Bologna FC 1909

Founding and Early Years

Bologna FC 1909 was founded on 3 October 1909 at the Birreria Ronzani in Bologna, as the football section of the Circolo Turistico Bolognese, making it one of the oldest clubs in Italy. It adopted red and blue as its colours, earning its players the nickname "Rossoblù."

Club Evolution

Bologna play at the Stadio Renato Dall'Ara, inaugurated in 1927 as the Stadio Littoriale and renamed in 1984 in tribute to the club's historic president. The club enjoyed its golden age between the 1920s and 1940s, a period during which it became one of the very top powers in Italian football.

Great Managers

Herman Felsner won four Scudetti with the club (1924-25, 1928-29, 1938-39, 1940-41). Árpád Weisz, who arrived in 1935, added two further titles (1935-36, 1936-37) as well as a continental trophy in 1937, before being forced to flee Italy in 1938 under the Fascist racial laws; he died at Auschwitz in 1944. This era is still celebrated as that of the "squadrone che tremare il mondo fa" (the squad that makes the world tremble).

Iconic Players

Angelo Schiavio, the club's all-time top scorer with 242 goals, won four Scudetti and the 1934 World Cup with Italy. Giacomo Bulgarelli, the iconic captain of the 1960s-70s, holds the club's all-time appearance record. Roberto Baggio, in his sole 1997-98 season, scored 22 Serie A goals, a personal career best.

Major Achievements

Bologna have won seven Italian league titles (1924-25, 1928-29, 1935-36, 1936-37, 1938-39, 1940-41, 1963-64) and three Coppa Italia titles, the most recent in 2025 against AC Milan, 51 years after their previous triumph. The club also won the Paris Exposition Trophy in 1937.

The Club Today

Led by Domenico Tedesco and chaired by Joey Saputo since 2014, Bologna are living through the most successful period in their recent history: Champions League qualification in 2024-25, Coppa Italia victory in 2025, and a Europa League quarter-final run in 2025-26.