FC Schalke 04 facts for kids
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| Full name | Fußballclub Gelsenkirchen-Schalke 04 e. V. | |||
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| Nickname(s) | Die Königsblauen (The Royal Blues) Die Knappen (The Miners) |
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| Short name | S04 | |||
| Founded | 4 May 1904 as Westfalia Schalke |
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| Ground | Veltins-Arena, Gelsenkirchen | |||
| Capacity | 62,273 | |||
| CEO | Matthias Tillmann | |||
| Head coach | Kees van Wonderen | |||
| League | 2. Bundesliga | |||
| 2020–21 | Bundesliga, 18th of 18 (relegated) | |||
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Fußballclub Gelsenkirchen-Schalke 04 e. V., known as Schalke 04 or S04, is a professional sports club from Gelsenkirchen, Germany. It is most famous for its football team. The team currently plays in the 2. Bundesliga, which is the second-highest football league in Germany.
The "04" in the club's name comes from its founding year, 1904. Schalke has always been one of Germany's most popular football teams. Their best years were in the 1930s and 1940s. As of 2023, Schalke has 178,000 members. This makes it the second-largest football club in Germany. It is also the fourth-largest club in the world by membership.
Schalke has won many titles. They have won seven German championships. They also won five DFB-Pokals (German Cups). Other wins include one DFB Ligapokal, one DFL-Supercup, and one UEFA Cup. In 1937, Schalke was the first German club to win both the league and the cup in the same year. Since 2001, Schalke's home stadium has been the Veltins-Arena. Schalke has a big rivalry with their neighbors, Borussia Dortmund. This rivalry is known as the Revierderby.
Contents
Schalke's Journey: A Club History
Early Years (1904–1927)
The club started on May 4, 1904, as Westfalia Schalke. It was founded by a group of high school students. Their first team colors were red and yellow. For a while, they couldn't join the official football league. In 1912, they joined a gymnastics club to get into the league.
In 1919, the football and gymnastics clubs joined again. They called themselves Turn- und Sportverein Schalke 1877. In 1923, they won their first local championship. Around this time, they got the nickname Die Knappen. This means "The Miners" in old German. Many players and fans came from the coal mines of Gelsenkirchen.
In 1924, the football team became independent again. They chose the name FC Schalke 04. They also started wearing their famous blue and white uniforms. This led to their second nickname, Die Königsblauen (The Royal Blues). The next year, they became the best team in their area. They played with a special style of short, quick passes. This style became known as the Schalker Kreisel (spinning top). In 1927, this style helped them reach the top league.
Becoming Champions (1928–1945)
Schalke quickly became very popular, especially among working-class people. In 1928, they built a new stadium called the Glückauf-Kampfbahn. They showed their thanks to the city by changing their name to FC Gelsenkirchen-Schalke 04. They won their first West German championship in 1929.
The club's success grew from 1931. They reached the semi-finals of the German championship in 1932. In 1933, they made it to the final but lost.
When German football was reorganized in 1933, Schalke joined the Gauliga Westfalen. This was one of the top leagues. This period was Schalke's most successful time. From 1933 to 1942, they played in 14 out of 18 national finals. They won their league in all eleven seasons.
The club never lost a home game in the Gauliga Westfalen. They only lost six away games in 11 seasons. They were unbeaten in many seasons, showing how strong they were.
Schalke won their first national title in 1934. They beat 1. FC Nürnberg 2–1. The next year, they won again against VfB Stuttgart. They won the championship again in 1937, 1939, 1940, and 1942. They also won the Tschammerpokal (the old German Cup) in 1937.
From 1933 to 1945, Schalke won 162 out of 189 league matches. They drew 21 and lost only 6. They scored 924 goals and let in only 145. From 1935 to 1939, they didn't lose a single league match.
After World War II (1945–1959)
After World War II, Schalke continued to be a strong team. However, their performance dropped for a few years. It took them until the mid-1950s to get back to their best.
In 1955, they reached the DFB-Pokal final but lost. Schalke's next German championship came in 1958. They won 3–0 against Hamburger SV. This was their last German championship title to date. The club's strong fan base is even shown in a local church in Gelsenkirchen. A glass window there shows a saint with a football, wearing Schalke's colors.
Bundesliga Era and "Euro Fighters" (1960–2000)
Schalke continued to play well. In 1963, the Bundesliga was formed as Germany's new professional league. Schalke was one of the 16 clubs chosen to join.
Their first years in the Bundesliga were tough. In 1971–72, they finished second, just behind Bayern Munich. They also won the DFB-Pokal for the second time that season.
However, some Schalke players and officials were involved in a scandal in 1971. They were accused of taking bribes. This affected the team's performance for a while. In 1973, the club moved to the Parkstadion. This new stadium was built for the 1974 FIFA World Cup.
In the early 1980s, Schalke faced difficulties. They were relegated to the second division of the Bundesliga twice. They returned to the top league in 1984 but were relegated again in 1988. They finally returned to the Bundesliga in 1991–92 and stayed there until 2021.
In 1997, Schalke won their first major trophy since 1972. They won the 1996–97 UEFA Cup by beating Inter Milan in a penalty shootout. The team, coached by Huub Stevens, became known as the "Euro Fighters." Stevens was known for his strict defense. His motto was "Die Null muß stehen" (It has to read nil), meaning the team should not let in any goals.
Modern Era and European Success (2000–2019)
In the 2000s, Schalke became a strong team in the Bundesliga. They won the DFB-Pokal two years in a row, in 2001 and 2002. They also finished second in the Bundesliga in 2001, 2005, and 2007. The 2001 season was especially tough for fans. Bayern Munich scored a last-minute goal to win the title from Schalke.
Schalke played in the UEFA Champions League in 2005–06. They reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup that year. In the 2007–08 season, they made it to the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time. They were knocked out by Barcelona.
In 2006, the Russian company Gazprom became the club's main sponsor. This was a big investment for Schalke.
In 2009, Felix Magath became the new head coach. He brought in famous players like Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Raúl. Magath was later replaced by Ralf Rangnick in 2011. Rangnick led Schalke to a big 5–2 win over Inter Milan in the Champions League. They reached the semi-finals but lost to Manchester United. Schalke also won the 2010–11 DFB-Pokal that year.
Huub Stevens returned as coach in 2011. Despite some ups and downs, Schalke finished third in the Bundesliga. This earned them a spot in the Champions League. In the 2012–13 season, Schalke beat rivals Borussia Dortmund 2–1. They also qualified for the Champions League again.
In the 2013–14 season, Schalke faced many player injuries. However, young players like Max Meyer and Leon Goretzka stepped up. The team had a very strong second half of the season. They finished third in the Bundesliga, qualifying for the Champions League for the third year in a row. This was a new record for the club.
In 2014, Roberto Di Matteo became coach. Schalke played against Real Madrid in the Champions League in 2015. They lost the first game but won the second 4–3 in Madrid. Di Matteo resigned later that year. Schalke then played in the UEFA Europa League in 2015–16 and 2016–17.
In 2017, Domenico Tedesco became manager. He led the team to a second-place finish in the Bundesliga in 2017–18.
Recent Challenges (2019–Present)
In 2019, Schalke lost to Manchester City in the Champions League. Tedesco was then replaced by Huub Stevens and Mike Büskens as temporary coaches. David Wagner became head coach in May 2019.
The COVID-19 pandemic hit Schalke hard financially. In April 2020, the club faced serious money problems. They decided to limit player salaries. In the second half of the 2019–20 season, Schalke went 16 league games without a win. This was a new club record.
The 2020–21 season started very poorly. Schalke lost several games by big scores. David Wagner was dismissed as coach. Several other coaches took over, but the team continued to struggle. They had a long winless streak. On January 9, 2021, Schalke finally won a game, avoiding a record for most winless games. However, they were relegated to the 2. Bundesliga on April 20, 2021. This led to some unrest among fans.
In February 2022, Schalke ended their sponsorship deal with Gazprom. This put more financial pressure on the club. Coach Dimitrios Grammozis was sacked, and Mike Büskens took over again. Under Büskens, Schalke played much better. They won eight of their last nine games. On May 7, 2022, they secured promotion back to the Bundesliga. Fans celebrated by running onto the pitch. A week later, Schalke won the 2. Bundesliga title.
For the 2022–23 Bundesliga season, Frank Kramer became head coach. Due to financial problems, many key players left. Schalke struggled and Kramer was dismissed in October 2022. Thomas Reis then took over. The team's defense improved, and they started getting better results. However, on the last day of the 2022–23 season, Schalke lost and was relegated again to the 2. Bundesliga.
In September 2023, Thomas Reis was sacked. Karel Geraerts became the new coach. In January 2024, Marc Wilmots, a former Schalke player, became the sporting director. There have been reports about Schalke's financial situation. If they were relegated from the 2. Bundesliga, they might not get a license for the third division. This could mean playing in the fourth division.
Club Finances and Sponsors
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Exterior of the S04 museum at the S04 Veltins-Arena
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Restaurants at the S04 Veltins-Arena
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Ice hockey events are hosted at the S04 Veltins-Arena
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Biathlon and a variety of winter sport events are hosted at the S04 Veltins-Arena
As of 2022, Schalke 04's main sponsor is Hisense, an electronics company from China. Gazprom, a Russian energy company, was a sponsor until February 2022. Other sponsors include ERGO Insurance Group, BMW, Huawei, Coca-Cola, Veltins brewery, and Adidas.
In 2019, Schalke was ranked as the 14th richest football club in the world by Forbes magazine. However, by 2022, the club was no longer in the top 20 for revenue or value. The COVID-19 pandemic greatly affected Schalke's finances. In January 2024, there were reports that the club's financial situation could lead to big changes if they are relegated from the 2. Bundesliga.
Club Crests
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Crest of Schalke 04 (1924–1945)
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Crest of Schalke 04 (1945–1958)
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Crest of Schalke 04 (1958–1960)
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Crest of Schalke 04 (1960–1978)
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Crest of Schalke 04 (1978–1995)
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Crest of Schalke 04 (1995-)
Players and Records
Current Squad
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Out on Loan
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Reserve Team
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Famous Former Players
In 2000, fans voted for the Schalker Jahrhundertelf, which means the "Team of the Century." These are some of the best players in Schalke's history:
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Club Records
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Home Stadium
Schalke's stadium is called the Veltins-Arena. It is named after the Veltins brewery. It was built in 2001 and can hold 62,271 fans. Many people think it's one of the best and most modern stadiums in Europe.
Before this, Schalke played at the Parkstadion, which opened in 1973. Even earlier, they played at the Glückauf-Kampfbahn, built in 1928. The Glückauf-Kampfbahn is still used for special club events.
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An interior design panorama of the Veltins-Arena
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Exterior of the Veltins-Arena
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Training ground of FC Schalke 04 known as the Geschäftsstelle
Fan Culture
Schalke 04 has a huge number of members. It grew from 10,000 in 1991 to 160,000 in 2022. This makes Schalke the second-biggest sports club in Germany. It is also the fourth-biggest sports club in the world. About 20% of the members are female. Around 14% are under ten years old. Many members come from outside the local area.
In 2013, there was an incident during a match at the Veltins-Arena. Some fans were injured during a police operation. Later, Schalke played a return match without any of their supporters allowed to attend.
Fan Club Association
The Schalke 04 Fan Club Association (SFCV) is a large group for fan clubs. It has about 1,500 fan clubs. Many of these are in the Ruhr area and other parts of Germany. A member of the SFCV board has a permanent seat on the FC Schalke 04 board.
Club Friendships
Schalke fans have friendly connections with other club supporters. These include fans of 1. FC Nürnberg in Germany. They also have friendships with fans from Dutch club FC Twente. Other friends are from Vardar Skopie (North Macedonia), Sevilla F.C. (Spain), Heart of Midlothian (Scotland), and Górnik Zabrze (Poland). The friendship with Nürnberg is the oldest between two fan groups in Germany. Before matches between these clubs, their official songs are played.
Club Songs
- Blau und weiß, wie lieb ich Dich ("Blue and White, How I Love You") is the official club song.
- Das Steigerlied, a traditional German mining song, is played before every match.
- Blau und Weiß ein Leben lang ("Blue and white a life-long") is played when Schalke scores a goal.
- Königsblauer S04 ("Royal Blue S04") is played after every match.
Popular unofficial chants include:
- Der Mythos vom Schalker Markt ("The Myth of the Schalke Market")
- Opa Pritschikowski ("Grandpa Pritschikowski")
- Von der Emscher bis zum Bosporus ("From the Emscher to the Bosphorus")
- Wir schlugen Roda... ("We beat Roda...")
- Die Eurofighter sind wieder da ("The Eurofighter are back again")
- Für deine Farben leben und sterben wir ("For your colours we live and die")
- Wir lieben alle nur den FC Schalke ("We all love only FC Schalke")
- Wir sind die Fans ("We are the fans")
- Hurra wir sind die Schalker Knappen ("Hurray we are the Schalke Knappen")
- Kohle unter unser'n Füßen ("Coal under our feet")
- Steht auf, wenn ihr Schalker seid ("Stand up if you're Schalke"), sung to the tune of "Go West".
Revierderby: The Big Rivalry
The Revierderby is a famous rivalry between Schalke 04 and Borussia Dortmund. Both clubs are in the same region, about 30 kilometers apart. This derby is very popular and important to fans. For some fans, winning this match is even more important than how the team does in the league.
Club Honours
Trophies Won
Domestic Titles
- German Championship
- Winners: 1934, 1935, 1937, 1939, 1940, 1942, 1958
- DFB-Pokal/German Cup
- Winners: 1937, 1971–72, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2010–11
- DFB-Ligapokal/German League Cup
- Winners: 2005
- DFL-Supercup/German Super Cup
- Winners: 2011
- 2. Bundesliga
- Winners: 1981–82, 1990–91, 2021–22
International Titles
- UEFA Cup
- Winners: 1996–97
- UEFA Intertoto Cup
- Winners: 2003, 2004
- Cup of the Alps
- Winners: 1968
UEFA Club Ranking
| Rank | Nation | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 95 |  Israel |
Hapoel Be'er Sheva | 17,000 |
| 96 |  Belgium |
Royal Antwerp FC | 17,000 |
| 97 |  Germany |
Schalke 04 | 17,000 |
| 98 |  Sweden |
Djurgårdens IF | 16,500 |
| 99 |  Turkey |
Sivasspor Kulübü | 16,500 |
Youth Team Honours
Domestic
- Under 19 Bundesliga
- Winners: 1976, 2006, 2012, 2015
- Runners-up: 1975, 1980, 1981
- Under 19 Bundesliga West
- Winners: 2006, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
- Under 17 Bundesliga
- Winners: 1978, 2002
- Runners-up: 1977, 1980
- Under 17 Bundesliga West
- Winners: 2013
The Double
- 1937: Championship and Cup
Coaches and Management
| Managing Board | ||
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| Role | Person | |
| CEO | Matthias Tillmann |
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| Finance | Christina Rühl-Hamers |
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| Coaching Staff | ||
| Role | Person | |
| Head coach |  Kees van Wonderen |
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| Assistant coaches | Robert Molenaar |
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| Sidney Sam |
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| Tim Hoogland |
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| Goalkeeping coach |  Stephan Loboué |
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| Athletics coach | Alexander Storck |
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| Sporting Management | ||
| Role | Person | |
| Sporting director | Youri Mulder |
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| Technical director | / Ben Manga |
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Notable Coaches
| Name | Nationality | From | To | Honours |
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| Hans Schmidt |  Germany |
1 July 1933 | 12 June 1938 | 3 German championships (1934, 1935, 1937) 5 Gauliga Westfalen championships 1 Tschammerpokal (1937) |
| Otto Faist | Germany |
13 July 1938 | 31 December 1942 | 3 German championships (1939, 1940, 1942) 4 Gauliga Westfalen championships |
| Ernst Kuzorra |  Germany |
1 July 1946 | 30 September 1947 | |
| Fritz Szepan |  West Germany |
1 July 1949 | 30 June 1954 | 1 Oberliga West championship (1951) |
| Edi Frühwirth |  Austria |
1 July 1954 | 30 June 1959 | 1 German championship (1958) 1 Oberliga West championship (1958) |
| Ivica Horvat |  Yugoslavia |
1 July 1971 1 July 1978 |
30 June 1976 17 March 1979 |
Bundesliga runners-up (1971–72) 1 DFB-Pokal (1971–72) |
| Huub Stevens |  Netherlands |
8 October 1996 27 September 2011 14 March 2019 18 December 2020 |
30 June 2002 16 December 2012 30 June 2019 22 December 2020 |
Bundesliga runners-up (2000–01) 2 DFB-Pokals (2000–01, 2001–02) 1 UEFA Cup (1997) |
| Felix Magath | Germany |
1 July 2009 | 16 March 2011 | Bundesliga runners-up (2009–10) 1 DFL-Supercup (2010) |
Other Sports at Schalke 04
Schalke 04 is not just about football! The club also has other sports departments.
The basketball team played in Germany's top league in 1988–89. They also played in the second-highest league for several seasons. In 2015, the club started a blind football team.
The women's football club was very successful in the past. They won the Westphalia championships five times. The current women's team started in July 2020.
Other long-standing departments include handball, started in 1926. The athletics department began in 1922. Famous athletes like Olympic silver medalist Frank Busemann have been part of the club. The table tennis department started in 1947.
In 2016, Schalke also got into e-sports. They bought a League of Legends team. This made them one of the first professional sports teams with an e-sports division.
See also
In Spanish: FC Schalke 04 para niños
- The Football Club Social Alliance
- Forbes' list of the most valuable football clubs
