Hamburger SV Colors, Facts and History

Hamburger SV history

HSV has two birthdays. The current club formed in June 1919 when three older sides merged, but it counts its roots from 29 September 1887, when SC Germania, the first of those predecessors, appeared. Fans call it Hamburg, HSV, or Hamburger SV, and football is by far its largest branch.

Six German titles, three DFB-Pokals and two League Cups line the trophy room. The golden years ran from the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s, bringing a Cup Winners' Cup in 1976-77 and then the 1982-83 European Cup, with Felix Magath, Horst Hrubesch and Manfred Kaltz all regulars for West Germany at the time. The 1986-87 DFB-Pokal remains the latest major prize. For decades Hamburg could claim it had never left the top flight and had played every Bundesliga season since 1963. That streak finally ended with relegation after 2017-18.

Did you know?

• Hamburger SV was the last club to have played in every Bundesliga season until its 2017-18 relegation.
• SC Germania, founded in 1887, is the oldest of the clubs that merged to form HSV.
• Hamburg's home ground sits in Bahrenfeld, a district on the western side of the city.