Lucchese 1905 s.r.l., or simply Lucchese, is an
Italian football
Football ( ) is the most popular sport in Italy. The Italy national football team have won the FIFA World Cup four times (1934, 1938, 1982, 2006), trailing only Brazil (with five), runners-up in two finals both against Brazil, (1970, 1994) and ...
club, based in
Lucca
Città di Lucca ( ; ) is a city and ''comune'' in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the Serchio River, in a fertile plain near the Ligurian Sea. The city has a population of about 89,000, while its Province of Lucca, province has a population of 383,9 ...
,
Tuscany
Tuscany ( ; ) is a Regions of Italy, region in central Italy with an area of about and a population of 3,660,834 inhabitants as of 2025. The capital city is Florence.
Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history, artistic legacy, and its in ...
that plays in
Serie C
The Serie C (), officially known as Serie C NOW for sponsorship purposes, is the third-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie B and Serie A. The Lega Italiana Calcio Professionistico (Lega Pro) is the governing ...
, the third tier of Italian football. The club was first founded in 1905, having last been in
Serie A
The Serie A (), officially known as Serie A Enilive in Italy and Serie A Made in Italy abroad for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in Italy and the highest tier of the Italian football league system. Establish ...
in 1952.
History
Foundation
The club was founded on 25 May 1905, giving the town of
Lucca
Città di Lucca ( ; ) is a city and ''comune'' in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the Serchio River, in a fertile plain near the Ligurian Sea. The city has a population of about 89,000, while its Province of Lucca, province has a population of 383,9 ...
its first football team. Originally named Lucca Football Club the club was founded by the Vittorio brothers and Guido Mensini. The first large achievement by the club was winning the ''Goblet of the King'' during the 1919–20 season, not long after the tournament's foundation. The same season Lucca won the Regional cup of Tuscany.
From U.S. Lucchese-Libertas to A.S. Lucchese Libertas
U.S. Lucchese-Libertas
In 1924 the club merged with another local team and changed its name to Unione Sportiva Lucchese-Libertas. During the 1920s, notable players at the club included
Ernesto Bonino and
Giovanni Moscardini
Giovanni Moscardini (; 1897–1985), also known as Johnny Moscardini, was an Italian Scottish footballer who played as a forward for Lucchese, Pisa, Genoa He scored 7 goals in his 9 games for the Italy national team. Born in Falkirk, he was o ...
.
The 1930s saw the club promoted to
Serie B
The Serie B (), officially known as Serie BKT for sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie A. It has been operating for over ninety years since the 1929–30 season. It had b ...
, and then in 1936, Lucchese won promotion to
Serie A
The Serie A (), officially known as Serie A Enilive in Italy and Serie A Made in Italy abroad for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in Italy and the highest tier of the Italian football league system. Establish ...
, the top league in
Italy
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
, where they stayed for three seasons. The club were relegated back to Serie B as World War II started. Prior to the war, players such as
Egri Erbstein,
Aldo Olivieri and
Antonio Perduca were fan's favorites. Lucchese won promotion again to Serie A in 1947 and remained there for 5 seasons.
A.S. Lucchese Libertas
In 1984 the club changed its name to A.S. Lucchese Libertas.
The club spent also several seasons in Serie B (last 1998–99) and
Serie C1
Serie C1 was the third highest football league in Italy. It consisted of 36 teams, divided geographically into two divisions.
History
Before the 1978–79 season, there were only three professional football leagues in Italy, the third being Se ...
, being also coached by
Luigi Simoni, UEFA Cup-winning coach with
Inter Milan
Football Club Internazionale Milano, commonly referred to as Internazionale () or simply Inter, and colloquially known as Inter Milan in English-speaking countries, is an Italian professional Association football, football List of football ...
.
In 2008 the club folded due to serious financial issues and was admitted in the Italian bottom (amateur) division
Terza Categoria
The Terza Categoria is the lowest level of amateur football in Italy. It is the ninth level in the Italian football league system. Each individual league winner within the Terza Categoria level progresses to their closest regional league in the ...
before being declared formally bankrupt in December 2008.
From S.S.D. Sporting Lucchese to A.S. Lucchese Libertas 1905
S.S.D. Sporting Lucchese
A new re-born team called Società Sportiva Dilettantistica Sporting Lucchese was admitted to
Serie D
The Serie D () is the highest level of semi-professional football in Italy, and the fourth tier of the Italian national league system. It sits beneath the third and lowest fully professional league, Serie C, and feeds in to it through promotion ...
to represent the city of
Lucca
Città di Lucca ( ; ) is a city and ''comune'' in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the Serchio River, in a fertile plain near the Ligurian Sea. The city has a population of about 89,000, while its Province of Lucca, province has a population of 383,9 ...
.
In its first season of existence, Sporting Lucchese promptly won the ''Girone E'' round of Serie D, thus acquiring the right to take part to the
2009–10 Lega Pro Seconda Divisione
The 2009–10 Lega Pro Seconda Divisione season was the thirty-second football league season of Italian Lega Pro Seconda Divisione since its establishment in 1978, and the second since the renaming from Serie C to Lega Pro.
It was divided into tw ...
.
A.S. Lucchese Libertas 1905
After the promotion, the new club took the denomination of Associazione Sportiva Lucchese Libertas 1905 starting with the new season, after the Sporting Lucchese owner acquired the naming and logo rights of the old, original team in a public auction. Lucchese made a second consecutive promotion after finishing as champions of Group B of Lega Pro Seconda Divisione. The club has spent the
2010–11 season in
Lega Pro Prima Divisione
Serie C1 was the third highest football league in Italy
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into ...
.
However, in the summer of 2011, Lucchese was excluded from professional football by COVISOC for financial irregularity reasons, and didn't appeal against the decision.
From A.S.D. F.C. Lucca 2011 to A.S. Lucchese Libertas 1905
* F.C. Lucca 2011
On 1 August 2011, a new club was founded to represent the city of Lucca: the team was called Associazione Sportiva Dilettantistica Football Club Lucca 2011 and in it was promoted from
Eccellenza Tuscany
Eccellenza Tuscany () is the regional Eccellenza football division for clubs in Tuscany, Italy. It is competed amongst 37 teams, in three different groups (A, B and C). The winners of the Groups compete together in final round robin, and the first ...
to
Serie D
The Serie D () is the highest level of semi-professional football in Italy, and the fourth tier of the Italian national league system. It sits beneath the third and lowest fully professional league, Serie C, and feeds in to it through promotion ...
at the end of the
2011–12 season.
* F.C. Lucchese 1905
The club changed its name to F.C. Lucchese 1905 soon after being promoted.
* A.S. Lucchese Libertas 1905
In the summer 2013 the club changed his name back to A.S. Lucchese Libertas 1905. On that same season, Lucchese returned to professionalism after winning the Group D of the
2013–14 Serie D
The 2013–14 Serie D was the sixty-sixth edition of the top level Italian non-professional football championship. It represented the fifth tier in the Italian football league system.
It consisted of 161 teams, after the exclusion of Nardò and ...
, and thus ensuring a spot in the inaugural season of the unified
2014–15 Lega Pro
The 2014–15 Lega Pro was the first season of the unified Lega Pro division in place of the old Prima Divisione and Seconda Divisione. The league is composed of 60 teams divided into three different groups of 20 each.
Teams
A total of 60 teams ...
league.
After a struggling season in the
2018–19 Serie C
The 2018–19 Serie C was the 60th season of the Serie C, the third tier of the Italian football league system, organized by the Lega Pro.
Teams
The league originally featured 60 teams. However, it saw the bankruptcy and subsequent withdrawal o ...
that was hit by more financial issues involving the club, Lucchese failed to submit its application for the
2019–20 Serie C
The 2019–20 Serie C was the 61st season of the Serie C, the third tier of the Italian football league system, organized by the Lega Pro. The season was scheduled to run from 24 August 2019 to 26 April 2020, however, on 9 March 2020, the Italian ...
, and was declared bankrupt once again on 1 July 2019.
* S.S.D. Lucchese 1905
Immediately after being excluded from Serie C, a further new incarnation of the club, named as S.S.D. Lucchese 1905, was admitted by the Football Federation to
Serie D
The Serie D () is the highest level of semi-professional football in Italy, and the fourth tier of the Italian national league system. It sits beneath the third and lowest fully professional league, Serie C, and feeds in to it through promotion ...
.
Colors and badge
The team's traditional colors are red and black. The team is nicknamed ''Rossoneri''.
Stadium
Their home ground is the
Stadio Porta Elisa
Stadio Porta Elisa is a multi-use stadium in Lucca, Italy. The authorized capacity is 7,386, but it can hold about 12,000; 2,500 of them are covered.
History
The stadium was named after , a gate in the east of the historic walls of Lucca, nam ...
, which is located on Via dello Stadio in Lucca.
Notable former players
Honours
*
Serie B
The Serie B (), officially known as Serie BKT for sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie A. It has been operating for over ninety years since the 1929–30 season. It had b ...
**Champions:
1935–36,
1946–47 (Group B)
*
Serie C
The Serie C (), officially known as Serie C NOW for sponsorship purposes, is the third-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie B and Serie A. The Lega Italiana Calcio Professionistico (Lega Pro) is the governing ...
**Champions: 1960–61
**Runners-up: 1945–46, 1977–78
*
Serie C1
Serie C1 was the third highest football league in Italy. It consisted of 36 teams, divided geographically into two divisions.
History
Before the 1978–79 season, there were only three professional football leagues in Italy, the third being Se ...
**Runners-up: 1989–90
*
Serie C2
Serie C2 was the fourth highest football league in Italy, the lowest with a professional status.
History
Before the 1978–79 season, there were only three professional football leagues in Italy, the third being Serie C. The league menaging t ...
**Champions: 1985–86, 2009–10
*
Serie D
The Serie D () is the highest level of semi-professional football in Italy, and the fourth tier of the Italian national league system. It sits beneath the third and lowest fully professional league, Serie C, and feeds in to it through promotion ...
**Champions: 1968–69, 2008–09, 2013–14
*
Tuscany
Tuscany ( ; ) is a Regions of Italy, region in central Italy with an area of about and a population of 3,660,834 inhabitants as of 2025. The capital city is Florence.
Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history, artistic legacy, and its in ...
League Division 1
**Champions: 1929–30, 1932–33, 1933–34
*
Promozione
The Promozione (, "promotion") is the sixth level in the Italian football league system. Each individual league winner within the Promozione level progresses to their closest regional league in the Eccellenza level. Depending on each league's ...
**Champions: 1919–20
*
Coppa Italia Serie C
**Champions: 1989–90
Players
Current squad
.
Out on loan
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lucca
Football clubs in Tuscany
Association football clubs established in 1905
Italian football First Division clubs
Serie A clubs
Serie B clubs
Serie C clubs
1905 establishments in Italy
Coppa Italia Serie C winning clubs