Deportivo, Parma and Hamburg are more than destinations on a football enthusiast’s travel itinerary. They are former major forces that have recently climbed back into their countries’ top divisions.
Leeds United, Nottingham Forest, Schalke and Malaga can also be placed in that category.
With so many famous clubs returning to the highest level, which fallen powers remain outside Europe’s leading divisions?
First, some standards must be set, including history, tradition, supporter base and stadium size. The focus is on clubs with enormous potential that currently compete below the top tier.
Being based in a large city is an advantage, but it is not enough on its own, as supporters of Bristol City and Russian second-division club FC Ufa may point out. Both represent urban areas with populations exceeding one million.
A large stadium does not automatically guarantee inclusion either. Bari are a notable example, playing at the Stadio San Nicola, Italy’s third-biggest ground and a venue constructed for the 1990 World Cup. Other clubs outside Serie A, including Hellas Verona, Messina and Palermo, also have stadiums holding more than 30,000 spectators.
England has numerous former Premier League sides with impressive histories and grounds suited to top-level football. Germany also has many traditional clubs with sizeable stadiums, such as Fortuna Dusseldorf, Wolfsburg and Hannover 96, but not every candidate can be included.
To qualify as a sleeping giant, a club must have enjoyed meaningful success in the past. Pro Vercelli clearly meet that requirement after winning seven Italian championships by 1922. However, despite new ownership, the third-tier team currently lacks both the stadium and the surrounding population needed to revive its former stature in the near future.
Another consideration is that a club’s success must not be too recent. West Ham lifted a European trophy three years ago, while Wolves have regularly competed in the top division in recent times. The same reasoning applies to Stade de Reims, twice runners-up in the European Cup, and eight-time French champions Nantes.
Excluding Steaua Bucharest was another difficult decision. Romania’s most successful club and European Cup winners four decades ago, they now compete in Liga II. However, after a highly contentious split, much of the traditional support moved to top-flight side FCSB, leaving the ownership of that historic identity open to debate.
Boavista also deserved consideration. The 2001 Portuguese champions now face a serious threat to their survival and, despite determined efforts from supporters, have been removed from Portugal’s professional leagues because of their financial problems.
Using these criteria, the following selection identifies 10 of Europe’s most prominent sleeping giants.
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