Before the duel on Sunday
The day HSV lost the championship at VfB
November 29, 2025 – 7:35 a.mReading time: 2 minutes
On the 12th matchday of the Bundesliga, HSV and VfB Stuttgart meet in Hamburg. t-online looks back on a special duel for the German championship.
There has hardly been a duel more often in the Bundesliga: if… Hamburger SV On Sunday (3:30 p.m./DAZN) hosts VfB Stuttgart, the two traditional clubs will play their 105th competitive game in the first division. With 44 wins, 22 draws and 38 defeats (157:162 goals), the newcomer from the Elbe is just ahead.
Before the game, t-online Hamburg looks back on a legendary encounter: In 1984, the German championship was decided in a direct duel – on the last match day.
There had never been a starting position like that on May 26, 1984 in the Bundesliga. Three teams – Stuttgart, the HSV and Borussia Mönchengladbach – were able to become champions on the last match day. A special constellation even made it possible to finish the season with the same number of points.
VfB Stuttgart, leaders after matchday 33, welcomed HSV in their own Neckarstadion. The most likely scenario was that one of these two clubs would win the trophy. Gladbach’s chances were minimal: the “Foals” had to hope for an HSV victory, win themselves – and catch up on 17 goals.
Around 3,500 fans from Hamburg traveled with us. Their “Rothosen” had to make up nine goals on VfB in front of 70,000 spectators – a 5-0 win would have been enough to win the championship. The fact that the starting position was no better was due to a dramatic previous week: HSV lost at home against Frankfurt (0:2), while VfB moved to the top with a late 2:1 in Bremen.
In addition, HSV goalkeeper Uli Stein caused a stir: after an incident in training – loud criticism of his teammates, listlessness and refusal to work – he was almost fired immediately before the last match day, but apologized and was in the net in Stuttgart. Coach Ernst Happel put everything on one card in the Neckar Stadium: Felix Magath, Wolfram Wuttke, Jimmy Hartwig, Wolfgang Rolff and Jürgen Milewski were supposed to score the necessary goals.
The plan failed. In a cold first half, HSV lacked ideas. Instead of a football festival, there was a meager 0-0 because both teams didn’t take any risks. Only after the break did HSV become more dangerous. In the 77th minute there was hope again: Jürgen Milewski scored to make it 1-0.
It stayed that way. The four further necessary hits were no longer scored. VfB Stuttgart dethroned HSV and became champions.
Because Mönchengladbach won 3-0 against Bielefeld at the same time, Stuttgart, Hamburg and the “Fohlen” all finished the 1983/84 season with 48:20 points. Curious: Bayern Munich only finished fourth, one point behind. There have been two teams with the same points at the end of the season five times in the Bundesliga – although a trio with the same points has remained unique since 1984.