SK Rapid Wien (Austria)

Sportklub Rapid Wien is one of the prominent football clubs in Austria since their formation as 1. Wiener Arbeiter-Fußballklub, on the 22nd July 1897. The translated name was ‘First Viennese Workers' Football Club’. The current name was adopted in January 1899.

The team initially played matches on the Schmelz, a piece of land south of the Radetzky barracks. The first football Union was formed in 1900, with Rapid initially playing in the second grade. The club found their first home in the district of Rudolfsheim near the Westbanhof from 1903, before Rapid changed its colours from red and blue to green and white two years later. 

In 1911, the new Pfarrwiese ground in the western district of Hütteldorf was completed. Dionys Schönecker took charge of training the team as Rapid became the first champions of Austria in 1911-12, with the title being retained the following season. A runners-up spot came in 1913-14 before further titles were added in 1915-16, 1916-17 and 1918-19 with another second place in 1917-18.

Skipper Richard Kuthan was the fulcrum of the side after Josef Schediwy had starred in the early triumphs. Regular goals throughout the period were scored by Richard Kuthan, Eduard Bauer, Gustav Wieser and Josef Uridil. The double was completed in 1918-19 as the forerunner of the ÖFB Cup was lifted with a 3-0 win against Wiener Sport-Club. 

The double was completed again in 1919-20 as Wiener Amateure-SV were beaten 5-2. Amateure would later become Rapid’s huge rivals, FK Austria Wien. The league title was retained in 1920-21 as Uridil top scored. An eighth title was added in 1922-23 before Schönecker was replaced by Stanley Willmott for a short spell, who was succeeded by Edi Bauer.

It was a period of transition for ‘Der Hütteldorfer’ before they lifted a third national Cup in 1926-27, when a 3-0 victory over Austria Wien was secured. The Mitropapokal, the predecessor to the European Cup, was also introduced, with Rapid going down in the final on aggregate to Sparta Praha.

Dionys Schönecker

The team was also runners-up in the same competition the following year, having succumbed to Ferencváros. Rapid also finished as league runners-up the following season before lifting the title in 1928-29, as well as finishing Cup runners-up after losing to First Vienna.

The championship was retained in 1929-30 as Rapid played to crowds in an extended Pfarrwiese with Franz Weselik becoming the new goalscoring hero. A third Mitropapokal final defeat came again against Sparta Praha, with over 40,000 fans attending the home leg at Hohe Warte. Austrian football of the day was extremely strong, with Ajax being defeated 16-2 in a friendly game.

Striker Franz Binder was signed from St. Pölten in a move that would see him score over a thousand goals for the club. Rapid finished as league runners-up in 1932-33 and 1933-34, the same year they would taste defeat in the ÖFB Cup final to SK Admira Wien, the dominant side of the time. 

However, the Hütteldorfer would be crowned as league champions for the eleventh time in 1934-35 with Matthias Kaburek banging in the goals. Leopold Nitsch had taken over as coach when another title arrived in 1937-38, a season which also saw Austrian clubs compete in the Tschammer German national cup as Rapid scored three times in the last ten minutes to defeat FSV Frankfurt 3-1 in Berlin.

During the period of Anschluss, when Austria was annexed to Nazi Germany, the championship became one of sixteen top-flight Gauligas. Rapid won the Gauliga Ostmark in 1939-40 before losing in the semi-final of the German championship to Dresdner SC.

The Ostmark title was retained in 1940-41 before Rapid were crowned German champions after reaching the final, where FC Schalke 04 were defeated 4-3. Binder netted a hat trick along with a Georg Schors goal as Rapid came back from 3-0 down in front of 95,000 fans at Berlin’s Olympiastadion.

Hans Pesser took over as coach after the War as Rapid completed the league and cup double in 1945-46 as crowds flocked to the domestic game. 50,000 saw the ÖFB final win against First Vienna at Praterstadion as Binder scored both goals. Rapid ended as league runners-up in 1946-47 and 1948-49, with their sixteenth title sandwiched in between in 1947-48. 

The 1950s would continue to see success for the Hütteldorfer faithful to enjoy after another second place in 1949-50. Gerhard Hanappi, considered one of the greatest ever Austrian footballers, was signed in an acrimonious move from Wacker Wien following the retirement of Binder, as Rapid captured the league titles of 1950-51 as they amassed an incredible 133 goals in just 24 games.

The 1951 Mitropapokal was named the 1951 Zentropa Cup. Rapid reached the final against city neighbours Admira, going on to win 3-2 at Praterstadion, thanks to a last-minute goal from Ernst Happel, who would become a central figure of the side throughout the decade. Robert Dienst and Erich Probst hammered in the goals before the title was retained the following season. 

Former player Josef Uridil led the club to its nineteenth league title in 1953-54. Numbers twenty and twenty-one were added in 1955-56 and in 1956-57 under coach Max Merkel. Johann Riegler scored the goals with the consistent Dienst prior to the team finishing as league runners-up in 1957-58 and 1958-59.

Rapid also ended up as beaten finalists in the ÖFB Cup, as Wiener AC ran out 2-0 winners, with Rudolf Kumhofer leading the Hütteldorfer. The 1950s also saw Rapid compete in the European Cup. In 1955-56, they went out in the quarter finals to AC Milan. Robert Körner was appointed as trainer, leading Rapid to another Austrian championship in 1959-60 with Hanappi skippering the line-up.

The team was denied the double by virtue of another ÖFB Cup final defeat, this time 4-2 to Austria Wien. There would be no mistake twelve months later as the cup was lifted after a 3-1 win against First Vienna.

The 1960-61 season also saw Rapid go all the way to the semi-finals before bowing out to SL Benfica, as 63,000 attended the second leg at Praterstadion. Körner’s team went on to win the league title in 1963-64 with Rudolf Flögel finishing as top scorer before Hanappi retired. The side went on to finish as league runners-up in 1964-65 and 1965-66, when they also lost in the ÖFB Cup final to Admira. 

Walter Seitl was a regular scorer throughout the spell. Rudolf Vytlačil took over team affairs as Rapid enjoyed another couple of golden years. A twenty-fourth league title was won in 1966-67, followed by the league and cup double in 1967-68, with Graz AK the beaten finalists in the cup, with August Starek, Jørn Bjerregaard and Günter Kaltenbrunner doing the damage to opposition defences.

Karl Decker was the team boss as Rapid completed a seventh ÖFB Cup win as Wiener Sport Club were defeated 2-1. An extra-time defeat in the final of the same competition followed in 1970-71 before Wiener Sports Club were beaten again in the 1971-72 final, with the team trained by Ernst Hložek. Rapid ended as league and cup runners-up in 1972-73 with SpG Wattens-Wacker Innsbruck proving too strong in the ÖFB final. 

With Hans Krankl becoming a regular marksman, the side won the cup in 1975-76, gaining revenge on the Innsbruck club. Anton Brzezanczyk and then a returning Körner were at the helm as Rapid ended as league runners-up in 1976-77 and 1977-78 before Krankl was sold to FC Barcelona. 

1977 would also herald the end for the much-loved Pfarrwiese as the club moved a few hundred metres east to the newly built Weststadion, designed by former hero Hanappi. When the legend died in 1981, Weststadion was renamed Gerhard Hanappi Stadion. 

Karl Schlechta, Walter Skocik and Rudolf Nuske would have spells as the trainer without success before the arrival of Otto Barić, whose side became league champions in 1981-82 and in 1982-83, which was rounded off with the ÖFB Cup final aggregate win against SpG Wattens-Wacker Innsbruck.

Rapid would finish as league runners-up for the following three seasons between 1983-84 and 1985-86, but would make it three cup wins on the trot with two victories over arch rivals Austria Wien. A fourth consecutive cup win was denied by the same opponents in 1985-86, with Vladimir Markovic in charge of the team.

However, the most memorable cup campaign came by way of European competition as Rapid took part in the Cup Winners' Cup in 1984-85. Beşiktaş were defeated before a tie with Celtic was marred in controversy when Rudolf Weinhofer was struck by a missile at Parkhead before the Scots won 3-0 to progress.

UEFA judged that the game should be replayed away from Glasgow. Peter Pacult scored the only goal at Old Trafford to send the Hütteldorfer through despite keeper Herbert Feurer being assaulted by a Celtic fan.

SG Dynamo Dresden were defeated after an incredible second leg at Gerhard Hanappi Stadion as Rapid won 5-0 to overturn a 3-0 deficit. In the semi-final, Dynamo Moscow were beaten to set up a final against Everton at De Kuip in Rotterdam. Rapid went down 3-1 with Krankl scoring in his second spell with the club.

Stars of the run included internationals Michael Konsel, Leo Lainer, Karl Brauneder, Heribert Weber, Reinhard Kienast, Zlatko Kranjčar, Peter Hrstic, Antonín Panenka, along with Pacult and Krankl in a side led by Barić. The Croatian returned to lead the side to the league and cup double in 1986-87 with Peter Schöttel leading the way in defence. 

Rapid lifted their twenty-ninth league championship in 1987-88 with Zoran Stojadinović finishing as top scorer before Barić said farewell. Wilhelm Kaipel and a returning Markovic failed to take the team to honours as the club went through a period of financial difficulty. The legendary Hans Krankl took over and led the side, including Andreas Herzog, to two ÖFB Cup finals.

In 1989-90, the game ended in a 3-1 defeat to Austria Wien, and then the following season, SV Stockerau won 2-1. Another former player, August Starek, was at the helm when FC Wacker Innsbruck won the 1992-93 Cup final 3-1 with Jan Åge Fjørtoft netting the consolation. Hubert Baumgartner was the trainer in 1993-94 before Ernst Dokupil took over the reins.

The new man’s side won the ÖFB Cup in 1994-95 as a Peter Guggi goal was enough to defeat DSV Leoben. In 1995-96, Rapid won the title to give them the right to wear three stars on their crest as Christian Stumpf banged in the goals. The season would also feature another outstanding European Cup Winners' Cup campaign.

Petrolul Ploiești, Sporting CP, Dynamo Moscow and Feyenoord were defeated before Paris Saint-Germain won the final 1-0 in Brussels King Baudouin Stadium. Star players of the time were internationals Michael Hatz, Trifon Ivanov, Andreas Heraf, Dietmar Kühbauer, Stephan Marasek, Peter Stöger, Carsten Jancker, along with skipper Konsel, Stumpf and Guggi.  

The team ended as league runners-up the following season. Former players continued to be appointed as the chief trainer. Heribert Weber was in charge as the ‘Grün-Weiß’ finished as league runners-up in 1997-98 and 1998-99. Dokupil returned to lead his side to second place in 2000-01.

German star Lothar Matthäus took charge for the 2001-02 campaign as future international Andreas Ivanschitz made his way into the side. Josef Hickersberger took over as team boss, taking Rapid to the league title and cup runners-up in 2004-05 with Axel Lawaree top scoring while Thomas Burgstaller netted in the 3-1 cup final defeat to Austria Wien.

Peter Pacult returned to the trainers role in 2006, before taking Rapid to the championship in 2007-08 with the strike force of Steffen Hofmann and Erwin Hoffer doing the damage before they went on to second place twelve months later. Peter Schöttel’s team would end the 2011-12 campaign as league runners-up, as Deni Alar and Atdhe Nuhiu were regular scorers. 

Zoran Barišić became the trainer in 2013 as his side ended as Bundesliga runners-up in 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16 as the money-laden FC Red Bull Salzburg proved too strong each time. Terrence Boyd, Guido Burgstaller, Robert Beric, Philipp Schobesberger, Florian Kainz and Steffen Hofmann scored the goals throughout the period, aided by the midfield guile of Florian Kainz.

In 2014, Rapid departed the Gerhard Hanappi Stadion after a farewell game with Celtic to decamp to Ernst Happel Stadion for two seasons while their dearly loved old home was demolished and replaced by a new arena owned by the club. Allianz-Stadion was opened with a friendly against Chelsea in July 2016 before Goran Djuricin was appointed as coach in April 2017.

He led his team to a 2-0 defeat to Red Bull Salzburg in the ÖFB Cup final. The goals of Stefan Schwab, Thomas Murg and Giorgi Kwilitaia helped Rapid to third place in the league in 2017-18 before former midfielder Dietmar Kühbauer took over as coach. A disappointing eighth Bundesliga place in 2018-19 was made up for with a ÖFB Cup final appearance, which ended in another 2-0 defeat to Red Bull Salzburg.

Rapid finished second in the master group at the end of the 2019-20 season, with goals from Taxiarchis Foundas were aided by the talents of Christoph Knasmüllner, Stefan Schwab and Thomas Murg. Ercan Kara led the scoring twelve months later, before Ferdinand Feldhofer was given the trainer's job in November 2021.

The goals of Guido Burgstaller helped the side of  Zoran Barišić, appointed in October 2022, reach the final of the ÖFB-Cup a few months later, which ended in a 2-0 defeat to SK Sturm Graz. Robert Klauß arrived as chief trainer in November 2023, as Rapid lost 2-1 in the cup final to the same opponents as the previous season.

Peter Stöger was appointed as chief trainer before the commencement of the 2025-26 season.

SK Rapid Wien will play in the Bundesliga in the 2025-26 season.

My visit

Monday 9th March 2020

It was the final full day of a fantastic long weekend in Vienna. I had deliberately left a visit to Rapid until a weekday as I thought access inside the stadium would be difficult. Unfortunately, they didn’t have a home game during my stay and Hans, my local mine of information, wasn’t sure if I’d get in. As a fan of Austria Wien, he only ventured over there on a matchday.

I had called in to the old venue of Wacker Wien for a look and photos after a good night’s kip at the excellent Star Inn Hotel Wien Schönbrunn before taking the U4 train from Schönbrunn to Hütteldorf. From the station, it was a short walk along Keißlergasse, which led to Allianz-Stadion with its Gerhard-Hanappi-Platz forecourt and statue in tribute to Dionys Schönecker. 

As all gates were locked to the arena, I was close to admitting defeat in my quest. I took photos around the periphery and of graffiti on walls opposite before entering the club shop to try my luck. Little did I realise that there was a club museum inside. I asked the young fella behind the counter if there was any chance of access to the stadium.

He said that, unfortunately, there were no more tours until Friday. I explained that this was my only day before returning to London, so I bought a ticket for the museum for €7, as that would be a decent second best. The assistant went to the back room to chat with others. I liked the look of his body language. 

Sure enough, he came out and led me through the staff quarters and stock rooms out into the stands for me to have a couple of minutes taking some snaps. This kindness was typical of all I’d experienced in the city. I was made up and thanked him profusely. I know I felt amazing when I’d done similar during my time working at Lord’s Cricket Ground. It’s what makes the world go around.

The museum was also excellent, displaying models of the old stadiums, old shirts, trophies, and tributes to legendary players. I had a good delve before thanking my host once again and then heading back to the station for even more adventures.

The S80 train took me to Wien Hauptbahnhof in time for me to buy some fantastic warm food at the Spar shop on the concourse before heading by train over the border to Bratislava and more football, sightseeing and socialising fun.