DFB-Pokal Winner 1993

Lore & Background

The club was founded on 1 July 1904 as Turn- und Spielverein Bayer 04 Leverkusen, a works team supported by the Friedrich Bayer and Co. (a paint factory, later known as the pharmaceutical company Bayer). The football department separated from the sports club in 1999. The club's main colours are red and black. Their main rival is 1. FC Köln, and they have a long-standing friendship with supporters of Kickers Offenbach.

Reader's Guide

Bayer Leverkusen won their first top-flight honor, the UEFA Cup, in 1988. Their first domestic honor, the DFB-Pokal, came in 1993 with a 1–0 win against Hertha BSC (the first team) on 12 June 1993. The club finished runners-up in three competitions in 2002, including the UEFA Champions League. In 2024, they won their first Bundesliga title and second DFB-Pokal, becoming the first German team to win the league or domestic double unbeaten, while setting a European record for consecutive unbeaten competitive games (51).

Did You Know?

• Bayer Leverkusen's first appearance in upper league play was in 1951 in the Oberliga West.
• The club's 1988 UEFA Cup final saw them come back from 0–3 down in the first leg to win on penalties.
• The nickname 'Neverkusen' arose after the club lost three finals in 2002.