{{Football club infobox |
clubname = AZ |
image = [[Image:Az alkmaar.png|160px|AZ logo]] |
fullname = '''A'''lkmaar '''Z'''aanstreek [[Naamloze Vennootschap|NV]] |
nickname = |
short name = ''AZ'' |
founded = [[May 10]], [[1967]] |
ground = [[DSB Stadion]]<br>[[Alkmaar]] |
capacity = 17,023 |
chairman = {{flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Dirk Scheringa]] |
manager = {{flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Louis van Gaal]] |
league = [[Eredivisie]] |
season = [[Eredivisie 2006/2007|2006-07]] |
position = Eredivisie, 3rd |
pattern_la1=|pattern_b1=_collarwhite|pattern_ra1=|
leftarm1=FFFFFF|body1=DD0000|rightarm1=FFFFFF|shorts1=FFFFFF|socks1=FFFFFF|
pattern_la2=|pattern_b2=_collarwhite|pattern_ra2=|
leftarm2=FFFFFF|body2=000066|rightarm2=FFFFFF|shorts2= FFFFFF |socks2=000066|
}}

'''AZ''', an initialism for '''''Alkmaar Zaanstreek''''', is a [[Football (soccer)|football]] club from [[Alkmaar]], the [[Netherlands]]. It was founded on [[May 10]], [[1967]] as '''AZ '67''', the result of a merger of ''Alkmaar '54'' and ''FC [[Zaanstad|Zaanstreek]]''. In the Netherlands the club is known as ''AZ'', but internationally ''Alkmaar'' is often added.

Owing to the commitment of businessmen Cees and Klaas Molenaar, AZ '67 was successful in the late seventies and early eighties. In 1981 they became [[Eredivisie|Dutch champions]] and [[UEFA Cup]] finalists. Things went downhill after the Molenaar brothers left the club. In 1988 AZ were relegated from the [[Eredivisie]].

The involvement of businessman Dirk Scheringa in the mid-nineties marked the revival of the club. AZ returned to the Eredivisie in 1998. In 2004-05 they reappeared in the UEFA Cup tournament, advancing to the semi-finals. They also finished third in the Eredivisie that season, again qualifying for the UEFA Cup, after spending most of the season in the top two spots. A remarkable achievement, since AZ is financially not a big club and it does not have a similar fanbase like their Eredivisie rivals: AZ's home ground in the 2005-06 season, the [[Alkmaarderhout]], had a spectator capacity of 8,390.

AZ were undefeated in all 32 of their home matches in European competitions, a sequence which ran from [[1977]] until [[Dec 20]], [[2007]], when they finally lost to [[Everton FC]] of [[England]], by a score of 2-3.

In the summer of 2006, the club moved to a new 17,000 capacity stadium, the [[DSB Stadion]]. The club's chairman, Dirk Scheringa, is on record as stating that he wishes to expand the stadium to 40,000 by 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.az.nl/index.php?module=news&articleID=21316 |title="We want to win trophies" |publisher=AZ |date=[[2007-08-09]] |accessdate=2007-09-11}}</ref>

The club manager is [[Louis van Gaal]], who succeeded [[Co Adriaanse]] after the 2004-05 season. In April 2007 [[Louis van Gaal]] signed an extension of his contract to 2010, which included clauses related to possible jobs as a national coach in future.

==Current squad==
[http://www.az.nl/index.php?module=news&articleID=21241]
{{Fs start}}
{{Fs player|no=1|nat=Croatia|name=[[Joey Didulica]]|pos=GK}}
{{Fs player|no=2|nat=Netherlands|name=[[Kew Jaliens]]|pos=DF}}
{{Fs player|no=3|nat=Netherlands|name=[[Gijs Luirink]]|pos=DF}}
{{Fs player|no=4|nat=Netherlands|name=[[Barry Opdam]]|pos=DF}}
{{Fs player|no=5|nat=Belgium|name=[[Sébastien Pocognoli]]|pos=DF}}
{{Fs player|no=6|nat=Netherlands|name=[[David Mendes da Silva]]|pos=MF}}
{{Fs player|no=7|nat=Netherlands|name=[[Julian Jenner]]|pos=FW}}
{{Fs player|no=8|nat=Netherlands|name=[[Stijn Schaars]]|pos=MF}}
{{Fs player|no=9|nat=Brazil|name=[[Ariclenes da Silva Ferreira|Ari]]|pos=FW}}
{{Fs player|no=10|nat=Germany|name=[[Simon Cziommer]]|pos=MF}}
{{Fs player|no=11|nat=Belgium|name=[[Maarten Martens]]|pos=MF}}
{{Fs player|no=12|nat=Netherlands|name=[[Milano Koenders]]|pos=DF}}
{{Fs player|no=14|nat=Netherlands|name=[[Ryan Donk]]|pos=DF}}
{{Fs player|no=15|nat=Netherlands|name=[[Kiki Musampa|Kizito Musampa]]|pos=MF}}
{{Fs player|no=15|nat=Denmark|name=[[Simon Poulsen]]|pos=MF}}
{{Fs mid}}
{{Fs player|no=16|nat=Argentina|name=[[Sergio Romero]]|pos=GK}}
{{Fs player|no=17|nat=Netherlands|name=[[Kemy Agustien]]|pos=MF}}
{{Fs player|no=18|nat=Belgium|name=[[Moussa Dembélé]]|pos=FW}}
{{Fs player|no=20|nat=Netherlands|name=[[Demy de Zeeuw]]|pos=MF}}
{{Fs player|no=21|nat=Netherlands|name=[[Boy Waterman]]|pos=GK}}
{{Fs player|no=22|nat=Netherlands|name=[[Haris Medunjanin]]|pos=MF}}
{{Fs player|no=23|nat=Iceland|name=[[Grétar Steinsson]]|pos=DF}}
{{Fs player|no=24|nat=Netherlands|name=[[Mounir El-Hamdaoui]]|pos=FW}}
{{Fs player|no=25|nat=Netherlands|name=[[Ruud Vormer]]|pos=MF}}
{{Fs player|no=26|nat=Netherlands|name=[[Marko Matic]]|pos=MF}}
{{Fs player|no=27|nat=Iceland|name=[[Aron Gunnarsson]]|pos=MF}}
{{Fs player|no=29|nat=Italy|name=[[Graziano Pellè]]|pos=FW}}
{{Fs player|no=30|nat=Mexico|name=[[Héctor Moreno (footballer)|Héctor Moreno]]|pos=DF}}
{{Fs player|no=31|nat=Netherlands|name=[[Kevin Rijnvis]]|pos=GK}}
{{Fs player|no=33|nat=Netherlands|name=[[Gregory Nelson]]|pos=FW}}

{{fs end}}

==Out on loan==
{{Fs start}}
{{Fs player|no=––|nat=Netherlands|name=[[Kees Luyckx]]|pos=MF|other=on loan to [[SBV Excelsior|Excelsior]]}}
{{Fs player|no=––|nat=Netherlands|name=[[Jeremain Lens]]|pos=FW|other=on loan to [[NEC (football club)|NEC]]}}
{{Fs player|no=––|nat=Netherlands|name=[[Koen Stam]]|pos=DF|other=on loan to [[SBV Excelsior|Excelsior]]}}
{{Fs player|no=––|nat=Netherlands|name=[[Theo Zwarthoed]]|pos=GK|other=on loan to [[RKC Waalwijk]]}}
{{Fs player|no=––|nat=Netherlands|name=[[Rogier Molhoek]]|pos=MF|other=on loan to [[NAC Breda]]}}
{{Fs end}}

==Achievements==
* '''[[Eredivisie]]'''
** '''Winners (1): ''' 1981
* '''[[Eerste Divisie]]'''
** '''Winners (2): ''' 1996, 1998
* '''[[KNVB Cup]]'''
** '''Winners (3): ''' 1978, 1981, 1982
** '''Runners-up (1): ''' 2007
* '''[[UEFA Cup]]'''
** '''Runners-up (1): ''' 1981
** '''Semifinalists (1): ''' 2005
* '''[[Trofeo Santiago Bernabéu]]'''
** '''Runners-up (1): ''' 1981

==Notable players==
{{Col-begin}}
{{Col-2}}
* {{Flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Kees Kist]] (1972-1981)
* {{Flagicon|Denmark}} [[Kristen Nygaard (footballer)|Kristen Nygaard]] (1972-1982)
* {{Flagicon|NED}} [[Jan Peters (football)|Jan Peters]] (1977-1982)
* {{Flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Hans de Koning]] (1978-1988)
* {{Flagicon|NED}} [[Eddy Treijtel]] (1979-1985)
* {{Flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Hugo Hovenkamp]]
* {{Flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Bert van Marwijk]] (1975-1979)
* {{Flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Willem van Hanegem]] (1976-1979)
* {{Flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Louis van Gaal]] (1986-1987) (Now Manager)
* {{Flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Phillip Cocu]] (1988-1990)
* {{Flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Martin Haar]] (1983-1986) (Now Assistant Manager)
* {{Flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Sigi Lens]]
* {{Flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Fred Patrick]]
* {{Flagicon|Georgia}} [[Shota Arveladze]] (2005–2007)
* {{Flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink]] (1990-1993)
* {{Flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Michael Buskermolen]] (1990-2006)
* {{Flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Barry Opdam]] (1996-present)
* {{Flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Barry van Galen]] (1997-2006)
* {{Flagicon|Netherlands}} [[John Bosman]] (1999-2002)
* {{Flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Jan Kromkamp]] (2000-2005)
* {{Flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Henk Timmer (footballer)|Henk Timmer]] (2000-2006)
* {{Flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Ron Vlaar]] (2002-2006)
* {{Flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Tim de Cler]] (2002-2007)
* {{Flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Denny Landzaat]] (2003-2006)
* {{Flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Kew Jaliens]] (2004-present)
* {{Flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Joris Mathijsen]] (2004-2006)
{{Col-end}}

==Former managers==
{{Col-begin-small}}
{{Col-4}}
*[[Co Adriaanse]]
*[[Hans van Doorneveld]]
*[[Hans Eijkenbroek]]
{{Col-4}}
*[[Willem van Hanegem]]
*[[Hans de Koning]]
*[[Gerard van der Lem]]
{{Col-4}}
*[[Piet Schrijvers]]
*[[Henk van Stee]]
*[[Piet de Visser]]
{{Col-4}}
*[[Theo Vonk]]
*[[Henk Wullems]]
*[[Georg Kessler]]
{{Col-end}}

==See also==
*[[List of football clubs in the Netherlands|Dutch football league teams]]

==Notes and references==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.az.nl/ AZ.nl - Official website] {{nl icon}} / {{en icon}}
*[http://www.az.tv/ AZ TV] {{nl icon}}
*[http://www.forza-az.nl/ Forza-AZ] {{nl icon}}
*[http://www.azfanpage.nl/ AZ Fanpage] {{nl icon}}
*[http://www.az-alkmaar.pl/ AZ news & fanpage] {{pl icon}}
*[http://www.epitch.co.uk/eredivisie/az-alkmaar/ AZ news at ePitch] {{en icon}}
*[http://www.football-lineups.com/games/?campaign=17.108 AZ formations at football-lineups.com] {{en icon}}


{{fb start}}
{{Eredivisie}}
{{UEFA Cup 2007-08}}
{{fb end}}

[[Category:Dutch football clubs]]
[[Category:AZ Alkmaar]]
[[Category:Football (soccer) clubs established in 1967]]

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[[he:א.ז. אלקמאר]]
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[[nl:AZ (voetbalclub)]]
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[[zh:AZ阿爾克馬爾]]