Genoa Cricket and Football Club often called Genoa (Italian pronunciation ['dZe:noa]) is a professional football team located within Genoa, Liguria, Italy and is a member of Serie B, the second division of the Italian football league system.
The team was established in 1893. Genoa is Italy's longest-running football team, as well as the longest-running Italian football team that is still in existence with more than 125 years of the history. Through their long time in existence, Genoa have won the Italian Championship 9 times. Genoa's first victory came at the championship's inaugural in 1898. Their most recent victory was in 1923-23. They also been crowned the Coppa Italia twice. In the past, Genoa are the fourth most successful Italian club with regards to championships they have won. Genoa CFC have played their home matches at Stadio Luigi Ferraris since 1911.
The slew of early success may be at the root of the affection shown for Genoa through the Godfather of Italian sports journalists Gianni Brera (1919-92) who, despite being born in Lombardy was always as a fan of Genoa. Brera even went so far as making the name Vecchio Balordo (Old Fool or Cranky Old One) for Genoa.
In 2011, Genoa was admitted to Genoa's "International Bureau of Cultural Capitals" (a type of historic sports heritage of the world as per the guidelines of UNESCO) on the advice from president Xavier Tudela. In 2013, Genoa was also added into the "Club of Pioneers" which is an association that gathers the oldest football clubs around the world. It already includes Sheffield F.C. and Recreativo de Huelva.
