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Welcome back Hamburg! All you need to know about a returning Bundesliga giant

Hamburg are finally back in the Bundesliga after seven years in the second tier. bundesliga.com has the lowdown on one of Germany's biggest and most successful clubs...

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The story of 2024/25

Hamburg fans would have been forgiven for thinking they may never return to the elite after several near misses down the years, but made a case of seventh time lucky in 2024/25. HSV have not lost back-to-back games throughout, while a run of one loss in 16 in the middle of the term showcased their consistency. The Dinos have been imposing in front of goal, scoring a league-leading 76 times, and while a stumble towards the end of the season threatened to derail their promotion bid as in previous years, HSV got the job done with a game to spare following an emphatic 6-1 win over Ulm.

Davie Selke has enjoyed the most prolific campaign of his pro career in 2024/25. (IMAGO/Justus Stegemann)

Key player: Davie Selke

There have been several major contributors to Hamburg’s triumphant season, including top Bundesliga 2 assister Jean-Luc Dompé (12), but Selke rightfully leads the plaudits. Having made the switch from promotion rivals Cologne last summer following their relegation, the 30-year-old has stepped up in the absence of Robert Glatzel throughout much of the season to score a league- and career-best 21 goals.

Merlin Polzin is HSV's eighth different coach since their relegation from the Bundesliga at the end of 2017/18. (IMAGO/Sebastian Räppold/Matthias Koch)

Coach: Merlin Polzin

When Steffen Baumgart was relieved of his duties following the Matchday 13 2-2 draw with Schalke, a result which left Hamburg eighth, Polzin was initially appointed on an interim basis. Following a solid start to life in the dugout, he was given the job permanently during the winter break. His first defeat only came in March, and his move to a 4-3-3 formation allowed Hamburg to flourish in attack. After spending the first 13 years of his coaching career as an assistant or in youth football, Polzin has adapted seamlessly to the top role at one of Germany’s biggest clubs, magicking up their long-craved return to the big time.

History

In terms of stature, Hamburg are a Bundesliga powerhouse in the truest sense. They are six-time German champions, with three of those falling during the Bundesliga era, and one of only three German clubs to have won the European Cup/UEFA Champions League. At the end of the 1970s and the start of the 1980s, HSV were the country’s leading force, led by the likes of Felix Magath and Kevin Keegan. They could not replicate those performances in the ensuing decades, but did hold the distinction of being the only club to participate in every Bundesliga season until their relegation in 2018.

Stadium

HSV’s Volksparkstadion is the eighth largest in Germany, with the capacity to hold 57,000 supporters. However, it has not always been their home. In fact, they only moved there ahead of the inaugural Bundesliga season in 1963/64. The current version of the stadium was opened in 1998 after the old ground was demolished in the same spot. The Volksparkstadion has played host to matches at two FIFA World Cups and two UEFA European Championships, and was the venue for the 2010 UEFA Europa League final.

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