherlands Piet Hamberg (interim) (2000)
  • Switzerland Hanspeter Zaugg (22 June 2000 – 8 January 2002)
  • Switzerland Marcel Koller (1 January 2002 – 2 October 2003)
  • Argentina Carlos Bernegger (interim) (3 October 2003 – 22 December 2003)
  • Switzerland Alain Geiger (23 December 2003 – 4 October 2004)
  • Argentina Carlos Bernegger (interim) (4 October 2004 – 31 December 2004)
  • Bulgaria Krassimir Balakov (16 January 2006 – 21 May 2007)
  • Argentina Carlos Bernegger (interim) (2007)
  • Switzerland Hanspeter Latour (1 July 2007 – 30 June 2009)
  • Switzerland Ciriaco Sforza (1 July 2009 – 15 April 2012)
  • Switzerland Uli Forte (16 April 2012 – 30 June 2013)
  • Germany Michael Skibbe (1 July 2013 – 8 January 2015)
  • Switzerland Pierluigi Tami (15 January 2015 – 12 March 2017)
  • Argentina Carlos Bernegger (12 March 2017 – 24 August 2017)
  • Switzerland Murat Yakin (28 August 2017 – 10 April 2018)
  • Switzerland Mathias Walther (10 April 2018 – 23 April 2018) (caretaker)
  • Germany Thorsten Fink (23 April 2018 – 4 March 2019)
  • Croatia Tomislav Stipic (6 March 2019 – 9 April 2019)
  • Switzerland Uli Forte (9 April 2019 – 7 February 2020)
  • Austria Goran Djuricin (10 February 2020 – 15 May 2020)
  • Romania Zoltán Kádár (15 May 2020 – 5 August 2020) (caretaker)
  • Portugal João Carlos Pereira (6 August 2020 – 5 May 2021)
  • Romania Zoltán Kádár (5 May 2021 – 9 June 2021) (caretaker)
  • Switzerland Giorgio Contini (9 June 2021 – 9 June 2023)[22]
  • Switzerland Bruno Berner (9 June 2023 – 9 April 2024)[23]
  • Switzerland Marco Schällibaum (10 April 2024 – 5 November 2024)[24]
  • Switzerland Giuseppe Morello (5 November 2024 – 19 November 2024) (caretaker)[25]
  • Germany Tomas Oral (19 November 2024 – 1 July 2025)[26]
  • Austria Gerald Scheiblehner (1 July 2025 – present)[14]

Organisation

As of 4 June 2025[27]
Board of Directors
Position Name Since
President United States Stacy Johns 01/2024[1]
Vice-president Switzerland András Gurovits 07/2023
Board member United States Larry Freedman 01/2024[1]
Management
Sporting director Switzerland Alain Sutter 05/2025[28]
Chief Business Officer Switzerland Christoph Urech 06/2025[29]
Head of Finance Switzerland Roland Gebhard 02/2023
Director of Football Operations Germany Ramin Pandji 10/2025[30]

See also

  • History of Grasshopper Club Zurich
  • Grasshopper Club Zurich in European football
  • Zurich Derby
  • Hardturm and Letzigrund

References

  1. ^ a b c d "LAFC and Grasshopper Club Zürich form Partnership". Grasshopper Club Zürich. 17 January 2024. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  2. ^ a b "LAFC And Grasshopper Club Zürich Form Long-Term Strategic Partnership". Los Angeles FC. 17 January 2024. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  3. ^ "Vilotić seals Swiss Cup success for Grasshoppers". UEFA. 20 May 2013. Archived from the original on 11 September 2018. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
  4. ^ "The great Zurich divide". FIFA. Archived from the original on 30 May 2013. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
  5. ^ "GESCHICHTE DES GRASSHOPPER CLUB ZÜRICH". GCZ. Archived from the original on 7 January 2016. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
  6. ^ "Sektionen". GCZ. Archived from the original on 15 June 2013. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
  7. ^ "Grasshopper Club Zürich". FIFA. Archived from the original on 7 October 2012. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
  8. ^ "White Papers – Resource Library". TechRepublic. Archived from the original on 18 January 2021. Retrieved 24 August 2006.
  9. ^ Homewood, Brian (16 May 2019). "Relegation completes demise of most successful Swiss club". Reuters. Archived from the original on 27 June 2019. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  10. ^ Thomas Schifferle (9 April 2020). "Chinesen übernehmen GC". Tages Anzeiger. Archived from the original on 7 January 2022. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  11. ^ Zürich, Grasshopper Club. "Kader – Grasshopper Club Zürich". www.gcz.ch. Archived from the original on 27 July 2019. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
  12. ^ "Kader". www.gcfrauenfussball.ch. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  13. ^ "Staff – Grasshopper Club Zürich". www.gcz.ch. Grasshopper Club Zürich. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  14. ^ a b c d "Gerald Scheiblehner ist neuer Trainer beim Grasshopper Club Zürich" (in Swiss High German). Grasshopper Club Zurich. 24 June 2025. Retrieved 24 June 2025.
  15. ^ "START OF TRAINING & COACHING STAFF & COMPLETION". Grasshopper Club Zürich. 19 June 2024. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
  16. ^ Zürich, Grasshopper Club. "Youth Performance Center – Grasshopper Club Zürich". www.gcz.ch. Archived from the original on 17 August 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
  17. ^ a b "New management structure for the youth division". www.gcz.ch. Grasshopper Club Zürich. 29 May 2024. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
  18. ^ "SASCHA MÜLLER NEW TALENT MANAGER AT GC ZURICH". www.gcz.ch. Grasshopper Club Zürich. 22 March 2023. Archived from the original on 22 March 2023. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  19. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Saisonauftakt für den Nachwuchs des GC Zürich". www.gcz.ch. Grasshopper Club Zürich. 9 August 2024. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
  20. ^ "Dominik Probst appointed as new U19 head coach". www.gcz.ch. Grasshopper Club Zürich. 4 June 2024. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  21. ^ "GC ZÜRICH STARTET SAISON MIT NEUEN NACHWUCHSTRAINERN". www.gcz.ch. Grasshopper Club Zürich. 4 July 2023. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  22. ^ Thomas Schifferle (9 June 2021). "Giorgio Contini neuer Cheftrainer bei GC". Grasshopper Club Zürich. Archived from the original on 9 June 2021. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
  23. ^ "BRUNO BERNER BECOMES THE NEW HEAD COACH". Grasshopper Club Zürich. 9 June 2023. Archived from the original on 10 June 2023. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  24. ^ "Marco Schällibaum appointed new Head Coach at GC Zurich". Grasshopper Club Zürich. 10 April 2024. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  25. ^ "GC Zurich parts ways with Marco Schällibaum". Grasshopper Club Zürich. 5 November 2024. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  26. ^ "GC Zurich verpflichtet Cheftrainer Tomas Oral" (in Swiss High German). Grasshopper Club Zürich. 19 November 2024. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  27. ^ "Organisation – Grasshopper Club Zürich". www.gcz.ch. Grasshopper Club Zürich. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  28. ^ "Alain Sutter wird neuer Sportchef beim GCZ" [Alain Sutter will be the new sporting director at GCZ] (in Swiss High German). Grasshopper Club Zürich. 5 May 2024. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
  29. ^ "GC Zürich setzt auf nachhaltige Investitionen und Swissness". Grasshopper Club Zürich. 4 June 2025. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
  30. ^ "GC Zürich verpflichtet Ramin Pandji als Director of Football Operations". Grasshopper Club Zürich. 2 October 2025. Retrieved 2 October 2025.
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