How Borussia Dortmund Rose From Church Rebels to German Football Giants
Borussia Dortmund’s rise from a local breakaway side to one of Germany’s best-known clubs began on December 19, 1909. The club was formed by young men who left a church-backed team following disputes with the church’s authorities, laying the foundation for an institution that would later become a major force in German and European football.
Dortmund first established themselves among the country’s leading sides in the 1960s. They lifted the DFB-Pokal in 1965 before following it with European success a year later, winning the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1966.
A modern European heavyweight
A more sustained period of success arrived after Ottmar Hitzfeld took charge in 1991. Under his management, Dortmund won consecutive Bundesliga championships in 1995 and 1996, then added the Champions League in 1997. That sequence remains one of the defining eras in the club’s history.
Since 2010, Dortmund have again been firmly positioned among Germany’s leading clubs while maintaining a strong standing across European competition. Their support extends well beyond Germany, with the club regarded as one of the country’s most popular teams in the United States. Bundesliga matches are available in the US through ESPN+.
Supporters interested in the club’s recent history can also find two Dortmund-focused documentaries on Amazon Prime Video. Inside Borussia Dortmund follows the side during the 2018-19 campaign, while Football Bomber: Attack on Borussia Dortmund examines the 2017 attack on the team bus.
