History of VfB Stuttgart in Timeline

VfB Stuttgart is a German professional sports club located in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg. Their football team competes in the Bundesliga, Germany's top division. VfB Stuttgart boasts a history of success, having won the national championship five times, including the 2006-07 season. They have also secured the DFB-Pokal four times and hold the record for UEFA Intertoto Cup victories with two titles. The club holds a prominent position in German football, ranking fourth in the all-time Bundesliga table.

1904: Won promotion

In 1904, FC Krone Cannstatt won promotion in the Süddeutschen Fußballverband (SFV) as a second division club.

1908: Football section established

In 1908, Stuttgarter Fußballverein established a football section within the club, drawing players from local schools under teacher Carl Kaufmann.

1909: Joined Süddeutschen Fußballverband

In 1909, FV joined the Süddeutschen Fußballverband (South German Football Association), playing in the second tier B-Klasse.

1909: Runners-up in national rugby final

In 1909, Stuttgarter FV were runners-up to FSV 1897 Hannover in the national rugby final, losing 6–3.

April 1912: Merger of Stuttgarter FV and FC Krone Cannstatt

In April 1912, Verein für Bewegungsspiele Stuttgart was formed through a merger of Stuttgarter FV and FC Krone Cannstatt, following a meeting at the Concordia hotel in Cannstatt.

1912: Played in Kreisliga Württemberg

Following the 1912 merger, the combined side of VfB Stuttgart played in the Kreisliga Württemberg.

1912: Advanced to Südkreis-Liga

In 1912, FV eventually advanced to the senior Südkreis-Liga.

1920: Start of Manager List

The text refers to the managers of the club since 1920.

1927: Title in Bezirksliga Württemberg-Baden

In 1927, VfB Stuttgart claimed a title in the Bezirksliga Württemberg-Baden.

1933: MHPArena Original Construction

In 1933, The MHPArena, the home ground of VfB Stuttgart, was originally built.

1933: Moved to Neckar Stadium

In 1933, VfB Stuttgart moved to Neckar Stadium.

1935: Lost in national final to Schalke 04

In 1935, VfB Stuttgart advanced to the national final but lost 4–6 to defending champions Schalke 04.

1935: Gauliga Württemberg title

In 1935, VfB Stuttgart won the Gauliga Württemberg division title.

1937: Third-place result at national level

In 1937, VfB Stuttgart achieved a third-place result at the national level.

1937: Gauliga Württemberg title

In 1937, VfB Stuttgart won another Gauliga Württemberg division title.

1938: Gauliga Württemberg title

In 1938, VfB Stuttgart won another Gauliga Württemberg division title.

1940: Gauliga Württemberg title

In 1940, VfB Stuttgart won another Gauliga Württemberg division title.

1943: Gauliga Württemberg title

In 1943, VfB Stuttgart won another Gauliga Württemberg division title.

1944: Gauliga system collapsed

In 1944, the Gauliga system collapsed part way through the 1944–45 season due to World War II.

1946: Oberliga Süd title

In 1946, VfB Stuttgart captured the Oberliga Süd title.

1950: National champions

In 1950, VfB Stuttgart emerged as national champions.

1952: National champions

In 1952, VfB Stuttgart emerged as national champions.

1953: Runner-up

In 1953, VfB Stuttgart finished as runner-up in the German championship.

1954: Oberliga Süd title and DFB-Pokal title

In 1954, VfB Stuttgart captured the Oberliga Süd title and won a DFB-Pokal title.

1958: DFB-Pokal title

In 1958, VfB Stuttgart won a DFB-Pokal title.

1958: Disappointing results in FIFA World Cup

In 1958, the German Football Association noted the disappointing results in the FIFA World Cup.

1962: German Cup Final Loss to 1. FC Nürnberg

In 1962, VfB Stuttgart reached the German Cup final, facing 1. FC Nürnberg. Despite a red card for Cacau and a comeback to equalize after falling behind, Stuttgart ultimately lost in extra time due to exhaustion and humid conditions, with Nürnberg scoring the winning goal.

1962: Disappointing results in FIFA World Cup

In 1962, the German Football Association noted the disappointing results in the FIFA World Cup.

1963: Joined the Bundesliga

In 1963, Stuttgart's consistently solid play earned them a place among the 16 clubs that would make up the original Bundesliga.

1963: Start of Bundesliga Era Performance List

The text refers to the season-by-season performance of the club since 1963 (Bundesliga era).

1973: Qualified for UEFA Cup

In 1973, VfB Stuttgart qualified for the UEFA Cup for the first time.

1974: UEFA Cup semi-final appearance

In 1974, VfB Stuttgart advanced to the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup tournament where they were eliminated by eventual winners Feyenoord (1–2, 2–2).

1974: 1974 FIFA World Cup Venue

In 1974, the Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion was one of the venues for the 1974 FIFA World Cup.

1974: Gerhard Mayer-Vorfelder elected as president

Towards the end of the 1974–75 season, local politician Gerhard Mayer-Vorfelder was elected as the new president of VfB Stuttgart.

1975: New talents join the team

In 1975, new talents like Karlheinz Förster and Hansi Müller joined VfB Stuttgart.

1976: Team had to be rebuilt

As in 1976, when Mayer-Vorfelder had taken over, the team had to be rebuilt by relying on talents from the youth teams.

1976: Scored 100 goals

In 1976–77, the VfB Stuttgart team scored one hundred goals.

1977: Ranked fourth

At the end of 1977–78, VfB Stuttgart was ranked fourth.

1978: League record attendance

In 1978, the average attendance of over 53,000 set the league record.

1980: UEFA Cup semi-final appearance

In 1980, VfB Stuttgart made another UEFA Cup semi-final appearance.

1981: Hansi Müller departs

In 1981, Hansi Müller left VfB Stuttgart

1983: First Bundesliga title

In the 1983/84 season, VfB Stuttgart won their first Bundesliga title.

1986: Lost DFB-Pokal final to Bayern Munich

In 1986, VfB Stuttgart lost the DFB-Pokal final 2–5 to Bayern Munich.

1989: Lost UEFA Cup Final to Napoli

In the 1989 UEFA Cup Final, VfB Stuttgart lost out to Napoli (1–2, 3–3).

1991: Eliminated from UEFA Cup

In the 1991–92 season, VfB Stuttgart was eliminated from UEFA Cup play after losing their second round match to Spanish side Osasuna (2–3).

1992: Fourth Bundesliga title

In 1991–92, VfB Stuttgart clinched its fourth title, in one of the closest races in Bundesliga history, finishing ahead of Borussia Dortmund on goal difference.

1992: Kickers Relegation

In 1992, Stuttgarter Kickers were relegated to the 2. Bundesliga, marking the last time the respective first teams of VfB Stuttgart and Stuttgarter Kickers played each other.

1997: Third German Cup win

In 1997, VfB Stuttgart qualified for European competition again through their third German Cup win, with coach Joachim Löw.

1998: Lost European Cup Winners' Cup final to Chelsea

In 1998, VfB Stuttgart advanced to the European Cup Winners' Cup final, where they lost to Chelsea.

2000: Gerhard Mayer-Vorfelder resigned

Due to high debts and the lack of results, Gerhard Mayer-Vorfelder finally resigned from VfB in 2000 to take over offices at the DFB, UEFA, and FIFA.

2001: Escaped relegation

In 2001, VfB Stuttgart narrowly escaped from relegation by clinching the 15th spot in the league table.

2002: Bundesliga runners-up

In the 2002–03 season, VfB Stuttgart finished as Bundesliga runners-up.

July 2003: Erwin Staudt became president

In July 2003, Erwin Staudt became the new president of VfB Stuttgart.

2003: Armin Veh resigned from Hansa Rostock

In 2003, Armin Veh resigned from Hansa Rostock to focus on his family.

2003: Comparison to 2003–04 UEFA Champions League season

In 2003, the text mentions that VfB Stuttgart's 2007–08 European campaign started with a match at Ibrox Park in Glasgow against Rangers, just as the 2003–04 UEFA Champions League season did.

2003: Bundesliga finishes

In 2003–04, Stuttgart earned a fourth place Bundesliga finish.

2003: Champions League Qualification Comparison

In 2009, the text mentions that it was the third time in six years that Stuttgart entered the Champions League, with the other two times being in 2003 and 2007.

2003: Qualified for Champions League

VfB qualified for their second Champions League appearance for the 2003–04 season, and advanced from the group stage as runners-up to Manchester United.

2004: Bundesliga finishes

In 2004–05, Stuttgart earned a fifth place Bundesliga finish.

2004: Armin Veh took no football job

Since 2004, Armin Veh took no football job save for coaching his home team FC Augsburg for one season.

2005: Giovanni Trapattoni sacked

Halfway through the disappointing 2005–06 season, Giovanni Trapattoni was sacked and replaced by Armin Veh.

2005: Cooperation Treaty with St. Gallen

In 2005, a cooperation treaty between VfB Stuttgart and Swiss Super League side St. Gallen was signed, with a focus on the youth sectors of both clubs.

November 2006: Led the league for the first time in two years

On 12 November 2006, VfB Stuttgart led the league for the first time in two years.

2006: Won national championship

In 2006, VfB Stuttgart won the national championship, marking a significant achievement in the club's history.

2006: 2006 FIFA World Cup Venue

In 2006, the Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion was one of the venues for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, hosting five preliminary round matches, a first knockout round match, and the third-place play-off.

May 2007: Won Bundesliga title

In May 2007, VfB Stuttgart won their first Bundesliga title in 15 years.

August 2007: UEFA Champions League Draw

In August 2007, the UEFA Champions League draw paired VfB Stuttgart with Barcelona, Lyon, and Rangers for the 2007-08 season.

2007: Champions League Qualification Comparison

In 2009, the text mentions that it was the third time in six years that Stuttgart entered the Champions League, with the other two times being in 2003 and 2007.

2007: Comparison to Winning the League

In 2023, Stuttgart played their best season ever based on the number and rate of victories since winning the league in 2007.

July 2008: Mercedes-Benz Arena Name Change

From the 2008–09 season, the stadium was named the Mercedes-Benz-Arena, starting with a pre-season friendly against Arsenal on July 30, 2008.

2008: UEFA Cup Qualification via Intertoto Cup

In 2008, VfB Stuttgart ensured UEFA Cup qualification by succeeding in the UEFA Intertoto Cup during the summer.

2008: UEFA Cup Round of 32 Loss to Zenit Saint Petersburg

In 2008, VfB Stuttgart mastered the group stages of the UEFA Cup, but lost to Zenit Saint Petersburg in the round of the last 32 in February.

2008: Armin Veh Sacked, Markus Babbel Appointed

In 2008, after a poor start to the season, Armin Veh was sacked as manager in November following matchday 14, with VfB Stuttgart sitting 11th in the table. Markus Babbel replaced him.

2008: Reference to 2008-09 Season

In 2009, the text mentions that the team performed well in the latter half of the season, similarly to the 2008-09 season.

August 2009: Champions League Group Stage Qualification

In August 2009, VfB Stuttgart qualified for the group stage of the UEFA Champions League by defeating Politehnica Timișoara in the play-off round.

2009: Mario Gómez Leaves, Pavel Pogrebnyak and Alexander Hleb Arrive

In 2009, Mario Gómez left VfB Stuttgart for Bayern Munich. Pavel Pogrebnyak arrived from Zenit Saint Petersburg, and Alexander Hleb returned on loan from Barcelona.

2009: DFB-Pokal Last 16 Loss, Christian Gross Appointed

In 2009, VfB Stuttgart lost to SpVgg Greuther Fürth in the DFB-Pokal, failing to proceed beyond the last 16. In December, coach Markus Babbel was fired and replaced by Christian Gross after the team slipped to 16th spot in the Bundesliga.

2010: Mediocre 2010-11 Season Start

In 2010, the 2010-11 season was mediocre with the team spending the first half in the relegation zone.

July 2011: Gerd E. Mäuser Elected as President

In July 2011, Gerd E. Mäuser was elected as president of VfB Stuttgart after Erwin Staudt did not participate in the election.

2011: 2011-12 Season Climb Up the Table

In 2011, the 2011–12 season VfB Stuttgart managed to constantly climb up the table.

2011: Stadium Capacity Increased

In 2011, the capacity of the stadium was increased to 60,449.

January 2012: Gōtoku Sakai and Vedad Ibišević Join

In January 2012, Gōtoku Sakai and Vedad Ibišević both joined VfB Stuttgart.

2012: Centenary Eleven Vote

In 2012, for the 100th anniversary of the merger of FV Stuttgart and Kronen-Klub Cannstatt, the supporters voted for Jahrhundert-Elf, the "Centenary Eleven".

June 2013: Gerd E. Mäuser Resigns as President

On June 3, 2013, Gerd E. Mäuser announced his resignation as president of VfB Stuttgart.

July 2013: Bernd Wahler Elected as President

On July 22, 2013, Bernd Wahler was elected as president of VfB Stuttgart with 97.4% of the votes.

2014: Reference to Avoiding Relegation

The text refers to Stuttgart barely avoiding relegation from the Bundesliga in the 2014-15 season.

2015: Reference to Avoiding Relegation

The text refers to Stuttgart barely avoiding relegation from the Bundesliga in the 2014-15 season.

May 2016: Wahler Resigns as President

On May 15, 2016, Bernd Wahler resigned as president of VfB Stuttgart after the club was relegated to the 2. Bundesliga.

May 2016: Jos Luhukay Announced as New Head Coach

On May 17, 2016, Jos Luhukay was announced as the new head coach of VfB Stuttgart.

July 2016: Jan Schindelmeiser Becomes Sporting Director

In July 2016, Jan Schindelmeiser became the sporting director and member of the executive board of VfB Stuttgart.

September 2016: Hannes Wolf Replaces Jos Luhukay as Head Coach

On September 15, 2016, Jos Luhukay resigned as head coach and was replaced by Hannes Wolf.

December 2017: Mario Gomez Returns to VfB Stuttgart

On December 22, 2017, Mario Gomez returned to VfB Stuttgart from VfL Wolfsburg.

July 2019: Thomas Hitzlsperger Appointed Sporting CEO

In July 2019, VfB Stuttgart appointed Thomas Hitzlsperger as the sporting CEO.

December 2019: Pellegrino Matarazzo Signed as Coach

In December 2019, Pellegrino Matarazzo was signed as coach, replacing Tim Walter.

2020: Bundesliga Season Stay

In the 2020–21 season, Stuttgart stayed in the Bundesliga, finishing in ninth place in the league.

2021: Bundesliga Season Stay

In the 2021–22 season, the team narrowly avoided relegation; a last-minute-win against 1. FC Köln on the last match day guaranteed them a spot in the first league for a third consecutive season.

2022: Bundesliga Season Stay

In the 2022–23 season, Stuttgart managed to stay in the Bundesliga for a fourth consecutive season, but again only very closely, with Stuttgart finishing in 16th place and only qualifying for the next season thanks to successful play-offs.

2023: "Surprise Team of the Season"

The 2023–24 season for Stuttgart was one of the most successful ones of the club's history and Stuttgart was frequently called "the surprise team of the season".

2024: Nomination for Germany National Team

In 2024, Deniz Undav, Alexander Nübel, Chris Führich, Maximilian Mittelstädt and Waldemar Anton were nominated for the preliminary squad of the Germany national team for the UEFA Euro 2024, a club record high for number of players ever selected from the club in a major tournament.

2024: 2024 DFL-Supercup and Defeats

In 2024, Stuttgart started the season with a 4–3 shootout loss in the DFL-Supercup to Leverkusen. They finished 26th in the UEFA Champions League league phase, missing out on knockout playoffs after a 4–1 defeat to PSG on final matchday.

2025: 2024–25 DFB-Pokal

In 2025, Stuttgart still qualified for Europe as they broke an 18-year long trophy drought by winning the 2024–25 DFB-Pokal, winning 4–2 against third-tier side Arminia Bielefeld in the final, which qualified them for 2025–26 UEFA Europa League and for hosting the newly renamed Franz Beckenbauer Supercup against league winners Bayern Munich in the 2025 edition.