Eintracht Frankfurt in European football

Lore & Background

Eintracht Frankfurt's first match against European opponents was a friendly against Swedish side Malmö FF in 1920. The club entered the European Cup in 1959–60 and reached the final, where they lost 7–3 to Real Madrid. In the 1966–67 season, Eintracht won the Intertoto Cup, defeating Inter Bratislava in the final, and also reached the semi-finals of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. The club won the Cup of the Alps in 1967, a tournament involving Italian, Swiss and German teams.

In the 1979–80 UEFA Cup, Eintracht reached the final. After losing the first leg at Borussia Mönchengladbach, they won the second leg with a goal by Fred Schaub in the 81st minute, securing the club's first major European title. The club struggled to participate regularly in European competitions during the 1980s but re-established itself in the 1990s, advancing far in the UEFA Cup with players such as Uwe Bein, Jay-Jay Okocha, Uli Stein, Ralf Weber and Tony Yeboah. Despite reaching the 1994–95 UEFA Cup quarter-finals, Eintracht was relegated from the Bundesliga in 1995–96 and bounced between the first two tiers for almost ten years.

Since 2005, Eintracht returned to the Bundesliga and qualified for the UEFA Cup. In 2018, the club won the DFB Cup for the first time in thirty years, earning qualification for the Europa League group stage. In the 2018–19 Europa League, Luka Jović scored ten goals as Eintracht reached the semi-finals, losing on penalties to eventual champions Chelsea. On 14 April 2022, over 20,000 fans traveled as Eintracht defeated Barcelona 3–2 at the Camp Nou, advancing 4–3 on aggregate in the 2021–22 UEFA Europa League. On 18 May 2022, Eintracht won the Europa League title, defeating Rangers 5–4 on penalties after a 1–1 draw in extra time. On 10 August 2022, Eintracht played in their first UEFA Super Cup final, losing 2–0 to Real Madrid in Helsinki.

Reader's Guide

Eintracht Frankfurt's significance in European football stems from being the first German club to reach a European Cup final, in 1960, and from winning two major European trophies: the UEFA Cup in 1980 and the UEFA Europa League in 2022. The club's 1979–80 UEFA Cup victory, decided by Fred Schaub's late goal, marked a milestone for German football. The 2022 Europa League triumph, secured on penalties against Rangers, was notable for the club's dramatic quarter-final victory over Barcelona at the Camp Nou, where over 20,000 traveling fans created a memorable atmosphere. Eintracht's European journey includes participation in the Intertoto Cup, the Cup of the Alps, and the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, reflecting the club's long-standing presence in continental competition. The club's record shows matches against 103 different clubs from 37 countries, underscoring its broad European engagement. Despite periods of domestic struggle, including relegation in 1996, Eintracht consistently returned to European competition, demonstrating resilience. The club's legacy is also tied to players like Luka Jović, who scored ten goals in the 2018–19 Europa League campaign, and earlier stars such as Tony Yeboah and Jay-Jay Okocha, who helped the club advance far in the UEFA Cup during the 1990s.

Did You Know?

• Eintracht Frankfurt's first official European match was a 4–1 away win against BSC Young Boys on 11 November 1959.
• The club became the first German side to reach a European final, losing 7–3 to Real Madrid in the 1959–60 European Cup.
• Eintracht won the UEFA Cup in 1979–80 with a goal by Fred Schaub in the 81st minute of the second leg.
• Over 20,000 fans traveled to Barcelona for the 2022 Europa League quarter-final, where Eintracht won 3–2 at the Camp Nou.