VfL Bochum facts for kids
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| Full name | Verein für Leibesübungen Bochum 1848 Fußballgemeinschaft e. V. | |||
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| Nickname(s) | Die Unabsteigbaren (The Undescendables) Die Blauen (The Blues) |
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| Founded | 26 July 1848 | |||
| Ground | Vonovia-Ruhrstadion | |||
| Capacity | 27,599 | |||
| Chairman | Hans-Peter Villis | |||
| Manager | Dieter Hecking | |||
| League | Bundesliga | |||
| 2020–21 | 2. Bundesliga, 1st of 18 (promoted) | |||
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VfL Bochum is a professional football club from the city of Bochum in Germany. Their full name is Verein für Leibesübungen Bochum 1848 Fußballgemeinschaft. The club plays in the Bundesliga, which is the top football league in Germany.
Contents
History of VfL Bochum
How the Club Started
VfL Bochum is one of the oldest sports clubs in the world. It began on July 26, 1848, when a local newspaper asked people to create a gymnastics club. This club, called Turnverein zu Bochum, officially started on February 18, 1849.
However, in December 1851, the club was forced to close by the government. It reopened on June 19, 1860. In May 1904, the club was reorganized and in 1911, a football team was added.
Mergers and Changes
Over the years, the club went through several changes and mergers. On April 1, 1919, it joined with another club, Spiel und Sport 08 Bochum, to form Turn- und Sportverein Bochum 1848.
Later, on February 1, 1924, the gymnastics and football parts of the club split into two separate groups. The football part became Turn- und Sportverein Bochum 1908.
In 1938, during a difficult time in Germany, these clubs were forced to merge again with another club, Germania Vorwärts Bochum 1906. This is how the club we know today, VfL Bochum, was formed on April 14, 1938.
Playing Through Challenges
During World War II, it became very hard to play football in Germany. Many players were away, and stadiums were damaged. VfL Bochum sometimes had to play as a combined team with another club.
Even though they had good teams, they often played in the same league as FC Schalke 04, which was a very strong team back then. VfL Bochum's best result during this time was finishing second in the league in 1938–39.
After the War and Joining the Bundesliga
After World War II, VfL Bochum 1848 became an independent football club again. They started playing in the second division in 1949. They won their division in 1953 and again in 1956, moving up to the top league for a while.
In 1963, the Bundesliga, Germany's new professional league, was created. VfL Bochum started in the third division. They slowly climbed up, reaching the Bundesliga in 1971.
During this time, Bochum also made it to the final of the 1967–68 DFB-Pokal (German Cup), but they lost to 1. FC Köln.
A "Yo-Yo Club"
VfL Bochum played in the top league for 20 seasons. They were known for being a tough team to beat. They reached the DFB-Pokal final again in 1988, but lost to Eintracht Frankfurt.
After the 1992–93 season, they were moved down to a lower league. Since then, they have often moved between the Bundesliga and the 2. Bundesliga (the second division). This is why they are sometimes called a "yo-yo club."
Despite this, they finished in 5th place in the Bundesliga in 1996–97 and 2003–04. These good results allowed them to play in the UEFA Cup, a European competition. In 1997, they reached the third round, and in 2004, they were knocked out early.
In the 2020–21 season, VfL Bochum won the 2. Bundesliga, which meant they were promoted back to the top-flight Bundesliga.
In the 2023–24 season, the club had to play a special match to stay in the Bundesliga. They won a penalty shootout against Fortuna Düsseldorf, even after being 3–0 down in the first game!
Today's Club
Today, VfL Bochum is a large sports club with 5,000 members. More than 2,200 of these members are part of the football team. The club also has sections for other sports like athletics, badminton, basketball, dance, fencing, gymnastics, handball, field hockey, swimming, table tennis, tennis, and volleyball.
Players
Current Squad
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Players on Loan
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Famous Players
You can find a list of many famous players who have played for VfL Bochum here:
Club Achievements
VfL Bochum has won several titles and reached important finals:
Domestic League Titles
- 2. Bundesliga (Second Division)
- Winners: 1993–94, 1995–96, 2005–06, 2020–21
- Regionalliga West (Second Division)
- Winners: 1969–70, 1970–71
- 2. Oberliga West (Second Division)
- Winners: 1952–53, 1955–56
- Verbandsliga Westfalen (Third Division)
- Winners: 1964–65
Cup Competitions
- DFB-Pokal (German Cup)
- Runners-up: 1967–68, 1987–88
Regional Cups
- Western German Cup (Second Division)
- Winners: 1967–68
Youth Team Success
- German Under 19 Championship
- Winners: 1969
- German Under 17 Championship
- Winners: 1985
- Under 19 Bundesliga West
- Winners: 2004, 2005
Top Scorers
Several VfL Bochum players have been the top goal scorers in their leagues:
- Bundesliga top goal scorer:
- 1985–86: Stefan Kuntz (22 goals)
- 2002–03: Thomas Christiansen (21 goals)
- 2006–07: Theofanis Gekas (20 goals)
- 2. Bundesliga top goal scorer:
- 1993–94: Uwe Wegmann (22 goals)
- 2015–16: Simon Terodde (25 goals)
Stadium
VfL Bochum plays its home games at the Ruhrstadion. It's also known as the Vonovia-Ruhrstadion because of a sponsorship deal. This stadium was one of the first modern stadiums in Germany built only for football. It was built in the 1970s on the same ground where the old TuS Bochum 08 club used to play.
The stadium has a roof over all its seats and standing areas. It can hold 27,599 fans, including 12,025 standing places.
Coaches and Staff
Current Coaching Staff
Here are the main people who lead the team today:
| Name | Position |
|---|---|
| Dieter Hecking | Manager |
| Marc-André Kruska | Assistant Manager |
| Sebastian Baumgartner | Goalkeeping coach |
| Lucas Kern | Fitness coach |
| Marius Kirmse | Fitness coach |
| Benedikt Oppenhäuser | Rehab coach |
Images for kids
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This chart shows VfL Bochum's league performance over the years.
See also
In Spanish: VfL Bochum para niños
