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The 2024-25 season of 2. Bundesliga kicks off this weekend and will be monumental as Germany’s highly unpredictable second division marks its 50th anniversary. Known for its fierce competition and incredible fan attendance, this season promises to elevate the excitement to new heights.
Bundesliga 2 has a storied history, having served as a launching pad for clubs and players to ascend to the highest echelons. Established to bridge the gap between professional and amateur soccer, the league was created on June 30, 1973, in Frankfurt; leading to its inaugural season in 1974-75. The league began with 20 teams split into North and South divisions. The criteria for inclusion were based on sporting success, technical capabilities, and economic stability. Naturally, this sparked some controversy and legal disputes.
One notable moment from the early days includes Alsenborn, who, despite sporting qualifications, were denied entry due to economic and technical shortcomings; resulting in Saarbrucken taking their place. In fact, it was Saarbrucken’s Nikolaus Semlitsch who scored the first goal in Bundesliga 2 history. This happened exactly 50 years ago, on August 2, 1974, setting the stage for many memorable moments to come.
Legendary players and coaches
2. Bundesliga has been a proving ground for many football legends. Felix Magath, who started with Saarbrucken, went on to achieve great success with Hamburger SV and the German national team. Horst Hrubesch and Rudi Voller are other notable names who honed their skills in Bundesliga 2 before rising to international acclaim.
Hrubesch, with 41 goals in the 1977-78 season, also shares the record for most goals in a single season of German professional soccer with Robert Lewandowski. Voller, who played for Kickers Offenbach and 1860 Munich, eventually became a World Cup champion in 1990. Coaches like Otto Rehhagel also have deep ties to 2. Bundesliga. Rehhagel led Werder Bremen back to the Bundesliga and…
Source link : https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/germanys-2-bundesliga-celebrates-50th-anniversary/
Author : Martina Alcheva
Publish date : 2024-08-02 15:13:57
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