Eintracht Frankfurt

Eintracht Frankfurt
Full name Eintracht Frankfurt e.V.
Nickname(s) Die Adler (The Eagles),
SGE (Sportgemeinde Eintracht),
Launische Diva (Moody Diva)
Founded 8 March 1899 (1899-03-08)
Ground Commerzbank-Arena
Ground Capacity 51,500
Chairman Peter Fischer (club)
Fredi Bobič (plc)
Oliver Frankenbach (plc)
Axel Hellmann (plc)
Manager Niko Kovač
League Bundesliga
2015–16 16th
Website Club home page
Active departments of
Eintracht Frankfurt
Football Basketball Athletics
Rugby

Eintracht Frankfurt e.V. (German pronunciation: [ˈʔaɪ̯ntʁaxt ˈfʁaŋkfʊɐt]) is a German sports club based in Frankfurt, Hesse, that is best known for its association football club, currently playing in the Bundesliga, the top tier of the German football league system.

The club was founded in 1899 and have won one German championship, four DFB-Pokals and one UEFA Cup. Since 1925, their stadium has been the Waldstadion, which since 1 July 2005, has been called Commerzbank-Arena for sponsorship reasons.

History

Club origins

The origins of the side go back to a pair of football clubs founded in 1899: Frankfurter Fußball-Club Viktoria von 1899 – regarded as the "original" football side in the club's history – and Frankfurter Fußball-Club Kickers von 1899. Both clubs were founding members of the new Nordkreis-Liga in 1909. These two teams merged in May 1911 to become Frankfurter Fußball Verein (Kickers-Viktoria), an instant success, taking three league titles from 1912 to 1914 in the Nordkreis-Liga and qualifying for the Southern German championship in each of those seasons. In turn, Frankfurter FV joined the gymnastics club Frankfurter Turngemeinde von 1861 to form TuS Eintracht Frankfurt von 1861 in 1920. (The German word Eintracht means 'harmony, concord,' and Eintracht X is the equivalent of English X United in the names of sports teams.[1])

Pre-Bundesliga history

At the time, sports in Germany was dominated by nationalistic gymnastics organizations, and under pressure from that sport's governing authority, the gymnasts and footballers went their separate ways again in 1927, as Turngemeinde Eintracht Frankfurt von 1861 and Sportgemeinde Eintracht Frankfurt (FFV) von 1899.

Through the late 1920s and into the 1930s, Eintracht won a handful of local and regional championships, first in the Kreisliga Nordmain, then in the Bezirksliga Main and Bezirksliga Main-Hessen. After being eliminated from the national level playoffs after quarterfinal losses in 1930 and 1931, they won their way to the final in 1932 where they were beaten 0–2 by Bayern Munich, who claimed their first ever German championship. In 1933, German football was re-organized into sixteen Gauligen under the Third Reich and the club played first division football in the Gauliga Südwest, consistently finishing in the upper half of the table and winning their division in 1938.

Eintracht picked up where they left off after World War II, playing as a solid side in the first division Oberliga Süd and capturing division titles in 1953 and 1959. Their biggest success came on the heels of that second divisional title as they went on to a 5–3 victory over local rivals Kickers Offenbach to take the 1959 German national title and followed up immediately with an outstanding run in the 1960 European Cup. Eintracht lost 3–7 to Real Madrid in an exciting final that was widely regarded as one of the best football matches ever played,[2] which included a hat-trick by Alfredo Di Stéfano.

Founding member of the Bundesliga

The side continued to play good football and earned themselves a place as one of the original 16 teams selected to play in the Bundesliga, Germany's new professional football league, formed in 1963. Eintracht played Bundesliga football for 33 seasons, finishing in the top half of the table for the majority of them. Their best Bundesliga performances were five third-place finishes: they ended just two points back of champion VfB Stuttgart in 1991–92.

The team also narrowly avoided relegation on several occasions. In 1984, they defeated MSV Duisburg 6–1 on aggregate, and in 1989 they beat 1. FC Saarbrücken 4–1 on aggregate, in two-game playoffs. Eintracht finally slipped and were relegated to 2. Bundesliga for the 1996–97 season. At the time that they were sent down alongside 1. FC Kaiserslautern, these teams were two of only four sides that had been in the Bundesliga since the league's inaugural season.

It looked as though they would be out again in 1998–99, but they pulled through by beating defending champions Kaiserslautern 5–1, while 1. FC Nürnberg unexpectedly lost at home to give Eintracht the break they needed to stay up. The following year, in another struggle to avoid relegation, the club was "fined" two points by the German Football Association (DFB) for financial misdeeds, but pulled through with a win by a late goal over SSV Ulm on the last day of the season. The club was plagued by financial difficulties again in 2004 before once more being relegated.

Between 1997 and 2005, Eintracht has bounced between the top two divisions.

The 2010–11 season ended with the club's fourth Bundesliga relegation. After setting a new record for most points in the first half of the season, the club struggled after the winter break. After seven games without scoring a goal, coach Michael Skibbe was doubted, and despite the team winning the next game, Skibbe was sacked and replaced with Christoph Daum.[3] The change, however, did little to change Eintracht's fortunes, as the club achieved only three draws out of the last seven games and were subsequently relegated on the 34th matchday.[4]

One year later, Eintracht defeated Alemannia Aachen 3–0 on the 32nd match day of the 2011–12 season, thus qualifying for the Bundesliga.[5]

In 2015–16, Eintracht had the 19th-highest attendance in Europe, ahead of such prominent clubs as Atlético Madrid, Celtic and Paris Saint-Germain.

Success outside the Bundesliga

The club has enjoyed considerable success in competition outside the Bundesliga. Eintracht famously lost the European Cup final to Real Madrid on 18 May 1960 at Hampden Park 7–3 in front of 127,621 spectators. It is one of the most talked about European matches of all time, with Alfredo Di Stéfano scoring three and Ferenc Puskás scoring the other four in Real's victory.

In 1967, Eintracht won the Intertoto Cup after beating Inter Bratislava in the final.

Eintracht won the DFB-Pokal in 1974, 1975, 1981 and 1988, and took the UEFA Cup over another German team, Borussia Mönchengladbach, in 1980. More recently, Eintracht were the losing finalists in the 2005–06 DFB-Pokal. Their opponents in the final, that year's Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich, previously qualified to participate in the Champions League. As a result, Eintracht, received the DFB-Pokal's winner's place in the UEFA Cup, where they advanced to the group stage.

Besides playing friendlies against famous clubs from all of the world, Eintracht also played friendly matches against national teams from the following countries: Argentina, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Colombia, Czechoslovakia, Egypt, France, Germany, Hungary, Israel, Kenia, Kosovo, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Malaya, Mexico, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, South Korea, Tunisia and Vietnam.

Colours, crest and nicknames

The club crest derives from the coat of arms of Frankfurt, which is a reference to the one-headed imperial eagle of the 13th century.

Eintracht's crest is based on the city coat of arms.

The crest has evolved slowly over time, showing little significant change until 1980 when a stylized eagle in black and white was chosen to represent the team. In Eintracht's centennial year of 1999, the club board decided to re-adopt a more traditional eagle crest. Since 2006, Eintracht has had a living mascot, the golden eagle Attila from the nearby Hanau Zoo, who is very popular among supporters.

Centennial kit in 1999–2000

The official club colours of red, black, and white have their origins in the colours of the founding clubs Frankfurter FC Viktoria and Frankfurter FC Kickers, which sported red and white and black and white respectively. Red and white are the colours of the city coat of arms, and black and white the colours of Prussia. When the clubs merged, officials decided to adopt the colours of both sides. Since local rival Kickers Offenbach sport the colours red and white, Eintracht avoids playing in such a kit, preferring to play in black and red, or in black and white.

Eintracht's eagle (Adler) over the years: the logo of Frankfurter FV 1911, the red eagle of TuS Eintracht Frankfurt 1920, Sportgemeinde Eintracht Frankfurt 1967, and the predominantly black crest in use ca. 1980–1999 before today's more traditional style logo was adopted.

The club is nicknamed "Die Adler" ("The Eagles"), which derives from their crest. A nickname still popular among supporters is SGE, taken from the club's old official name Sportgemeinde Eintracht (Frankfurt), roughly translated to "Sports community United."

The nickname Launische Diva ("Moody Diva") was heard most often in the early 1990s when the club would comfortably defeat top teams only to surprisingly lose to lesser clubs. This nickname was also held to refer to the what was regarded as the dubious work of some club chairmen, including for example, the failure to record the transfer fee of Hungarian star player Lajos Détári on club books. The current reign of Heribert Bruchhagen appears to have left these practises to the past.

Honours

National

International

Regional

Minor

Youth

League results

Recent seasons

Bundesliga 2. Bundesliga Bundesliga 2. Bundesliga Bundesliga 2. Bundesliga Bundesliga 2. Bundesliga Bundesliga

All time


Green denotes the highest level of football in Germany; yellow the second highest.

Players

Current squad

As of 20 November 2016.

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
1 Finland GK Lukas Hradecky
2 Germany DF Yanni Regäsel
3 Uruguay DF Guillermo Varela (on loan from Manchester United)
4 Germany DF Marco Russ
5 Spain DF Jesús Vallejo (on loan from Real Madrid)
6 Germany DF Bastian Oczipka
7 Germany FW Danny Blum
8 Hungary MF Szabolcs Huszti
9 Switzerland FW Haris Seferović
10 Mexico MF Marco Fabián
11 Serbia MF Mijat Gaćinović
13 Austria GK Heinz Lindner
14 Germany FW Alex Meier (c)
15 Jamaica DF Michael Hector (on loan from Chelsea)
17 Croatia FW Ante Rebić (on loan from Fiorentina)
No. Position Player
18 Germany MF Johannes Flum
19 Argentina DF David Abraham
20 Japan MF Makoto Hasebe
21 Germany MF Marc Stendera
22 United States DF Timothy Chandler
23 Brazil DF Anderson Bamba
25 Serbia MF Slobodan Medojević
28 Morocco MF Aymen Barkok
30 Switzerland FW Shani Tarashaj (on loan from Everton)
31 Sweden MF Branimir Hrgota
32 Germany MF Joel Gerezgiher
33 Israel DF Taleb Tawatha
34 Germany GK Leon Bätge
36 Germany DF Furkan Zorba
38 Germany FW Enis Bunjaki
39 Spain MF Omar Mascarell

Players out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
 

Medalist players at major international tournaments

World Cup

Champions

World Cup 1954Germany

World Cup 1974Germany

World Cup 1990Germany

World Cup 2014Germany

Runner-up

World Cup 1954Hungary

World Cup 1966Germany

World Cup 1982Germany

World Cup 1986Germany

World Cup 2002Germany

Third place

World Cup 1934Germany

World Cup 1970Germany

World Cup 1982Poland

World Cup 2006Germany

World Cup 2010Germany

UEFA Euro/European Nations' Cup

Champions

UEFA Euro 1972Germany

UEFA Euro 1980Germany

UEFA Euro 1996Germany

Runner-up

European Nations' Cup 1960Yugoslavia

UEFA Euro 1976Germany

UEFA Euro 1992Germany

UEFA Euro 1996Czech Republic

Summer Olympics

Gold

Summer Olympics 1952Hungary

Summer Olympics 1960Yugoslavia

Summer Olympics 1996Nigeria

Summer Olympics 2012Mexico

Silver

Summer Olympics 1924Switzerland

Summer Olympics 1952Yugoslavia

Summer Olympics 1992Poland

Bronze

Summer Olympics 1988West Germany

Current club staff

ManagerCroatia Niko Kovač
Assistant managerCroatia Robert Kovač
Assistant managerGermany Armin Reutershahn
Goalkeeping coach Germany Manfred Petz
PhysiotherapistGermany Ralf Ochs Germany Daniel Rung Germany Maik Liesbrock
CustodianGermany Michael Fabacher
Fitness coachGermany Klaus Luisser
Equipment managerItaly Franco Lionti Ukraine Igor Simonov
Team doctor Germany Dr Christoph Seeger Germany Dr Wulf Schwietzer
Academy managerGermany Karl-Heinz Körbel
Head ScoutsGermany Bernd Hölzenbein Equatorial Guinea Ben Manga

Club presidents

  • Germany Wilhelm Schöndube (1920–1926)
  • Germany Fritz Steffan / Germany Heinrich Berger (1926–1927)
  • Germany Horst Rebenschütz (1927)
  • Germany Egon Graf von Beroldingen (1927–1933)
  • Nazi Germany Hans Söhngen (1933–1939)
  • Nazi Germany Rudolf Gramlich / Nazi Germany Adolf Metzner (1939–1942)
  • Nazi Germany Anton Gentil (1942–1945) (temporary)
  • Germany Christian Kiefer (1945–1946) (temporary)
  •   Günther Reis (1946)
  • Germany Robert Brubacher (1946–1949)
  • Germany Anton Keller (1949–1955)
  • Germany Rudolf Gramlich (1955–1969)
  • Germany Albert Zellekens (1970–1973)
  • Germany Achaz von Thümen (1973–1981)
  • Germany Axel Schander (1981–1983)
  • Germany Klaus Gramlich (1983–1988)
  • Germany Joseph Wolf (1988)
  • Germany Matthias Ohms (1988–1996)
  • Germany Dieter Lindner (1996) (temporary)
  • Germany Hans-Joachim Otto (1996)
  • Germany Rolf Heller (1996–2000)
  • Germany Peter Fischer (2000–)

Managers/head coaches

Manager Paul Oßwald (right) led Eintracht Frankfurt to the German championship in 1959 and the European Cup final in 1960.

Records

Karl-Heinz Körbel has the most appearances in Eintracht Frankfurt and Bundesliga history

Recent top scorers

Season Player's name Nationality Goals
2011–12 Alexander Meier  Germany 17
2012–13 Alexander Meier  Germany 16
2013–14 Joselu  Spain 9
2014–15 Alexander Meier  Germany 19
2015–16 Alexander Meier  Germany 12

Stadium information

Main article: Commerzbank-Arena

The ground was inaugurated as Waldstadion ("Forest Stadium") in 1925 with the German championship final match between FSV Frankfurt vs. 1. FC Nürnberg. The facility was renovated for the FIFA World Cup 2006 in Germany. For Bundesliga fixtures the maximum capacity is 51,500 as on the East Stand next to the visitor's terrace some spaces are held free for security purposes.

Though the media usually refer to the ground by the official name, Commerzbank-Arena, Eintracht faithful typically use the name Waldstadion.

Sponsoring

[6]

Season Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor Shirt sponsor
value
1974–75 Adidas Remington €100,000
(estimated)
1975–76 Adidas / Admiral
1976–77 Admiral / Adidas
1977–78 Samson €125,000
1978–79 Adidas / Erima Minolta €250,000
1979–80 €275,000
1980–81 €300,000
1981–82 Infotec €375,000
1982–83 Adidas
1983–84 €250,000
1984–85 Portas €300,000
1985–86
1986–87 Hoechst €325,000
1987–88 Puma
1988–89 €350,000
1989–90
1990–91 €350,000 – €500,000
1991–92 Samsung €1,000,000
1992–93
1993–94 Tetra Pak
1994–95
1995–96 €1,250,000
1996–97 Mitsubishi Motors €650,000
1997–98
1998–99 VIAG Interkom €3,000,000
1999–00
2000–01 Puma / Fila Genion
2001–02 Fila Fraport €1,500,000
2002–03
2003–04 Jako €2,500,000
2004–05 €2,000,000
2005–06 €2,500,000
2006–07 €4,000,000
2007–08 €4,500,000
2008–09 €5,000,000
2009–10
2010–11
2011–12 €3,000,000
2012–13 Krombacher €5,500,000
2013–14 Alfa Romeo €6,000,000
2014–15 Nike
2015–16
2016–17 Krombacher €5,500,000

Reserves team

Eintracht Frankfurt U23 was the reserve team of Eintracht Frankfurt. The team played as U23 (Under 23) to emphasize the character of the team as a link between the youth academy and professional team and competed until 2013–14 in the regular league system in the fourth tier, the Regionalliga Süd, until the club board decided to dissolve the team.

Frankfurt derby

The 2011–12 season saw Eintracht play local rival FSV Frankfurt in a league match for the first time in almost 50 years. The last league game between the two had been played on 27 January 1962, then in the Oberliga Süd. For the first of the two matches, FSV's home game on 21 August 2011, the decision was made to move to Eintracht's stadium as FSV's Bornheimer Hang only holds less than 11,000 spectators.[7] Eintracht won 0–4. The second match on 18 February 2012 ended in another victory for Eintracht, a 6–1 rout.

All-time results

Date Competition Home Team Score Away Team Venue Attendance
10 March 1957 DFB-Pokal quarter-final
Eintracht Frankfurt
3 – 4
FSV Frankfurt
Waldstadion
?
21 August 2011 2. Bundesliga
FSV Frankfurt
0 – 4
Eintracht Frankfurt
Waldstadion
50,250
18 February 2012 2. Bundesliga
Eintracht Frankfurt
6 – 1
FSV Frankfurt
Waldstadion
40,700

See also

Other sections within the club

Indoor court of Eintracht's tennis section in Seckbach

The sports club Eintracht Frankfurt e.V. is made up of sixteen sections:

  1. Gymnastics (since 22 January 1861)
  2. Football (since 8 March 1899)
  3. Athletics (since 1899)
  4. Field hockey (since 1906 as "1.Frankfurter Hockeyclub )
  5. Boxing (since 1919)
  6. Tennis (since spring 1920)
  7. Handball (since 1921)
  8. Rugby (since summer 1923 – see Eintracht Frankfurt Rugby)
  9. Table tennis (since November 1924)
  10. Basketball (since 4 June 1954)
  11. Ice stock sport (since 9 December 1959)
  12. Volleyball (since July 1961)
  13. Football supporter's section (since 11 December 2000)
  14. Ice hockey (1959–91 and again since 1 July 2002)
  15. Darts (since 1 July 2006)
  16. Triathlon (since January 2008)
  17. Ultimate (since 2015)
Betty Heidler while being honoured in Osaka.

The most famous athlete of Eintracht Frankfurt is Betty Heidler, the hammer thrower world champion of 2007. Other Eintracht athletes include the 2008 Olympians Andrea Bunjes, Ariane Friedrich, Kamghe Gaba and Kathrin Klaas.

The club's rugby union section twice reached the final of the German rugby union championship, in 1940 and 1965.[8]

Within the football section, the sports club directly manages only the youth system and the reserve team. The professional footballers are managed as a separate limited corporation, Eintracht Frankfurt Fußball-AG, which is a subsidiary of the parent club.

References

  1. Harper Collins German Dictionary: German-English/English-German (Harpercollins, 1991; ISBN 0061002437), p. 203.
  2. "The great European Cup final of 1960 remembered". BBC. 19 May 2010.
  3. "Eintracht turn to Daum after Skibbe sacking". UEFA. 22 March 2011.
  4. "Dortmund condemn Eintracht to the drop". UEFA. 14 May 2011.
  5. FR-Online, Eintracht Frankfurt ist zurück in der 1. Liga, accessed 2012-05-02
  6. Unsere Eintracht – Eintracht Frankfurt – Die Chronik, Verlag Die Werkstatt, Göttingen, 2011, p. 236
  7. Das Frankfurter Derby elektrisiert (German) www.kicker.de, published: 21 August 2011, accessed: 21 August 2011
  8. Die Deutschen Meister der Männer DRV website – German rugby union finals, accessed: 29 December 2008

External links

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