FK Crvena Zvezda
Serbian football team.
Crvena Zvezda, also known as Red Star Belgrade, is a professional football club based in Belgrade, Serbia. Founded in 1945, the club has become one of the most successful and popular teams in Serbian and former Yugoslav football. Red Star plays its home games at the Rajko Mitić Stadium, also known as the Marakana, which has a capacity of 53,000 spectators. The club's colors are red and white, earning them the nickname "Crveno-beli" (The Red-Whites).
Throughout its history, Red Star has won 33 national league titles (19 Yugoslav and 14 Serbian), 25 national cups, and 3 national super cups. Their most significant achievement came in 1991 when they won the European Cup (now UEFA Champions League) by defeating Olympique de Marseille in the final. This victory was followed by winning the Intercontinental Cup the same year, making Red Star one of only two Eastern European clubs to be crowned world champions.
Red Star's success in the early 1990s was built on a golden generation of players, including Dejan Savićević, Robert Prosinečki, and Siniša Mihajlović. This team is widely regarded as one of the best in the club's history and one of the finest Eastern European teams of all time. The club has a fierce rivalry with Partizan Belgrade, with their matches known as the "Eternal Derby."
In European competitions, Red Star has been a regular participant in the UEFA Champions League and Europa League qualifiers in recent years. They have achieved some notable results, including victories over Liverpool and Napoli, and have reached the group stages of the Champions League in recent seasons.
The club's supporters, known as Delije, are renowned for their passionate and vocal support. They create an intimidating atmosphere at the Marakana, making it one of the most feared venues for away teams in European football.
Red Star has faced financial challenges in recent years, like many clubs in Eastern Europe. However, they have managed to remain competitive domestically and have made efforts to comply with UEFA Financial Fair Play regulations.
In recent seasons, Red Star has dominated Serbian football, winning multiple league titles in succession. With their rich history and continued success, Red Star remains one of the most important and influential clubs in Eastern European football.