View source for FC Crotone

{{Short description|Italian professional football club}}
{{Infobox football club
| clubname = Crotone
| image = FC Crotone logo.svg
| upright = 0.55
| fullname = Football Club Crotone [[Società a responsabilità limitata|S.r.l.]]
| nickname =  ''I Pitagorici'' (The Pythagoreans)<br />''Gli Squali'' or ''Lo Squalo Calabrese'' (The Sharks or The Shark of Calabria)<br />''Rossoblù'' (Red and Blue)
| founded = {{Start date and age|1910|df=yes}}
| ground = [[Stadio Ezio Scida]]
| capacity = 16,647
| chairman = Gianni Vrenna<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fccrotone.it/societa/|title=Società|access-date=25 September 2017|publisher=F.C. Crotone|language=it|archive-date=25 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170925132743/http://www.fccrotone.it/societa/|url-status=live}}</ref>
| manager = Emilio Longo
| mgrtitle = Head coach
| league   = {{Italian football updater|Crotone}}
| season   = {{Italian football updater|Crotone2}}
| position = {{Italian football updater|Crotone3}}
| website = {{URL|http://www.fccrotone.it}}
| current = 2023–24 FC Crotone season
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| pattern_b1 = _crotone2122h
| pattern_ra1 = _crotone2122h
| pattern_sh1 = _crotone2122h
| pattern_so1 = _crotone2122hl
| leftarm1 = 000040
| body1 = 000040
| rightarm1 = 000040
| shorts1 = 000040
| socks1 = 000040
| pattern_la2 = _crotone2122a
| pattern_b2 = _crotone2122a
| pattern_ra2 = _crotone2122a
| pattern_sh2 = _crotone2122a
| pattern_so2 = _crotone2122al
| leftarm2 = FFFFFF
| body2 = FFFFFF
| rightarm2 = FFFFFF
| shorts2 = FFFFFF
| socks2 = FFFFFF
| pattern_la3 = _crotone2122t
| pattern_b3 = _crotone2122t
| pattern_ra3 = _crotone2122t
| pattern_sh3 = _crotone2122t
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| leftarm3 = 4A8420
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}}

'''Football Club Crotone S.r.l.''', commonly referred to as '''Crotone''', is an [[Football in Italy|Italian football]] club based in [[Crotone]], [[Calabria]]. They play in the third division of Italian football, the [[Serie C]]. Founded on 20 September 1910, it holds its home games at [[Stadio Ezio Scida]], which has a 16,647-seat capacity.

==History==
The club is based in the ancient Greek settlement of [[Crotone|Kroton]], one of the first Greek colonies in what is now known as modern day Italy. The club is proud of their Greek origins with their banners and slogans and regularly depicting Greek icons such as [[Sparta|soldiers of Sparta]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://greekreporter.com/2021/05/17/italian-football-team-fc-crotone-is-uniquely-proud-of-its-greek-origins/|title = Italian Football Team FC Crotone is Uniquely Proud of Its Greek Origins|date = 17 May 2021}}</ref>

The first team from Crotone, ''Società sportiva Crotona'', was founded on 20 September 1910, but without adhering to [[Italian Football Federation]], and the following main teams of Crotone, like ''Milone Crotone'', did not participate before 1921 in several minor leagues including ''Prima Divisione'' (which later would be known as [[Lega Pro Prima Divisione|Serie C]]). Following [[World War II]], a new club, ''Unione Sportiva Crotone'' replaced the previous one, playing seven seasons in Serie C.

In 1963, the club was relegated to [[Serie D]], but returned to the third division the following year, remaining there for fourteen consecutive seasons, missing promotion in 1977 when finishing third behind [[A.S. Bari|Bari]] and [[Paganese Calcio 1926|Paganese]]. In 1978, following the Italian football league reorganisation, Crotone was relegated to Serie C2 and the following year was declared [[Bankruptcy|bankrupt]]. A new club, ''Associazione Sportiva Crotone'', began competing again in the ''Prima Categoria'' (eighth division).

Crotone was promoted to [[Lega Pro Seconda Divisione|Serie C2]] in 1984–85, but only for one season. The team's name was changed to ''Kroton Calcio'', and the club was promoted again to C2 after the 1986–87 season, where it played until 1991. A second bankruptcy led to the foundation of Football Club Crotone Calcio with Raffaele Vrenna as chairman, starting in the ''Promozione'' (7th level). Crotone gained successive promotions to Serie C2 and C1, winning in the play-offs against Locri and [[Benevento Calcio|Benevento]], respectively.

Under [[Antonello Cuccureddu]], Crotone first reached [[Serie B]] in 2000, returning to the second level two seasons later. Again in division two in 2004, after disposing of [[A.S. Viterbese Calcio|Viterbese]] in the promotion play-offs, it remained in the category until the [[2006–07 Serie B|2006–07 season]].

After being beaten by [[Taranto F.C. 1927|Taranto]] in the 2008 play-offs, Crotone returned to the second division the following season, defeating [[Benevento Calcio|Benevento]].

The team was promoted to [[Serie A]], the Italian top flight, for the first time in its history in 2016.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espnfc.us/crotone/story/2861334/crotone-promoted-to-serie-a-for-first-time-in-their-history|title=Crotone promoted to Serie A for first time in their history|publisher=espnfc.com|date=29 April 2016|access-date=1 May 2016|archive-date=3 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160503063204/http://www.espnfc.us/crotone/story/2861334/crotone-promoted-to-serie-a-for-first-time-in-their-history|url-status=live}}</ref> In the [[2016–17 Serie A|2016–17 season]], the club finished 17th, securing a place in the [[2017–18 Serie A|next Serie A season]]. This was despite the Calabrian side only winning two points from the first ten matches, one of the poorest starts the Italian top-flight had seen in years. Crotone remained in the relegation positions for almost the entire season before an impressive revival saw the club achieve a seven-match unbeaten run from matchdays 30 to 36, including five wins in that time, and the season was concluded with a 3-1 victory over [[S.S. Lazio|Lazio]] on the last matchday, a result that saw Crotone jump above [[Empoli F.C.|Empoli]] to 17th place and thus secured another season in Serie A in what was hailed as a football miracle, led by 13-goal top scorer [[Diego Falcinelli]] and coach [[Davide Nicola]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thesefootballtimes.co/2017/06/27/the-miracle-man-and-the-factory-worker-behind-crotones-great-escape/|title=Crotone's great escape|publisher=The Football Times|date=27 June 2017|access-date=1 May 2016|archive-date=9 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170909095634/http://thesefootballtimes.co/2017/06/27/the-miracle-man-and-the-factory-worker-behind-crotones-great-escape/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In the following season, Crotone failed to avoid relegation after losing against [[S.S.C. Napoli|Napoli]] in the last match of the Serie A campaign, returning to [[Serie B]] after two seasons.
 
Following the [[2019-20 Serie B|2019-20 season]], the club was promoted to Serie A once more in second place, only behind [[Benevento Calcio|Benevento]] in the table. However, the club's top-flight campaign was less than satisfactory. After spending the majority of the season in the last spot of the table, and losing incredible matches that were an early indicator of the hardship the club would endure, Crotone was mathematically relegated to Serie B after 34 games, following a loss to would-be champions Inter. This relegation came in contrast with several excellent performances from individual players, particularly striker [[Simy]], who scored 20 league goals during the season, a record for a relegated team.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/go/serie-a-calcio/top-scorers|title=2020-21 Serie 1 top scorers|publisher=sportskeeda.com|access-date=2021-07-03|archive-date=2021-07-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709183458/https://www.sportskeeda.com/go/serie-a-calcio/top-scorers|url-status=live}}</ref> Nevertheless, the 92 goals Crotone conceded was one more than [[Casale F.B.C.|Casale]] conceded in [[1933-34 Serie A|1933-34]], setting a new Serie A record for goals against in a single season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://football-italia.net/crotone-2020-21-season-review/|title=Crotone 2020-21 Season Review|publisher=Football Italia|date=27 May 2021|access-date=3 July 2021|archive-date=18 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210618024808/https://football-italia.net/crotone-2020-21-season-review/|url-status=live}}</ref>

To reduce wage bills following relegation to Serie B, the club loaned out attacking midfielder [[Junior Messias]] to [[AC Milan]] with an option for the latter to buy, and striker [[Simy]] to [[Salernitana]] (sold to the latter in January 2022). The team's attacking power weakened.  Crotone finished 19th in the league and suffered a second successive relegation to [[2022–23 Serie C]].

In September 2025, the club was placed in judicial administration, due to the [[’Ndrangheta]] infiltrating the club's security and ticketing operations.<ref>{{cite web |title=Serie C club Crotone placed under judicial administration due to Mafia infiltration |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/sep/16/serie-c-club-crotone-placed-under-judicial-administration-due-to-mafia-infiltration |website=Guardian |access-date=16 September 2025}}</ref>

==Colours and badge==
Team colours are dark blue and white, due to their Greek origins, and also red. The club's kits are traditionally dark blue and red stripes.
Some of the team's mottos are "''Salutate la Magna Grecia''" ("Salute Greater Greece")<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-07-22 |title=Οταν 3000 οπαδοί φωναζαν: Salutate la Magna Grecia -Υποκλιθειτε στη Μεγάλη Ελλάδα |url=https://www.olympia.gr/1501420/diethni/3000-opadoi-fonazan-salut-ate-la-magna-grecia-ypoklitheite-sti-megali-ellada/ |access-date=2024-04-12 |website=Olympia.gr |language=el |archive-date=2022-07-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220730192541/https://www.olympia.gr/1501420/diethni/3000-opadoi-fonazan-salut-ate-la-magna-grecia-ypoklitheite-sti-megali-ellada/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Kampouris |first=Nick |date=20 May 2022 |title=Italian Football Team FC Crotone Is Uniquely Proud of Its Greek Origins |url=https://greekreporter.com/2022/05/20/italian-football-team-fc-crotone-is-uniquely-proud-of-its-greek-origins/ |work=Greek Reporter |access-date=12 April 2024 |archive-date=3 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230903121232/https://greekreporter.com/2022/05/20/italian-football-team-fc-crotone-is-uniquely-proud-of-its-greek-origins/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and "''Noi siamo la Magna Grecia''" ("We are Greater Greece").<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-10-30 |title=Οι Ιταλοί δεν ξεχνούν την ιστορία και φωνάζουν «Είμαστε η ΜΕΓΑΛΗ ΕΛΛΑΔΑ» |url=https://cognoscoteam.gr/archives/3225 |access-date=2024-04-12 |website=Cognosco Team |language=el |archive-date=2024-02-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240209072213/https://cognoscoteam.gr/archives/3225 |url-status=live }}</ref> Fans of FC Crotone pride themselves as being ”''La Capitale Della Magna Grecia''” ("The capital of Greater Greece").<ref name=":0" /> The team's nickname is "the Pythagoreans", deriving from the well-known Greek philosopher [[Pythagoras]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cianfanelli |first=Marco |date=2021-07-21 |title=FC CROTONE: MAGNA GRECIA E SQUALI - di Marco Cianfanelli |url=https://www.pennantsmuseum.com/fc-crotone-magna-grecia-e-squali/ |access-date=2024-04-12 |website=PennantsMuseum |language=it-IT |archive-date=2023-12-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231210172116/https://www.pennantsmuseum.com/fc-crotone-magna-grecia-e-squali/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Rivalries ==
FC Crotone has a fierce rivalry against [[LFA Reggio Calabria]] in what's called the "[[Magna Graecia]] derby".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Perri |first=Matteo |date=2012-04-12 |title=La Reggina indossa la Calabria, maglie speciali derby con il Crotone |url=https://www.passionemaglie.it/la-reggina-indossa-la-calabria-nel-derby-con-il-crotone/ |access-date=2024-04-12 |website=Passione Maglie |language=it-IT |archive-date=2023-12-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231209185417/https://www.passionemaglie.it/la-reggina-indossa-la-calabria-nel-derby-con-il-crotone/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-09-11 |title=Crotone-Reggina 1-1, la sintesi |url=https://www.fccrotone.it/news/crotone-reggina-1-1-la-sintesi/ |access-date=2024-04-12 |website=F.C. Crotone |language=it-IT |archive-date=2022-10-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221004162418/https://www.fccrotone.it/news/crotone-reggina-1-1-la-sintesi/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The club also maintains rivalries against [[Cosenza Calcio]] and [[US Catanzaro 1929]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=God |date=2003-09-10 |title=News da Benevento |url=https://www.uscatanzaro.net/news-da-benevento/ |access-date=2024-04-12 |website=UsCatanzaro.net |language=it-IT |archive-date=2023-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230926170737/https://www.uscatanzaro.net/news-da-benevento/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Redazione |date=2023-04-09 |title=Crotone, poker del Cosenza nel derby del campionato Primavera |url=https://www.calciocrotone.it/2023/04/09/crotone-poker-del-cosenza-nel-derby-del-campionato-primavera/ |access-date=2024-04-12 |website=Calcio Crotone |language=it-IT}}</ref>

==Players==

===Current squad===
{{updated|12 September 2025}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/teams/italy/fc-crotone/1280/|title=Crotone squad|access-date=20 September 2022|publisher=Soccerway|archive-date=22 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220922112517/https://int.soccerway.com/teams/italy/fc-crotone/1280/|url-status=live}}</ref>
{{Fs start}}
{{Fs player|no= 1|pos=GK|nat=ITA|name=[[Davide Merelli]]}}
{{Fs player|no= 2|pos=DF|nat=SUI|name=[[Daniel Leo (footballer)|Daniel Leo]]}}
{{Fs player|no= 5|pos=DF|nat=ITA|name=Riccardo Cargnelutti}}
{{Fs player|no= 6|pos=DF|nat=ITA|name=[[Davide Di Pasquale]]}}
{{Fs player|no= 7|pos=MF|nat=BRA|name=Vinicius}}
{{Fs player|no= 8|pos=MF|nat=ITA|name=Riccardo Stronati}}
{{Fs player|no= 9|pos=FW|nat=ITA|name=[[Guido Gómez]]}}
{{Fs player|no=10|pos=FW|nat=ITA|name=[[Federico Ricci (footballer)|Federico Ricci]]}}
{{Fs player|no=11|pos=FW|nat=ITA|name=[[Jacopo Murano]]}}
{{Fs player|no=12|pos=GK|nat=ITA|name=Antonio Pio Martino}}
{{Fs player|no=16|pos=MF|nat=ITA|name=Andrea Gallo}}
{{Fs player|no=18|pos=FW|nat=ITA|name=[[Enrico Piovanello]]|other={{small|on loan from [[SS Juve Stabia|Juve Stabia]]}}}}
{{Fs player|no=19|pos=FW|nat=ITA|name=Fabrizio Marazzotti}}
{{fs mid}}
{{Fs player|no=20|pos=DF|nat=ITA|name=[[Filippo Berra]]}}
{{Fs player|no=21|pos=MF|nat=ITA|name=Mattia Sandri}}
{{Fs player|no=23|pos=DF|nat=ITA|name=Filippo Groppelli}}
{{Fs player|no=25|pos=MF|nat=ITA|name=Walter Guerra}}
{{Fs player|no=27|pos=FW|nat=ITA|name=Matteo Maggio|other={{small|on loan from [[AC Reggiana 1919|Reggiana]]}}}}
{{Fs player|no=28|pos=DF|nat=ITA|name=[[Cristian Andreoni]]|other={{small|on loan from [[SS Juve Stabia|Juve Stabia]]}}}}
{{Fs player|no=32|pos=MF|nat=ITA|name=[[Simone Calvano]]|other={{small|on loan from [[SS Monopoli 1966|Monopoli]]}}}}
{{Fs player|no=33|pos=FW|nat=ITA|name=Mario Perlingieri|other={{small|on loan from [[Benevento Calcio|Benevento]]}}}}
{{Fs player|no=61|pos=GK|nat=ITA|name=[[Andrea Sala (footballer)|Andrea Sala]]}}
{{Fs player|no=72|pos=DF|nat=ITA|name=[[Nicolò Cocetta]]}}
{{Fs player|no=80|pos=MF|nat=ITA|name=Kevin Bruno|other={{small|on loan from [[US Sassuolo Calcio|Sassuolo]]}}}}
{{Fs player|no=96|pos=MF|nat=ITA|name=[[Marco Zunno]]}}
{{Fs player|no=  |pos=GK|nat=ITA|name=Giacomo Paciotti}}
{{Fs end}}

===Out on loan===
{{Fs start}}
{{Fs player|no=  |pos=DF|nat=ITA|name=[[Nicolò Armini]]|other={{small|at [[Campobasso FC|Campobasso]] until 30 June 2026}}}}
{{Fs player|no=  |pos=DF|nat=ITA|name=Giovanni D'Aprile|other={{small|at [[FC Paradiso|Paradiso]] until 30 June 2026}}}}
{{Fs mid}}
{{Fs player|no=  |pos=FW|nat=ITA|name=Gesualdo Napolitano|other={{small|at [[FC Lumezzane|Lumezzane]] until 30 June 2026}}}}
{{Fs end}}

==Coaching staff==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Position
! Name
|-
| Head coach
| {{Flagicon|ITA}} Emilio Longo
|-
| Assistant coach
| {{Flagicon|ITA}} Vincenzo Migliaccio
|-
| Assistant coach
| {{Flagicon|ITA}} Giuseppe Brescia
|-
| Goalkeeper coach
| {{Flagicon|ITA}} Nicola Barasso
|-
| Fitness coach
| {{Flagicon|ITA}} Fabio Allevi
|-
| Fitness coach
| {{Flagicon|ITA}} Elmiro Trombino
|-
| Physiotherapist
| {{Flagicon|ITA}} Armando Cistaro
|-
| Physiotherapist
| {{Flagicon|ITA}} Matteo Errico
|-
| Physiotherapist
| {{Flagicon|ITA}} Riccardo Pupo
|-
| Chief doctor
| {{Flagicon|ITA}} Massimo Iera
|-
| Club doctor
| {{Flagicon|ITA}} Massimo Bisceglia
|}

==Managers==
{{unreferenced section|date=September 2018}}
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
*{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Giorgio Tricoli]] (1954–1955)
*{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Bruno Giordano]] (1996–1997)
*{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Antonello Cuccureddu]] (1999–2001)
*{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Giuseppe Papadopulo]] (2000–2001)
*{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Antonio Cabrini]] (2001)
*{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Stefano Cuoghi]] (2001–2002)
*{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Franco Selvaggi]] (2002)
*{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Gian Piero Gasperini]] (2003–2004)
*{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Andrea Agostinelli]] (2004–2005)
*{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Gian Piero Gasperini]] (2005–2006)
*{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Elio Gustinetti]] (2006–2007)
*{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Guido Carboni]] (2007)
*{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Francesco Moriero]] (2008–2009)
*{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Franco Lerda]] (2009–2010)
*{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Leonardo Menichini]] (2010)
*{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Eugenio Corini]] (2010–2011)
*{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Leonardo Menichini]] (2010–2012)
*{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Massimo Drago]] (2012–2015)
*{{flagicon|Croatia}} [[Ivan Jurić]] (2015–2016)
*{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Davide Nicola]] (2016–2017)
*{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Walter Zenga]] (2017–2018)
*{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Giovanni Stroppa]] (2018–2021)
*{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Serse Cosmi]] (2021)
*{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Francesco Modesto]] (2021)
*{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Pasquale Marino]] (2021)
*{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Francesco Modesto]] (2021-)
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{oweb|http://www.fccrotone.it/}} {{in lang|it|en}}

{{FC Crotone}}
{{Serie C}}
{{Serie B teamlist}}
{{Serie A}}
{{Football in Italy}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Crotone}}
[[Category:FC Crotone| ]]
[[Category:Football clubs in Calabria]]
[[Category:Association football clubs established in 1910]]
[[Category:Serie A clubs]]
[[Category:Serie B clubs]]
[[Category:Serie C clubs]]
[[Category:1910 establishments in Italy]]