SBV Vitesse
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SBV Vitesse

Stichting Betaald Voetbal Vitesse Arnhem, commonly known as Vitesse (Dutch pronunciation: [viˈtɛsə]) or internationally as Vitesse Arnhem, is a Dutch football club based in Arnhem, Gelderland. Founded on 14 May 1892, it is one of the oldest professional clubs in the Netherlands. Vitesse last competed in the Eerste Divisie, the second tier of the Dutch football league system. Vitesse lost its professional football license in July 2025, but regained it in an appeal in September.

The club experienced its most sustained success in the 1990s, with a highest-ever finish of third place in the 1997–98 Eredivisie season. Vitesse have qualified for European competitions and won their first major trophy in 2017, lifting the KNVB Cup after a 2–0 victory over AZ Alkmaar. They were also cup finalists in 1912, 1927, 1990 and 2021.

Since 1998, Vitesse have played their home matches at the GelreDome, a 21,000-seat stadium featuring a retractable roof and pitch. Former players including Phillip Cocu, Roy Makaay, Nemanja Matić, Wilfried Bony, Martin Ødegaard and Mason Mount.

Vitesse, founded in 1892, is the second oldest professional football club still in professional football in the Netherlands, after Sparta Rotterdam who were formed in 1888. The roots of Vitesse actually pre-date Sparta by a year as in 1887, a club with the name "Arnhemsche cricket- en voetbalvereeniging Vitesse" was formed by a group of high school students who played their sport on the Rijnkade, overlooking the River Rhine in the city centre. Reluctant to choose a Latin or English name for the club as they felt those languages were too elitist, they picked the French word Vitesse, meaning "speed".

In 1891 the club disbanded as they were no longer able to find anywhere suitable to play cricket after a velodrome was built on their usual playing field in the Klarenbeek Park. The following year a group of wealthy students resurrected the sports club, this time with the name AVC (Arnhemse Voetbal en Cricketclub) Vitesse. In the summer they played cricket and in the winter football. At the end of 1892, Vitesse played its first real football match, and in 1894 Vitesse disbanded the cricket branch. In 1895 and 1896 Vitesse became champions of the Gelderland competition. From the foundation of the Netherlands national football championship in 1898 until 1954, the title was decided by play-offs by a handful of clubs who had previously won their regional league. Vitesse lost the final of the national championship six times (1898, 1899, 1903, 1913, 1914 and 1915).

In 1912, Vitesse reached the final of the Dutch Cup Tournament for the first time. Vitesse lost the final with 0–2 from HFC Haarlem. In this period Vitesse had top players, likes Willem Hesselink and Just Göbel. These players were also active in the Netherlands national team. In 1914 John William Sutcliffe became the first foreign trainer.

During World War II, Vitesse did not play-official matches because playing football in the open air was forbidden. During the Battle of Arnhem, the residents of the city were forcibly evicted from their homes, allowing the Germans to turn the north bank of the Rhine into a heavily defended line. Residents were not allowed to return home without a permit and most did not return until after the war. The football field and clubhouse was completely destroyed. The damage was repaired in the years after the liberation.

In 1984 it was decided to divide the professional and amateur sections of the club. The professional section was renamed SBV (Stichting Betaald Voetbal – "Professional Football Foundation") Vitesse whilst the amateur section became "Vitesse 1892", which lasted until they went bankrupt in 2009.

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