Klaus Toppmöller Management

Lore & Background

Founded in 1904 by employees of the paint factory, today better known as a pharmaceutical company Bayer, the club was formerly a department of TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen sports club. In 1999, the football department was separated from the sports club. Bayer Leverkusen's main colours are red and black, and their main rival is 1. FC Köln, while the fans have had a deep friendship with the supporters of Kickers Offenbach for almost 50 years. The club was promoted to the Bundesliga in 1979 and won its maiden top-flight honor, the UEFA Cup, in 1988. The club won its first domestic honour, the DFB-Pokal, in 1993. The club finished runners-up across three competitions in 2002, including the UEFA Champions League. After over 30 years without silverware, the club won their first Bundesliga title and their second DFB-Pokal in 2024, becoming the first German team to win the league or domestic double unbeaten, while setting the European record for consecutive unbeaten competitive games (51).

In Their Own Story

The rain slicks the BayArena pitch under the floodlights of a late autumn evening in 2001. Klaus Toppmöller stands on the sideline, hands deep in his pockets, watching his young stars chase every loose ball with frenetic energy. The scoreboard shows a tight contest against a title rival. He doesn't shout; he simply nods, knowing that the system he has instilled over six years is working perfectly. The team moves as one organism, pressing high and breaking forward with precision, embodying the beautiful game philosophy he brought to the Rhine.

Reader's Guide

The club's history includes promotion to the Bundesliga in 1979, the UEFA Cup win in 1988 under manager Rinus Michels, and the DFB-Pokal win in 1993 under manager Dragoslav Stepanović. The 2002 season saw the club finish as runners-up in the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, and UEFA Champions League. The club won its first Bundesliga title and second DFB-Pokal in 2024.

Did You Know?

• Bayer Leverkusen's main colours are red and black.
• The club's main rival is 1. FC Köln.
• The club won the UEFA Cup in 1988.
• The club won its first Bundesliga title in 2024.