Bayer Leverkusen

Leverkusen were founded in 1904 by workers at the Bayer chemical plant, who wrote to the company asking for a sports club, and the firm's name has been part of the club's ever since. Leverkusen won the UEFA Cup in 1988 and became known as Neverkusen for a run of near misses, above all in 2002, when they lost the Bundesliga, the German Cup and the Champions League final. Under Xabi Alonso the club won its first German championship in 2024 without losing a league match.