Portsmouth unveil Dutch club for Fratton Park friendly - the complete lowdown on the opposition from Holland

Dutch top-flight club PEC Zwolle have been announced as Pompey’s opposition at Fratton Park on Saturday, August 2.

Here is the lowdown on a club which finished 10th in the Dutch Eredivisie last season.

Who are they?

PEC Zwolle are a Dutch Eredivisie club based in the north-east of Holland with a ground capacity of 13,250.

Their biggest rival is Go Ahead Eagles, with both clubs located alongside the rival IJssel. Whenever they face each other, it is called the IJsselderby.

Since first reaching the Dutch top flight in 1978-79, they have recorded 24 seasons overall in the Dutch Eredivisie, including the last two campaigns.

Promoted back for the 2023-24 season, they have subsequently finished 12th and, last term, ended up in 10th under boss Henry van der Vegt.

They beat eventual league champions PSV 3-1 in January, while shared two draws with rivals Go Ahead Eagles. Although they lost 5-1 at home to Feyenoord in August 2024 and 2-0 at Ajax (November 2024).

Pre-season Schedule

PEC Zwolle’s first friendly of the summer is a home fixture against Scottish Premiership side Dundee United on Friday, July 11.

They will then entertain Rayo Vallecano on July 26 - with Pompey representing their third pre-season game.

Their Dutch Eredivisie campaign kicks off on Sunday, August 10, with a home fixture against Twente, who finished sixth last season.

Trophy history

PEC Zwolle beat league champions Ajax in the KNVB Cup final in 2014 to claim the club’s first major silverware.

Ron Jans’ men triumphed 5-1, thereby also earning qualification for the Europa League for the first time.

They faced Sparta Prague in the play-off round for the 2014-15 Europa League, but ended up losing 4-2 on aggregate.

Jaap Stam

Regarded as one of the great centre-halves, representing Manchester United, Lazio, AC Milan and Ajax, Stam’s career began at PEC Zwolle.

He made his professional debut in August 1992, totalling 32 appearances and one goal for the Eerste Divisie side in the 1992-93 season.

However, with the opportunity to play in the Dutch top flight, he moved onto Eredivisie club Cambuur Leeuwarden the following season.

Following his playing retirement, Staam returned to PEC Zwolle as assistant coach in 2009, before being appointed caretaker manager in October 2009.

He against returned in December 2018, this time as manager on an 18-month contract. However, he quit three months later to become Feyenoord’s boss.

Yet it was a difficult time for Stam at Feyenoord and, in October 2019, he resigned after just eight months in the job.

Records

In March 2023, Zwolle’s 13-0 victory over Den Bosch in the Eerste Divisie marked the biggest win in the history of the division. It was also the second-highest in Dutch football.

Leading 7-0 at half-time, Zwolle also equalled the record for the biggest first-half lead in an official match.

Meanwhile, Greek striker Apostolos Vellios’ 12-minute hat-trick was the fastest in the history of the Dutch second tier - and one of two he netted in the match.

Famous former players

Mateusz Klich (Ex-Leeds, Twente, DC United and Poland international midfielder)

Georgi Hristov (Ex-Barnsley, Dunfermline and Macedonia international striker)

Johnny Rep (Ex-Ajax, Saint-Etienne and Feyenoord and Holland international winger)

Jaap Stam (Ex-Manchester United, Lazio, AC Milan, Ajax and Holland international defender)

Bert Konterman (Ex-Feyenoord, Rangers and Holland international defender)

Dean Wilkins (Ex-Brighton midfielder)

Gregg Berhalter (Ex-Crystal Palace, 1860 Munich, LA Galaxy and USA international defender. Former USA manager)

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