Knattspyrnufélag Reykjavíkur

Knattspyrnufélag Reykjavíkur, (English: Reykjavík F.C.), often shortened to KR or KR Reykjavík, is an Icelandic football club based in the capital, Reykjavík.

KR is the oldest and most successful club in Icelandic football, having won the Úrvalsdeild championship 26 times, including the first season in 1912. It is also the most successful club in the Icelandic Cup, with 14 titles including the first in 1960 and most recent in 2014. In 1964, KR was also the first Icelandic representative in the European Cup.

History

Early history

KR was established on 16 February 1899, making it the oldest football club in Iceland. It was founded as Fótboltafélag Reykjavíkur (Reykjavík Football Club), before changing to Knattspyrnufélag Reykjavíkur, also meaning Reykjavík Football Club, the change due to "knattspyrna" being considered a more elegant word ("Fótbolti" is literally translated as "football" while "knattspyrna", while translating as "football", is literally "ballkicking"). KR modelled their kit on the black-and-white stripes of Newcastle United, a strong club during KR's early years. KR was the only football club in Reykjavík for a decade, but as soon as other clubs were established there were plans for competitions. KR won the inaugural championship in 1912 after a play-off with Fram.