Melbourne Victory Football Club is an Australian professional football (soccer) club in the Australian A-League. Based in Melbourne, Victoria, it draws the largest average crowds in the league. It is also the most successful club in the history of the A-League, having won four major domestic titles in as many seasons. Melbourne Victory are the only club to complete the Premiership-Championship double having in fact completed the Premiership-Championship double twice, winning both during the 2006–07 and 2008–09 seasons. Melbourne Victory are also the first and only club to complete the domestic treble, winning the Challenge Cup, Premiership and Championship, all in the 2008–09 season.

Melbourne Victory are the reigning A-League Premiers and Champions, following their success in the 2008–09 season.

Melbourne Victory was founded in 2003 after the announcement of a revamped domestic league in Australia, which saw the National Soccer League disbanded in 2003 and replaced by the A-League.

Football Federation Australia (FFA) approved the Melbourne Victory consortium as Melbourne’s representative in the league, with Belgravia Leisure Pty Ltd backing the club. The chairman and CEO of Belgravia Leisure, Geoff Lord, was installed as the inaugural chairman of Melbourne Victory FC. Melbourne Victory’s major sponsor was Samsung, with KFC also taking up the sleeve sponsor.

Gary Cole (an ex-Socceroo) was hired to become Football Operations manager, and was soon joined by Ernie Merrick, appointed as head coach from the Victorian Institute of Sport (VIS). Archie Thompson, a then regular Socceroo who had been playing in Belgium with Lierse S.K., was the club’s first player signing. The club soon signed three more internationals for the inaugural squad — then Socceroo Kevin Muscat, Austrian Richard Kitzbichler and Belgian Geoffrey Claeys.

* Trial match #1 MV/VIS vs Oakleigh Cannons 30 April 2005
* Trial match #2 MV vs Bulleen Zebras 4 May 2005
* FIFA Club World Championship Adelaide vs MV 7 May 2005

The remainder of the squad was quickly assembled, although room was left for signings before Melbourne played its first competitive match against Adelaide United in a World Club Championship qualifier. Unfortunately, this resulted in an inconsistent first season. Although highlights included a 5–0 win over major rivals Sydney FC, Melbourne Victory finished as the worst Australian team (ahead of the New Zealand Knights), whilst Sydney, their major rivals went on to win the first A-League Championship.

The Victory has also set up a sister-city relationship with Chinese Super League Club, Tianjin Teda FC. The two clubs play against each other annually during the off-season, known as the Lord Mayor’s Cup.

Melbourne Victory are considered a broad-based club, appealing to all nationalities. The team colours — navy blue and white — are traditionally Victorian state colours.

Visit official website: www.melbournevictory.com.au