Thursday, September 11th
The Volksparkstadion is celebrating its 100th birthday these days. On September 13, 1925, the arena, at that time still “Altonaer Stadion”, was inaugurated – accompanied by the words of the then Altona Mayor Max Brauer, who described the stadium as “eternally bubbling source of new joie de vivre”.
Today the home venue of Hamburger SV is not only a football arena for 57,000 spectators, but also a symbol of Hamburg. Numerous historical games took place here-from championship finals to caps to legendary Champions League nights.
For the anniversary, the city looks back on an eventful story: from reconstruction after the Second World War to the era of the “concrete bowl” to the modern renovation at the end of the 1990s. The HSV stadium has only been a permanent home since 1963, where the greatest successes in club history have been celebrated. From September 29, a special exhibition under the title “100 photos for 100 years of Volksparkstadion” is planned for the 100-year-old.
HSV professional Daniel Elfadli took time to realize the Bundesliga player after his steep ascent from the regional league to the Bundesliga player. The 28-year-old commented on his development in a club’s own interview.
“Suddenly the real thing that you dreamed of for a long time and what seemed very far away,” said Elfadli. The defender played for VfR Aalen in the Regionalliga Südwest in the 2021/2022 season.
He played his first Bundesliga game about two weeks ago at 0-0 in Mönchengladbach. “The game in Gladbach initially felt like a test game because I just felt that I just couldn’t believe it. With a little distance and time I know that the dream is now a reality,” added Elfadli.
On Saturday (6.30 p.m./Sky) Elfadli with the HSV is faced with the challenge at the record champions FC Bayern Munich. There the native of Leonberger meets the German international Serge Gnabry – both attended the same school. “That was of course unthinkable at the time. It is funny somewhere that it will come to the meeting now – that is a bit the irony of life,” he said.