Fun Facts
The FC as Double winners in 1978 and
The FC as Double winners in 1978 and as a carnival club is no insider secret, nor do you have to come from Cologne to know it.
as a carnival club is no insider secret, nor do you have to come from Cologne to know it. But there are plenty of facts about the Rhineland cult club that belong in the category “really?”
Mascot Hennes: the billy goat Hennes is, alongside
Mascot Hennes: the billy goat Hennes is, alongside Frankfurt’s eagle Attila, the only living mascot in the Bundesliga as of December 2019.
Frankfurt’s eagle Attila, the only living mascot in the Bundesliga as of December 2019. A gift from circus director Carola Williams at the club’s carnival party in 1950 became first mascot and then the club’s emblem. The goat was named Hennes after coach Hennes Weisweiler.
Müller scores six: on 17 August 1977, FC
Müller scores six: on 17 August 1977, FC striker Dieter Müller became the first and, as of December 2019, only player ever to score six goals in a single Bundesliga match, in a 7-2 against Werder Bremen.
striker Dieter Müller became the first and, as of December 2019, only player ever to score six goals in a single Bundesliga match, in a 7-2 against Werder Bremen. He finished that season as top scorer, sharing the title with the other great Müller, Gerd of Bayern. Before him only one Köln player had won the cannon, Johannes Löhr in 1968, and after him only Klaus Allofs in 1985.
First stadium ban: FC were not only the
First stadium ban: FC were not only the first Bundesliga champions; they also produced an ignoble first in the inaugural 1963/64 season.
first Bundesliga champions; they also produced an ignoble first in the inaugural 1963/64 season. After disturbances in the home match against Eintracht Frankfurt in which referee Lutz was struck on the head by a flagpole, Köln had to play Eintracht Braunschweig in Wuppertal on 21 March 1964. Even in exile they stayed on course for the title with a 4-1 win.
The manager plays himself: on 24 February 1973
The manager plays himself: on 24 February 1973 the madcap club delivered another novelty.
the madcap club delivered another novelty. Because of a shortage of players, Karl-Heinz Thielen - already retired and by then FC manager - had to come on in Braunschweig for 23 minutes. No miracle cure, though: even he could not prevent a 2-0 defeat.
The election of Werner Wolf in September 2019
The election of Werner Wolf in September 2019 was emotional: the new president no longer wanted to work with club legend Harald “Toni” Schumacher and the two parted ways.
was emotional: the new president no longer wanted to work with club legend Harald “Toni” Schumacher and the two parted ways. As vice-president responsible for sport since 2012, Toni’s era had seen relegations in 2012 and 2018, but also the return to Europe in 2017 after 25 years.
Christoph Daum: under Dietmar Artzinger-Bolten, FC brought t...
Christoph Daum: under Dietmar Artzinger-Bolten, FC brought the then completely unknown Christoph Daum into the Bundesliga in 1986, placing trust in Georg Keßler’s assistant.
Christoph Daum: under Dietmar Artzinger-Bolten, FC brought the then completely unknown Christoph Daum into the Bundesliga in 1986, placing trust in Georg Keßler’s assistant. Under Artzinger-Bolten, the club experienced its last great years to date - runners-up in 1989 and 1990 and a DFB Cup final in 1991.
Albert Caspers: he went down as the FC
Albert Caspers: he went down as the FC boss who oversaw the club’s first relegation in 1998.
boss who oversaw the club’s first relegation in 1998. After 35 uninterrupted years in the Bundesliga, the club would later manage six relegations and six promotions in the following 21 years.
The first million-mark transfer: with Belgian winger Roger
The first million-mark transfer: with Belgian winger Roger van Gool from Club Brugge in 1976, FC made the first transfer in Bundesliga history to cost one million marks.
van Gool from Club Brugge in 1976, FC made the first transfer in Bundesliga history to cost one million marks. He repaid it with 28 goals in 96 Bundesliga matches and played a major part in the successes between 1976 and 1979 before moving to Coventry City in 1980.
Champion with two clubs: besides Andreas Reinke, only
Champion with two clubs: besides Andreas Reinke, only Toni Schumacher managed the trick of winning the German championship with two different clubs while actually appearing.
Toni Schumacher managed the trick of winning the German championship with two different clubs while actually appearing. Schumacher won with Köln in 1978 - and again in 1996 at the Methuselah age of 42 with Borussia Dortmund. He was really the goalkeeping coach by then, but still held a player’s registration and was brought on for five minutes in the final game as a gesture by Ottmar Hitzfeld.
Kult op Kölsch: the club also inspired Cologne’s
Kult op Kölsch: the club also inspired Cologne’s music scene.
music scene. BAP’s “FC, jeff Jas” was a love declaration in 2000, while the club anthem “Mer stonn zo dir, FC Kölle” by De Höhner was written entirely in Kölsch dialect. There is no other Bundesliga anthem quite like it.
Toni lets it be upholstered: Austrian striker Toni
Toni lets it be upholstered: Austrian striker Toni Polster scored 83 goals in 159 competitive matches and remains the most prolific foreign scorer in club history.
Polster scored 83 goals in 159 competitive matches and remains the most prolific foreign scorer in club history. These qualities - and perhaps others - were later celebrated in the Mallorca party hit “Toni, lass es polstern”.
The record man: nobody has appeared more often
The record man: nobody has appeared more often in the Bundesliga for Köln than Harald “Toni” Schumacher with 422 matches between 1973 and 1986.
in the Bundesliga for Köln than Harald “Toni” Schumacher with 422 matches between 1973 and 1986. Across his spells at Schalke, Bayern and Dortmund he took his total to 464. Only three goalkeepers, among them his old national team rivals Eike Immel and Uli Stein, played more Bundesliga games.
The one-cap world champion: Paul Steiner played 291
The one-cap world champion: Paul Steiner played 291 Bundesliga matches for FC Köln, yet with just one cap belongs to the tiny group of German world champions who basically won football’s greatest title out of nowhere.
Bundesliga matches for FC Köln, yet with just one cap belongs to the tiny group of German world champions who basically won football’s greatest title out of nowhere. He featured in a pre-World Cup match in 1990, travelled to Italy and then watched the tournament from bench and stands.
Strack must do it: Gerhard “Gerd” Strack was
Strack must do it: Gerhard “Gerd” Strack was a true one-club Bundesliga player.
a true one-club Bundesliga player. The libero appeared 261 times for Köln between 1974 and 1985. In the European Championship qualifier against Albania in 1983, Strack rescued West German football with the winning goal that booked the ticket to France. It was his only international goal.
Weak in front: the disastrous 2017/18 season generated
Weak in front: the disastrous 2017/18 season generated many negative records for FC.
many negative records for FC. One striking detail was that it took until Matchday 10, at Bayer Leverkusen, for the club to score a goal while leading for the first time. It took 833 minutes before FC fans were finally able to celebrate a goal that put their team ahead. It did little good: Bayer still turned the match around.
Title party when the Palatinate comes: Cologne, 15
Title party when the Palatinate comes: Cologne, 15 June 1991.
June 1991. Müngersdorf experienced an invasion as 35,000 supporters of 1. FC Kaiserslautern travelled to the Rhine metropolis to celebrate their first Bundesliga title. They got their reward. The visitors won 6-2 and lifted the trophy. As of December 2019, that remained the last handover of the Bundesliga shield in Cologne.
The promotion Kölner: FC have won promotion back
The promotion Kölner: FC have won promotion back to the Bundesliga six times.
to the Bundesliga six times. On three occasions - 2003, 2005 and 2019 - the immediate return came the very next year. Their most dominant second-division season was 2013/14 with 68 points.
KOE vs. league average
Fun Facts — Update 2020–2026
Billy-goat Hennes IX has reigned as mascot of 1.
Billy-goat Hennes IX has reigned as mascot of
Billy-goat Hennes IX has reigned as mascot of 1.
1. FC Koln since 2019. The goat is the only living animal mascot in the Bundesliga, alongside Attila, Eintracht Frankfurt’s golden eagle.
Steffen Baumgart became a social-media phenomenon shared mil...
Steffen Baumgart became a social-media phenomenon shared millions of times.
Steffen Baumgart became a social-media phenomenon shared millions of times. His flat cap is available as an official merchandise item.
Jonas Hector is one of the few one-club
Jonas Hector is one of the few one-club men in recent Bundesliga history — he spent his entire professional career at 1.
men in recent Bundesliga history — he spent his entire professional career at 1. FC Koln.
Words of Wisdom — Update
Words of Wisdom — Update...
“There is always such a fantastic atmosphere in
“There is always such a fantastic atmosphere in Cologne’s stadium.
Cologne’s stadium. The only thing that gets in the way is the team.” — Udo Lattek (timeless).
Steffen Baumgart: “I always say what I think.
And I always think what I say.” — one of many legendary Baumgart lines.
Jonas Hector on his depression: “It is important
Jonas Hector on his depression: “It is important to talk about it.
to talk about it. Not just in football.” — a courageous statement that resonated far beyond sport.