VfL Wolfsburg
German football team.
VfL Wolfsburg is a professional football club based in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, Germany. The club competes in the Bundesliga, the top tier of German football. Wolfsburg plays its home games at the Volkswagen Arena, which has a capacity of 30,000 spectators.
Founded in 1945, VfL Wolfsburg has a unique history closely tied to the Volkswagen company, which is headquartered in the city. The club's colors are green and white, and they are nicknamed "Die Wölfe" (The Wolves), a reference to the wolf on the city's coat of arms.
Wolfsburg's rise to prominence in German football has been relatively recent. The club first achieved promotion to the Bundesliga in 1997 and has since established itself as a regular fixture in the top flight. Their most significant achievement came in the 2008-09 season when they won their first and, to date, only Bundesliga title under the management of Felix Magath.
In addition to their Bundesliga triumph, Wolfsburg has also tasted success in domestic cup competitions. They won the DFB-Pokal (German Cup) in 2015, defeating Borussia Dortmund in the final. This victory secured them a place in the UEFA Europa League, where they reached the quarter-finals in the following season.
Wolfsburg has participated in the UEFA Champions League on two occasions, with their best performance coming in the 2015-16 season when they reached the quarter-finals before being eliminated by Real Madrid. The club has also had success in the UEFA Europa League, reaching the quarter-finals in 2014-15 and 2019-20.
The club is known for its strong financial backing from Volkswagen, which has allowed them to compete with more established Bundesliga clubs in terms of player recruitment and infrastructure development. This support has been crucial in Wolfsburg's ability to attract top talent and maintain their status as a competitive force in German football.
Notable players who have worn the Wolfsburg shirt include Edin Džeko, Kevin De Bruyne, and Wout Weghorst.