Germany’s Soccer Story: Legends, Life, Legacy

Origins and Early Teams

Soccer’s roots in Germany stretch back to the late 19th century. The first documented football match in Germany took place in 1874, played by pupils from the Martino-Katharineum Grammar School in Braunschweig. The first official football club was BFC Germania 1888, founded in Berlin on April 15, 1888, by Paul Jestram and his friends. This club is widely recognized as the oldest still in existence in Germany.

In 1900, representatives from 86 clubs gathered in Leipzig to found the Deutscher Fußball-Bund (DFB), the German Football Association, which remains the governing body for the sport in Germany.

The German Football Hall of Fame

The term for “Hall of Fame” in German is “Hall of Fame” or more formally, “Ruhmeshalle”. The official institution is called the Deutsches Fußballmuseum Hall of Fame.

When the Hall of Fame opened in Dortmund in 2019, the first inductees included legendary figures such as:

Franz Beckenbauer
Lothar Matthäus
Fritz Walter
Gerd Müller
Sepp Maier
Helmut Rahn
Uwe Seeler
Paul Breitner
Andreas Brehme
Matthias Sammer
Günter Netzer
Sepp Herberger (coach)

There was not a single “first” person; rather, an inaugural team of legends was honoured together.

Germany’s Biggest Olympic Soccer Stars

German Olympic soccer history is rich, with both men’s and women’s teams achieving success. Notable Olympic soccer stars include:

Birgit Prinz (three-time FIFA World Player of the Year, Olympic bronze medals)
Anja Mittag (Olympic gold in 2016)
Dzsenifer Marozsán (Olympic gold in 2016)
Horst Hrubesch (coach of the women’s Olympic gold team)
Bastian Schweinsteiger and Philipp Lahm are also celebrated for their overall achievements, though Germany’s greatest football triumphs have come in the World Cup rather than the Olympics^[4].

Soccer Museums in Germany

Germany is home to the German Football Museum (Deutsches Fußballmuseum) in Dortmund, the national museum dedicated to the history and culture of German football. It opened in 2015 and features extensive displays on the sport’s development, legendary players, and iconic moments.

While the German Football Museum is the primary national institution, several clubs (like FC Bayern Munich) also have their own museums and exhibitions, but there is only one official national football museum with FIFA and DFB displays.

Soccer in German Daily Life

Soccer (Fußball) is deeply woven into the fabric of German society:

Nearly half the population follows the sport, and about 13 million people actively play.
The Bundesliga is one of the world’s top leagues, with affordable tickets and a strong community focus due to the “50+1 rule,” which keeps clubs fan-owned.
Matchdays are major cultural events, with traditions like stadium snacks (beer, Currywurst), and city-wide celebrations after victories.
Soccer fosters social cohesion, national pride, and is a major driver of the German economy through merchandise, tourism, and media.

Soccer in German Schools

German children are introduced to soccer at a young age:

Soccer is a core part of physical education in primary schools.
Many children join local clubs or youth academies as early as age 5 or 6.
Elite clubs like FC Bayern Munich have youth academies that nurture talent from a young age, often scouting children from local schools and community teams.

Soccer is not just a pastime but a formative experience for many German children, shaping teamwork, discipline, and community spirit from their earliest school years.

In summary: Soccer’s history in Germany is long and storied, from the first school matches in Braunschweig to the modern Bundesliga and the national Hall of Fame. The sport is a pillar of daily life and culture, with children learning the game early and fans of all ages uniting around their teams.