SV Werder Bremen
Encyclopedia
SV Werder Bremen is a German
sports club best known for its association football team
playing in Bremen, in the northwest German federal state of the same name
. The club was founded on 4 February 1899 as Fußballverein Werder by a group of sixteen vocational high school students who had won a prize of sports equipment to set them on their way. They took their name from the seldom used regional German word for “river peninsula”, describing the riverside field they first played football on. Werder Bremen has grown to 39,100 members.
Bremen have been a mainstay in the Bundesliga
, top flight of German football. Bremen have been crowned champions on four occasions and have won the DFB-Pokal
on six occasions. Their most recent achievements in these competitions came in 2004, when they won an historic double
. Bremen have also tasted European success, beating AS Monaco in the 1992 European Cup Winners' Cup Final, 2–0. Bremen also reached the final edition of the UEFA Cup in 2009
, before it was rebranded as the UEFA Europa League, where they met Ukrainian
side Shakhtar Donetsk. Shakhtar won the final 2–1 in extra time
.
coming away with a 1–0 victory. In 1900 FV Bremen was represented
at the founding of the German Football Association
(DFB) at Leipzig
. The club then enjoyed some early success, fielding competitive sides and winning a number of local championships. FV took part in the qualification play for the national championships in playoffs held by the Norddeutscher Fussball Verband (NFV), one of the seven major regional leagues after the turn of the century, but were unable to advance. They became the first club to charge spectators a fee to attend their games and to fence in their playing field.
In April 1914, the club became a department of Allgemeiner Bremer Turnverein 1860 and was briefly known as Sportabteilung Werder des ABTV. However, the relationship was short-lived and the club went its own way again less than two months later.
Steady growth after World War I led the club to adopt other sports and, on 19 January 1920, change their name to the current Sportverein Werder Bremen. Football remained their primary interest, so much so that in 1922 they became the first German club to hire a professional coach. The team made regular appearances in year-end NFV qualification round play through the 20's and on into the early 30's, but did not enjoy any success.
German football was re-organized under the Third Reich in 1933 into sixteen first division leagues known as Gauligen
and Werder became part of the Gauliga Niedersachsen
. The club scored its first real successes, capturing division titles in 1934, 1936, and 1937, and took part for the first time in national level playoff competition. The shape of the Gauligen changed through the course of World War II and in 1939 the Gauliga Niedersachsen was split into two divisions. SV played in the Gauliga Niedersachsen/Nord where they captured a fourth title in 1942. As the war overtook the country, the Gauligen became progressively more local in character. The Gauliga Niedersachsen/Nord became the Gauliga Weser-Ems and then the Gauliga Weser-Ems/Bremen over the next two years. Werders 1944–45 season was cut short after just two matches.
Like other organizations throughout Germany, the club was disbanded on the order of the occupying Allied authorities after the war. They re-constituted themselves 10 November 1945 as Turn- und Sportverein Werder 1945 Bremen, which was changed to Sport-Club Grün-Weiß 99 Bremen on 4 February 1946. The team took up play in the Stadtliga Bremen, and after capturing a title there, participated in the northern German championship round, advancing to the quarterfinals. They were able to reclaim the name SV Werder on 25 March 1946 before taking part in the playoffs.
At the time, professionals were not permitted to play in the German game, so it was normal for football players to take on other jobs, often with the club's local patron. In the case of Werder, a number of the players worked at the nearby Brinkmann tobacco factory, and so the side took on the nickname Texas 11 after one of the company's popular cigarette brands.
Between the end of the war and the formation of the Bundesliga in 1963 the club continued to do well, being recognized as one of the top two teams in northern Germany along with the Hamburger SV
. In 1961 they managed their first German Cup win. Their performance was good enough to earn them a place as a charter member of the Bundesliga, and in the league's second season Werder took the championship. They earned a second-place finish in the 1967–68, but then languished in the bottom half of the table for a dozen years. An attempt to improve their lot by signing high-priced talent earned the side the new, derisive nickname of the Millionaires and turned out to be an expensive failure. The club dropped out of the Bundesliga for the first and only time, being relegated to the 2nd Bundesliga-Nord for the 1980–81 season after a 17th place finish.
Werder Bremen recovered themselves under the direction of newly hired coach Otto Rehhagel
, who led the side to a string of successes: Bundesliga runners-up in 1983, 1985 and 1986, champions in 1988; appearances in the final of the DFB-Pokal
in 1989 and 1990 with a win there in 1991; followed by victory in the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1992. In 1993, the club earned its third Bundesliga title and, in the following year, its third German Cup. Rehhagel left the club in June 1995 after this impressive run for a short-lived turn as coach of Bayern Munich
. The impact of Rehhagel's departure was felt immediately, and a succession of coaches (Aad de Mos, Dixie Dörner, Wolfgang Sidka
and Felix Magath
) led the club into a critical position. In May 1999 former defender and amateur coach Thomas Schaaf
took over the team and stopping a slide toward relegation and leading the team to a cup victory only weeks later.
The team's performance stabilized in the following seasons as they regularly finished in the upper half of the table. In 2004, they managed to take both the Bundesliga championship and the DFB-Pokal – one of only four German sides to make the Double
. Their performance qualified them for the 2004–05 Champions League play and they advanced to the Round of 16 before a dismal exit on a 10–2 aggregate to French side Olympique Lyonnais
. Werder again qualified for the Champions League in 2005, this time through a third place Bundesliga result following a difficult injury-prone season. They once more advanced to the Round of 16, this time being put out by Italian club Juventus
on away goals after a 4–4 aggregate score. A second place in the league ensured the third consecutive Champions League qualification.
In the 2006–07 season, Werder Bremen claimed the "winter champions" title, being the first place team in the Bundesliga before the winter break period, but eventually came in third behind VfB Stuttgart
and Schalke 04
. A third place in the Champions League group stage sent Bremen to the UEFA-Cup where they lost in the semi-finals to Espanyol
. After the season Werder lost their famous striker Miroslav Klose
to Bayern. As in the previous season Bremen finished third in the Champions League, but this time lost in the Round of 16 to the Rangers
. A vice-championship in the Bundesliga qualified Werder for their fifth consecutive Champions League attendance.
Bremen struggled in their Bundesliga campaign of 2008–09, eventually finishing tenth thus completing their worst performance in more than a decade. Nevertheless Bremen made it to the UEFA-Cup final after yet another third place in the Group stage of the Champions League as well as to the national cup final. After Naldo
equalized an early goal by Shakhtar Donetsk
Bremen lost the UEFA-Cup final 1–2 after extra time. In the final match of the 2008–09 season Bremen defeated Bayer Leverkusen 1–0 to win the DFB-Pokal. In 2008–09 UEFA-Cup, Bremen were dubbed as "Italian Killer" as they managed to send 2 of 3 top Italian Clubs, AC Milan and Udinese Calcio SpA to elimination from European Competition.
, another major club in northern Germany, known as the Nordderby
and other big clubs like Bayern Munich in particular. They have developed a recent, but intense dislike of Schalke 04 after the Gelsenkirchen
side lured top players (including Ailton
, Mladen Krstajić
, Frank Rost
, Oliver Reck
(goalkeeping coach), and Fabian Ernst
) with lucrative contracts to join them.
There are a few Ultra
-Groups in Bremen: "Racaille Verte", "Wanderers-Bremen", "The Infamous Youth" and "Ultra-Team Bremen", they support the team in each match.
The official anthem of Werder Bremen is "Lebenslang Grün-Weiß" by Bremen-based band Original Deutschmacher.
The side prides itself on being one of the few port cities in the Bundesliga – currently the only others are FC St. Pauli
and Hamburger SV
: the toot of a ship's whistle celebrates every Werder Bremen goal. This regional pride has its drawbacks, though, as opposing fans regularly taunt Werder Bremen fans as Fischköppe (fishheads), alluding to offensive smell and limited intelligence.
Finally, Werder Bremen is also known for its level-headed environment. In contrast to many other cities, where the local sides are often subject to intense media attention, players and trainers here are usually left in relative peace. Bremen's reputation is that of a sensible, respected and financially healthy club.
2. Bundesliga
DFB-Pokal
DFB-Ligapokal
DFB-Supercup
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
UEFA Intertoto Cup
Under 19 Bundesliga North/Northeast
, adjacent to the first team's ground, and it is coached by Thomas Wolter
, a former Werder player.
era in 1963. Otto Rehhagel
served the longest term, being in office for fourteen years. Hans Tilkowski
, Willi Multhaup
, Rudi Assauer
, and Otto Rehhagel served two terms each while Fritz Langner served three.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
sports club best known for its association football team
Football in Germany
Association football is the most popular sport in Germany. The German Football Association is the sport's national governing body, with 6.6 million members organized in over 26,000 football clubs. There is a league system, with the 1. and 2. Bundesliga on top, and the winner of the first...
playing in Bremen, in the northwest German federal state of the same name
Bremen (state)
The Free Hanseatic City of Bremen is the smallest of Germany's 16 states. A more informal name, but used in some official contexts, is Land Bremen .-Geography:...
. The club was founded on 4 February 1899 as Fußballverein Werder by a group of sixteen vocational high school students who had won a prize of sports equipment to set them on their way. They took their name from the seldom used regional German word for “river peninsula”, describing the riverside field they first played football on. Werder Bremen has grown to 39,100 members.
Bremen have been a mainstay in the Bundesliga
Fußball-Bundesliga
The Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
, top flight of German football. Bremen have been crowned champions on four occasions and have won the DFB-Pokal
DFB-Pokal
The DFB-Pokal or DFB Cup is a German knockout football cup competition held annually. 64 teams participate in the competition, including all clubs from the Bundesliga and the 2nd Bundesliga. It is considered the second most important national title in German football after the Bundesliga...
on six occasions. Their most recent achievements in these competitions came in 2004, when they won an historic double
The Double
The Double is a term in association football which refers to winning a country's top tier division and its primary cup competition in the same season...
. Bremen have also tasted European success, beating AS Monaco in the 1992 European Cup Winners' Cup Final, 2–0. Bremen also reached the final edition of the UEFA Cup in 2009
2009 UEFA Cup Final
The 2009 UEFA Cup Final was the final match of the 2008–09 UEFA Cup, the 38th season of the UEFA Cup, UEFA's second-tier club football tournament. It was also the last final to be held under the UEFA Cup name, as the competition was rebranded as the UEFA Europa League from the 2009–10 season...
, before it was rebranded as the UEFA Europa League, where they met Ukrainian
Ukrainian Premier League
The Ukrainian Premier League is the highest division of Ukrainian annual football championship. As the Supreme League it was founded in 1991 after the fold of the Soviet Union's Vysshaya Liga. In 2008 it was reformed into a more autonomous entity of the Football Federation of Ukraine and changed...
side Shakhtar Donetsk. Shakhtar won the final 2–1 in extra time
Overtime (sports)
Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw. In most sports, this extra period is only played if the game is required to have a clear winner, as in single-elimination...
.
History
Predecessor side SV Werder played its first ever match on 10 September 1899 against ASC 1898 BremenASC 1898 Bremen
ASC Bremen or Allgemeinen Bremer Sportclub von 1898 was a German association football club based in the Hanseatic city of Bremen. Founded in 1898 the club played briefly in the Verband Bremer Ballspiel Vereine fielding both first and second division sides...
coming away with a 1–0 victory. In 1900 FV Bremen was represented
Founding Clubs of the DFB
The DFB was formed January 28, 1900 in Leipzig. The commonly accepted number of founding clubs represented at the inaugural meeting is 86, but this number is uncertain. The vote held to establish the association was 62:22 in favour . Some delegates present represented more than one club, but may...
at the founding of the German Football Association
German Football Association
The German Football Association is the governing body of football in Germany. A founding member of both FIFA and UEFA, the DFB organises the German football leagues, including the national league, the Bundesliga, and the men's and women's national teams. The DFB is based in Frankfurt and is...
(DFB) at Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
. The club then enjoyed some early success, fielding competitive sides and winning a number of local championships. FV took part in the qualification play for the national championships in playoffs held by the Norddeutscher Fussball Verband (NFV), one of the seven major regional leagues after the turn of the century, but were unable to advance. They became the first club to charge spectators a fee to attend their games and to fence in their playing field.
In April 1914, the club became a department of Allgemeiner Bremer Turnverein 1860 and was briefly known as Sportabteilung Werder des ABTV. However, the relationship was short-lived and the club went its own way again less than two months later.
Steady growth after World War I led the club to adopt other sports and, on 19 January 1920, change their name to the current Sportverein Werder Bremen. Football remained their primary interest, so much so that in 1922 they became the first German club to hire a professional coach. The team made regular appearances in year-end NFV qualification round play through the 20's and on into the early 30's, but did not enjoy any success.
German football was re-organized under the Third Reich in 1933 into sixteen first division leagues known as Gauligen
Gauliga
A Gauliga was the highest level of play in German football from 1934-45. The leagues were introduced in 1933, after the Nazi takeover of power by the Sports office of the Third Reich.-Name:...
and Werder became part of the Gauliga Niedersachsen
Gauliga Niedersachsen
The Gauliga Niedersachsen was the highest football league in the Prussian Province of Hanover and the German states of Bremen, Brunswick, Schaumburg-Lippe and Oldenburg from 1933 to 1945...
. The club scored its first real successes, capturing division titles in 1934, 1936, and 1937, and took part for the first time in national level playoff competition. The shape of the Gauligen changed through the course of World War II and in 1939 the Gauliga Niedersachsen was split into two divisions. SV played in the Gauliga Niedersachsen/Nord where they captured a fourth title in 1942. As the war overtook the country, the Gauligen became progressively more local in character. The Gauliga Niedersachsen/Nord became the Gauliga Weser-Ems and then the Gauliga Weser-Ems/Bremen over the next two years. Werders 1944–45 season was cut short after just two matches.
Like other organizations throughout Germany, the club was disbanded on the order of the occupying Allied authorities after the war. They re-constituted themselves 10 November 1945 as Turn- und Sportverein Werder 1945 Bremen, which was changed to Sport-Club Grün-Weiß 99 Bremen on 4 February 1946. The team took up play in the Stadtliga Bremen, and after capturing a title there, participated in the northern German championship round, advancing to the quarterfinals. They were able to reclaim the name SV Werder on 25 March 1946 before taking part in the playoffs.
At the time, professionals were not permitted to play in the German game, so it was normal for football players to take on other jobs, often with the club's local patron. In the case of Werder, a number of the players worked at the nearby Brinkmann tobacco factory, and so the side took on the nickname Texas 11 after one of the company's popular cigarette brands.
Between the end of the war and the formation of the Bundesliga in 1963 the club continued to do well, being recognized as one of the top two teams in northern Germany along with the Hamburger SV
Hamburger SV
Hamburger Sport-Verein, usually referred to as HSV in Germany and Hamburg in international parlance, is a German multi-sport club based in Hamburg, its largest branch being its football department...
. In 1961 they managed their first German Cup win. Their performance was good enough to earn them a place as a charter member of the Bundesliga, and in the league's second season Werder took the championship. They earned a second-place finish in the 1967–68, but then languished in the bottom half of the table for a dozen years. An attempt to improve their lot by signing high-priced talent earned the side the new, derisive nickname of the Millionaires and turned out to be an expensive failure. The club dropped out of the Bundesliga for the first and only time, being relegated to the 2nd Bundesliga-Nord for the 1980–81 season after a 17th place finish.
Werder Bremen recovered themselves under the direction of newly hired coach Otto Rehhagel
Otto Rehhagel
Otto Rehhagel is a German football coach and former football player. Along with Helmut Schön, Ottmar Hitzfeld, Udo Lattek and Hennes Weisweiler, he is considered one of the most successful German managers....
, who led the side to a string of successes: Bundesliga runners-up in 1983, 1985 and 1986, champions in 1988; appearances in the final of the DFB-Pokal
DFB-Pokal
The DFB-Pokal or DFB Cup is a German knockout football cup competition held annually. 64 teams participate in the competition, including all clubs from the Bundesliga and the 2nd Bundesliga. It is considered the second most important national title in German football after the Bundesliga...
in 1989 and 1990 with a win there in 1991; followed by victory in the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1992. In 1993, the club earned its third Bundesliga title and, in the following year, its third German Cup. Rehhagel left the club in June 1995 after this impressive run for a short-lived turn as coach of Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups....
. The impact of Rehhagel's departure was felt immediately, and a succession of coaches (Aad de Mos, Dixie Dörner, Wolfgang Sidka
Wolfgang Sidka
Wolfgang Sidka is an association football manager. He led SV Werder Bremen to victory in the UEFA Intertoto Cup in 1998. He was head coach of the Iraq national football team, having signed on August 9, 2010 and was sacked on August 2, 2011.-Manager:-References:...
and Felix Magath
Felix Magath
Wolfgang-Felix Magath is a former German football central midfielder and current manager of VfL Wolfsburg.-Playing career:...
) led the club into a critical position. In May 1999 former defender and amateur coach Thomas Schaaf
Thomas Schaaf
Thomas Schaaf is a former German football defender and current manager of Werder Bremen. A true one-club man, he spent his entire playing career, and so far coaching career, with Werder Bremen...
took over the team and stopping a slide toward relegation and leading the team to a cup victory only weeks later.
The team's performance stabilized in the following seasons as they regularly finished in the upper half of the table. In 2004, they managed to take both the Bundesliga championship and the DFB-Pokal – one of only four German sides to make the Double
The Double
The Double is a term in association football which refers to winning a country's top tier division and its primary cup competition in the same season...
. Their performance qualified them for the 2004–05 Champions League play and they advanced to the Round of 16 before a dismal exit on a 10–2 aggregate to French side Olympique Lyonnais
Olympique Lyonnais
Olympique Lyonnais is a French association football club based in Lyon. They play in France's highest football division, Ligue 1. The club was formed as Lyon Olympique Universitaire in 1899, according to many supporters and sport historians, but was nationally established as a club in 1950. The...
. Werder again qualified for the Champions League in 2005, this time through a third place Bundesliga result following a difficult injury-prone season. They once more advanced to the Round of 16, this time being put out by Italian club Juventus
Juventus F.C.
Juventus Football Club S.p.A. , commonly referred to as Juventus and colloquially as Juve , are a professional Italian association football club based in Turin, Piedmont...
on away goals after a 4–4 aggregate score. A second place in the league ensured the third consecutive Champions League qualification.
In the 2006–07 season, Werder Bremen claimed the "winter champions" title, being the first place team in the Bundesliga before the winter break period, but eventually came in third behind VfB Stuttgart
VfB Stuttgart
Verein für Bewegungsspiele Stuttgart 1893 e. V., commonly known as VfB Stuttgart, is a German sports club based in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg. The club is best known for its football team, which has participated in all but two Bundesliga seasons...
and Schalke 04
FC Schalke 04
Fußball-Club Gelsenkirchen-Schalke 04, commonly known as simply FC Schalke 04 or Schalke , is a German, association-football club originally from the Schalke district of Gelsenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia. Schalke has long been one of the most popular football teams in Germany, even though major...
. A third place in the Champions League group stage sent Bremen to the UEFA-Cup where they lost in the semi-finals to Espanyol
RCD Espanyol
Reial Club Deportiu Espanyol de Barcelona is a sports club based in Barcelona, Spain. It is best known for its football team. Espanyol currently play in the Estadi Cornellà-El Prat with seats for 40,500 spectators. It was inaugurated on 2 August 2009...
. After the season Werder lost their famous striker Miroslav Klose
Miroslav Klose
Miroslav Josef Klose is a German footballer who plays as a striker for Lazio in the Serie A. Since bursting onto the international stage at the 2002 World Cup, he has become well known for his knack of scoring headers, front-flip goal celebrations, and decisive short passing.Klose holds German...
to Bayern. As in the previous season Bremen finished third in the Champions League, but this time lost in the Round of 16 to the Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
. A vice-championship in the Bundesliga qualified Werder for their fifth consecutive Champions League attendance.
Bremen struggled in their Bundesliga campaign of 2008–09, eventually finishing tenth thus completing their worst performance in more than a decade. Nevertheless Bremen made it to the UEFA-Cup final after yet another third place in the Group stage of the Champions League as well as to the national cup final. After Naldo
Ronaldo Aparecido Rodrigues
Ronaldo Aparecido Rodrigues , commonly known as Naldo, is a Brazilian footballer currently playing for German Bundesliga club Werder Bremen and the Brazilian national team.- Career :...
equalized an early goal by Shakhtar Donetsk
FC Shakhtar Donetsk
FC Shakhtar Donetsk is a Ukrainian professional football club from the city of Donetsk. Shakhtar has appeared in several European competitions and currently is often a participant of the UEFA Champions League. The club became the first Ukrainian club to win the UEFA Cup in 2009, the last year...
Bremen lost the UEFA-Cup final 1–2 after extra time. In the final match of the 2008–09 season Bremen defeated Bayer Leverkusen 1–0 to win the DFB-Pokal. In 2008–09 UEFA-Cup, Bremen were dubbed as "Italian Killer" as they managed to send 2 of 3 top Italian Clubs, AC Milan and Udinese Calcio SpA to elimination from European Competition.
Sponsorship
Companies that Werder Bremen currently has sponsorship deals with include:- TargobankTargobankThe German retail banking arm of Citibank, which was sold to Crédit Mutuel in December 2008, was formally rebranded "Targobank", a made up name with multijurisdictional possibilities on 22 February 2010....
– Main sponsor, formerly "Citibank" - NikeNike, Inc.Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
– Official Kit Suppliers - Beluga ShippingBeluga ShippingBeluga Shipping is the name of a German project and heavy-lift shipping company in the Hanseatic city of Bremen.- History :Beluga Shipping was founded in December 1995 in Bremen, initially as a mere cargo operator. In 1998 the first own vessel of the company was acquired, the multipurpose...
– Official sponsors - Coca-ColaCoca-ColaCoca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
– Official sponsors - PSD Bank – Official sponsors
- EWE TEL – Official sponsors
- VolkswagenVolkswagenVolkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is...
– Official sponsors - Deutsche BahnDeutsche BahnDeutsche Bahn AG is the German national railway company, a private joint stock company . Headquartered in Berlin, it came into existence in 1994 as the successor to the former state railways of Germany, the Deutsche Bundesbahn of West Germany and the Deutsche Reichsbahn of East Germany...
– Official Sponsors - Könecke – Official sponsors
- UhlsportUhlsportUhlsport is a manufacturer of football equipment. Based in Germany and founded in 1948, the company's products include goalkeeper gloves, football boots, shin pads, footballs, training clothes, and kits....
– Official sponsors - Derbystar – Official sponsors
- Meyerhoff – Official sponsors
- Haake Beck – Official sponsors
Club culture
Werder Bremen has a long-standing rivalry with northern German club Hamburger SVHamburger SV
Hamburger Sport-Verein, usually referred to as HSV in Germany and Hamburg in international parlance, is a German multi-sport club based in Hamburg, its largest branch being its football department...
, another major club in northern Germany, known as the Nordderby
Nordderby
The Nordderby, or North derby is a match between Hamburger SV and Werder Bremen, the two most successful and popular clubs in Northern Germany. The game was first contested in 1927 with HSV recording a 4-1 away win. Since the founding of the Bundesliga in 1963, the match has been held twice every...
and other big clubs like Bayern Munich in particular. They have developed a recent, but intense dislike of Schalke 04 after the Gelsenkirchen
Gelsenkirchen
Gelsenkirchen is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northern part of the Ruhr area. Its population in 2006 was c. 267,000....
side lured top players (including Ailton
Ailton Gonçalves da Silva
Aílton Gonçalves da Silva , usually known simply as Aílton, is a Brazilian football striker who last played for FC Oberneuland.- Career :...
, Mladen Krstajić
Mladen Krstajic
Mladen Krstajić is a former Serbian footballer who currently works as a director of football for FK Partizan.-Early life:...
, Frank Rost
Frank Rost
Frank Rost is a German footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer....
, Oliver Reck
Oliver Reck
Oliver Reck is a former German footballer who played as a goalkeeper.In a 20-year professional career, he was best known for his stints with Werder Bremen and Schalke 04, for whom he appeared in more than 500 official games combined, 471 in the Bundesliga alone.-Club career:Reck started his...
(goalkeeping coach), and Fabian Ernst
Fabian Ernst
Fabian Ernst is a German footballer who plays for Beşiktaş J.K. as a midfielder.- Career :He started his career with Hannover 96. From 1998 to 2000 he played for Hamburger SV in the Bundesliga, playing in 48 games, but scoring no goals. The midfielder turned then to Werder Bremen. In 152 games in...
) with lucrative contracts to join them.
There are a few Ultra
Ultras
Ultras are a type of sports fans renowned for their fanatical support and elaborate displays. They are predominantly European followers of football teams...
-Groups in Bremen: "Racaille Verte", "Wanderers-Bremen", "The Infamous Youth" and "Ultra-Team Bremen", they support the team in each match.
The official anthem of Werder Bremen is "Lebenslang Grün-Weiß" by Bremen-based band Original Deutschmacher.
The side prides itself on being one of the few port cities in the Bundesliga – currently the only others are FC St. Pauli
FC St. Pauli
Fußball-Club St. Pauli is a German sports club based in the St. Pauli quarter of Hamburg. The football section is part of a larger club that also has Rugby Fußball-Club St. Pauli is a German sports club based in the St. Pauli quarter of Hamburg. The football section is part of a larger club that...
and Hamburger SV
Hamburger SV
Hamburger Sport-Verein, usually referred to as HSV in Germany and Hamburg in international parlance, is a German multi-sport club based in Hamburg, its largest branch being its football department...
: the toot of a ship's whistle celebrates every Werder Bremen goal. This regional pride has its drawbacks, though, as opposing fans regularly taunt Werder Bremen fans as Fischköppe (fishheads), alluding to offensive smell and limited intelligence.
Finally, Werder Bremen is also known for its level-headed environment. In contrast to many other cities, where the local sides are often subject to intense media attention, players and trainers here are usually left in relative peace. Bremen's reputation is that of a sensible, respected and financially healthy club.
National titles
BundesligaFußball-Bundesliga
The Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
- Winners (4) – 1964–65, 1987–88, 1992–93, 2003–04
- Runners-up (7) – 1967–68, 1982–83, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1994–95, 2005–06, 2007–08
2. Bundesliga
- Winners (1) – 1980–81
DFB-Pokal
DFB-Pokal
The DFB-Pokal or DFB Cup is a German knockout football cup competition held annually. 64 teams participate in the competition, including all clubs from the Bundesliga and the 2nd Bundesliga. It is considered the second most important national title in German football after the Bundesliga...
- Winners (6) – 1960–61, 1990–91DFB Cup 1990-91The DFB-Pokal 1990–91 was the 48th season of the competition. 64 teams competed in the tournament of six rounds. It began on 4 August 1990 and ended on 22 June 1991. After the semi-finals both had to be replayed after draws in the first games the final went into extra time, too...
, 1993–94DFB Cup 1993-94The DFB-Pokal 1993–94 was the 51st season of the competition. 76 teams competed in the tournament of seven rounds which began on 1 August 1993 and ended on 14 May 1994...
, 1998–99DFB Cup 1998-99The DFB-Pokal is the second-most important national title in German football. The DFB-Pokal 1998–99 was the 56th season of the competition. 64 teams competed in the tournament of six rounds which began on 28 August 1998 and ended on 6 June 1999...
, 2003–04DFB Cup 2003-04The DFB-Pokal is the second-most important national title in German football. The DFB-Pokal 2003–04 was the 61st season of the competition. 64 teams competed in the tournament of six rounds which began on 29 August 2003 and ended on 29 May 2004. In the final Werder Bremen defeated second-tier...
, 2008–092009 DFB-Pokal FinalThe final of the 2008–09 DFB-Pokal season was held on May 30, 2009 at the Olympiastadion in Berlin. SV Werder Bremen won with a 58th minute goal from midfielder Mesut Özil. This was the 6th time in the clubs history that they have won the DFB-Pokal, the other five coming in 1961, 1991, 1994, 1999... - Runners-up (4) – 1988–89, 1989–90DFB Cup 1989-90The 1989–90 DFB-Pokal was the 47th season of the competition. It began on 19 August 1989 and ended on 19 May 1990. 64 teams competed in the tournament of six rounds. In the final FC Kaiserslautern defeated Werder Bremen 3–2.- 1st round :- Replays :...
, 1999-00, 2009–10
DFB-Ligapokal
DFB-Ligapokal
The DFB-Ligapokal, or German League Cup, was a German football competition that took place before the start of the Bundesliga season, featuring the top five teams of the previous Fußball-Bundesliga season and the winners of the DFB-Pokal in Germany...
- Winners (1) – 2006
- Runners-up (2) – 1999, 2004
DFB-Supercup
DFB-Supercup
The DFL-Supercup is a match between the winner of the Bundesliga championship and the DFB-Pokal. In 1997, this was superseded by a league cup called DFB-Ligapokal. In 2008, although not officially sanctioned by the DFB, the match returned as the T-Home Supercup featuring Bundesliga champions FC...
- Winners (4) – 1988, 1993, 19941994 DFB-SupercupThe 1994 DFB-Supercup was the eighth DFB-Supercup, an annual football match contested by the winners of the previous season's Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal competitions....
, 2009 (unofficial) - Runners-up (1) – 1991
European titles
UEFA Europa League/UEFA Cup- Runners-up (1) 2008–09
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
The UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was a football club competition contested annually by the most recent winners of all European domestic cup competitions. The cup is one of the many inter-European club competitions that have been organised by UEFA. The first competition was held in the 1960–61 season—but...
- Winners (1) – 1991–92
UEFA Intertoto Cup
UEFA Intertoto Cup
The UEFA Intertoto Cup, also abbreviated as UI Cup and originally called the International Football Cup, was a summer football competition for European clubs that had not qualified for one of the two major UEFA competitions, the Champions League and the UEFA Cup. The competition was discontinued...
- Winners (1) – 1998
International titles
Kirin CupKirin Cup
The Kirin Cup is an annual association football tournament sponsored in Japan by the Kirin Brewery Company. The host, Japan, is a participant in every edition. The tournament was founded in 1978 as an international club competition. From 1992 onwards the format was changed to a round robin national...
- Winners (2) – 1982Kirin CupThe Kirin Cup is an annual association football tournament sponsored in Japan by the Kirin Brewery Company. The host, Japan, is a participant in every edition. The tournament was founded in 1978 as an international club competition. From 1992 onwards the format was changed to a round robin national...
, 1986Kirin CupThe Kirin Cup is an annual association football tournament sponsored in Japan by the Kirin Brewery Company. The host, Japan, is a participant in every edition. The tournament was founded in 1978 as an international club competition. From 1992 onwards the format was changed to a round robin national...
Youth titles
German Under 19 championship- Champions: 1999
Under 19 Bundesliga North/Northeast
Under 19 Bundesliga (football)
The Under 19 Fußball-Bundesliga is the highest level in German Under 19 football. It was created in 2003 and is divided in three divisions with 14 teams each...
- Champions: 2007, 2009
Players
For recent transfers, see List of German football transfers summer 2011 and List of German football transfers winter 2010–11.Current squad
Correct as of 12 July 2011Retired number(s)
12 – Club Supporters (the 12th Man)12th Man (football)
The 12th man or 12th player is a term used to describe the fans within a stadium during association football or American football games. This term has a different meaning in cricket, referring to the first substitute player who fields when a member of the fielding side is injured...
Coaching staff
| Position | Staff |
|---|---|
| First Team Coach |  Thomas SchaafThomas Schaaf Thomas Schaaf is a former German football defender and current manager of Werder Bremen. A true one-club man, he spent his entire playing career, and so far coaching career, with Werder Bremen... |
| Assistant First Team Coach | Matthias Hönerbach |
| Assistant First Team Coach | Wolfgang Rolff Wolfgang Rolff Wolfgang Rolff is a German football manager and former player.-Career as player:Wolfgang Rolff played in 356 Bundesliga matches for Hamburger SV, Bayer 04 Leverkusen, Bayer 05 Uerdingen, Karlsruher SC and 1. FC Köln... |
| Goalkeeper Trainer | Michael Kraft Michael Kraft Michael Kraft is a former German professional football goalkeeper. He played for 1. FC Köln, FC Gütersloh and FC Carl Zeiss Jena in Germany and Bakırköyspor in the Turkish Süper Lig.-External links:* *... |
| Club Doctor | Dr. Götz Dimanski |
| Physio | Holger Berger |
| Assistant Physio | Florian Lauerer |
| Reserve Team Manager | Thomas Wolter Thomas Wolter Thomas Wolter is a German former footballer, now manager of Werder Bremen II. He played for Werder Bremen from 1984 to 1998, his entire professional career.-Honours:*Bundesliga: 1988, 1993*DFB-Supercup: 1988, 1993, 1994... |
| Youth Team Manager | Uwe Harttgen Uwe Harttgen Uwe Harttgen is a retired German football player currently working as a youth team coordinator for SV Werder Bremen. He spent six seasons in the Bundesliga with SV Werder Bremen.-Honours:* UEFA Cup Winners' Cup winner: 1991–92... |
Werder Bremen II
Werder Bremen's reserve team currently plays in the 3. Liga and has been a regular fixture at 3rd level football in Germany. It plays its home matches at Weserstadion, Platz 11Weserstadion
The Weserstadion is a multi-purpose stadium in Bremen, Germany. The stadium is scenically situated on the north bank of the Weser River and is surrounded by lush green parks . The city center is only about a kilometer away...
, adjacent to the first team's ground, and it is coached by Thomas Wolter
Thomas Wolter
Thomas Wolter is a German former footballer, now manager of Werder Bremen II. He played for Werder Bremen from 1984 to 1998, his entire professional career.-Honours:*Bundesliga: 1988, 1993*DFB-Supercup: 1988, 1993, 1994...
, a former Werder player.
Notable players
- A list of notable Werder Bremen players can be found here. For a list of all past and present players who are the subjects of Wikipedia articles, see :Category:SV Werder Bremen players.
Managers since 1963
Werder has had 19 managers since the beginning of the BundesligaFußball-Bundesliga
The Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
era in 1963. Otto Rehhagel
Otto Rehhagel
Otto Rehhagel is a German football coach and former football player. Along with Helmut Schön, Ottmar Hitzfeld, Udo Lattek and Hennes Weisweiler, he is considered one of the most successful German managers....
served the longest term, being in office for fourteen years. Hans Tilkowski
Hans Tilkowski
Hans Tilkowski is a former German footballer.The goalkeeper started his career with VfL Husen 19 and SuS Kaiserau....
, Willi Multhaup
Willi Multhaup
Willi Multhaup was a German association football manager who led Borussia Dortmund to victory in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1966.-References:...
, Rudi Assauer
Rudi Assauer
Rudolf "Rudi" Assauer is a former German football manager and former player. Due to his habit of smoking a great number of cigars, he has been given the nickname "Stumpen-Rudi", or "Cheroot Rudi"....
, and Otto Rehhagel served two terms each while Fritz Langner served three.
| Country | Head Coach | Years Coached | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| |
Willi Multhaup Willi Multhaup Willi Multhaup was a German association football manager who led Borussia Dortmund to victory in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1966.-References:... |
1963–65 | |
| |
Günther Brocker | 1965–67 | |
| |
Fritz Langner | 1967–69 | |
| |
Richard Ackerschott | 1968–69 | Replacement for Fritz Langner in games 11, 12, 13, and 34 |
| |
Fritz Rebell | 1969–70 | |
| |
Hans Tilkowski Hans Tilkowski Hans Tilkowski is a former German footballer.The goalkeeper started his career with VfL Husen 19 and SuS Kaiserau.... |
1970 | |
| |
Robert Gebhardt Robert Gebhardt Robert Gebhardt was a German footballer and manager. As a player he won the 1948 German championship with 1. FC Nuremberg... |
1970–71 | |
| |
Willi Multhaup Willi Multhaup Willi Multhaup was a German association football manager who led Borussia Dortmund to victory in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1966.-References:... |
1971 | |
| |
Sepp Piontek | 1971–75 | |
| |
Fritz Langner | 1972 | Replacement for Sepp Piontek in games 31 and 32 |
| |
Otto Rehhagel Otto Rehhagel Otto Rehhagel is a German football coach and former football player. Along with Helmut Schön, Ottmar Hitzfeld, Udo Lattek and Hennes Weisweiler, he is considered one of the most successful German managers.... |
1976 | |
| |
Herbert Burdenski Herbert Burdenski Herbert "Budde" Burdenski , was a German football player and coach.-Biography:Burdenski began his football career with the Erle 08 in Gelsenkirchen. In 1935 he was discovered playing in the local school championships by Ernst Kuzorra, who signed him to FC Schalke 04... |
1975–76 | |
| |
Hans Tilkowski Hans Tilkowski Hans Tilkowski is a former German footballer.The goalkeeper started his career with VfL Husen 19 and SuS Kaiserau.... |
1976–77 | |
| |
Rudi Assauer Rudi Assauer Rudolf "Rudi" Assauer is a former German football manager and former player. Due to his habit of smoking a great number of cigars, he has been given the nickname "Stumpen-Rudi", or "Cheroot Rudi".... |
1977–78 | In cooperation with Fred Schulz |
| |
Fred Schulz | 1978 | In cooperation with Rudi Assauer Rudi Assauer Rudolf "Rudi" Assauer is a former German football manager and former player. Due to his habit of smoking a great number of cigars, he has been given the nickname "Stumpen-Rudi", or "Cheroot Rudi".... |
| |
Wolfgang Weber Wolfgang Weber Wolfgang Weber was a footballer best remembered for scoring the last-minute equaliser for West Germany in the 1966 World Cup final.... |
1978–80 | |
| |
Rudi Assauer Rudi Assauer Rudolf "Rudi" Assauer is a former German football manager and former player. Due to his habit of smoking a great number of cigars, he has been given the nickname "Stumpen-Rudi", or "Cheroot Rudi".... |
1980 | In cooperation with Fritz Langner |
| |
Fritz Langner | 1980 | In cooperation with Rudi Assauer Rudi Assauer Rudolf "Rudi" Assauer is a former German football manager and former player. Due to his habit of smoking a great number of cigars, he has been given the nickname "Stumpen-Rudi", or "Cheroot Rudi".... |
| |
Kuno Klötzer Kuno Klötzer Kuno Klötzer was a German former football coach who won the 1977 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup with Hamburger SV.Born in Geyer, Germany, Klötzer managed included Arminia Hannover, Hannover 96, Fortuna Düsseldorf, 1. FC Nuremberg, Kickers Offenbach, Hamburger SV, Hertha BSC, MSV Duisburg and Werder Bremen... |
1980–81 | |
| |
Otto Rehhagel Otto Rehhagel Otto Rehhagel is a German football coach and former football player. Along with Helmut Schön, Ottmar Hitzfeld, Udo Lattek and Hennes Weisweiler, he is considered one of the most successful German managers.... |
1981–95 | |
 |
Aad de Mos | 1995–96 | |
| |
Hans-Jürgen Dörner Hans-Jürgen Dörner Hans-Jürgen „Dixie“ Dörner is a former German football player and who now coaches. He distinguished himself during his career by being named East Germany's player of the year three times - the only East German player to do this besides goalkeeper Jürgen Croy.Dörner's playing career began in 1960... |
1996–97 | |
| |
Wolfgang Sidka Wolfgang Sidka Wolfgang Sidka is an association football manager. He led SV Werder Bremen to victory in the UEFA Intertoto Cup in 1998. He was head coach of the Iraq national football team, having signed on August 9, 2010 and was sacked on August 2, 2011.-Manager:-References:... |
1997–98 | |
| |
Felix Magath Felix Magath Wolfgang-Felix Magath is a former German football central midfielder and current manager of VfL Wolfsburg.-Playing career:... |
1998–99 | |
| |
Thomas Schaaf Thomas Schaaf Thomas Schaaf is a former German football defender and current manager of Werder Bremen. A true one-club man, he spent his entire playing career, and so far coaching career, with Werder Bremen... |
1999–present |
SV Werder Bremen in Europe
| Competition | P | W | D | L | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UEFA Champions League UEFA Champions League The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It... |
66 | 27 | 14 | 25 | |
| UEFA Europa League | 99 | 46 | 24 | 29 | |
| UEFA Super Cup | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| UEFA Cup Winners' Cup UEFA Cup Winners' Cup The UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was a football club competition contested annually by the most recent winners of all European domestic cup competitions. The cup is one of the many inter-European club competitions that have been organised by UEFA. The first competition was held in the 1960–61 season—but... |
21 | 11 | 3 | 7 | |
| UEFA Intertoto Cup UEFA Intertoto Cup The UEFA Intertoto Cup, also abbreviated as UI Cup and originally called the International Football Cup, was a summer football competition for European clubs that had not qualified for one of the two major UEFA competitions, the Champions League and the UEFA Cup. The competition was discontinued... |
18 | 14 | 4 | 4 |
Recent finishes and attendance
| Season | Position | Avg. attendance |
|---|---|---|
| 1999–00 | 9th | 29,834 |
| 2000–01 | 7th | 30,341 |
| 2001–02 | 6th | 30,094 |
| 2002–03 | 6th | 32,869 |
| 2003–04 | 1st | 37,666 |
| 2004–05 | 3rd | 39,579 |
| 2005–06 | 2nd | 36,928 |
| 2006–07 | 3rd | 39,715 |
| 2007–08 | 2nd | 40,267 |
| 2008–09 | 10th | 40,375 |
| 2009–10 | 3rd | 36,015 |
| 2010–11 | 13th | 35,867 |
SV Werder Bremen in Forbes Magazine
| Year | Ranking | Team value | Revenue | Income | Debt/Value ratio | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Not Ranked | |||||
| 2005 | Not Ranked | |||||
| 2006 | Not Ranked | |||||
| 2007 | Not Ranked | |||||
| 2008 | 18 | $262 Million | $131 Million | $11 Million | 0% | |
| 2009 | 18 | $292 Million | $177 Million | $24 Million | 0% | |
| 2010 | 16 | $274 Million | $161 Million | $24 Million | 0% | |