Excelsior Rotterdam signed football shirts Walkouts

About

Excelsior Rotterdam, commonly known as Excelsior, is a Dutch professional football club based in Rotterdam and currently competing in the Eredivisie. Founded on 23 July 1902, the club has a long local identity and a compact matchday atmosphere that appeals to collectors and fans alike, and Walkouts sources signed retail shirts and memorabilia tied to the club’s most recognisable moments.

The club began life as Rotterdamse Voetbal en Atletiek Vereniging Excelsior and plays at the Stadion Woudestein, commercially called the Van Donge & De Roo Stadion. The ground’s close sightlines and modest capacity make every shirt provenance detail important to buyers and historians, and the venue name appears frequently on framed pieces and match-day photography.

Excelsior’s home is small by professional standards, which helps explain the strong local provenance associated with many signed shirts. Collectors prize items that can be tied to Stadion Woudestein match sheets, official team releases and the club’s recorded fixtures in national competitions such as the KNVB Cup, where away nights and cup ties often produce sought-after imagery and signatures.

Anniversary releases are a consistent focus for fans and collectors. The club’s centenary in 2002 produced special runs and commemorative retail shirts, and those limited editions are often catalogued by season and by printing variant, making them recognisable additions to a Walkouts offering. Such anniversary pieces are typically linked to themed badges, commemorative sleeves and small production numbers that increase interest among domestic collectors.

Season and match magnets include promotion campaigns and notable league campaigns where players’ retail shirts reappear in the market. The recent return to the top flight following the 2024-25 promotion season has already seen renewed demand for season-issued retail shirts and framed pieces that reference the campaign year on labels and looms, and earlier landmark seasons are similarly tracked by serial numbers and provenance notes.

The club’s away identity, reflected in the nickname De Roodzwarten, makes red-and-black colourways particularly collectible. Away shirts and variations, including third colour runs, are often associated with cup nights and decisive away fixtures, and collectors chase early retail runs, player-issue variants and region-specific releases that can be cross-referenced with match photography and programme imagery.

Signed retail shirts remain an important category: fans seek shop-issue shirts that carry player signatures, early production runs and region-specific editions, and many items on the market include supporting provenance such as a COA. For provenance-rich purchases tied to specific campaigns, sellers and buyers note the 2001-02 centenary season pieces and the 2024-25 promotion season jerseys as key reference points, and Walkouts lists framed and signed retail shirts with clear provenance for both seasons.

Honours

Excelsior Rotterdam’s honours profile is defined by persistence and progression within the Eredivisie and the broader Dutch football pyramid. The club’s story features multiple steps between divisions, culminating most recently in promotion to the top flight for 2024-25. While major national silverware is not the central chapter, supporters value the hard‑won successes of promotion campaigns and seasons in which top‑tier status has been secured. Excelsior’s compact home has hosted crucial matches that underpinned these rises, reflecting the club’s ability to compete effectively against larger opponents.

Participation across the Eerste Divisie and Eredivisie highlights a resilient identity, with each return to the top tier marking a new benchmark. Continental trophies are not a defining element of the club’s record, yet the measured, sustainable climb back to elite competition underlines a clear competitive edge. In short, Excelsior’s headline achievements emphasise enduring presence in the Netherlands’ leading competitions and the capacity to earn promotion when it matters most.

Legends & Leadership

Mounir El Hamdaoui set the tone as a recent key player of the early 2000s, bringing incisive attacking play that lifted Excelsior’s front line, while Luigi Bruins in the mid-2000s stood out as a recent key player for his technique and balance in midfield.

Ryan Koolwijk anchored the side as a recent key player in the early 2010s, dictating tempo and offering leadership, and Tom van Weert in the early 2010s provided a reliable goalscoring outlet that kept Excelsior competitive.

Jordan Botaka contributed in the mid-2010s as a recent key player with direct wing play, Robert Braber added know-how in the same period from midfield, and Sander Fischer’s mid-2010s consistency across the back line bolstered defensive resilience.

Wout Faes impressed as a recent key player in the late 2010s with composed defending beyond his years, and Jeffrey Altheer offered depth and commitment in the late 2000s as a recent key player during transitional seasons.

Stadium

Stadion Woudestein is Excelsior Rotterdam’s compact and characterful home, noted for its intimate feel and clear sightlines. For sponsorship reasons it is also known as the Van Donge & De Roo Stadion, and with a capacity of about 4,500 it ranks among the smallest professional venues in the Netherlands. The closeness of the stands to the pitch generates a lively, conversational atmosphere where supporters’ voices carry and momentum swings are felt immediately. Matchdays are marked by a knowledgeable local crowd whose backing gives the team a tangible lift. When Eredivisie fixtures arrive, the ground’s intensity rises as top-tier opponents are welcomed into a setting that rewards discipline and energy. Whether referred to by its traditional or sponsored name, the stadium remains a practical, community-centred base that fits the club’s scale and identity.

Also known as
Stadion Woudestein (Van Donge & De Roo Stadion)

FAQ

Q: Which league does Excelsior Rotterdam compete in? A: The club plays in the Eredivisie, the top tier of Dutch football, following promotion to the 2024-25 season.

Q: When was Excelsior Rotterdam founded? A: The club was founded on 1902-07-23 and has been part of Rotterdam football for well over a century.

Q: What is Excelsior Rotterdam’s home ground and capacity? A: Home matches are staged at Stadion Woudestein, known commercially as the Van Donge & De Roo Stadion, with a capacity of about 4,500.

Q: What are Excelsior Rotterdam’s nicknames? A: The team is commonly known as De Kralingers and De Roodzwarten.

Q: How do you verify the authenticity of Excelsior memorabilia purchased from you? A: We issue a Certificate of Authenticity (COA) with qualifying items, backed by clear documentation. Free worldwide shipping.