1 week ago
When Matthias Herget, flanked by Horst Feilzer and Norbert Brinkmann, lifted der Pott connected a sun-dappled evening astatine Berlin’s Olympic stadium 4 decades ago, a unsocial infinitesimal passed successful nan stolid world of German football. A cup shock, nan benignant of awesome giant-killing that is reasonably regular successful nan English crippled but hardly translates elsewhere.
Looking backmost now, it remains a seismic inverting of nan earthy bid successful a federation much utilized to an honour rotation dominated by a fistful of awesome clubs. Bayer 05 Uerdingen had conscionable beaten nan holders Bayern Munich 2-1 to triumph nan 1985 German Cup final. As Goethe wrote: “Nothing is worthy much than this day.”
Incredibly, Uerdingen wrenched nan large bronze-and-gemstone trophy from nan confederate aristos’ grasp astatine nan Olympiastadion successful (then) West Berlin, earlier German reunification. It was nan first clip nan DFB-Pokal last has been staged successful nan erstwhile German capital, and nan book did not spell to plan.
Since 1953, nan climax of nan title had been a moveable feast, staged each complete West Germany successful neutral venues – from Düsseldorf, to Kassel, to Stuttgart, to Hannover and places successful betwixt – but that year, astatine agelong last, nan expansive aged stadium that staged nan 1936 Olympic Games had been spruced up and erstwhile much held 72,000 spectators, pinch nan remainder of nan federation tuning in.
The magnitude of Uerdingen’s upset must beryllium gauged against nan supremacy of Bayern Munich. By 1985 nan Bavarians had won nan German Cup 7 times since its first loop successful 1953, arsenic good arsenic nan European Cup hat-trick of 1974, 1975 and 1976 that placed them among nan first rank of nan continent’s shot powerhouses. This play they are again successful nan last and will look Stuttgart connected Sunday evening.
By opposition Uerdingen are nan nine of Krefeld, an unassuming German metropolis of astir 300,000 souls connected nan northbound Rhine, a spot perennially eclipsed by its showy neighbour Düsseldorf. They were a humble nine who had hitherto won small of statement but pinch nan backing of nan German chemicals elephantine Bayer AG, Uerdingen – on pinch their adjacent neighbours astatine chap works-backed Bayer 04 Leverkusen – were prospering.
Under nan canny activity of caput coach Kalli Feldkamp and nan club’s eager president Arno Eschler, Uerdingen – who had only been promoted to nan Bundesliga a mates of years earlier – were unheralded, nan underdogs who were ne'er expected to bite. And that contempt taking Bayern to a replay successful their erstwhile DFB-Pokal gathering successful 1984. Bayern would spell connected to hit Borussia Mönchengladbach connected penalties successful nan 1984 final.
The squad successful achromatic that afternoon, 26 May 1985, were devoid of family names. Horst Feilzer and Wolfgang Schäfer were nan goalscorers. Playmaking successful midfield were nan Funkel brothers, Friedhelm and Wolfgang. Udo Lattek’s celebrated Bayern, meanwhile, had Dieter Hoeness – who scored Bayern’s only extremity – a young Lothar Matthäus and Klaus Augenthaler successful their ranks.
Bayern drawback an early lead successful nan eighth infinitesimal done Hoeness. But Uerdingen travel backmost successful a flash, equalising a infinitesimal later done Feilzer. The victor arrives successful nan 2nd half, arsenic Schäfer scores nan decisive extremity successful nan 66th infinitesimal and, implausibly, Uerdingen clasp connected for a historical victory.
There is delirium among fans of nan Blue and Reds, a parade of sorts on nan Ku’damm backmost to squad hotel, wherever moreover nan usually reserved Berliners flock connected to pavements to cheer nan winners. The players’ wives shake hands them pinch much bottles of champagne. Celebrations astatine nan barroom connected nan 14th level of nan Hotel Intercontinental rage precocious into night. There is simply a banquet and speeches. Bleary eyed nan pursuing morning, president Eschler muses: “Ich hoffe dass dies keine einmmailie [I dream this is not a one-off].”
There was so much to travel for Uerdingen. They blazed a way to nan European Cup-Winners’ Cup semi-final successful 1986. Their tumultuous quarter-final against East Germany’s Dynamo Dresden became embedded successful nan club’s lore arsenic nan “Miracle of nan Grotenburg” aft an improbable second-leg comeback astatine their location ground. That necktie was watched by 18m tv viewers, nan German broadcaster ZDF airing that lucifer alternatively of Bayern’s crippled against Anderlecht successful nan European Cup. They vanished 3rd successful nan Bundesliga successful nan play aft their cup win.
But their Icarus infinitesimal passed soon capable and nan club’s fortunes declined erstwhile Bayer AG withdrew financial support successful 1995, opting alternatively to put their shot fund successful Leverkusen alone. They were renamed KFC Uerdingen but tumbled down nan German leagues, endured insolvencies on nan measurement and now play successful nan fifth-tier Oberliga.
KFC stay a proud and well-supported side. Last November, they celebrated nan club’s 120th anniversary. Their unfastened actual vessel of a stadium, nan Grotenburg, stands adjacent to Krefeld Zoo. On lucifer days, fans down alt brew and devour basking currywurst to nan inheritance sound of elephants and large cats, aft they person picked their measurement past nan emptying stalls of nan morning’s regular Trödelmarkt flea market.
There is advancement connected nan pitch, too. Under nan coach Julian Stöhr, Krefeld were finishing nan play strongly, pressing for promotion, until a 6-1 drubbing by Schonnebeck dented their prospects. After a lively 1-1 tie against Kleve, they beryllium 3rd successful nan Oberliga Niederrhein array pinch 2 matches remaining.
Insolvency proceedings against nan nine were lifted astatine nan extremity of April, to their understandable relief, and marks “a important milestone for our club,” according to nan chairman, Norbert Philipp, who took complete successful March. He understands only excessively good nan nine has has struggled to find backers, but remains optimistic astir nan future, telling nan Westdeutsche Zeitung: “There’s a batch of bad humor successful nan past, and yet we’ve still managed to pull much than 60 sponsors. The club’s entreaty is truthful beardown that location are still group who support it.”
Football is littered pinch nan tales of clubs that person flared brilliantly but each excessively briefly. In Krefeld they cognize this only excessively well. They are opening to understand nan cruel footballing fates successful Leicester, too.
The English metropolis boasted nan Premier League champions a decade ago, but Leicester City person sunk into League One aft a calamitous play successful nan Championship. Coincidentally, Leicester person since 1969 been twinned pinch nan mini metropolis connected nan Rhine that erstwhile celebrated Bayer Uerdingen’s monumental giant-killing.
