Good to Know — Eintracht Frankfurt
Since the 1990s Eintracht have repeatedly had to fight for their sporting and economic survival.
Good to Know
Since the 1990s Eintracht have repeatedly had to fight for their sporting and economic survival.
Since the 1990s Eintracht have repeatedly had to
Since the 1990s Eintracht have repeatedly had to fight for their sporting and economic survival.
Since the 1990s Eintracht have repeatedly had to fight for their sporting and economic survival. In the process the club has attracted some very special characters – as players, managers and presidents. That much is well known. Less well known are the circumstances surrounding the enthronement of perhaps the most scandal-ridden president in the club’s history.
In 1988 Matthias Ohms, the ‘five-billion-dollar man’ as
In 1988 Matthias Ohms, the ‘five-billion-dollar man’ as Frankfurt’s tabloids mockingly dubbed the currency trader, came in as vice-president under Joseph Wolf.
In 1988 Matthias Ohms, the ‘five-billion-dollar man’ as Frankfurt’s tabloids mockingly dubbed the currency trader, came in as vice-president under Joseph Wolf. Back in 1983 Ohms had already presented himself as a benefactor by granting the cash-strapped SGE an ‘interest-free loan’ of 1.1 million marks. Very noble indeed. What few people know today: the enthronement assembly of November 14, 1988 was special. Fists flew. Wolf, hated by the fans, lasted exactly nine days in office.
Ohms, by contrast, remained until his resignation after
Ohms, by contrast, remained until his resignation after the 1996 Bundesliga relegation and a successful vote of no confidence.
Ohms, by contrast, remained until his resignation after the 1996 Bundesliga relegation and a successful vote of no confidence. He presided over what is still both the most successful and the saddest Bundesliga chapter in Eintracht history. With a mixture of grandiosity, red-light milieu and dubious personnel decisions, he fit the scandal club on the Main perfectly. At his peak the ‘financial genius’ employed up to 100 currency traders in his Schillerstraße offices. Reportedly his daily turnover reached five billion US dollars.
When, after taking over as president in 1988,
When, after taking over as president in 1988, Ohms called for a ‘return to calm,’ it was naked mockery.
When, after taking over as president in 1988, Ohms called for a ‘return to calm,’ it was naked mockery. Thirteen days later coach Pál Csernai was sacked. Yet later coaching calls on Jörg Berger, Dragoslav Stepanović and Klaus Toppmöller would also produce some of the most successful Bundesliga years in the club’s history.
DER SPIEGEL summed up the special Eintracht atmosphere
DER SPIEGEL summed up the special Eintracht atmosphere under Ohms as follows: ‘Under Ohms, Frankfurt’s moneyed nobility formed a fatal alliance with the nightlife nobility.’ It was an open secret around the club that parties involving people from the red-light scene were held in Ohms’ house even when he was away – while valuable club documents were being stolen from his safe.
DER SPIEGEL summed up the special Eintracht atmosphere under Ohms as follows: ‘Under Ohms, Frankfurt’s moneyed nobility formed a fatal alliance with the nightlife nobility.’ It was an open secret around the club that parties involving people from the red-light scene were held in Ohms’ house even when he was away – while valuable club documents were being stolen from his safe. At some point in the early 1990s his professional decline began. Frankfurt’s major banks withdrew business from him one after another, he had to sell his company, and in 2010 he received a one-year suspended sentence for making false sworn declarations. Just one among countless scandals. Add in interest-free loans to players, negotiations with unlicensed player agents, dubious receipts for bribe payments and commission payments to ‘unknown persons.’ The full package.
Like hardly any other Bundesliga club, Eintracht Frankfurt
Like hardly any other Bundesliga club, Eintracht Frankfurt unite triumph and tragedy.
Like hardly any other Bundesliga club, Eintracht Frankfurt unite triumph and tragedy. The moody diva repeatedly find ways to throw away seemingly secure successes – which gives their haters superb material. On the other hand, the club also has a habit of wriggling out of seemingly hopeless sporting situations. Often brushed aside around the club is the fact that Eintracht have not exactly been serial German champions. They won the title only once, in 1959, with a 5:3 win after extra time against Kickers Offenbach. Less well known is that they came within a whisker of being champions already in 1932 – if only they had beaten Bayern Munich in the second of two matches within six weeks.
On May 1, 1932, the Hessians beat Bayern
On May 1, 1932, the Hessians beat Bayern 2:0 in the final of the South German championship.
On May 1, 1932, the Hessians beat Bayern 2:0 in the final of the South German championship. It was a scandal match. Eintracht went two goals up through the Swiss forward Dietrich, Bayern grew stronger in the second half and felt wronged by the referee. Shortly before the end, Bayern fans stormed the field. The match was abandoned seven minutes before full time. The quick rematch came on June 12 in the German championship final. Bayern triumphed 2:0 in front of 55,000 spectators. Only after that final was Eintracht officially awarded the May 1 match, while Bayern were fined.
Another lesser-known detail: as of December 2019, Eintracht
Another lesser-known detail: as of December 2019, Eintracht held a very special Bundesliga record.
Another lesser-known detail: as of December 2019, Eintracht held a very special Bundesliga record. They were the club with the highest combined total of goals scored and goals conceded in a single Bundesliga season. In 1981/82 Frankfurt scored 83 and conceded 72 – 155 goals altogether.
Good to Know — Update 2020–2026
On 18 May 2022, Eintracht Frankfurt won the UEFA Europa League.
On 18 May 2022, Eintracht Frankfurt won the
On 18 May 2022, Eintracht Frankfurt won the UEFA Europa League.
On 18 May 2022, Eintracht Frankfurt won the UEFA Europa League. At the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan in Seville, SGE beat Rangers 5–4 on penalties after the match had finished 1–1 following 120 minutes. It was the club’s greatest triumph since the UEFA Cup win of 1980, and it catapulted Eintracht back onto Europe’s football map. Goalkeeper Kevin Trapp became the hero of the night, while Rafael Santos Borre scored the decisive penalty.
The triumph had consequences: Frankfurt qualified for the
The triumph had consequences: Frankfurt qualified for the Champions League for the first time since 1960.
The triumph had consequences: Frankfurt qualified for the Champions League for the first time since 1960. In 2022/23, SGE entered the royal stage but could not make enough of a group containing Tottenham Hotspur, Sporting Lisbon and Olympique Marseille, and went out bottom.
Markus Krosche, sporting director since 2021, established a
Markus Krosche, sporting director since 2021, established a new business model: develop players, sell them for big money, reinvest.
Markus Krosche, sporting director since 2021, established a new business model: develop players, sell them for big money, reinvest. The transfer fees collected between 2022 and 2025 were impressive: Randal Kolo Muani moved to Paris Saint-Germain for 95 million euros, Omar Marmoush left for a similar figure to Manchester City, Willian Pacho joined PSG, and Jesper Lindstrom moved to Napoli. SGE became a talent forge for Europe’s elite.
The stadium was renamed Deutsche Bank Park —
The stadium was renamed Deutsche Bank Park — which did not exactly go down well with every fan....
The stadium was renamed Deutsche Bank Park — which did not exactly go down well with every fan.