What makes domestic cup football special? Is it the intrinsic jeopardy of knockout competition? The potential for upsets? The nerve-wracking agony brought on by extra time and the theatre of penalties?
I won’t say that phrase that gets trotted out by BBC presenters and tabloid journalists when the FA Cup starts, as it is too trite a cliche to be repeated. In many ways talking about the intangible quality these competitions bring is part of the reason they’re being sidelined. When the Champions League boasts glamour, foreign travel and the game’s best players, while league competitions offer financial stability for mid-sized clubs, is it any wonder that history and vibes aren’t enough to make the top levels of the game care about the impact domestic cups can have on the lower levels of the sport.
Are there other, more efficient models that can satisfy the fans of semi-professional teams and keep the spirit of competition alive? In Germany, the Verbandspokale (directly translating to ‘Association Cups’) pit local third-tier and lower teams against each other in regional competitions. The winners of those cups then host teams from the Bundesliga, and Bundesliga 2 in the first round of the following year’s DFB-Pokal, a massive reward that can see the tiniest of minnows hosting the elite institutions of the land. Just a few weeks ago, double winners and domestic ‘invincibles’ Bayer Leverkusen barely eked out a 1-0 win when they visited Thuringia’s representatives, Carl Zeiss Jena.
By design, this decentralised approach creates a lean national cup competition that still sees the odd upset, while maintaining hyper-local rivalries and football scenes that culminate with their own showcase finals. In 2014, the final of the Lower Rhine Cup between MSV Duisburg and TV Jahn Hiesfeld was watched by 24,000 fans.
In a city like Berlin, these tournaments pit fallen giants like Tennis Borussia or BFC Dynamo against migrant teams like Türkieymspor or Croatia Berlin. As you’ll read later, it produces matchups between clubs steeped in the history of the German game, and teams that were threatened by the autocratic rule of the Stasi. In years gone by, its seen reserve outfits turn regional success into national notoriety while their ‘first team’ floundered. ‘Die magie des pokale’ indeed (it’s ok if I say it in German).
When did Verbandspokale start?
The earliest iteration of a regional cup competition is found in the nation's capital. Established in 1907, the first Berlin Cup was won by BFC Viktoria 89, when they bested Berlin BC 03 2-0.
Most regions didn’t start their own tournaments until 1945, when a major restructuring of sport following the fall of the Third Reich took place. While most Western states instigated their own competitions in the years immediately following the Second World War, the six Eastern federal regions didn’t launch their own cups until 1990, shortly before reintegration.
How many regional cups are there?
There are currently 21 regional cups across the country. These almost directly map onto the federal states of Germany, with a few exceptions.
For example, in North-Rhine Westphalia, the country’s most populous state, there are three competitions: The Lower-Rhine (Niederrheinpokal), Middle Rhine (Mittelrheinpokal), and Westphalian Cups.
Batten-Wüttermberg is also divided in three, reflecting the constant remapping of Germany in the modern era. In 1952, the states of South Baden, Baden-Württemberg, and Württemberg-Hohenzollern (are you still following?), merged to form one federal jurisdiction. Rather than realigning the respective regions’ football associations, all three areas retained a separate and independent federation with their respective competitions.
Each competition is overseen by their local Fußballverband (football association or league) and have differing rules for qualification. In Bavaria, third and fourth tier teams automatically enter the first round, while teams in lesser leagues have to go through pre-qualification. Some of the larger associations, including Bavaria, Lower Saxony and Westphalia also send the top ranking team from their regional leagues to the first round of the DFB pokal.
Who are the most successful teams in Verbandspokale history?
Werder Bremen II has won the Bremen Cup 20 times. Their repeated success, and other victories for reserve teams across the country led the DFB to ban second teams from regional competition in 2008.
Tennis Borussia Berlin are the second most decorated Verbandspokal team, besting their rivals in the Hauptstadt 16 times, while recently promoted to the Bundesliga Holstein Kiel have lifted the Schleswig-Holstein Cup on 15 occasions.
Has a Verbandspokal winner ever gone on to win the national competition?
No, but a couple of teams have come very very close.
After winning the Berlin Cup in 1992, Hertha BSC Amatuere made it all the way to the final, playing in front of a packed crowd in the stadium usually inhabited by their first team.
They enjoyed a truly charmed run to the Olympiastadion, playing all of their games at home. They wouldn’t face a top division team until the final, where they were bested 1-0 by Bayer Leverkusen. Despite Hertha’s first team struggling at the time, only two players from this ‘reserve’ team ever went on to have any success for the Old Lady. Oliver Schmidt made more than 100 appearances for the club, while Carsten Ramelow would eventually break into the first team before making the switch to Leverkusen and appearing in a Champion’s League final.
In 1997, Energie Cottbus translated their Brandenburg Cup victory into a DFB-Pokal fairytale. Playing in the Regionalliga Nordost (at the time this was the third tier, prior to the national 3.Liga being formed in 2008) Cottbus did best Bundesliga opposition, squeaking past St Pauli on penalties in the quarters before handily beating Karlsruher 3-0 in the semis. They would eventually fall to a Stuttgart team coached by Joachim Low that featured the iconic trio of Krasimir Balakov, Giovanni Élber and Fredi Bobic in attack. The Brazilian scored both goals in a 2-0 defeat for Cottbus.
Berlin Cup 2nd Round
Blau-Weiß 90 0 — 1 SV Lichtenberg 47
On a sweltering day in Mariendorf, two clubs with very different origin stories took to the field in the second round of the Berlin Landespokal.
The home team, Blau-Weiß 90 have a storied past that harks right back to the foundations of German football. Prior to a merger in 1927, their two parent clubs, Berliner FC Vorwärts 1890, and BTuFC Berlin had been founding members of the DFB in 1900. BTuFC were actually crowned German champions in 1905.
Following a brief stint in the Bundesliga in the 70s, the club now known as Blau-Weiß 90 fell on hard times, eventually declaring bankruptcy and winding up in 1992. Reforming under the control of fans just a day later, Blau-Weiß have remained in the lower reaches of Berlin football ever since, and now play in the 7th tier following relegation from the Berlin-Liga last season.
Their opponents, SV Lichtenberg, were founded in the midst of the DDR. A yo-yo club between the second and third tier of the East German Oberliga, a possibly apocryphal story goes that Stasi boss Eric Mielke wanted to bulldoze their home ground Hans-Zoschke-Stadion after his side BFC Dynamo unexpectedly lost there 1-0. Supposedly, Zoschke’s widow managed to convince Communist party chairman Eric Honecker to block the plans, as it would denigrate the memory of her husband, a socialist resistance fighter who died by the hands of the Nazis in 1944. Currently playing in the fourth tier they were runners up in the Berlin Landespokal twice during the 2010s.
As such, they were firm favourites in this cup tie, and certainly played like it in the opening ten minutes, keeping the ball nicely along their backline before the occasional foray into Blau-Weiß’ half. A cutting through ball scythed through the home team’s backline after just seven minutes, allowing Lichtenberg’s captain Sebastian Reiniger to roll the ball into an empty net when his strike partner dutifully set him up when two-on-one with the keeper. The linesman’s flag saved a shaken home team from early embarrassment.
While Blau-Weiß were able to apply some pressure to their opponents after a string of set pieces, they never found their rhythm. Even with a change in midfield following a blow to the face to holding midfielder Cederic Becker, Lichtenberg rarely looked troubled. Towering centre half Kevin Owczarek, in particular, exuded confidence when bringing the ball out of defence into midfield, launching attacks and quashing any sign of resistance from the hosts.
Neither team created a chance of note until the 32nd minute, when the hosts failed to deal with a long throw into their box. A goalmouth scramble resulted in a tame header from Lichtenberg striker Florian Zorn which was easily collected by Blau-Weiß keeper Michael Hinz.
This brought the game to life before the half. Blau-Weiß rattled the crossbar with a long-range freekick by midfielder Fabian Engel, before a quick Lichtenberg counter attack saw Hinz make a sharp save from a rasping half volley on the edge of the box.
Ultimately, neither team troubled the score in the first 45, even though Oscar Llorente, a tricky and skilful winger that offered Blau-Weiß’ brightest moments on the day, really should have scored. A bouncing cross found him alone in the Lichtenberg box, but he couldn’t keep his effort down.
While both teams would have undoubtedly enjoyed some brief respite from the beating son — temperatures reached 33°C in Berlin this past weekend — Lichtenberg looked far more refreshed in the second stanza. Some clever flicks from Reiniger converted sustained possession into promising forays into the opposition half, but the guests couldn’t find the final pass to unlock a spirited Blau-Weiß defence.
A pattern quickly emerged. Lichtenberg enjoyed lengthy spells of possession in the home team’s half before wasting a decent opportunity, or being hindered by heroic blocks or tackles at the last second. That was until the 78th minute when Reiniger found himself completely alone, two yards from goal and the ball fizzing towards him from the right flank. With the ball bouncing just in front of him, the former Union Berlin apprentice spooned his effort over the bar. All he could do was bury his head in his hands.
As the clock ticked down, and Lichtenberg became increasingly frustrated, the game became fractious. Persistent cynical fouls by the home team didn’t go unnoticed by either the referee or the visitors. A second yellow for Engel saw Blau-Weiß reduced to ten men, and another clip of the heels during a Lichtenberg counter attack briefly stopped play for handbags at dawn.
Just as it looked like the game was heading towards a punishing extra 30 minutes, Lichtenberg finally broke the resistance. An outswinging corner found the flick-on it needed, the ball spinning towards Blau-Weiß’ back post. Jeronimo Mattmuller succeeded where his captain failed, controlling a difficult chance as he cleverly side footed the ball into the net. With the clock reading 90+8’, the referee called time before play could restart. A just reward for Lichtenberg and their ferocious travelling support, but no less a bitter pill for the boys in Blue to swallow.
Wörterbuch-Ecke — German football phrases you need to know
Sprichwort: Scwalbe!
Direct translation: Swallow!
Spiritual translation: Dive!
Italia 90. You know the story. Roger Milla dancing in the corner. Nessun Dorma. Gazza’s tears. Waddle’s miss. Those beautiful German kits. West Germany’s victory marking the fall of the Berlin Wall and the reunification of the country. The end of history, or so we thought.
Lost in that romance? The fact the football was largely dire — Italia 90 had just 2.21 goals per game, the lowest of any World Cup — and the heinous act Jurgen Klinsmann committed on world football.
After 65 minutes neither West Germany nor Argentina enjoyed much luck. It was a desperately poor game to end a desperately poor tournament. Ever the showman, with a penchant for the swallow in celebration, Klinsmann decided this tournament of narratives couldn’t end without a German victory. Yes, Pedro Monzon dives into the tackle with reckless abandon, perhaps eager to make his mark on the game as a half-time sub, but Klinsmann sells the non-existent contact like The Rock taking a Stone Cold Stunner on Monday Night Raw. Germany went on to win 1-0 after an 85th minute penalty by Andreas Brehme.
Does Monzon commit a foul? Yes. Would it be a red card in the modern game irregardless of contact being made? Yes. Does the Englishman in me love the schadenfreude of watching Diego Maradona get cheated out of a World Cup medal? Without sounding too much like Peter Shilton, yes.