Discover Frankfurt
Eintracht Frankfurt – a club of powerful emotions and unforgettable European nights
Eintracht Frankfurt is one of the most distinctive clubs in German football. It does not collect league titles with Bayern’s regularity, and its history contains as many painful collapses as famous triumphs. When Frankfurt finds its rhythm in a cup competition, however, it is capable of creating stories remembered throughout Europe.
The club from Germany’s financial capital is known for its exceptional supporters, enormous travelling support and an atmosphere that can turn an ordinary match into a major occasion. The 1959 German championship, the legendary European final against Real Madrid, two continental trophies and five DFB Cup victories have created a history filled with moments when Eintracht exceeded its apparent potential.
Frankfurt is known as “Die Adler” – the Eagles. The same eagle appears on the badges of both the club and the city.
The beginnings in 1899
Eintracht’s history began on 8 March 1899, when fifteen football enthusiasts formed Victoria Frankfurt. Football was still a relatively new sport in Germany, and players sometimes had to construct the goals themselves before matches.
Victoria merged with Frankfurter Kickers in 1911 to create Frankfurter Fußballverein. Another significant merger followed in 1920. It was then that the word “Eintracht”, meaning unity or harmony, first appeared in the name.
Eintracht is far more than a football club. It is an enormous members’ organisation offering dozens of different sports and representing more than 150,000 members. Football, however, is the department that created its international reputation.
The Schlappekicker and the first rise
During the club’s early years, Eintracht’s players were known as the “Schlappekicker”. Many of them worked for a local shoe manufacturer, while “Schlappe” is a Frankfurt dialect word for a slipper or simple shoe.
By the early 1930s, the club had established itself among Germany’s leading teams. In 1932, it reached the national championship final but lost 2–0 to Bayern Munich.
Like other German organisations, Eintracht was brought under the control of the Nazi regime after 1933. Members were excluded because of their Jewish heritage or political beliefs, while much of the club’s infrastructure was severely damaged during the war.
Frankfurt had to rebuild its sporting facilities almost completely after the conflict. From this difficult period eventually emerged the most successful team in the club’s history.
German champions in 1959
Eintracht won its first and so far only German championship in 1959. The final in Berlin was contested against regional rival Kickers Offenbach in front of approximately 75,000 spectators.
The match produced eight goals and required extra time. Frankfurt eventually won 5–3, with István Sztani scoring twice and Eckehard Feigenspan completing a hat-trick.
The players received an enormous welcome when they returned to Frankfurt. Eintracht was German champion for the first time and had earned the opportunity to represent the country in the following season’s European Cup.
The greatest final of all time
In 1960, Eintracht became the first German club to reach the final of Europe’s leading competition. It defeated Rangers 12–4 on aggregate in the semi-final before facing Real Madrid at Hampden Park in Glasgow.
More than 127,000 spectators witnessed a match that is still regarded as one of the greatest European finals ever played. Frankfurt took the lead, but Real gradually assumed control and won 7–3.
Alfredo Di Stéfano scored three goals and Ferenc Puskás added four. Despite the heavy defeat, Eintracht’s courageous performance earned admiration across Europe.
The ball from the match is one of the most valuable objects in the club museum. The Glasgow final remains a symbol of the occasion when Frankfurt challenged what was perhaps the greatest team in football history.
A founding member of the Bundesliga
Eintracht was one of the Bundesliga’s founding members in 1963. During the competition’s early decades, the club regularly finished in the upper half of the table and became known for technically accomplished but unpredictable teams.
This produced the nickname “Launische Diva vom Main” – the moody diva from the River Main. Frankfurt could defeat a championship favourite and then lose to a significantly weaker opponent only a few days later.
That unpredictability has frequently tested the supporters’ nerves. At the same time, it became part of the club’s appeal. With Eintracht, it is almost impossible to know what the next 90 minutes will bring.
The cup specialists of the 1970s and 1980s
Although Frankfurt could not win the Bundesliga, it became an exceptionally successful cup team. Eintracht lifted the DFB Cup in 1974, 1975, 1981 and 1988.
The era was defined by players such as Jürgen Grabowski, Bernd Hölzenbein, Bernd Nickel and Karl-Heinz Körbel. Grabowski and Hölzenbein were also members of the West Germany squad that won the 1974 World Cup.
Körbel spent his entire professional career with Eintracht and made 602 Bundesliga appearances. It remains an all-time record for the competition.
Frankfurt played attractive football and regularly defeated more celebrated opponents. Its greatest achievement of the era, however, came not in the German Cup but in Europe.
UEFA Cup winners in 1980
Eintracht reached the UEFA Cup final during the 1979/80 season. West German clubs dominated the competition, providing all four semi-finalists.
Frankfurt faced Borussia Mönchengladbach in the final. It lost the first leg away from home 3–2 and therefore needed to win the return match.
For a long time, the second leg appeared likely to finish goalless. Substitute Fred Schaub finally scored in the 81st minute. Eintracht won 1–0 and lifted its first European trophy through the away-goals rule.
The victorious team also included South Korean forward Cha Bum-kun, Austrian international Bruno Pezzey and future German World Cup winner Bernd Hölzenbein.
The championship lost in 1992
One of the club’s most painful chapters arrived during the 1991/92 season. Eintracht entered the final matchday at the top of the league with the championship in its own hands.
Frankfurt needed to win away against Hansa Rostock, who were fighting relegation. With the score at 1–1, Eintracht appealed for a penalty following a challenge on Ralf Weber, but the referee allowed play to continue. Rostock then scored a late winner.
The 2–1 defeat allowed VfB Stuttgart to become champion. Stuttgart finished level on points with Borussia Dortmund but claimed the title through its superior goal difference.
For Frankfurt supporters, the conclusion of the 1991/92 season remains an open wound. Eintracht has never come closer to winning the championship during the Bundesliga era.
Yeboah, Okocha and the turbulent 1990s
Frankfurt possessed one of Germany’s most entertaining teams at the beginning of the 1990s. Uwe Bein controlled the midfield, Jay-Jay Okocha produced extraordinary individual skills and Anthony Yeboah became one of the Bundesliga’s most dangerous goalscorers.
Okocha is particularly remembered for an incredible goal against Karlsruher SC. He repeatedly dribbled past defenders and goalkeeper Oliver Kahn before eventually placing the ball into the net. It was later selected as Germany’s goal of the year.
Yeboah finished as the Bundesliga’s leading scorer on two occasions and became one of the players willing to speak publicly against racism. His Frankfurt career ended following a conflict with head coach Jupp Heynckes. Yeboah, Maurizio Gaudino and Okocha were removed from the first-team squad.
The breakup of the celebrated team contributed to a sporting decline. Eintracht suffered its first Bundesliga relegation in 1996.
Relegations, recoveries and survival battles
The following two decades resembled a roller coaster. Frankfurt was repeatedly promoted to the Bundesliga and relegated again. It experienced financial problems, leadership changes and dramatic battles to retain its professional licence.
In 1999, the club survived in almost impossible circumstances. Eintracht needed a convincing victory over Kaiserslautern on the final day while also relying on results elsewhere. It won 5–1, with Jan Åge Fjørtoft’s late goal completing the escape.
Further relegations followed in 2001, 2004 and 2011. After returning to the Bundesliga in 2012, however, the club gradually became more stable.
The 2016 relegation play-off against Nürnberg was particularly important. Eintracht survived under Niko Kovač, creating the foundation for a new and successful period.
The cup shock against Bayern
Kovač led Eintracht to the 2017 DFB Cup final, where Frankfurt lost to Borussia Dortmund. One year later, the team received another opportunity.
Bayern Munich was the overwhelming favourite in the Berlin final. Frankfurt responded with an exceptionally disciplined and courageous performance.
Ante Rebić scored twice before Mijat Gaćinović completed a 3–1 victory in stoppage time. Eintracht had won its first major trophy in 30 years.
The unusual element was that Kovač was due to take charge of Bayern after the season. He had therefore defeated his future employer in one of the most important matches in Eintracht’s history.
The Buffalo Herd and the road to London
During the 2018/19 season, Luka Jović, Sébastien Haller and Ante Rebić formed a powerful attacking trio nicknamed the “Büffelherde” – the Buffalo Herd.
With their goals, Eintracht progressed to the Europa League semi-final. Its victims included Inter Milan, Benfica and Shakhtar Donetsk.
Both semi-final matches against Chelsea finished level. A penalty shootout at Stamford Bridge was required, with the London club eventually progressing.
The campaign nevertheless reawakened Eintracht’s extraordinary relationship with European competition. Frankfurt supporters began travelling across the continent in numbers that appeared unimaginable for most clubs.
Thirty thousand supporters in Barcelona
The 2021/22 European season produced an even greater story. Eintracht completed the group stage and knockout rounds without losing a match.
Barcelona awaited in the quarter-final. The opening game in Frankfurt ended 1–1 before approximately 30,000 Eintracht supporters travelled to Catalonia for the return fixture.
Large areas of Camp Nou were filled with fans dressed in white. Although Frankfurt’s official allocation was relatively small, its supporters had obtained tickets through numerous sales channels and created the atmosphere of a home match.
Eintracht won 3–2. Filip Kostić scored twice and created another goal for Rafael Borré. Barcelona had been eliminated, and the evening immediately gained an almost mythical status in Frankfurt’s history.
The enormous travelling support became known as the “Bestia Blanca” – the white beast.
European glory in Seville
After eliminating Barcelona, Frankfurt defeated West Ham and reached the Europa League final against Rangers.
The Scottish club took the lead after a goalless first half, but Rafael Borré equalised. The match remained 1–1 after extra time and was decided by penalties.
Goalkeeper Kevin Trapp saved Aaron Ramsey’s attempt. Borré then converted the final penalty to begin an enormous celebration.
Eintracht won the shootout 5–4, completed the entire competition without a defeat and claimed its first European trophy in 42 years.
Frankfurt’s city centre was filled when the team returned home. Römerberg became a sea of black, white and red as the players presented the trophy.
A return to the Champions League
Winning the Europa League secured Eintracht’s first appearance in the modern Champions League. Frankfurt progressed from its group in 2022/23 before facing the future Italian champion Napoli in the knockout stage.
Another important step followed during the 2024/25 campaign. Eintracht finished third in the Bundesliga and qualified for the Champions League through its domestic position for the first time.
Within only a few years, the club had developed from a relegation play-off participant into a regular representative of German football in Europe. Intelligent recruitment and the development of young or undervalued players played a major role.
Luka Jović, Sébastien Haller, Randal Kolo Muani, Omar Marmoush and several other forwards dramatically increased their value in Frankfurt before moving to some of Europe’s largest clubs.
Waldstadion and Deutsche Bank Park
Eintracht’s home is still commonly known by its traditional name, Waldstadion. Situated within the Frankfurt city forest, it originally opened in 1925.
The stadium has undergone several major reconstructions. An almost entirely new arena with a distinctive retractable roof was created ahead of the 2006 World Cup.
Its current commercial name is Deutsche Bank Park, and it accommodates approximately 59,500 spectators for Eintracht home matches.
The Nordwestkurve is the stadium’s most recognisable section. It is home to the most active supporters, enormous choreographed displays and the songs that eventually spread throughout the arena.
The approach to the stadium leads through the forest, creating an atmosphere unlike most urban grounds. Thousands of supporters wearing black, white and red fill the surrounding paths long before kick-off.
The supporters as Eintracht’s greatest strength
Eintracht possesses one of Germany’s most respected fan cultures. Its support extends far beyond home matches, with enormous numbers regularly travelling throughout Germany and across Europe.
Nordwestkurve choreographies can cover an entire stand and often celebrate the club’s history, Frankfurt itself or important personalities. European nights carry a special energy, and the stadium can become exceptionally loud.
The strength of this identity was also developed during difficult seasons in the second division. Supporting Eintracht was never based purely on results but on a sense of belonging to the city and its community.
Supporters hold a significant position within the members’ club and regularly participate in debates concerning ticket prices, commercialisation and Eintracht’s future direction.
Attila the eagle
Eintracht’s mascot is a real eagle named Attila. He appears inside the stadium before home fixtures and occasionally flies above the pitch.
The eagle comes from Frankfurt’s coat of arms and represents strength, freedom and the connection between the club and the city. Attila is one of only a very small number of living mascots in German professional football.
For visitors, his appearance is an unusual part of the pre-match programme and one of the details that makes an Eintracht match immediately memorable.
Eintracht legends
Jürgen Grabowski is one of the most important players in the club’s history. The elegant and versatile footballer spent his entire professional career at Eintracht, winning two German Cups and the UEFA Cup.
Bernd Hölzenbein is Frankfurt’s leading Bundesliga goalscorer. Together with Grabowski, he became a World Cup winner in 1974 and earned the penalty from which West Germany equalised against the Netherlands in the final.
Karl-Heinz Körbel holds the record of 602 Bundesliga appearances. Every one of them came in an Eintracht shirt, making him an extraordinary symbol of loyalty.
Bernd Nickel became famous for his powerful shooting and goals scored directly from corner kicks. Cha Bum-kun developed into one of the first truly significant Asian players in European football.
Later generations were represented by Anthony Yeboah, Jay-Jay Okocha, Uwe Bein, Alexander Meier, Kevin Trapp, Sebastian Rode and Filip Kostić.
Meier became the Bundesliga’s leading scorer in 2015 at the age of 32. Trapp and Rode, as academy graduates or long-serving leaders, played central roles in the Europa League triumph in Seville.
The rivalry with Kickers Offenbach
Eintracht’s greatest traditional rival is Kickers Offenbach. The two cities are separated by only a few kilometres and the River Main.
Their encounters are known as the Mainderby. The rivalry has deep regional and social roots and was particularly intense during the first half of the twentieth century.
The most important meeting was the 1959 German championship final, which Eintracht won 5–3 after extra time.
With Offenbach competing in the lower divisions, the first teams now meet only rarely. For older and more traditional supporters, however, Kickers remains Frankfurt’s greatest rival.
The Hessian derby against Darmstadt 98 and regional fixtures with Mainz 05 also carry additional tension. Frequent historic encounters created another rivalry with 1. FC Kaiserslautern.
The moody diva from the Main
The nickname “moody diva” perfectly describes a large part of Eintracht’s history. The club is capable of defeating Barcelona at Camp Nou and then unexpectedly losing what appears to be a straightforward Bundesliga fixture.
Frankfurt has experienced a national championship, European finals and major cup triumphs. It has also suffered repeated relegations, financial difficulties and painful defeats in decisive matches.
Some supporters would prefer to leave the diva reputation behind because the modern Eintracht appears far more stable. Unpredictability and emotional extremes nevertheless remain important parts of the club’s attraction.
Eintracht is not a club for anyone searching for calm. It can turn disappointment into euphoria and back again within a matter of minutes.
What is an Eintracht match like?
Watching Eintracht Frankfurt is one of Germany’s finest football experiences. A full Nordwestkurve, huge choreographed displays and relentless vocal support create an atmosphere capable of surprising even visitors familiar with Europe’s largest stadiums.
Frankfurt is also ideal for a short football trip. It has one of Europe’s largest airports, excellent railway connections and straightforward public transport from the city centre to the stadium.
The city combines a modern skyline with the reconstructed historic centre around Römerberg. On the southern bank of the River Main, the Sachsenhausen district is known for its traditional taverns and local Apfelwein cider.
Eintracht Frankfurt is neither Germany’s richest nor its most successful football club. Few German teams, however, can produce the same intensity of emotion, European adventure and genuine connection between players, supporters and city.
That is why Eintracht matches feel different. You never know exactly what will happen – but you will almost certainly remember it.
