One Weird Fact About Every Bundesliga Club to Impress Your Mates

It's back.

Right now, the Bundesliga might not have the same passion and excitement that is so closely associated with the most well-known, fan oriented leagues in Europe, but the eyes of the world are on Germany as they get their season back underway.

By now, we've all picked a Bundesliga side to follow, but we still want to know that little bit more about out new clubs so we can really start supporting them - even after everything returns to relative normality elsewhere in Europe.

So, dust off those Lederhosen and get ready to turn your living room into the Yellow Wall, as 90min takes you through one weird fact about every Bundesliga club.

18. Paderborn

Fun Fact: Paderborn were relegated to the Regionalliga in 2017.

As recently as the 2014/15 season, SC Paderborn actually spent time right at the top of the German football pyramid, sitting ahead of Bayern Munich and co at the summit of the Bundesliga.

But things came crashing down in tremendous style. Paderborn were relegated that season and even suffered two more relegations in a row, with the club set to enter Germany's Regionalliga system in 2017.

In the end, Paderborn didn't get relegated from the 3. Liga as 1860 Munich couldn't afford to pay for a licence in the division, so the club were able to rebuild and have had incredible success ever since, securing consecutive promotions to return to the Bundesliga in record time.

17. Werder Bremen

Fun Fact: Werder Bremen were formed after a game of tug of war.

The league table can be a deceptive thing and that couldn't be truer for Werder Bremen.

They're fighting relegation this season, but the club have won a league title as recently as Arsenal and, for opposition defences at least, they're always a difficult team to face.

Surprisingly, their rich, 121-year history was only possible thanks to a game of tug of war back in 1899.

The prize for first place was a football, and that was won by a group of 16-year-old students, who went on to become the founding members of SV Werder Bremen.

16. Fortuna Düsseldorf

Fun Fact: Bayern Munich's biggest ever Bundesliga defeat came against Fortuna Düsseldorf.

Fortuna Düsseldorf have been one of Germany's Fahrstuhlmannschaft - a yo-yo team - for quite some time, with their last stretch in the Bundesliga which lasted longer than two years coming between 1989 and 1992.

Everything's in place at the Merkur Spielarena for a longer stint in the Bundesliga in the very near future, but the club are still some way off matching their success of the 1930s.

There might not seem like too much for foreign fans to get on board with at Fortuna but, if like most Germanys you really don't like Bayern Munich, then what better team to support that the one who inflicted the Bavarians' biggest ever defeat - a 7-1 scoreline in 1978.

15. Mainz

Fun Fact: The 'Narrhallamarsch' tune is played after every goal they score at home.

There are plenty of cities in Germany which are very big on carnival celebrations, but Mainz is one of the most famous and their festival runs for months, usually from the middle of November until Spring.

Even when carnival isn't on in the city, it's on at the Opel Arena. After every goal they score at home, the famous 'Narrhallamarsch' song is played over the sound system.

14. Augsburg

Fun Fact: Augsburg won their first-ever Bundesliga game in 2011.

Augsburg have been a regular team in the Bundesliga over the last nine years, but prior to the 2011/12 season, the Fuggerstädter had never played in Germany's top flight.

It was a long road getting into the top flight, but Augsburg have enjoyed some success since their promotion, finishing as high as fifth in 2015.

They're now among a group of teams who have been able to cement themselves in mid table consistently and, although avoiding relegation is always the main goal, there's plenty for Augsburg to build on in the future.

13. Eintracht Frankfurt

Fun Fact: Eintracht Frankfurt's mascot is a golden eagle called Attila, who's been present at hundreds of games.

Not only are Eintracht Frankfurt called the Eagles thanks to the city's coat of arms, but the club actually have a living golden eagle as their official mascot.

Attila, who is from the nearby Hanau Zoo, has been Eintracht Frankfurt's mascot for the last 15 years and is so important to the club that the eagle even has its own page on the club's official website, right next to their first-team squad.

12. Union Berlin

Fun Fact: Fans actually gave blood so Union Berlin could afford a licence to play football.

Union Berlin aren't like most other teams in the Bundesliga. German football is well known for it's fan culture, but the Eiserne take it to the extreme.

In 2004, fans organised a campaign and donated blood in order to raise money to pay for the club's licence in the fourth division.

Union Berlin aren't the biggest team in Germany's capital, but they're increasingly becoming the most popular and really do offer one of the best matchday experiences anywhere in Europe.

11. Hertha BSC

Fun Fact: The club were named after a blue and white steamship.

Hertha BSC are the most well known team in Germany's capital city, but the club haven't been able to establish themselves like clubs in other capital cities across the world.

Formed in 1892, Hertha took their name from a ship which one of the club's founding members had taken a trip on with his father, even adopting the same blue and white colour scheme that was on the boat.

10. Köln

Fun Fact: The club's mascot, Hennes, is a goat who was named after their former player and manager Hennes Weisweiler.

Just like Eintracht Frankfurt, Köln's mascot is a living animal.

Hennes IX, their latest mascot, only took up his role as on the touchline at the RheinEnergieStadion after his predecessor had to retire due to old age.

Former Köln striker Anthony Ujah famously celebrated with the club's mascot back in 2015.

9. Hoffenheim

Fun Fact: Hoffenheim are the only Bundesliga team to be given an exception to the 50+1 rule after its inception.

Before a certain Red Bull-backed team became the country's most hated club, that title belonged to Hoffenheim as they had been granted an exception to the 50+1 rule - the foundation of football in Germany.

While Bayer Leverkusen and Wolfsburg were exempt from the rule in 1998 when it was introduced, Dietmar Hopp was allowed to take control of the club years later after he'd invested in the club for more than 20 years.

8. Schalke

Fun Fact: Schalke's colours were originally red and yellow.

They're known as the Royal Blues today, but Schalke 04 actually wore red and yellow for the first 20 years of their existence.

The change came in 1924, after separating from the gymnasts branch of the club.

7. Freiburg

Fun Fact: Freiburg's Schwarzwald-Stadion was the first solar powered ground in Germany.

Freiburg are one of the most popular teams for neutrals for a variety of different reasons. They're based in of the most beautiful areas of Germany and have a fascinating manager, while they're always punching above their weight in the Bundesliga.

Fascinatingly, the Schwarzwald-Stadion actually became the first in Germany to use solar power - which saves roughly 136 tonnes of CO2 annually.

6. Wolfsburg

Fun Fact: Wolfsburg were formed in the aftermath of World War II.

VfL Wolfsburg still get a lot of stick for being one of the clubs who don't follow the 50+1 rule, but theres a very good reason why they don't.

They city itself was created in 1938 to house employees of Volkswagen, and it was those workers who went on to create the club in 1945.

5. Bayer Leverkusen

Fun Fact: Bayer Leverkusen were the first team to reach a Champions League final without winning their domestic title.

Formed by employees of pharmaceutical company Bayer, Leverkusen are one of the biggest clubs in Europe who've never actually won their domestic title.

They've been runners up five times, including most recently in 2011, but Bayer Leverkusen have never actually had their hands on the Meisterschalle.

That record in the Bundesliga also made Leverkusen the first team to ever reach a Champions League final before they'd won their domestic league title, having reached Europe's showpiece event in 2002.

4. Borussia Mönchengladbach

Fun Fact: Gladbach fans raised 21,000 Deutsche Marks for the families of the Hillsborough disaster.

Borussia Mönchengladbach have been one of the most popular teams in the Bundesliga this season as they're disrupting Germany's hierarchy, and at Borussia-Park, there's a set of fans almost always show their club in a fantastic light.

In 1991, Gladbach fans donated 21,000 Deutsche Marks (almost £10,000) to Liverpool and those who were effected by the Hillsborough disaster.

To this day, there is still a friendship between both sets of supporters which sees Gladbach fans travel to Anfield during Germany's winter break.

3. RB Leipzig

Fun Fact: The 'RB' in Leipzig's name doesn't stand for Red Bull.

It's something which still catches people out constantly, but the 'RB' in Leipzig's name doesn't actually reference the energy drink company who've bankrolled them into the Bundesliga.

The same rules UEFA have over team names are also in place in Germany, so to work around being barred from being called Red Bull Leipzig, the club's official name is actually RasenBallsport Leipzig - which stands for lawn ball sports.

2. Borussia Dortmund

Fun Fact: The club was formed by members of the Catholic Holy Trinity in Dortmund.

Borussia Dortmund are one of the most recognisable teams today, but their founding members were almost stopped from creating the team by Father Hubert Dewald - a chaplain at Catholic Holy Trinity.

Out of the 40 members who initially set out to create Borussia Dortmund, 18 eventually succeeded and they are now remembered as the founding members of the club.

1. Bayern Munich

Fun Fact: Bayern Munich were not a founding member of the Bundesliga.

Bayern Munich are the most successful team in Bundesliga history. They've won 29 league titles and are known across the world for being one of the best ever club teams.

But Germany's Rekordmeister weren't actually selected to be part of the first ever Bundesliga season in the 1963/64 season and they were forced to fight their way into the top flight themselves.