Full name | Knattspyrnufélag Reykjavíkur |
---|---|
Nickname(s) | KR-ingar |
Short name | KR |
Founded | 16 February 1899 |
Ground |
KR-völlur, Reykjavík, Iceland |
Capacity | 2,781 (1,541 seated) |
Chairman | Kristinn Kjærnested |
Manager | Willum Þór Þórsson |
League | Úrvalsdeild |
2016 | 3rd |
Knattspyrnufélag Reykjavíkur, (English: Reykjavík F.C.), often shortened to KR or KR Reykjavík, is an Icelandic football club based in the capital, Reykjavík.
KR is the oldest and most successful club in Icelandic football, having won the Úrvalsdeild Championship 26 times, including the first season in 1912. It is also the most successful club in the Icelandic Cup, with 14 titles including the first in 1960 and most recent in 2014. In 1964, KR was also the first Icelandic representative in the European Cup.
KR was established on 16 February 1899, making it the oldest football club in Iceland. It was founded as Fótboltafélag Reykjavíkur (Reykjavík Football Club), before changing to Knattspyrnufélag Reykjavíkur, also meaning Reykjavík Football Club, the change due to "knattspyrna" being considered a more elegant word ("Fótbolti" is literally translated as "football" while "knattspyrna", while translating as "football", is literally "ballkicking"). KR was the only football club in Reykjavík for a decade, but as soon as other clubs were established there were plans for competitions. KR won the inaugural championship in 1912 after a play-off with Fram.
KR won the first title after the Icelandic league was divided into two divisions in 1955, and won again in 1959 when the 1st Division was played on a home-and-away basis for the first time. KR also won the first Icelandic Cup competition in 1960. KR was the first Icelandic club to play in European competition, entering the 1964–65 European Cup. They lost the preliminary round 11–1 on aggregate to Liverpool, who were also playing their first European tie. KR’s women's team was also the first Icelandic contender in Europe, entering the inaugural European Competition in 2001.