Most famous Stuttgart players:

Karlheinz Förster, Guido Buchwald, Hans Peter Müller, Bernd Förster, Thomas Strunz, Fredi Bobic, Thomas Berthold, Jürgen Klinsmann, Karl Allgöwer, Krassimir Balakov, Giovane Elber, Willi Entenmann, Didier Six, Hermann Ohlicher, Günther Schäfer, Fritz Walter

The address of VfB Stuttgart, Mercedesstrasse, lets you know just what the city is most famous for. The automaker Mercedes-Benz is unmistakably connected to the southwest German city. Yet the success of Mercedes has not spilled over directly to the soccer club.

Stuttgart has the fourth-best overall record in the Bundesliga’s history (536 wins after 2004 season), lagging only behind Bayern Munich, Hamburg and Werder Bremen. But the club, founded in 1893, has been crowned German champion only four times, and only twice in the 41 year history of the Bundesliga. In the German Cup, Stuttgart has raised the trophy three times total, the last time in 1997.

Importantly though, it has been over a decade, 1992 to be exact, since VfB Stuttgart sat atop the Bundesliga at the end of a season. In the decisive match on the final day of the season, German great Guido Buchwald headed the gamewinner against Leverkusen in the last minute. The dramatic victory gave coach Christoph Daum the title.

In 1984, Stuttgart had already won the title before the last match of the season under coach Helmut Benthaus.

Successes outside of the Bundesliga

Although they have not won a Bundesliga championship in 14 years, Stuttgart have had their successes in other competitions. In 1997, they beat Energie Cottbus 2-0 in the German Cup final thanks to two strikes from Brazilian Giovane Elber.

The following year, the Swabians marched through to the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup final, only to lose to Chelsea 1-0 in Stockholm.

Under the tutelage of coach Felix Magath, Stuttgart made it in 2002/3 (Champions League) and 2003/4 (UEFA Cup) to European club competition. Their Champions League appearance was highlighted in the group stage by a 2-1 victory over Manchester United.

At the end of the 2004 season however, Magath, like so many successful German coaches do, moved onto Bayern Munich.

In Magath’s place came Matthias Sammer who had left Borussia Dortmund. This was not a bad choice for the managers of Stuttgart. In Matthias Sammer they have a young, hungry coach who has reached the highest level of performance both as a player and coach in the Bundesliga.

He started his successful Bundesliga career with Stuttgart in 1990, becoming the first East German to play on a Bundesliga club. And Sammer was the key player in the Suttgart’s drive to the championship in 1992. A feat he would achieve two more times with Borussia Dortmund.

On the sidelines, Sammer is one of only three coaches (Thomas Schaaf of Bremen and Ottmar Hitzfeld with Munich) to win a Bundesliga title the last six years. This happened when Dortmund slipped by Leverkusen as the 2001/2 season wound down to an end.

Sammer is the man that the club thinks will finally push the side over the top.

The chances speak well for the Swabians. The side with international striker Kevin Kuranyi in front and Timo Hildebrand between the posts would finally like to end the title drought.

Current Squad

Timo Hildebrand (1), Andreas Hinkel (2), Martin Stranzl (3), Boris Zivkovic (4), Markus Babbel (5), Fernando Meira (6), Silvio Meissner (7), Jurica Vranjes (8), Marco Streller (9), Aliaksandr Hleb (10), Heiko Gerber (12), Christian Tiffert (13), Elson (15), Horst Heldt (16), Mathieu Delpierrre (17), Cacau (18), Imre Szabics, (19), Zvonimir Soldo (20), Philipp Lahm (21), Kevin Kuranyi (22), Dirk Heinen (23), Marco Caligiuri (26), Diego Benaglio (31), Mario Gomez (33)

Coach: Matthias Sammer