German football clubs

Alemannia Aachen
Having gone 36 years without an appearance in the Bundesliga's top flight, Alemannia Aachen will make the most of their return in 2006/2007.

Bayer Leverkusen
Boasting a reputation as one of the most family orientated clubs in the Bundesliga and with a recent history that has brought them as close to winning German and European football's top honours, without actually lifting them, as possible, Bayer Leverkusen have a strong foundation to build on for the future.

Borussia Dortmund
Still boasting the largest football stadium in Germany in terms of crowd capacity, Borussia Dortmund are feeling the inevitable comedown following the massive success they earned during the mid-1990s with players like Matthias Sammer bringing two Bundesliga titles and a European Cup to the club. Having been the first German club to win a European trophy with their Cup Winners Cup success in 1966, Borussia Dortmund have a fine footballing history to live up to.

Arminia Bielefeld
Known by some as the elevator crew for their penchant for promotions and subsequent relegations from Bundesliga 1, Arminia Bielefeld have made great leaps in the past few years to establish themselves as regular Bundesliga 1 competitors.

Borussia Monchengladbach
One of Germany's most successful and well supported clubs, Borussia Monchengladbach have struggled financially since their 1970s heyday but remain one of German football's most enduring forces both domestically and in European competition.

Eintracht Frankfurt
One ofthe founding members of the Bundesliga, Eintracht Frankfurt have enjoyed more cup than league success throughout their history and in recent years have bounced up and down between the top two German divisions as they aim for a more secure Bundesliga 1 base.

Energie Cottbus
The former East Germany's most successful club since reunification, Energie Cottbus have built themselves from a third tier mainstay to having several seasons of Bundesliga 1 football since the turn of the millenium.

FC Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich are Germany's foremost football club with a wealth of domestic and European successes to boast of and an unrivalled history of signing and developing some of the top players in German football history.

FC Hansa Rostock
FC Hansa Rostock are a German football club who are widely regarded as one of the most successful and popular clubs to emerge from the former East Germany League.

FC Nürnberg
FC Nürnberg established themselves as one of the powerhouses of German club football in the early half of the twentieth century, earning themselves the nickname "Der Club" as early as 1919 for their commitment to good football and prowess. Later years haven't been as fruitful on or off the pitch but a return to Bundesliga 1 action in recent years bodes well for the future of Der Club.

FC Schalke 04
FC Schalke 04 have remained one of Germany's most popular football clubs despite their last Bundesliga title being won in the late 1950s. Their recent good form since the late 1990s has however given the club a fresh outlook as one modern German football's foremost clubs.

FSV Mainz 05
based in based in Mainz in the Rhineland-Palatinate area of germany, FSV Mainz 05 have had a long and arduous struggle to achieve Bundesliga 1 status but finally ascended to the top division in 2004 and have currently maintained their status for three years.

Hannover 96
Having fought back from dissolution followingthe 2nd World War and suffering the ignominy of relegation to Regionalliga Nord (III) in their centenary year in the mid 90s, Hannover 96 have recovered and established themselves as constant Bundesliga 1 competitors again since 2002.

Hertha Berlin
A match fixing scandal in the early 1970s and two years in the absolute wilderness of the Amateur Oberliga Berlin in the late 1980s have made Hertha Berlin's fans all the more thankful for their current spell in the top flight having reaffirmed their place as Berlin's number one football club side.

Karlsruher SC
Karlsruher SC are a German football club based in Karlsruhe

MSV Duisburg
Club history and profile of MSV Duisburg who have thus far in their history failed to lift any silverware at the top tier of German football.

SV Hamburg
Arguably Germany's oldest professional football club, SV Hamburg also currently hold the distinction of never having been relegated from the top tier ofthe Bundesliga since the end of World War One. Their mid to late 1970s heyday may have ended but the Dinosaur of German football is still widely respected as one of the nation's top football clubs.

VfB Stuttgart
A staple component of Bundesliga 1 for the past thirty years since their mid 1970s blip and subsequent relegation, VfB Stuttgart are widely considered to be among German football's elite with a long history of fine players and trophies to show for it.

VfL Bochum
A regular fixture in the top flight of the Bundesliga throughout the 1970s and 1980s, VfL Bochum have bounced between the top two divisions since 1993 but earned themselves a reputation as tough competitors as they qualified for the UEFA Cup twice recently in 1997 and 2004.

VfL Wolfsburg
Based in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, home of the Volkswagen car company, VfL Wolfsburg have built a steady reputation as they climb the rungs of German club football to their current place amongst the elite of Bundesliga 1.

Werder Bremen
Werder Bremen's glory days of the 1980s under Otto Rehhagel seem to be returning under the long term stewardship of head coach Thomas Schaaf as the club experience a strong position amongst the Bundesliga front runners since the turn of the Millenium.