Borussia Dortmund

Borussia Dortmund was founded on 19 December 1909 by a group of young men in Dortmund who were dissatisfied with the football team connected to their local Catholic parish. The new club was officially named Ballspielverein Borussia 09 Dortmund. Borussia was taken from the name of a local brewery, while 09 referred to the year of foundation. Borussia Dortmund eventually adopted the black and yellow colours that became central to the club’s identity. Visit their website to find out more.

Dortmund developed gradually before emerging as a major force after the Second World War. The club won its first German championship in 1956 and successfully defended the title in 1957. Players including Alfred Preissler helped establish Dortmund among the leading teams of the period. A third national championship followed in 1963, shortly before the creation of the Bundesliga.

Borussia Dortmund became one of the founding members of the Bundesliga in 1963. Three years later the club achieved an important European breakthrough. Dortmund defeated Liverpool 2-1 after extra time in the 1966 European Cup Winners’ Cup final at Hampden Park, becoming the first German club to win a major UEFA competition.

The following decades included periods of financial and sporting difficulty. Borussia Dortmund were relegated from the Bundesliga in 1972 and spent four seasons in the second tier before returning in 1976. The club moved into the Westfalenstadion in 1974. Built for that year’s FIFA World Cup, the ground later became known commercially as Signal Iduna Park and developed into one of the largest football stadiums in Germany.

Borussia Dortmund returned to the top of German football under Ottmar Hitzfeld during the 1990s. With players including Matthias Sammer, Andreas Moller, Karl-Heinz Riedle and goalkeeper Stefan Klos, Dortmund won consecutive Bundesliga championships in 1994-95 and 1995-96. The club then reached the Champions League final in 1997, facing Juventus in Munich. Riedle scored twice and substitute Lars Ricken added a memorable third goal as Dortmund won 3-1 to become European champions for the first time.

Later in 1997, Borussia Dortmund defeated Cruzeiro 2-0 in Tokyo to win the Intercontinental Cup. Another Bundesliga championship followed in 2001-02, with Tomas Rosicky, Jan Koller and Marcio Amoroso among the important players. Dortmund also reached the UEFA Cup final that season, losing 3-2 to Feyenoord in Rotterdam.

Severe financial problems threatened the club during the following years, but Dortmund recovered and entered another successful period after Jurgen Klopp became head coach in 2008. A young side featuring players such as Mats Hummels, Mario Gotze, Shinji Kagawa and Robert Lewandowski won the Bundesliga in 2010-11. Borussia Dortmund retained the championship in 2011-12 with 81 points and also defeated Bayern Munich 5-2 in the DFB-Pokal final to complete a domestic double.

Klopp’s team reached the 2013 Champions League final at Wembley, where Dortmund lost 2-1 to Bayern after a late Arjen Robben goal. The club continued to compete regularly in European competition after Klopp’s departure. Thomas Tuchel guided Dortmund to the DFB-Pokal in 2017, while Jadon Sancho, Erling Haaland and Marco Reus were among the prominent players of the following years. Dortmund won the DFB-Pokal again in 2021, with Haaland and Sancho both scoring twice in a 4-1 final victory over RB Leipzig.

Dortmund came within one match of winning the Bundesliga in 2022-23. They entered the final day level on points with Bayern Munich but drew 2-2 with Mainz, allowing Bayern to retain the championship on goal difference. Marco Reus, who spent 12 seasons with Dortmund and served as captain, left the club in 2024.

The same year brought another Champions League final. A Dortmund side featuring Mats Hummels, Julian Brandt, Karim Adeyemi and Niclas Fullkrug reached Wembley after eliminating Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals. Real Madrid won the final 2-0. Niko Kovac became Dortmund’s head coach in February 2025 and remains in charge for the 2026-27 season, with Signal Iduna Park continuing to serve as the club’s home.