Riederwald and the “Schlappekicker”

Riederwald became the club’s new home. It was inaugurated in the merger year of 1920 near Ostpark and featured a stadium, tennis courts, and much more. At that time, the club had 2,200 members and included numerous departments such as athletics, fencing, swimming, handball, and hockey.

Initially, the task for the “Schlappekicker” – as the team was nicknamed because most of the footballers worked at the Schneider shoe factory – was to break the dominance of FSV in Frankfurt. They succeeded in doing so at the beginning of the 1930s; in 1932, Eintracht only lost in the final of the German Championship to FC Bayern Munich.

First War, Then Great Successes

The darkest period in German history did not spare Eintracht either; in 1933, the club was brought into line under Nazi rule. During the bombing raids of the Second World War, the Riederwald stadium was destroyed. It was not until 1952 that the “New Riederwald” could be inaugurated at the Pestalozzi School in what is now the Seckbach district. Later, the facilities were expanded with funds that Eintracht generated during a trip to the USA, where they played a total of eight friendly matches.

In this new home, the club’s golden years began. In 1959, Eintracht celebrated the German Championship with a 5-3 victory in the final against Kickers Offenbach and, in the following year, became the first German team to reach the final of the European Cup. Their opponent in Glasgow was Real Madrid – the amateur footballers from Frankfurt against the professional stars from Spain. To this day, this final is considered one of the greatest club football matches of all time. Although Eintracht lost 3-7, they were part of a record for eternity. Over 127,000 spectators in Hampden Park remain the attendance record for a European Cup final.

End of the Drought

After 30 years without a title, the long yearning was finally fulfilled in 2018. Having lost the DFB Cup final the previous year, Eintracht defeated the overwhelming favourites FC Bayern Munich 3-1. In the UEFA Europa League in 2019, the Eagles narrowly missed out in the semi-finals, losing to Chelsea FC in a penalty shootout. Three years later, the Eagles were able to bring a European trophy back to Frankfurt. On May 18, 2022, Eintracht defeated Rangers FC from Glasgow in Seville on penalties, celebrating their second international title, which earned them a debut in the UEFA Champions League the following season.

While in the past, for example, the women’s table tennis team, track and field athlete Heinz Ulzheimer, and boxer Erich Walter achieved the club’s first international successes in the 1950s, today many of the club’s more than 50 sports disciplines boast athletes who are successful nationally or even internationally. However, medals and achievements in elite sports are only possible with a broad grassroots foundation and the corresponding promotion of sports in general. True to its motto “From grassroots to elite,” the club is therefore also proud of its more than 14,000 recreational athletes who are members of its various sports departments.

In the Heart of Europe

In recent years, the infrastructure for both grassroots and elite sports has been improved. The heart of the club beats at Riederwald, and with the facilities at the West site in Nied, the range of offerings has also been expanded in recent years. The stadium in Deutsche Bank Park now has a capacity of 58,000 and is sold out for all men’s matches.

Completed at the end of 2021, the ProfiCamp – which combines the headquarters of the football corporation and the state-of-the-art professional player facilities – is located at Frankfurt’s most beautiful address: “Im Herzen von Europa 1” (“In the Heart of Europe 1”). Next door, the Deutsche Bank Esports Academy has been established, serving as a talent hub for the region’s esports scene.

On March 8, 2024, Eintracht Frankfurt celebrated its 125th anniversary. But its history is far from over, and new chapters have already been added. For example, Eintracht Frankfurt’s women’s football team participated in the UEFA Women’s Champions League for the first time, creating magical nights there as well. There have been many such magical nights in the past 125 years – and there will be many more to come for the entire Eintracht family.