“2025 FC Bayern Munich” – there is still room for this on the master shell, but there is not much space for other masters. The shell has already been changed twice to have more space for engravings. What’s next?
“The trophy of the German champions will offer enough space for further engravings from the coming season”At the request of the sports show, the DFL announced and left the question open how the shell is changed for more space or whether there will be a new trophy for the German champion. The latter would be a difficult to imagine scenario for many fans.
The master shell at the season opening 2024/25 in Mönchengladbach
The problem: it gets tight on the known bowl. After FC Bayern 2025 there is still room for a engraving, which also depends on the name of the club. For example, while “2026 VfB Stuttgart” would easily fit behind Bayern, it would be difficult to accommodate “2026 Borussia VfL 1900 EV Mönchengladbach” on the shell.
On Saturday, Bayern Munich will play at home against Borussia Mönchengladbach at 6.30 p.m. Then the Bayern are given the shell of the two DFL managing directors Marc Lenz and Steffen Merkel.
Schal was enlarged in 1981 and 2009
The space problem has already occurred several times in history. After the 1980/81 season, the shell was expanded with a silver ring with five other gemstones (so-called “Turmalin-Cabochons”) and several engraving panels.
For the first time expanded with ring: Jimmy Hartwig from HSV with the 1982 shell
In the 1981/82 season, the Hamburger SV was the first club to win the shell with the new ring, as in the same time, the shell at least generally looks to this day. The last club that won the trophy in its original form was FC Bayern Munich 1981.
Until 1981 the shell was awarded without the outer ring.
In 2009 there was another small change to make more space: the engraving slabs on the silver ring were replaced, since then it has been possible for a thirty labeling of the plates, before that the winners were only engraved on two lines. But now this place is almost completely engraving.
Only two lines on the outer ring: Stuttgart’s Timo Hildebrand with the 2007 shell
Master bowl since 1949 trophy of the German master
The master shell has been the trophy for men’s German soccer champion since 1949. As the first club, VfR Mannheim received it after a 3-2 victory in the final against Borussia Dortmund. At that time the season was played in regional upper leagues, after which playoffs took place. The Bundesliga was played for the first time in 1963/64. The first winner of the shell in the Bundesliga was 1st FC Köln.
First Bundesliga champion: Hans Schäfer from 1. FC Köln shows the fans the shell.
According to the DFL, the shell was designed and manufactured by the art professor Elisabeth Treskow at the Cologne works schools. All masters have been engraved since 1903, the first title holder was VfB Leipzig.
The “Victoria” trophy was awarded before the shell. After the Nazi rule, she remained in an unknown place and was only found after reunification. In the meantime, she was also awarded the master, now she is in the German Football Museum in Dortmund.
Two trophies for Bayern 1998: the shell and the Victoria