Coupe Van der Straeten Ponthoz


In 1900 the Belgian count Carl Van der Straeten Ponthoz offered a cup to the winner of an international tournament. As the champions of all three existing nationwide leagues on the continent (those of Belgium, the Netherlands and Switzerland) were present in Brussels, newspapers at that time called it the club championship of the continent. Thus, we might consider R.A.P. from Amsterdam (who defeated the champions of all three countries) the first ever continental European club champions.

The success of the first edition led to the introduction of the Coupe Vanden Abeele in Antwerp, originally intended as an international club tournament as well but eventually the starting point for the Derby der Lage Landen.

The second edition, with only the leading teams from Holland and Belgium, ended in a row: H.V.V. left the tournament as they were discontent with the refereeing of their semifinal match against Racing Club de Bruxelles. According to the Dutch the referee allowed too much foul play. The dispute raised the question whether there should be an overall governing body for international matches. This finally led to the foundation of the FIFA in 1904. Another result of the second edition was the Internationale Competitie te Rotterdam om den zilveren voetbal, first held in September 1901.

The tournament was last held in 1907, when Union became the first club to win it three times in succession and were allowed to keep the trophy. It was succeeded by the Coupe Jean Dupuich.


Palmares

1900 R.A.P. (Amsterdam)
1901 H.B.S. ('s-Gravenhage)
1902 Pilgrims FC
1903 Racing CB (Bruxelles)
1904 Racing CB (Bruxelles)
1905 Union Saint-Gilloise
1906 Union Saint-Gilloise and Racing CB (Bruxelles) [shared]
1907 Union Saint-Gilloise

Finals

1900 R.A.P. (Amsterdam)        2-1 H.V.V. ('s-Gravenhage)  
1901 H.B.S. ('s-Gravenhage)    1-0 Racing CB (Bruxelles)
1902 Pilgrims FC               4-2 D.F.C. (Dordrecht)
1903 Racing C.B. (Bruxelles)   6-5 Pilgrims FC               [aet]
1904 Racing C.B. (Bruxelles)   3-2 Union Saint-Gilloise
1905 Union Saint-Gilloise      5-1 Racing CB (Bruxelles)
1906 Union Saint-Gilloise      2-2 Racing CB (Bruxelles)     [aet]
1907 Union Saint-Gilloise      1-0 Hampstead FC

Number of Wins (9, 1 shared; lost finals (7) between square brackets):

 3 [ 2] Racing CB (Bruxelles)  [one win shared with Union]
 3 [ 1] Union Saint-Gilloise   [one win shared with Racing CB]

 1 [ 1] Pilgrims FC            [combination of English and Beerschot players]

 1      H.B.S. ('s-Gravenhage)
 1      R.A.P. (Amsterdam)  

   [ 1] D.F.C. (Dordrecht)
   [ 1] Hampstead FC
   [ 1] H.V.V. ('s-Gravenhage)  


1900

NB: first edition; all matches at field of Léopold FC at Chaussée de Waterloo 513;
    Austrian and German clubs had also been invited to enter but did not register
    for the tournament.

Participants:

Antwerp Daring Club     Antwerpen       Belgium         [withdrew]
Grasshopper Club        Zürich          Switzerland     [1899/00 national champions]
H.V.V.                  Den Haag        Netherlands     [1899/00 national champions]
Iris Club               Lille           France          [withdrew]
Léopold Club            Bruxelles       Belgium
Racing                  Bruxelles       Belgium         [1899/00 national champions]
R.A.P.                  Amsterdam       Netherlands     [1898/99 national champions]

NB: Antwerp Daring Club (a second level side) withdrew after the draw; they were
    to play hosts Léopold in a preliminary round, with the winners meeting H.V.V.
    in the first round; they were not replaced;
    Iris withdrew after the draw in which they had received a bye in the first
    round; they were replaced by "a second first team" of Racing (which, like
    the first team, included (the maximum number of) five English players) who
    played H.V.V. in the semifinal (a reversal of the original draw, in which 
    the semifinals were drawn as: Iris against the winners of Racing vs. R.A.P.
    and Grasshopper against the winners of Léopold/Antwerp Daring vs. H.V.V.).

First Round [Apr 15]
Racing                1-2 R.A.P.                [HT: 0-1]
  [1-1 N.N.; 0-1 Van den Berg, 1-2 Kampschreur]
  [R.A.P.: L. Koopman; J. van Wijk, C. Potter; J. Glaser, C. Gorter, F. Lieftinck;
           G. Zweerts jr., J. Hisgen, J. van den Berg, J. van Son tot Gillicum,
           F. Kampschreur; note that Gorter, Van den Berg (both Haarlem) and
           Van Son tot Gillicum (Volharding (Amsterdam)) were guest players;
   ref: chevalier Paul de Borman (Belgium)]
Léopold               1-8 H.V.V.                [HT: 0-4]
  [0-1 to 0-4: Pijnacker (1), Sol (3); 0-5 Sol, 0-6 E. Mundt, 1-6 Van Heuckelum,
   1-7 Sol, 1-8 Hesselink]
  [Léopold: Victor Robijns de Schneidauer; Fahon, N.N.; N.N., Pelgrims, N.N.;
            N.N., N.N., Immink, Van Heuckelum, N.N.; Immink (formerly Rapiditas)
            and Van Heuckelum (formerly H.B.S.) were Dutch;
   H.V.V.: H. von Oven; E. Mundt, A. van Waveren; A. Broese van Groenou, F. Klein,
           F. Beukema; Th. Mundt jr., J. Sol, F. Pijnacker Hordijk, W. Hesselink, K. Beukema;
           note that E. Mundt (U.D. (Deventer); formerly and afterwards with H.V.V.)
           and Van Waveren (H.F.C. (Haarlem)) were guest players]
Grasshopper           bye
Iris Club             bye (withdrew after draw)

Semifinals [Apr 16]
Racing II             0-3 H.V.V.                [HT: 0-0]
  [0-1 Pijnacker, 0-2 Pijnacker, 0-3 Pijnacker]
  [H.V.V.: H. von Oven; E. Mundt, A. van Waveren; A. Broese van Groenou, F. Klein,
           F. Beukema; E. Sol, J. Sol, F. Pijnacker Hordijk, W. Hesselink, K. Beukema;
           note that Mundt (U.D. (Deventer); formerly and afterwards with H.V.V.)
           and Van Waveren (H.F.C. (Haarlem)) were guest players;
   ref: chevalier Paul de Borman (Belgium)]
Grasshopper           2-3 R.A.P.                [HT: 2-1]
  [0-1 Van den Berg, 1-1 Blijdensteijn, 2-1 Blijdensteijn, 2-2 Kampschreur, 
   2-3 Van den Berg]
  [Grasshopper reportedly included one English player (Chessex, outside left) and
           one Dutch player, captain Harry Blijdensteijn;
   R.A.P.: L. Koopman; J. van Wijk, C. Potter; J. Glaser, C. Gorter, F. Lieftinck;
           G. Zweerts jr., J. Hisgen, J. van den Berg, J. van Son tot Gillicum,
           F. Kampschreur; note that Gorter, Van den Berg (both Haarlem) and
           Van Son tot Gillicum (Volharding (Amsterdam)) were guest players;
   ref: A. Zellekens (Netherlands)]

Final [Apr 17]
R.A.P.                2-1 H.V.V.                [HT: 0-0]
  [65' 0-1 Koopman (own goal; also credited to Beukema), 80' 1-1 Van den Berg,
   85' 2-1 Hisgen; goal minutes are approximate]
  [R.A.P.: L. Koopman; J. van Wijk, C. Potter; J. Glaser, C. Gorter, F. Lieftinck;
           G. Zweerts jr., J. Hisgen, J. van den Berg, J. van Son tot Gillicum,
           F. Kampschreur; note that Gorter, Van den Berg (both Haarlem) and
           Van Son tot Gillicum (Volharding (Amsterdam)) were guest players;
   H.V.V.: H. von Oven; E. Mundt, A. van Waveren; A. Broese van Groenou, F. Klein,
           F. Beukema; W. Coops, J. Sol, F. Pijnacker Hordijk, W. Hesselink, K. Beukema;
           note that Mundt (U.D. (Deventer); formerly and afterwards with H.V.V.)
           and Van Waveren (H.F.C. (Haarlem)) were guest players;
   ref: chevalier Paul de Borman (Belgium) (replaced originally appointed A. Zellekens)]

NB: R.A.P. played and defeated the 1889/00 champions of Belgium, Switzerland and
    the Netherlands on three successive days.

Topscorers:
 5 John Sol (H.V.V.)
 4 Jan van den Berg (R.A.P.; guest player from Haarlem)
   F. Pijnacker Hordijk (H.V.V.)
 2 Harry Blijdensteijn (Grasshopper Club)
   F. Kampschreur (R.A.P.)

NB: after the tournament, Grasshopper played three friendlies in the Netherlands,
    albeit without some first choice players who had played in their semifinal:

[Apr 18, Den Haag]
H.V.V.                7-1 Grasshopper           [HT: 4-0]
[Apr 19, Leiden]
Ajax (Leiden)         8-1 Grasshopper           [HT: 4-1]
[Apr 22, Arnhem]
Vitesse               6-0 Grasshopper           [HT: 5-0]


1901

NB: second edition; all matches at field of Léopold FC at Chaussée de Waterloo 513.

Participants:

Athletic & Running Club Bruxelles       Belgium
Beerschot A.C.          Antwerpen       Belgium
Celeritas               Rotterdam       Netherlands
D.F.C.                  Dordrecht       Netherlands
H.B.S.                  Den Haag        Netherlands
H.V.V.                  Den Haag        Netherlands
Léopold Club            Bruxelles       Belgium
Racing Club             Bruxelles       Belgium
R.A.P.                  Amsterdam       Netherlands
Rapiditas               Rotterdam       Netherlands
Sporting Club           Bruxelles       Belgium
NB: eventually, Beerschot, Rapiditas and Sporting only played friendlies.

First Round [Apr 6]
Racing                6-1 D.F.C.                [HT: 3-0]
Beerschot             o/w Celeritas             [forfait Beerschot]
Athletic & Running   2-11 R.A.P.                [HT: 0-7]
NB: Beerschot arrived late and forfeited the match against Celeritas, but upon
    their arrival it was agreed to play a friendly over 2x30 minutes:
Beerschot             1-1 Celeritas             [HT: 0-0; match played 2x30 minutes]

Quarterfinals [Apr 7]
Racing                3-1 Celeritas             [HT: 2-0]
Sporting              o/w Rapiditas             [forfait Sporting]
Léopold               3-6 H.V.V.                [HT: 3-1]
R.A.P.                0-1 H.B.S.                [HT: 0-0]
NB: Sporting forfeited the match against Rapiditas; a friendly over 2x30 minutes
    was played instead:
Sporting              0-2 Rapiditas             [HT: 0-2; match played 2x30 minutes]

Semifinals [Apr 8]
Racing                awd H.V.V.                [HT: 2-1; abandoned at 2-2, H.V.V. walked
                                                          off; awarded to Racing]
H.B.S.                w/o Rapiditas             [forfait Rapiditas]
NB: Rapiditas forfeited the match against H.B.S.; a friendly was played instead:
H.B.S.                3-0 Rapiditas             [HT: 1-0]

Final [Apr 9]
Racing                0-1 H.B.S.                [HT: 0-1]
  [K. Douw van der Krap]


1902

NB: third edition; all matches at field of Léopold FC.

Participants:

Daring Bruxelles FC     Bruxelles       Belgium
D.F.C.                  Dordrecht       Netherlands
H.B.S.                  Den Haag        Netherlands
Léopold Club            Bruxelles       Belgium
Pilgrims FC                             Belgium/England
Racing Club             Roubaix         France          [withdrew]
Union Saint-Gilloise    Bruxelles       Belgium
Voorwaarts              Tiel            Netherlands     [withdrew]
NB: Pilgrims FC was a combination of Belgian (e.g. 'keeper Grisar) and English
    players (from various English cities, and some of them active in Belgium,
    e.g. Herbert Potts of Beerschot) formed on the occasion of this tournament.

Quarterfinals [Mar 30]
Union Saint-Gilloise  2-8 D.F.C.                [HT: 1-6]
Daring                1-4 H.B.S.                [HT: 1-3]
Pilgrims              w/o Voorwaarts            [forfait Voorwaarts]
Léopold               w/o Racing (Roubaix)      [forfait Racing]

Semifinals [Mar 31]
D.F.C.                2-1 H.B.S.                [HT: 0-1]
Léopold               0-4 Pilgrims              [HT: 0-0]

Final [Apr 1]
Pilgrims              4-2 D.F.C.                [HT: 2-1]


1903

NB: fourth edition; all matches in Brussel (fields Léopold).

Participants:

Athletic & Running Club Bruxelles       Belgium
Beerschot A.C.          Antwerpen       Belgium
Celeritas               Rotterdam       Netherlands
Daring Club             Bruxelles       Belgium
D.F.C.                  Dordrecht       Netherlands
H.B.S.                  Den Haag        Netherlands     [withdrew]
Léopold Club            Bruxelles       Belgium
Maidstone CIWFC         Maidstone       England
Olympia Club            Bruxelles       Belgium
Pilgrims FC                             Belgium/England
Racing Club             Bruxelles       Belgium
Union Saint-Gilloise    Bruxelles       Belgium
Velocitas               Breda           Netherlands     [withdrew]

NB: full name Maidstone: Maidstone Church Institute Wanderers FC;
    Pilgrims FC was a combination of Belgian (e.g. right back Friling) and
    English players (from various English cities, and some of them active
    in Belgium, e.g. Herbert Potts of Beerschot).

First Round [Apr 11]
Beerschot             w/o Velocitas             [forfait Velocitas]
Daring                0-6 Pilgrims              [HT: 0-1 (also reported 0-2)]
Léopold               3-7 D.F.C.                [HT: 1-4]
Olympia               2-1 Celeritas             [HT: 1-0]
Racing                1-0 Maidstone             [HT: 0-0]
Athletic & Running    bye 
Union Saint-Gilloise  bye
H.B.S.                bye

Quarterfinals [Apr 12]
Athletic & Running    5-2 Beerschot             
Racing                3-1 D.F.C.                [HT: 2-1]
Olympia               1-8 Pilgrims              [HT: 1-4]
Union Saint-Gilloise  w/o H.B.S.                [forfait H.B.S.]

Friendly [Apr 12]
Léopold               0-4 Maidstone   

Semifinals [Apr 13]
Racing                w/o Athletic & Running    [forfait Athletic & Running]
Union Saint-Gilloise  1-6 Pilgrims              [HT: 1-1]

Friendly [Apr 13, after semifinal; in honour of Prince Albert of Belgium]
Léopold               3-1 D.F.C.                [HT: 1-1]

Final [Apr 14]
Racing                6-5 Pilgrims              [aet; HT: 2-1; FT: 5-5]


1904

NB: fifth edition; matches were played in Antwerp (ground Beerschot) and
    Brussels (grounds Léopold and Racing (Viviers d'Oie, Uccle)).

Participants:

Athletic & Running Club Bruxelles       Belgium
Beerschot A.C.          Antwerpen       Belgium
Celeritas               Rotterdam       Netherlands
Daring Club             Bruxelles       Belgium
D.F.C.                  Dordrecht       Netherlands     [withdrew]
H.B.S.                  Den Haag        Netherlands
H.V.V. II               Den Haag        Netherlands     [withdrew]
Léopold Club            Bruxelles       Belgium
FC Liégeois             Liège           Belgium
S.A. de Montrouge       Paris           France          [withdrew]
Pilgrims FC                             Belgium/England [withdrew]
Racing Club             Bruxelles       Belgium
Union Saint-Gilloise    Bruxelles       Belgium
NB: Pilgrims had been part of the original draw; their place was taken,
    as per earlier agreement, by Beerschot.

First Round 
[Apr 2, at Beerschot]
Beerschot             w/o H.V.V. II             [forfait H.V.V. II]
Union Saint-Gilloise  2-1 FC Liégeois
[Apr 2, at Racing]
Athletic & Running    w/o D.F.C.                [forfait D.F.C.]
Léopold               o/w H.B.S.                [forfait Léopold]
Celeritas             bye
Daring                bye
Montrouge             bye
Racing                bye

NB: Léopold forfeited the match against H.B.S. in order not to compromise
    the chances of the latter, as H.B.S. did not have the full first team
    available on the first day, but was complete for the second; instead,
    a friendly was played (at the Racing ground):
Léopold               4-2 H.B.S.                [HT: 2-0]

Quarterfinals
[Apr 3, at Beerschot]
Daring                2-1 Celeritas             [aet; HT: 1-0; FT: 1-1]
Racing                w/o Montrouge             [forfait Montrouge]
[Apr 3, at Léopold]
Athletic & Running    2-4 Beerschot             [HT: 2-1]
Union Saint-Gilloise  2-1 H.B.S.                [HT: 2-1]

Semifinals [Apr 4, at Racing]
Racing                5-0 Beerschot             [HT: 0-0]
Union Saint-Gilloise  w/o Daring                [forfait Daring]

Friendly [Apr 4]
Léopold II            2-1 D.F.C. II

Final [Apr 5, at Léopold]
Racing                3-2 Union Saint-Gilloise  


1905

Participants:

Daring Club             Bruxelles       Belgium
D.F.C.                  Dordrecht       Netherlands
East Sheen FC           London          England
H.F.C.                  Haarlem         Netherlands
Léopold Club            Bruxelles       Belgium
Notts Magdala FC        Nottingham      England
Racing Club             Bruxelles       Belgium
Union Saint-Gilloise    Bruxelles       Belgium
NB: Notts Magdala replaced Hesketh Park FC (Liverpool).

Quarterfinals [Apr 23]
Union Saint-Gilloise  3-1 East Sheen            [HT: 1-1]
Léopold               2-6 H.F.C.                [HT: 2-2]
Daring                1-4 D.F.C.                [HT: 1-1]
Racing                3-0 Notts Magdala         [HT: 1-0]

Semifinals [Apr 24]
Union Saint-Gilloise  2-1 H.F.C.                [HT: 1-0]
Racing                3-1 D.F.C.                [HT: 1-0]
 
Final [Apr 25]
Union Saint-Gilloise  5-1 Racing                [HT: 3-0]


1906

Participants:

Daring Club             Bruxelles       Belgium
Emerity FC              London          England
H.F.C.                  Haarlem         Netherlands
Léopold Club            Bruxelles       Belgium
Racing Club             Bruxelles       Belgium
Union Saint-Gilloise    Bruxelles       Belgium

Quarterfinals [Apr 15]
Daring                1-0 H.F.C.                
Racing                2-0 Emerity           
Léopold               bye
Union Saint-Gilloise  bye

Friendly [Apr 16]
Emerity               2-2 H.F.C.                

Semifinals [Apr 16]
Union Saint-Gilloise  4-2 Daring   
Racing                4-1 Léopold     

Friendly [Apr 17]
Léopold/Emerity       3-0 D.F.C./Achilles       [HT: 0-0; match played 2x30 minutes]
NB: D.F.C. (Dordrecht), who had played matches over Easter in Verviers and
    Liège, included four players of Achilles (Rotterdam), who had played
    in Gent and Brugge.

Final [Apr 17]
Union Saint-Gilloise  2-2 Racing                [aet; HT: 0-1; FT: 1-1]
  [the organisation was at a loss as how to handle the situation in
   which the final was drawn after extra time; after contacting the
   secretary of the (English) FA, it was decided to proclaim both
   teams as 'joint holders']


1907

Participants:

Dortmund FC             Dortmund        Germany
Emerity FC              London          England
Hampstead FC            London          England
Léopold Club            Bruxelles       Belgium
Racing Club             Bruxelles       Belgium
Racing Club             Roubaix         France
Sparta                  Rotterdam       Netherlands
Union Saint-Gilloise    Bruxelles       Belgium
NB: Sparta replaced H.F.C. (Haarlem), who had originally accepted to
    enter but saw four of their five forwards selected for the match
    between the Netherlands and the England amateur side on Apr 1.

Quarterfinals [Mar 31]
Hampstead             5-3 Racing (Roubaix)      [HT: 3-2]
Racing (Bruxelles)    2-0 Emerity               [HT: 0-0]
Léopold               0-2 Sparta                [HT: 0-0]
Union Saint-Gilloise 12-0 Dortmund              [HT: 5-0]

Semifinals [Apr 1]
Union Saint-Gilloise  4-0 Sparta                [HT: 2-0]
Racing (Bruxelles)    1-3 Hampstead             [HT: 0-1]

Friendly [Apr 2]
Léopold               0-5 Emerity               [HT: 0-3]

Final [Apr 2]
Union Saint-Gilloise  1-0 Hampstead             [HT: 1-0]

About this document

Sources included many contemporary Dutch magazines (Het Sportblad, Sportkroniek) and newspapers (all available through Delpher).

Prepared and maintained by Allard Doesburg, Karel Stokkermans and Dirk Willocx for the Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation

Authors: Allard Doesburg, Karel Stokkermans and Dirk Willocx
Last updated: 9 Jan 2024

(c) Copyright Allard Doesburg, Karel Stokkermans, Dirk Willocx and RSSSF 2002/24
You are free to copy this document in whole or part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the authors. All rights reserved.