You probably know the Bundesliga for its passionate fans and world-class stadiums. However, this football league holds bizarre stories that go far beyond Bayern Munich winning another trophy. Surprisingly, the competition started much later than other European leagues due to intense regional arguments. Furthermore, the history includes broken goalposts, living mascots, and referees who enjoyed a drink on the job. Prepare to explore the wild side of German football through these surprising insights.
Bundesliga
Originally, no cameras recorded the very first goal in Bundesliga history. Timo Konietzka scored after just 58 seconds in 1963. Unfortunately, the photographers were not ready, so no video or photo exists of this historic moment.
A police dog bit a player during the fierce Revierderby in 1969. Fans rushed the field, and an Alsatian panicked in the chaos. Consequently, Schalke defender Friedel Rausch played the rest of the game with a painful wound on his backside.
The league trophy is popularly known as the Salad Bowl. It looks like a large plate because the original Viktoria trophy disappeared during World War II. Therefore, the champions lift a heavy shield rather than a traditional tall cup.
Robert Lewandowski scored five goals in just nine minutes. In 2015, he came off the bench and destroyed Wolfsburg almost instantly. Statistically, this remains the fastest five-goal haul in the history of top-flight football.
A referee once ordered a beer and schnapps during a match. Wolf-Dieter Ahlenfelder felt tipsy and blew the halftime whistle after only 32 minutes. Afterward, he admitted he enjoyed a few drinks with lunch before the game started.
Historically, the Bundesliga did not begin until 1963. While England and Spain had professional leagues for decades, Germany relied on regional championships. Finally, the desire for a unified national team forced the creation of a central division.
Borussia Mönchengladbach once defeated Borussia Dortmund 12-0. This result stands as the biggest victory in the history of Bundesliga . However, despite this massive win on the final day, they still lost the title to Cologne by a few goals.
Uniquely, the Goal of the Month award was once given to an own goal. Helmut Winklhofer smashed the ball into his own net from outside the box. Gracefully, he accepted the award because the strike was technically beautiful, even if it was a mistake.
The goal structure collapsed completely during a match in 1971. A striker fell into the net, and the wooden post snapped under his weight. As a result, the league mandated the use of aluminium goals for all future matches.
FC Cologne has a real living goat as their official mascot. Hennes the Goat attends every home game and stands on the sidelines. Currently, the club is on the ninth generation of the famous animal lineage.
Two players share the record for the fastest goal ever scored. Karim Bellarabi and Kevin Volland both found the net after just nine seconds. Impressively, they caught the defense sleeping before the fans had even taken their seats.
The famous 50+1 rule keeps investors from taking total control. Fans must own the majority of the voting rights in almost every club. Thus, ticket prices remain low because profit is not the only priority for the teams.
A phantom goal was awarded even though the ball went through a side hole. Stefan Kiessling headed the ball wide, but it entered the net through a tear. Confusingly, the referee gave the goal, sparking a massive national debate about technology.
Borussia Dortmund boasts the highest average attendance in world football. The Yellow Wall stand alone holds 25,000 standing fans. Consequently, the noise levels in the stadium can terrify opposing teams.
Finally, Thomas Müller has won more titles than any other player. The Bayern Munich legend has lifted the Salad Bowl 12 times. Consistently, his longevity proves he is the most successful player in the history of the league.
