Bayer 04 Leverkusen
German football team.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen, commonly known as Bayer Leverkusen, is a professional football club based in Leverkusen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The club was founded in 1904 by employees of the German pharmaceutical company Bayer AG, which continues to own the majority of the club's shares. Bayer Leverkusen competes in the Bundesliga, the top tier of German football, and plays its home games at the BayArena, a modern stadium with a capacity of 30,210 spectators.
The club's colors are red and black, and they are nicknamed "Die Werkself" (The Company's Eleven), reflecting their origins as a works team. Bayer Leverkusen has established itself as one of the most consistent and competitive clubs in German football, known for their attacking style of play and ability to nurture young talent.
Leverkusen's rise to prominence began in the late 1970s when the club first gained promotion to the Bundesliga. Since then, they have been a regular fixture in the top flight, consistently challenging for European qualification and occasionally mounting title challenges. Despite their consistent performances, Bayer Leverkusen has earned the unfortunate nickname "Neverkusen" due to their tendency to finish as runners-up in major competitions.
The club's most successful period came in the late 1990s and early 2000s under the management of Christoph Daum and later Klaus Toppmöller. During this time, Leverkusen came agonizingly close to winning their first Bundesliga title on several occasions, most notably in the 2001-02 season when they finished as runners-up in the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, and UEFA Champions League.
Despite not winning the Bundesliga, Bayer Leverkusen has achieved notable success in other competitions. They won the UEFA Cup (now Europa League) in 1988, defeating Espanyol in the final, and have also claimed the DFB-Pokal in 1993. The club has been a regular participant in European competitions, with their best performance in the Champions League coming in that 2001-02 season when they reached the final, losing to Real Madrid.
Bayer Leverkusen is renowned for its excellent youth academy and scouting network, which has produced and developed numerous world-class players. Notable talents who have come through the ranks or played for Leverkusen include Michael Ballack, Toni Kroos, Kai Havertz, and Florian Wirtz. The club's biggest rivalry is with 1. FC Köln, with matches between the two teams known as the "Rhine Derby."
Off the field, Bayer Leverkusen is known for its well-run organization and strong financial backing from Bayer AG. In recent years, Bayer Leverkusen has continued to be a regular contender for European qualification, often finishing in the top four of the Bundesliga. The club's attractive style of play and commitment to developing young talent have made them a popular team among neutral fans and a respected name in European football.