Union Berlin continues to grow among soccer in Germany at an incredible rate. Although the club has roots dating back to the early 20th century, the team was founded under its current name in 1966. Despite this long history, Union Berlin only reached the top flight in 2019.
Team officials expected their club to essentially survive relegation. However, the Iron Ones, as they are affectionately known, managed to finish an eleventh place in the Bundesliga table for 2019/20. One season later, the East Berlin team finished seventh, qualifying for the Conference Europe playoffs. His rise in the German league would not stop there.
Union Berlin qualified for the Europa League, finishing just one point away from a Champions League place in the 2021/22 campaign. The club is now just one point behind German giant Bayern Munich for the Bundesliga title. So how did this relatively new team join the likes of Bayern and Borussia Dortmund in German football? Certainly not a billionaire owner.
Union Berlin reaches unprecedented heights in Germany
The team is essentially the antithesis of modern football. While fans have seen clubs like Paris Saint-German, Chelsea and Manchester City come to their jobs spending incredible amounts of money, this club hasn’t done that.
Union Berlin is 100% fan-owned. This means that there are no outside investors with the team. These fans previously helped raise money for the club during difficult times by donating blood. They even helped rebuild the stadium themselves.
Despite making a dozen additions to the current squad, Union Berlin made more money on the transfer market than they spent this season. And the current campaign is no outlier either. In fact, since the club was promoted to the Bundesliga in 2019, it has actually earned around $2 million more than it has spent on players.
The atmosphere inside the stadium is also amazing. Despite being the smallest stadium in the Bundesliga, the Stadion An der Alten Forsterei has an incredible atmosphere on match days. The stadium itself is also located within a forest. Fans who walk into the game get a unique experience. Inside the stadium, negativity and booing are rarely heard.
The Bundesliga needs a new headline
Union Berlin’s rise is surely a positive for the Bundesliga. Bayern’s recent dominance has made league titles essentially a foregone conclusion over the past decade. However, most fans like competitive leagues to make things more interesting. And Union Berlin could be an amazing story if they snatch the trophy from Bayern this season.
PHOTO: IMAGO / Matthias Koch
