K.R.C. Genk
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - 01/2016
Full name
Koninklijke Racing Club Genk
Founded
1988 (merged with KFC Winterslag)
Ground
Cristal Arena, Genk
Capacity
25,000
21,500 (UEFA matches)
Chairman
Herbert Houben
Manager
Peter Maes
League
Belgian Pro League
2014-15
Belgian Pro League, 7th
Koninklijke Racing Club Genk is a Belgian professional football club based in the city of Genk in Belgian Limburg.
Racing Genk plays in the Belgian Pro League and have won three championship titles; in 1998-99, in 2001-02 and in 2010-11.
They also won four Belgian Cups, most recently in 2008-09 and in 2012-13.
They qualified for the UEFA Champions League group stage in the 2002-03 and 2011-12 seasons.
The club formed in 1988 by the merger of Waterschei Thor with KFC Winterslag, from which it took over the matricule number.
It has been one of the most successful clubs in Belgium since the late 1990s and so they regularly qualify for European competitions.
The club has been playing in the first division since the 1996-97 season.
They play their home matches in the Cristal Arena.
Their main outfit is blue and white.
In 2012 they made a profit of €28 million after participating in the Champions League group stage.
From the sale of players such as Thibaut Courtois and Kevin De Bruyne to Premier League club Chelsea, not including a further gain of €10 million from the transfer of Christian Benteke to Aston Villa.
Youth academy
Genk is well known for its outstanding youth academy.
In 2003 they built their youth center next to their stadium and set up a youth program with Ronny Vangeneugden.
There are further plans to build a boarding school and some synthetic pitches.
In the past and now, many young players have found their way through the youth system.
Some examples are:
Yannick Ferreira Carrasco
(Atlético Madrid)
Jelle Vossen
(Club Brugge)
Steven Defour
(RSC Anderlecht)
Christian Benteke
(Liverpool FC)
Thibaut Courtois
(Chelsea FC)
Divock Origi
(Liverpool FC)
Kevin De Bruyne
(Manchester City FC)
Players