Mass phenomenon: More than 100,000 people will line the streets for the Europa League winner’s motorcade in May 2022. Image: Eintracht Museum
Frankfurter Eintracht has not only earned its relevance, acceptance and love through sometimes thrilling football: 125 years after its founding, its importance is greater than ever.
When the Frankfurter Eintracht football professionals step onto the lawn of the arena in the city forest this Sunday (5:30 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the Bundesliga and on DAZN) against TSG Hoffenheim for their 1857th Bundesliga game, they will be wearing special jerseys. On the occasion of the club’s 125th anniversary, Eintracht will appear without the usual advertising messages, but in a black dress on which the facsimile of the founding certificate from March 8, 1899 is printed.
What began in the 19th century with the merger of 15 football-loving young men to form the predecessor club Frankfurter Fußballclub Victoria has grown considerably. Eintracht is the pride of the city, fulfills an ambassadorial role and a lighthouse function. 95 percent of Hessians are familiar with Eintracht, but there are no figures for Frankfurters; it would be logical if the rate in the city were even higher.
