Debreceni VSC

Debreceni Vasutas Sport Club is a Hungarian professional football club based in Debrecen that competes in the Nemzeti Bajnokság I, the first tier of Hungarian football.^[1] They are best known internationally for reaching the group stages of the UEFA Champions League in the 2009–10 season.^[2] Debrecen have become the most successful club in Hungary since 2000, winning the Hungarian League seven times.^[3]

Debreceni VSC

Full name	Debreceni Vasutas Sport Club
Nickname(s)	Loki
Short name	DVSC
Founded	12 March 1902; 123 years ago (1902-03-12)
Ground	Nagyerdei Stadion
Capacity	20,340
Chairman	Ike Thierry Zaengel
Manager	Nestor El Maestro
League	NB I
2023–24	NBI, 5th of 12
Website	www.dvsc.hu
Home colours Away colours
Current season

History

Main article: History of Debreceni VSC

Debrecen was founded on 12 March 1902 as Debreceni Vasutas Sport Club.^[4] The club first reached the Nemzeti Bajnokság I in the 1943–44 season. Debrecen rose to domestic prominence in the early 2000s when they won their first Hungarian league title in 2004–05 season. Since then the club managed to win seven titles in the 2010s total. However, in the late 2010s the club lost its governmental support and started to decline. In the 2016–17 Nemzeti Bajnokság I, they were escaping from relegation.

At international level, Debrecen reached their biggest success when they managed to reach the 2009–10 UEFA Champions League group stage.^[5] The following year they reached the group stages of the 2010–11 UEFA Europa League.^[6] In the following years, DVSC competed in the Champions League and the European League qualifiers. In 2023-2024, DVSC played in the European Conference League. The team played against the Armenian Alashkert FC and qualified to the next round, in which Loki clashed with Rapid Wien and finished their European journey that year.

Crest and colours

Naming history

• 1902–12: Egyetértés Football Club
• 1912–48: Debreceni Vasutas
• 1948–49: Debreceni Vasutas Sport Egyesület
• 1949–55: Debreceni Lokomotív
• 1955–56: Debreceni Törekvés
• 1957–79: Debreceni Vasutas Sport Club
• 1979–89: Debreceni Munkás Vasutas Sport Club
• 1989–95: Debreceni Vasutas Sport Club
• 1995–99: DVSC-Epona
• 1999–01: Debreceni VSC
• 2001–02: Netforum-DVSC
• 2002: Debreceni VSC
• 2003–05: DVSC-MegaForce
• 2005–06: DVSC-AVE Ásványvíz
• 2006–16: DVSC-TEVA
• 2016–: Debreceni Vasutas Sport Club

Manufacturers and shirt sponsors

The following table shows in detail Debreceni VSC kit manufacturers and shirt sponsors by year:

Period	Kit manufacturer	Shirt sponsor
1977–	adidas
1993–1995		paletta
−2000		Epona
2000–2001		Soproni Ászok
2001–2002		—
2002–2003		Arany Ászok
2003–2004	Nike	MegaForce / Arany Ászok
2005	adidas	Ave Ásványvíz / Arany Ászok
2005–2006		Ave Ásványvíz /
2006–2007		Teva / Ave Ásványvíz
2008–2009		Teva
2009–2010		Orangeways / Teva
2010–2016		Teva

Stadiums and facilities

Main article: Oláh Gábor utcai Stadion

Debrecen played their home matches at Oláh Gábor utcai Stadion between 1989 and 2014

Debrecen played their home matches between 1989 and 2014 at the Oláh Gábor utcai Stadion, which has a capacity of 12,500. After winning the first Nemzeti Bajnokság I trophy, it was found that the stadium did not meet UEFA stadium criteria. Therefore, the most important UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League matches had to be played at the Ferenc Puskás Stadium as in 2009–10 UEFA Champions League group stage and the 2010–11 UEFA Europa League group stage.

Main article: Nagyerdei Stadion

On 1 May 2014, the Nagyerdei stadium was opened with an inauguration ceremony. Viktor Orbán, Hungarian prime minister, said that "the Hungarian spirit, the architects, the engineers, the workers make Hungary great again with this constructions like the Nagyerdei stadium" (in Hungarian: "A magyar szellem, a tervezők, a mérnökök, a munkások ilyen alkotásokkal teszik ismét naggyá Magyarországot"). The stadium was also sanctified by Nándor Bosák, bishop of the Roman Catholic Church, Gusztáv Bölcskei, minister, and Fülöp Kocsis, bishops of the Greek Catholic Church. After the sanctification, singers such as Lou Bega, Viktor Király, Ildikó Kersztes, Gigi Radić, and Erika Miklósa entertained the audience. The first match was played between the Debrecen All Stars and Hungary All Stars, including players such as Attila Pintér, current Hungary national football team coach, Kálmán Kovács, former Budapest Honvéd legend, Péter Lipcsei, former Ferencváros icon, György Véber, former Újpest icon and Mezőkövesd manager at that time, Imre Garaba, former Hungary international, Flórián Urbán, former Újpest legend, and Lajos Détári, former Hungary national team legend.^[7]

On 10 May 2014, the first official match was played at the new stadium between Debrecen and Újpest in the 2013–14 Hungarian League season. The match ended with a 3–1 victory over the Budapest-based rival, Újpest. The first goal of the match was scored by Kulcsár in the 27th minute. Although Vasiljević equalised the score in the 37th minute, Debrecen were able to clinch the victory in the second half due to an own goal by Antón in the 46-minute and a goal by Vadnai in the 85th minute.^[8][9]

On 22 May 2014, the first match of the Hungary national football team was played at the stadium in front of 20,000 spectators, which ended with a 2–2 draw against Denmark national football team. The first goal was scored by the former Debrecen player Dzsudzsák. Eriksen equalised the score in the 56th minute. The debutant Varga took the lead in the 69th minute again, but the score was equalised by Schöne in the 72nd minute.^[10][11][12]

Supporters

Supporters of DVSC are mainly based in Debrecen, Hungary. However, the club is popular in all over Hungary. Club's main ultras group is Szívtiprók Ultras Debrecen (SZ.U.D.), which is the largest and oldest faction, founded in 1994.^[13] As of 2000, SZ.U.D started to divide itself, in factions of ultras outside Debrecen, such as SZ.U.D. Budapest, SZ.U.D. Nagyvárad and SZ.U.D. Hódmezővásárhely. Among smaller groups are considered Force Field, Red Territory and Vadmacskák, which are the oldest. However, since 2009, new ultras factions, such as Sziporkák, Debrecen Hooligans, Barrabrava Debrecen and others appeared. This while several, like North Side Hooligans were dissolved in early 2000s. Debrecen has fierce rivalries with Nyíregyháza, Békéscsaba and competitive rivalries with Ferencváros, Újpest and Videoton.

On 5 August 2014, UEFA issued sanctions against Debrecen, Romania's Steaua București and Slovenia's Maribor following racist behaviour by their fans during 2014–15 UEFA Champions League qualifying against Cliftonville, Strømsgodset and Zrinjski Mostar respectively. Debrecen shut sector B of their ground after fans showed an "illicit banner" during the match against Northern Ireland's Cliftonville.^[14]

• Szívtiprók Ultras Debrecen (founded in 1994)

Famous supporters

• László Lukács^[15]

Ownership

On 27 May 2017, it was announced that Andy Vajna could replace Gábor Szima as the owner of Debrecen. Nevertheless, Andy Vajna added that he likes football but he does not want to invest into football.^[16]

On 15 August 2017, it was revealed that Gábor Szima, the owner of Debrecen, might leave the club and a Greek tycoon might arrive.^[17]

On 1 July 2020, Szima resigned as the owner of the club.^[18] The 73 percent of the shares of the club were purchased by the local government. László Papp, mayor of Debrecen, announced that the main goal is to be promoted to the first league again.

On 18 December 2020, it was announced that the DVSC Egyesület purchased the majority of the shares.^[19]

On 27 June 2022, Ike Thierry Zaengel was appointed as the chairman and owner of the club.^[20]

Honours

Domestic

• Nemzeti Bajnokság I
  • Winners (7): 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2011–12, 2013–14
• Nemzeti Bajnokság II
  • Winners (8): 1942–43, 1948–49, 1959–60, 1961–62, 1978–79, 1988–89, 1992–93, 2020–21
  • Runners-up (1): 1983–84
• Magyar Kupa
  • Winners (6): 1998–99, 2000–01, 2007–08, 2009–10, 2011–12, 2012–13
• Ligakupa
  • Winners (1): 2009–10
• Szuperkupa
  • Winners (5): 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010

Record departures

Rank	Player	To	Fee	Year	Ref.
1.	Balázs Dzsudzsák	PSV Eindhoven	€2.5 million[A]	2008
2.	Norbert Balogh	Palermo	€2.2 million[B]	2016
3.	Hamzat Ojediran	Lens	€1.5 million[C]	2024
4.	Péter Baráth	Ferencváros	€1.2 million[D]	2023
5.	Kevin Varga	Kasimpasa	~€850,000	2020
6.	Zsolt Laczkó	Sampdoria	~€830,000	2011
7.	Dávid Holman	Slovan Bratislava	~€700,000	2018
8.	Péter Halmosi	Plymouth Argyle	~€600,000	2007
9.	Péter Máté	Reading	~€575,000	2007
10.	Dorge Kouemaha	Duisburg	~€550,000	2009
10.	Ádám Bódi	Fehérvár	~€550,000	2017
10.	Dorian Babunski	Grasshoppers	~€550,000	2023

Players

Current squad

As of 15 February, 2025.^[21]

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 3 DF  HUN Csaba Hornyák 4 DF  ALB Jorgo Pëllumbi 5 DF  HUN Bence Batik 6 MF  CRO Neven Đurasek 8 MF  HUN Tamás Szűcs 10 MF  HUN Balázs Dzsudzsák (captain) 11 DF  HUN János Ferenczi 13 MF  HUN Soma Szuhodovszki 15 DF  SWE Henrik Castegren 16 GK  HUN Balázs Megyeri 17 FW  HUN Donát Bárány 18 FW  NGA Shedrach Kaye 20 MF  CTA Amos Youga 21 FW  HUN Dominik Kocsis

No. Pos. Nation Player 22 MF  HUN Botond Vajda 25 FW  BRA Maurides (on loan from St. Pauli) 26 DF  HUN Ádám Lang 27 DF  HUN Gergő Kocsis 28 DF  AUT Maximilian Hofmann 29 DF  HUN Erik Kusnyír 30 DF  SRB Aranđel Stojković (on loan from Partizan) 33 MF  BUL Kristiyan Malinov 42 FW  CIV Yacouba Silue 47 GK  HUN Krisztián Hegyi (on loan from West Ham) 57 GK  JPN Shuichi Gonda 77 FW  HUN Márk Szécsi 86 GK  HUN Donát Pálfi 99 MF  FRA Brandon Domingues

Players with multiple nationalities

• Erik Kusnyír

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

B squad

No. Pos. Nation Player — GK  HUN Levente Szondi — GK  UKR Dmytro Shakhanov — DF  HUN Gergő Tercza — DF  HUN Márk Tóth — DF  UKR Roman Soroka — DF  HUN Gábor Lénárt — DF  HUN Árpád Mona — DF  HUN Balázs Gellén — DF  HUN Aurél Vaskó — DF  HUN Elia Grassi — DF  HUN István Rácz — DF  SVK Barnabás Ferenczi — MF  UKR Ivan Polozhyi — MF  HUN Tamás Farkas

No. Pos. Nation Player — MF  HUN Bence Takács — MF  UKR Daniil Brazhko — MF  HUN Zalán Horváth — MF  HUN Szabolcs Perpék — MF  HUN Balázs Sain — MF  HUN Flórián Cibla — MF  HUN Dávid Patai — MF  HUN Zsolt Doktor — FW  HUN Dávid Jacsó — FW  HUN Martin Bökönyi — FW  HUN Gergő Regenyei — FW  HUN Botond Nyikos — FW  HUN Imre Egri

Club officials

Board of directors

As of 21 October 2022^[22]

Position	Name
President	Ike Thierry Zaengel
Managing Director	Balázs Makray
Sporting director	Hayk Hovakimyan

Management

As of 11 November 2024^[23]

Position	Name
Head coach	Nestor El Maestro
Assistant coach	Nikon El Maestro
Assistant coach	Tibor Dombi
Goalkeeping coach	Branko Katić
Goalkeeping coach	János Balogh
Fitness coach	Bojan Stamatović
Video analyzer	Dávid Szalóczy

Notable foreign players

• Stevo Nikolić
• Haris Handžić
• Haris Tabakovic
• Dorge Kouemaha
• Yannick Mbengono
• Justin Mengolo
• Sandro Tomić
• Ronald Habi
• Božidar Radošević
• Dajan Šimac
• Igor Morozov
• Adamo Coulibaly
• Selim Bouadla
• Roguy Méyé
• Kakhaber Chkhetiani
• Luis Ramos
• Mindaugas Malinauskas
• Aco Stojkov
• David Babunski
• Dorian Babunski
• Mirsad Mijadinoski
• Bojan Brnović
• Meldin Drešković
• Dušan Lagator
• Vukašin Poleksić
• Hamzat Ojediran
• Liviu Goian
• Tibor Selymes
• Nicolae Ilea
• Marius Șumudică
• Sabin Ilie
• Ibrahima Sidibe
• Igor Bogdanović
• Dragan Vukmir
• Nenad Novaković
• Dušan Brković
• Róbert Vittek
• Dalibor Volaš
• Rene Mihelič
• Suk Hyun-jun
• Ivan Bobko
• Frank Feltscher

See also

• Debreceni VSC in European football
• History of Debreceni VSC
• List of Debreceni VSC managers
• List of Debreceni VSC records and statistics
• List of Debreceni VSC seasons

Notes

1. Fee may eventually rise above €2.5 million.
2. Fee may eventually rise above €2.2 million.
3. Fee may eventually rise above €1.5 million.
4. Fee may eventually rise above €1.2 million.