Heracles Almelo () is a Dutch professional football club based in Almelo, founded in 1903. They play in the Eerste Divisie, the second tier of Dutch football, following relegation from the Eredivisie in the 2025–26 season. The club has won the Dutch national title twice, in 1927 and 1941. Heracles won the 2004–05 Eerste Divisie, gaining promotion to the Eredivisie for the first time in 28 years. The club remained in the top flight for 17 seasons before suffering relegation at the end of the 2021–22 season. Heracles secured an immediate return to the Eredivisie by winning the 2022–23 Eerste Divisie, but were relegated again three years later.
In 2012, they reached the KNVB Cup final for the first time, losing to PSV in the final. The club's main rival is Twente.
History The club was founded on 3 May 1903 as Heracles, after the demigod son of Zeus. They changed their name on 1 July 1974 to SC Heracles '74 and finally settled on the current name in 1998.
Heracles finished sixth in the Eredivisie during the 2015–16 season, qualifying for the end of season European play-offs. The club first defeated Groningen and then Utrecht and thus qualified for the first time in club history for European football, starting in the third qualifying round of the 2016–17 UEFA Europa League.
A run of three consecutive losses saw Heracles end the 2021–22 season in sixteenth place, condemning them to the promotion/relegation play-offs. The club were relegated to the Eerste Divisie after losing 6–1 to Excelsior on aggregate in the semifinals. Less than a year later, the Heraclieden sealed an immediate return to the top flight, with a 3–0 home win over Jong PSV securing them a top two finish in the 2022–23 Eerste Divisie and only a week after PEC Zwolle had done so. On 19 May 2023, Heracles won their third Eerste Divisie title after defeating Jong Ajax in the last round of play.
In May 2026, Heracles entered an exclusive partnership in the Netherlands with Jamestown Analytics to support its player recruitment. Technical director Ernest Faber said Jamestown's data would have a prominent role in the club's scouting policy without replacing its existing scouting operation. In June, Voetbal International reported that the club's first five new summer signings, Mario Borac, Max Hauswirth, Manny Rodríguez, Maurice Wrusch and Jean-Paul N'Djoli, had all been identified through Jamestown's data model. Head coach Vincent Heilmann said Heracles specified its playing style and the required profile for each position, after which Jamestown proposed players for the club to assess through video, interviews and character evaluation.
Stadium Heracles Almelo currently play at the Asito Stadion in Almelo. The Asito Stadion was built in 1999 with a capacity 6,900, this was expanded in 2005 to hold 8,500. After renovation of the stadium at the beginning of 2015–16 season, it currently holds 13,500 spectators.
Honours
National Eredivisie Champions: 1926–27, 1940–41 Eerste Divisie Winners: 1984–85, 2004–05,Eerste Divisie Champions, RSSSF.com, Retrieved 7 June 2013 2022–23 KNVB Cup Runners-up: 2011–12
Domestic results
Below is a table with Heracles Almelo's domestic results since the introduction of the Eredivisie in 1956.
Domestic Results since 1956 Domestic league League result Qualification to Domestic cup Cup result 2025–26 Eredivisie 18th Eerste Divisie (relegation) 2025–26 Round of 16 2024–25 Eredivisie 14th – 2024–25 Semi-final 2023–24 Eredivisie 14th – 2023–24 First round 2022–23 Eerste Divisie 1st Eredivisie (promotion) 2022–23 Second round 2021–22 Eredivisie 16th Eerste Divisie (relegation) 2021–22 Second round 2020–21 Eredivisie 9th – 2020–21 Round of 16 2019–20 Eredivisie 8th – 2019–20 Round of 16 2018–19 Eredivisie 7th – (losing EL play-offs) 2018–19 Second round 2017–18 Eredivisie 10th – 2017–18 Round of 16 2016–17 Eredivisie 10th – 2015–16 Third round 2015–16 Eredivisie 6th Europa League (winning EL play-offs) 2015–16 Fourth round 2014–15 Eredivisie 14th – 2014–15 Round of 16 2013–14 Eredivisie 14th – 2013–14 Round of 16 2012–13 Eredivisie 12th – 2012–13 Quarter-final 2011–12 Eredivisie 12th – 2011–12 Final 2010–11 Eredivisie 8th – (losing EL play-offs) 2010–11 Fourth round 2009–10 Eredivisie 6th – (losing EL play-offs) 2009–10 Round of 16 2008–09 Eredivisie 15th – 2008–09 Second round 2007–08 Eredivisie 14th – 2007–08 Semi-final 2006–07 Eredivisie 14th – 2006–07 Second round 2005–06 Eredivisie 13th – (losing IC play-offs) 2005–06 DSQ 2004–05 Eerste Divisie 1st Eredivisie (promotion) 2004–05 Third round 2003–04 Eerste Divisie 4th promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion 2003–04 Quarter-final 2002–03 Eerste Divisie 4th promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion 2002–03 Second round 2001–02 Eerste Divisie 8th – 2001–02 Second round 2000–01 Eerste Divisie 15th – 2000–01 Round of 16 1999–00 Eerste Divisie 7th promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion 1999–00 Third round 1998–99 Eerste Divisie 17th – 1998–99 Second round 1997–98 Eerste Divisie 14th – 1997–98 Round of 16 1996–97 Eerste Divisie 13th – 1996–97 Round of 16 1995–96 Eerste Divisie 8th promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion 1995–96 Second round 1994–95 Eerste Divisie 6th promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion 1994–95 Quarter-final 1993–94 Eerste Divisie 4th promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion 1993–94 Third round 1992–93 Eerste Divisie 17th – 1992–93 Third round 1991–92 Eerste Divisie 6th promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion 1991–92 Second round 1990–91 Eerste Divisie 6th – 1990–91 Second round 1989–90 Eerste Divisie 3rd promotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion 1989–90 First round 1988–89 Eerste Divisie 12th – 1988–89 First round 1987–88 Eerste Divisie 19th – 1987–88 Second round 1986–87 Eerste Divisie 15th – 1986–87 Second round 1985–86 Eredivisie 18th Eerste Divisie (relegation) 1985–86 Second round 1984–85 Eerste Divisie 1st Eredivisie (promotion) 1984–85 First round 1983–84 Eerste Divisie 12th – 1983–84 Second round 1982–83 Eerste Divisie 16th – 1982–83 First round 1981–82 Eerste Divisie 16th – 1981–82 Quarter-final 1980–81 Eerste Divisie 19th – 1980–81 First round 1979–80 Eerste Divisie 10th – 1979–80 First round 1978–79 Eerste Divisie 13th – 1978–79 Second round 1977–78 Eerste Divisie 10th – 1977–78 Second round 1976–77 Eerste Divisie 19th – 1976–77 First round 1975–76 Eerste Divisie 15th – 1975–76 Second round 1974–75 Eerste Divisie 11th – 1974–75 Quarter-final 1973–74 Eerste Divisie 10th – 1973–74 Second round 1972–73 Eerste Divisie 15th – 1972–73 Round of 16 1971–72 Eerste Divisie 14th – 1971–72 First round 1970–71 Eerste Divisie 6th – 1970–71 Second round 1969–70 Eerste Divisie 10th – 1969–70 First round 1968–69 Eerste Divisie 10th – 1968–69 Quarter-final 1967–68 Eerste Divisie 11th – 1967–68 Group stage 1966–67 Eerste Divisie 6th – 1966–67 Quarter-final 1965–66 Eredivisie 16th Eerste Divisie (relegation) 1965–66 Round of 16 1964–65 Eredivisie 9th – 1964–65 Second round 1963–64 Eredivisie 13th – 1963–64 First round 1962–63 Eredivisie 14th – 1962–63 Third round 1961–62 Eerste Divisie 1st Eredivisie (promotion) 1961–62 ? 1960–61 Eerste Divisie 3rd (group B) – 1960–61 ? 1959–60 Eerste Divisie 4th (group B) – not held not held 1958–59 Eerste Divisie 7th (group B) – 1958–59 ? 1957–58 Tweede Divisie 1st (group B) Eerste Divisie (promotion) 1957–58 ? 1956–57 Tweede Divisie 3rd (group A) – 1956–57 ?
European record
Season Competition Round Club Home Away Aggregate 2016–17 UEFA Europa League Arouca 1–1 0–0 1–1 (a)
Notes 3Q: Third qualifying round
Current squad
Out on loan
Former players
National team players The following players were called up to represent their national teams in international football and received caps during their tenure with Heracles Almelo:
Algeria Karim Bridji (2006–2009) Australia Jason Davidson (2011–2014) Ajdin Hrustić (2024) Bosnia and Herzegovina Luka Kulenović (2024–present) Burundi Mohamed Amissi (2020–2022) Cameroon Willie Overtoom (2008–2013) Canada Rob Friend (2007) Curaçao Brandley Kuwas (2016–2019) Estonia Ragnar Klavan (2005–2009)
Finland Mika Nurmela (2005–2006) Ghana Kwame Quansah (2004–2014) Kazakhstan Alexander Merkel (2018–2020) Luxembourg Yvandro Borges Sanches (2025–present) Morocco Oussama Tannane (2013–2016) Netherlands Bertus Freese (1918–1936) Hennie van Nee (1960–1962; 1963–1965) Frits Schipper (1923–1939) Frans van der Veen (1936–1941; 1948–1954)
Nigeria Cyriel Dessers (2019–2020) United States Luca de la Torre (2020–2022) Suriname Navajo Bakboord (2019–2024) Kelvin Leerdam (2024–2025) Syria Mohammed Osman (2018–2020) Tanzania Sunday Manara (1977–1978)
Players in bold actively play for Heracles Almelo and for their respective national teams. Years in brackets indicate careerspan with Heracles.
National team players by Confederation Member associations are listed in order of most to least amount of current and former Heracles Almelo players represented Internationally + Total national team players by confederation Confederation Total (Nation) Association AFC 3 Australia (2), Syria (1) CAF 7 Algeria (1), Burundi (1), Cameroon (1), Ghana (1), Morocco (1), Nigeria (1), Tanzania (1) CONCACAF 5 Suriname (2), Canada (1), Curaçao (1), United States (1) CONMEBOL 0 OFC 0 UEFA 9 Netherlands (4), Bosnia and Herzegovina (1), Estonia (1), Finland (1), Kazakhstan (1), Luxembourg (1)
Players in international tournaments The following is a list of Heracles Almelo players who have competed in international tournaments, including the FIFA World Cup, AFC Asian Cup and the CONCACAF Gold Cup. To this date no Heracles players have participated in the UEFA European Championship, Africa Cup of Nations, Copa América. or the OFC Nations Cup while playing for Heracles Almelo.
CupPlayers 1938 FIFA World Cup Frans van der Veen 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup Rob Friend 2014 FIFA World Cup Jason Davidson 2019 AFC Asian Cup Mohammed Osman
Coaching staff
PositionStaff Technical director Ernest Faber Team managers René Kolmschot Edwin Plegt Commercial manager Richard Bruns (a.i.) Head coach Vincent Heilmann Assistant coach Hendrie Krüzen Rick Antonise First-Team Goalkeeper Coach Brian van Loo Video analyst Leen den Boer Chief scout Alfred Nijhuis Scout Robin Hoogma Physiotherapist Jasper Steens Michel de Gruijter Kit Manager Martin Dalhoeven
Former coaches
Horace Colclough (1920–21) Ted Magner (1921–23) Horace Colclough (1923–32) Robert Roxburgh (1932–35) Leslie Lievesley (1 March 1946 – 30 June 1947) David Davison (July 1948 – February 1949) Gilbert Richmond (1949–53) Duggie Lochhead (1953–56) Jan Bilj (1956–60) Michael Keeping (Sept. 1960 – 30 January 1961) Frits van der Elst / Freek Jaarsma (1961 interim) Jaap van der Leck (March 1961–63) Keith Spurgeon (1 July 1963 – 30 June 1964) Jan de Bouter (1964–66) Les Talbot (1 July 1966 – 30 June 1967) Toon Valks (1967–69) Evert Teunissen (1 July 1969 – 30 June 1970) Rinus Gosens (1 July 1970 – 30 June 1972) Ron Dellow (1 July 1972 – 30 June 1975) Jan Verhaert (1975–76) Hennie Hollink (1 July 1976 – 30 June 1979) Theo Laseroms (1979–81) Jan Morsing (1 July 1981 – 3 November 1982) Arie Stehouwer (1982–83) Gerard Somer (1983–87) Jan Morsing (1988) Henk van Brussel (1989–90) Henk ten Cate (21 November 1990 – 30 June 1992) Azing Griever (1 February 1993 – 1 March 1995) Jan van Staa (1 July 1995 – 30 June 1996) Gerard Marsman (1 July 1996 – 30 June 1998) Theo Vonk (8 March 1998 – 30 June 1999) Fritz Korbach (1 July 1999 – 30 June 2001) Gertjan Verbeek (1 July 2001 – 30 June 2004) Peter Bosz (1 July 2004 – 30 June 2006) Ruud Brood (1 July 2006 – 24 December 2007) Gert Heerkes (2 January 2008 – 30 June 2009) Gertjan Verbeek (1 July 2009 – 30 June 2010) Peter Bosz (1 July 2010 – 30 June 2013) Jan de Jonge (1 July 2013 – 31 August 2014) John Stegeman (1 September 2014 – 30 June 2018) Frank Wormuth (1 July 2018 – 16 May 2022)