You’ve been saying AZ Alkmaar’s name all wrong for years and the reason is pretty obvious
FANS have been getting the name of AZ Alkmaar wrong and the reason could not be more obvious.
The Dutch side are in the semi-final of the Conference League against West Ham.
The Hammers won the first leg 2-1 and will take a lead to the city just north of Amsterdam this Thursday, hoping to secure a place in the final.
But fans have been saying the club’s name incorrectly.
This is because the “A” actually stands for Alkmaar, so we have been perhaps stupidly saying it twice.
Meanwhile, the “Z” means Zaanstreek.
Their name comes from the merger of two clubs, Alkmaar ’54 and FC Zaanstreek.
The two joined forces in 1967 as chiefs wanted to create a powerful team in the Zaan and Alkmaar region.
AZ, as we will now call them, are two-time winners of the Eredivisie and four-time domestic cup winners.
They came runners-up in the Uefa Cup, now Europa League, in 1981.
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST ONLINE CASINOS FOR 2023
In their current squad, they have ex-Premier League stars Mat Ryan, Jordy Clasie and Bruno Martins Indi.
They also boast top young talent like Jesper Karlsson and Milos Kerkez, who have been linked with moves to England.
AZ currently sit fourth in the table and will meet either Italian side Fiorentina or Swiss outfit FC Basel in the Conference League final in Prague if they can overturn West Ham’s lead.