From Humble Beginnings To European Success

Schalke 04: A History of the German Soccer Club

From Humble Beginnings to European Success

Schalke 04 is one of the most successful and well-known soccer clubs in Germany. Founded in 1904, the club has won seven Bundesliga titles, five DFB-Pokals, and the UEFA Cup in 1997. Schalke 04 is also one of the founding members of the Bundesliga and has played in the top flight of German soccer for all but two seasons since the league's inception in 1963.

From Gelsenkirchen to the World Stage

Schalke 04 was founded in the city of Gelsenkirchen, which is located in the Ruhr Valley region of western Germany. The club's early years were spent playing in local leagues, but they quickly rose through the ranks and made their debut in the German top flight in 1933. Schalke 04 soon became one of the most dominant teams in Germany, winning three Bundesliga titles in the 1930s and four more in the 1940s.

After World War II, Schalke 04 continued to be a force in German soccer, winning the Bundesliga title in 1958 and the DFB-Pokal in 1969. The club also made its mark on the European stage, reaching the semi-finals of the European Cup in 1956 and 1958.