Hamburger SV facts for kids
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| Full name | Hamburger Sport-Verein e.V. | |||
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| Nickname(s) | Die Rothosen (The Red Shorts) | |||
| Short name | HSV | |||
| Founded | 29 September 1887 (as SC Germania) 2 June 1919 (as Hamburger SV) |
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| Ground | Volksparkstadion, Hamburg |
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| Capacity | 57,000 | |||
| President | Marcell Jansen | |||
| Sporting director | Stefan Kuntz | |||
| Head coach | Vacant | |||
| League | 2. Bundesliga | |||
| 2020–21 | 2. Bundesliga, 4th of 18 | |||
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Hamburger Sport-Verein e.V. (often called Hamburger SV or just HSV) is a famous German sports club from Hamburg. Its biggest part is its football team. Even though the current HSV started in June 1919 from three older clubs joining together, its history goes back to September 29, 1887. That's when the first of these clubs, SC Germania, was founded.
HSV has won the German national championship six times. They also won the DFB-Pokal (German Cup) three times and the League Cup twice. The team's best time was from the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s. During this period, they won many national trophies. They also won the 1976–77 European Cup Winners' Cup and the 1982–83 European Cup. Great players like Horst Hrubesch, Manfred Kaltz, and Felix Magath were part of the West German National Team during this time. HSV's last major trophy was the 1986–87 DFB-Pokal.
Until the 2017–18 Bundesliga season, HSV was the only team that had always played in Germany's top football league. They had never been relegated since the club was founded after World War I. They were also the only team to play in every season of the Bundesliga since it began in 1963.
HSV plays its home games at the Volksparkstadion in Hamburg. The club's official colors are blue, white, and black. However, their home uniform is white jerseys and red shorts. This is why their most common nickname is "die Rothosen" (the Red Shorts). Because it's one of Germany's oldest clubs, it's also called der Dinosaurier (the Dinosaur). HSV has big rivalries with Werder Bremen (called the Nordderby) and with FC St. Pauli from Hamburg (called the Hamburg derby).
HSV is known for focusing on developing young players. The club also has other sports sections. These include badminton, baseball, basketball, bowling, boxing, cricket, darts, ice hockey, field hockey, golf, gymnastics, and handball. HSV is one of the biggest sports clubs in Germany, with over 84,000 members across all its sections.
Contents
Club History
How HSV Started
Hamburger Sport-Verein (HSV) began when three clubs joined together on June 2, 1919. The oldest of these was Sport-Club Germania Hamburg, started on September 29, 1887. HSV considers this date as its own beginning. The other two clubs were Hamburger FC (from 1888) and FC Falke Eppendorf (from 1906). They merged because World War I had made them too weak to continue alone.
SC Germania first started as an athletics club. They began playing football in 1891 when some English players joined. SC Germania won the Hamburg-Altona championship five times, starting in 1896.
Hamburger SC 1888 was founded by students in 1888. SC Germania and Hamburger SC 1888 were among the 86 clubs that created the German Football Association (DFB) in 1900. FC Falke was founded in 1906 but was never a very successful team.
In 1922, the newly formed Hamburger SV played in the national final against 1. FC Nürnberg. The game was tied 2–2 and called off because it was too dark. The replay also ended 2–2, but Nuremberg had too few players left due to injuries and red cards. The DFB first gave the win to HSV, but then asked them to give up the title, which they did. So, no champion was officially named that year.
HSV's first real national championship came in 1923. They won against Union Oberschöneweide. They won the championship again in 1928, beating Hertha BSC 5–2.
During the time of Nazi Germany, HSV had local success. They won the Gauliga Nordmark championship in 1937, 1938, 1939, 1941, and 1945.
After the War
After World War II, HSV played in the new Stadtliga Hamburg and won its championship in 1946. They also won the championship of the British occupation zone in 1947 and 1948.
In May 1950, HSV was the first German team to tour the United States after the war. They won all six of their games.
From 1947 to 1963, HSV was a very strong team in the Oberliga Nord. They won the Oberliga title 15 times in 16 seasons! During this time, Uwe Seeler, who would become the club's all-time top scorer, started playing in 1953. He scored 267 goals in 237 Oberliga matches.
In 1960, HSV became German champions for the first time since 1928. They beat 1. FC Köln 3–2 in the final. Uwe Seeler scored twice and was named West German Footballer of the Year.
Because they were national champions, HSV played in the 1960–61 European Cup. This was their first time in a European competition. They beat Swiss club Young Boys 5–0 in their first match. They reached the semi-finals but lost to Barcelona. A record 77,600 fans watched the first game against Barcelona at the Volksparkstadion.
Joining the Bundesliga
The Bundesliga, Germany's first professional football league, started in 1963. HSV was one of the 16 clubs invited to join. Hamburger SV was the only original Bundesliga team that had never been relegated. They played in the top league continuously from 1963 until the 2017–18 season.
In August 1963, HSV won their first DFB-Pokal (German Cup) by beating Borussia Dortmund 3–0. In the first Bundesliga season, HSV finished sixth. Uwe Seeler scored 30 goals, making him the league's top scorer. He was also named Footballer of the Year for the second time.
In 1967, HSV reached the DFB-Pokal final again but lost to Bayern Munich. However, they still got to play in the European Cup Winners' Cup the next season, where they lost in the final to Milan.
Uwe Seeler was named Footballer of the Year for a third time in 1970. He retired in 1972, having scored 137 goals in 239 Bundesliga matches and 507 goals in 587 games overall.
The Golden Era
In 1973, HSV won the first ever DFB-Ligapokal, beating Borussia Mönchengladbach 4–0. Three years later, in 1976, they won the DFB-Pokal for the second time. The next year, HSV won its first international trophy, the 1976–77 European Cup Winners' Cup, by beating Anderlecht 2–0. After this, they signed English star player Kevin Keegan from Liverpool.
In 1978, Branko Zebec became HSV's coach. He led the team to their first Bundesliga title in his first season (1978–79). Kevin Keegan was the top scorer for HSV and won the European Footballer of the Year award for the second year in a row.
In the 1979–80 season, HSV returned to the European Cup. They beat Real Madrid 5–1 in the semi-finals to reach the final. However, they lost 1–0 to Nottingham Forest in the final. In the Bundesliga, they finished second, just two points behind Bayern Munich.
In 1981, Austrian coach Ernst Happel took over. In his first season, HSV won the Bundesliga title again. They also reached the UEFA Cup final but lost to Sweden's IFK Göteborg.
Between January 1982 and January 1983, HSV went 36 games undefeated in the Bundesliga. This was a league record until Bayern Munich broke it in 2013.
HSV won their third Bundesliga title in the 1982–83 season, beating rivals Werder Bremen on goal difference. In the same year, HSV won their first European Cup! They defeated Juventus 1–0 in Athens in the final.
In December 1983, HSV played against South American champions Grêmio in the 1983 Intercontinental Cup in Japan. Grêmio won 1–0 with a goal in extra time. Back home, HSV lost the league championship to VfB Stuttgart by goal difference.
The years 1984–85 and 1985–86 were not as successful for HSV. In 1986, Felix Magath, who had scored the winning goal in the 1983 European Cup final, retired from football.
In 1986–87, HSV finished second in the Bundesliga. They also won their fourth DFB-Pokal, beating Stuttgarter Kickers 3–1 in the final. After this success, Ernst Happel left the club. He is still HSV's most successful coach, having won two Bundesliga titles, one DFB-Pokal, and one European Cup.
Modern Challenges
In the early 1990s, HSV faced financial problems. The team's performance also declined. From 1991 to 1995, HSV finished in the bottom half of the Bundesliga for four seasons in a row.
In October 1995, Felix Magath returned as coach, and Uwe Seeler became club president. HSV improved, finishing fifth in the Bundesliga and qualifying for European competition. However, Magath was fired in May 1997 after a big loss.
In 1997, Frank Pagelsdorf became coach and stayed for over four years. Under him, HSV finished third in the 1999–2000 season, their best result since 1987.
On September 2, 2000, the new Volksparkstadion officially opened.
In 2000–01, HSV played in the UEFA Champions League for the first time. They had an exciting 4–4 draw against Juventus in their first match.
In July 2003, HSV won their first trophy in 16 years, beating Borussia Dortmund 4–2 in the DFB-Ligapokal final.
In August 2004, HSV lost early in the DFB-Pokal to a lower-league team in a controversial match.
Another third-place finish in 2005–06 meant HSV qualified for the Champions League again. They finished last in their group. In the league, the team was struggling, leading to coach Thomas Doll being dismissed. Under new coach Huub Stevens, HSV improved and qualified for the UEFA Cup.
The next season, Stevens led the team to fourth place before leaving. Martin Jol took over and led HSV to the semi-finals of both the UEFA Cup and the 2008–09 DFB-Pokal. Both times, they lost to rivals Werder Bremen.
Under coach Bruno Labbadia, HSV reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Europa League (formerly UEFA Cup) for the second season in a row. However, they lost to Fulham and missed the chance to play in the final, which was held at their home stadium.
In October 2011, Thorsten Fink became coach. The team was in the relegation zone, but under Fink, they went unbeaten for nine games and avoided relegation. In 2012–13, HSV finished seventh. However, they also had a record Bundesliga defeat, losing 9–2 to Bayern Munich.
After more coaching changes, HSV narrowly avoided their first relegation from the Bundesliga in May 2014. They won a play-off against Greuther Fürth. The club continued to struggle, changing managers multiple times. In 2015, Bruno Labbadia returned and saved the club from relegation in another play-off.
Relegation and Missed Promotions
In the 2017–18 Bundesliga, HSV had a very tough season with three different coaches. Despite a final day win, it was not enough. They were relegated to the 2. Bundesliga for the first time in the Bundesliga's 55-year history. This was a very sad moment for the club and its fans.
After relegation, HSV tried hard to get back to the top league. They changed coaches again, but in the 2018–19 2. Bundesliga season, they missed promotion by just one point. They also reached the semi-finals of the 2018–19 DFB-Pokal but lost.
In their second year in the 2. Bundesliga (2019–20 2. Bundesliga), they again missed promotion by one point. The 2020–21 season started well, but then the team had a long winless streak. Coach Daniel Thioune was replaced by Horst Hrubesch for the last three games. HSV finished third, but not high enough for direct promotion.
In the 2021–22 season, HSV finished third again, reaching the promotion play-off. They won the first leg against Hertha Berlin but lost the second leg at home, missing promotion for the fourth time. They also reached the DFB-Pokal semi-finals.
The 2022–23 season was their fifth in the 2. Bundesliga. HSV had the highest fan attendance of any second-division club in Europe. They were in the top three for most of the season. On the last day, they were about to be promoted, but their rivals scored two late goals, pushing HSV back to third place. They lost the play-offs to VfB Stuttgart, missing promotion for the fifth year in a row.
In the 2023–24 season, HSV spent most of the time in the top three. However, they dropped to fourth place near the end of the season and stayed there. For the sixth time in a row, HSV narrowly missed promotion to the Bundesliga. Meanwhile, their city rivals FC St. Pauli were promoted.
The Volksparkstadion
Hamburger SV plays its home games at the Volksparkstadion. This stadium was built on the site of the original stadium from 1953. The current stadium opened in 2000 and can hold 57,000 fans. About 47,000 people can sit, and another 10,000 can stand.
The Volksparkstadion has hosted many big football events. It was a venue for the 1974 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 1988. It is a top-rated UEFA stadium, meaning it can host major European finals. It was also one of the stadiums for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany and hosted the 2010 UEFA Europa League Final.
A unique fact about HSV is that fans can be buried at a special graveyard near the stadium. This graveyard is covered in grass from the original Hamburg pitch.
Rivals and Friendships
HSV has a big rivalry with Werder Bremen, another team from Northern Germany. This rivalry is called the Nordderby. In 2009, these two teams played each other four times in just three weeks in different cup competitions.
HSV also has a local rivalry with FC St. Pauli, another club from Hamburg. This is known as the Hamburg derby. When they played each other in the 2. Bundesliga in 2019 after many years, there was a lot of excitement. The HSV team won 4–0 at St. Pauli's stadium, which was their first win there since 1962.
HSV has a friendly connection with the Scottish club Rangers. This friendship started in the 1970s when HSV fans visited Rangers matches and loved the atmosphere. The connection grew stronger when Rangers signed player Jörg Albertz from Hamburg. This link became official in February 2021 with a club partnership.
HSV also has a friendship with Hannover 96. Both clubs are known by the abbreviation "HSV." When they play, the visiting team's song is played, and fans from both sides chant "HSV."
Additionally, Hamburger SV has a friendship with Arminia Bielefeld. Both teams share the same colors, which led to the fan chant: "Schwarz, weiß, blau – Arminia und der HSV" (Black, white, blue – Arminia and the HSV).
Some fan groups also have good connections with the fourth-division team VfB Lübeck. In 2013, HSV helped VfB Lübeck, who were in financial trouble, by playing a friendly match and giving them all the money earned from ticket sales.
Fans and Supporters
The band Abschlach! wrote the HSV anthem "Mein Hamburg lieb ich sehr," which is always played before HSV games.
HSV has over 700 official fan clubs in Germany and other countries. These include groups like "Rautengeil Fallingbostel" and "Totale Offensive e. V." The "Rothosen" supporters' association, started in 1972, is the oldest HSV fan club.
The Supporters Club, founded in 1993, has over 66,000 members. These fans are also members of HSV.
Club Kit and Colors
The official club colors are blue, white, and black. Fans often chant "schwarz-weiss-blau" (black-white-blue) and "HSV." The club's badge is a black and white diamond on a blue background. These colors come from SC Germania, one of the original clubs. The blue background is a nod to Hamburg's history as a port city, like the "Blue Peter flag" used by ships.
However, the team's home uniform is white jerseys and red shorts. These are the colors of the city of Hamburg. This is why the team's most common nickname is die Rothosen ("the Red Shorts"). HSV was also known as der Dinosaurier ("the Dinosaur") because it was so old. They even had a dinosaur mascot named "Hermann."
HSV's uniforms were made by Adidas for many years. They have also worked with other brands like Umbro, Erima, Uhlsport, Fila, Nike, and Puma. The team started having sponsors on their shirts in 1974.
| Season | Sponsor |
|---|---|
| 1974–1976 | Campari |
| 1976–1979 | Hitachi |
| 1979–1987 | BP |
| 1987–1994 | Sharp |
| 1994–1999 | Hyundai |
| 1999–2003 | TV Spielfilm |
| 2003–2006 | ADIG |
| 2006–2020 | Emirates |
| 2020–2022 | Orthomol |
| 2022– | HanseMerkur |
| Season | Kit Sponsor |
|---|---|
| 1887–1965 | In–House |
| 1965–1966 | Umbro |
|
1966–1969 |
In–House |
|
1969–1970 |
Erima |
|
1970–1974 |
In–House |
| 1974–1976 | Adidas |
| 1976–1978 | Umbro |
| 1978–1979 | Adidas |
| 1979–1980 | Erima |
| 1979–1995 | Adidas |
| 1995–1998 | Uhlsport |
| 1998–2001 | Fila |
| 2001–2005 | Nike |
| 2005–2007 | Puma |
| 2007–Present | Adidas |
HSV in European Competitions
HSV first played in a European competition in the 1960–61 European Cup after winning the German championship in 1960. They beat Swiss club Young Boys 8–3 over two games.
HSV reached the semi-finals of the European Cup in 1961. Later, they played in the final twice. They lost 1–0 to Nottingham Forest in 1980. But in 1983, they defeated Juventus 1–0 to win the European Cup! HSV is one of only three German teams to have won this important trophy.
HSV also won the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1976–77. They have been runners-up in both that competition and the UEFA Cup. Their most recent European journey was in the 2009–10 UEFA Europa League, where they reached the semi-finals.
In 1982, Hamburg became the first club in Europe to have been a runner-up in all three major UEFA club competitions. They lost the finals of the 1967–68 European Cup Winners' Cup, the 1979–80 European Cup, and the 1981–82 UEFA Cup. They also lost the European Super Cup in 1977 and 1983, and the 1983 Intercontinental Cup. This means they were the first and only club to be runners-up in all six major international club competitions.
HSV's biggest win in a European match was 8–0 against Romanian team Brașov in 1974. Their biggest defeat was 6–0 to Liverpool in the 1977 Super Cup. Manfred Kaltz has played the most European matches for HSV (81 games), and Horst Hrubesch is their top scorer in Europe (20 goals).
Club Trophies
HSV holds the record for winning the most regional titles in German football, with 31 regional championships. However, these regional titles didn't count as major trophies themselves. They only allowed a club to compete for the German Championship.
HSV's three Bundesliga championships allow the club to display one gold star on their jersey. This star shows they are a "Deserving Champion Club."
Until the 2017–18 season, HSV was very proud to be the only club that had always played in the Bundesliga since it started. A large clock at the Volksparkstadion even counted the time, down to the second, since the league was founded on August 24, 1963.
National Trophies
- German Champions:
- Winners: 1923, 1928, 1960, 1978–79, 1981–82, 1982–83
- Runners-up: 1923–24, 1956–57, 1957–58, 1975–76, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1983–84, 1986–87
- DFB-Pokal (German Cup):
- Winners: 1962–63, 1975–76, 1986–87
- Runners-up: 1955–56, 1966–67, 1973–74
- DFB-Ligapokal (League Cup):
- Winners: 1972–73, 2003
- DFB-Supercup (Supercup):
- Runners-up: 1977, 1983, 1987
European Trophies
- European Cup:
- Winners: 1982–83
- Runners-up: 1979–80
- European Cup Winners' Cup:
- Winners: 1976–77
- Runners-up: 1967–68
- UEFA Cup:
- Runners-up: 1981–82
- UEFA Super Cup:
- Runners-up: 1977, 1983
- UEFA Intertoto Cup:
- Winners: 2005, 2007 (Outright Winners)
- Runners-up: 1999
Worldwide Trophies
- Intercontinental Cup
- Runners-up: 1983
Winning "Doubles"
- 1982–83: Won both the League and the European Cup in the same season.
Other Sports Sections
HSV-Panthers (Futsal)
The Futsal team of Hamburger SV is called the "HSV Panthers." Futsal is a type of indoor football. They play in Germany's top Futsal league, the Futsal Bundesliga.
The HSV Panthers were one of the first teams in the Futsal Bundesliga. They have won the German Futsal Championship four times, making them the record champions. They have also played in the UEFA Futsal Champions League four times. In 2015, they were the first German team to reach the elite round of that competition. Many players from the HSV Panthers also play for the German national futsal team.
Hamburger SV II
Hamburger SV II is the reserve team for young players. It helps them develop their skills before they might join the main senior team.
Women's Football
The women's football section of HSV started in 1970. The team played in the top women's league, the Bundesliga, from 2003 to 2012.
Other Sports at HSV
The club also has sections for other sports:
- The rugby section was started in 1925 and restarted in 2006.
- The men's baseball team, HSV Hamburg (known as the Stealers), started in 1985 and plays in the top German baseball league.
- HSV also has sections for volleyball and cricket.
- Okka Rau from HSV qualified for the 2008 Beijing Olympics in volleyball.
- HSV Cricket plays in the North German Cricket Federation league and has won several championships.
Images for kids
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Historical chart of Hamburger SV league performance
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Ernst Happel, the most successful manager of the club, won the European Cup in 1983, the Bundesliga in 1982 and 1983, and the DFB-Pokal in 1987.
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HSV (in blue jersey) vs Argentine team River Plate, "Trofeo Naranja" match, August 1984
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The Volksparkstadion
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Hamburg against rivals Werder Bremen in the Nordderby
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A HSV choreography
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HSV fans before a game against Lotte
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HSV supporters
See also
In Spanish: Hamburgo S.V. para niños
