Hamburger Sport-Verein, a fallen giant of German football, represents the port city of Hamburg. Founded in 1887, HSV is one of Germany's most decorated and popular clubs. The Rothosen (Red Shorts) now play in the second division after being the only club to have participated in every Bundesliga season until 2018.
Hamburger SV possesses an exceptional trophy cabinet with 6 German championships, 3 DFB-Pokal cups, and notably a Champions League won in 1983. The Hanseatic club has also won the UEFA Cup and Cup Winners' Cup. The legendary Volksparkstadion has hosted the greatest European nights and remains a symbol of German football.
HSV maintains intense rivalries with Werder Bremen (Nordderby) and St. Pauli (Hamburg derby). Despite the historic relegation of 2018, the club retains an immense supporter base and works arduously to return to the Bundesliga. The dinosaur of German football remains anchored in millions of fans' hearts.
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HSV plays at the Volksparkstadion, with a 57,000 capacity, located in Hamburg's Stellingen district. This mythical stadium, inaugurated in 1953 and renovated for the 2006 World Cup, hosted the 1983 Champions League final won by the Rothosen, representing German football history.
Founded in 1887, HSV dominated German football for several decades. The club was the only one to have participated in every Bundesliga season from its creation in 1963 until the catastrophic relegation of 2018. This fall remains one of German football's greatest shocks.
HSV counts 6 German championships, 3 DFB-Pokal cups, 1 Champions League (1983), 1 UEFA Cup (1977), and 1 Cup Winners' Cup (1977). The 1970s-80s represent the golden age with European dominance under Ernst Happel then Branko Zebec.
Uwe Seeler, absolute club icon, Felix Magath, Horst Hrubesch, Kevin Keegan (Ballon d'Or 1978 and 1979 at HSV), Manfred Kaltz, and more recently Rafael van der Vaart marked history. These players contributed to the Rothosen's greatest victories.
'Rothosen' means 'red shorts' in German, referring to the club's traditional red shorts. They're also called 'HSV', 'Dinosaurier' (dinosaur, as the oldest club to have always played in Bundesliga until 2018), or simply 'Hamburg'. The official mascot is 'Dino Hermann'.
The Nordderby opposes HSV to Werder Bremen, northern Germany's two giants. This historic rivalry, one of Bundesliga's oldest, divides the country's north. The Hamburg derby against St. Pauli, though unbalanced, is also culturally intense and represents the city's social divisions.
The 2018 relegation resulted from years of poor management, sporting instability with numerous coach changes, and failed transfers. The inability to restructure and enormous pressure led to this historic fall. The club has since struggled to return to the elite despite resources.
The Volksparkstadion offers an impressive atmosphere with one of the highest average attendances in European second divisions. HSV supporters, despite relegation, remain exceptionally loyal. The North stand creates a spectacle of chants and flags during every home match.
Despite several failed attempts in play-offs, HSV works to restructure the club to return to the Bundesliga. The immense pressure and weight of history make this mission difficult. The club invests in new structures and attempts to find the stability necessary for promotion.
HSV's sole objective is returning to the Bundesliga as quickly as possible and reclaiming their place among the German elite. The club then aims to stabilize and progressively rebuild to become competitive nationally and in Europe again. Patience and restructuring are now the watchwords.
