Hamburg Returns to Bundesliga After Seven Years with 6-1 Victory

Hamburg, Germany – SV Hamburg has returned to the Bundesliga after seven long years in the second division, celebrating a decisive 6-1 victory over Elido Ulm on May 10, 2025. This victory seals their promotion and ends years of disappointment for the once-glorious club.

Ulm went ahead early with a goal from Tom Gaal in the seventh minute, but Hamburg quickly turned the match around. Ludovit Reis equalized just three minutes later, and despite Ulm’s chance to regain the lead with a missed penalty from Selim Telalovic in the 36th minute, Hamburg seized the moment. By halftime, Hamburg was firmly in control with goals from Ransford Konigsdorffer in the 42nd minute and Davie Selke during stoppage time, making the score 3-1.

In the second half, an unusual own goal by Philipp Strompf just four minutes after the restart sealed the fate of Ulm. Konigsdorffer scored his second goal in the 62nd minute before Daniel Elfadli capped off the victory in the final minutes in front of a passionate crowd of 57,000 spectators.

Once a powerhouse in German and European football, SV Hamburg has a rich history that includes three Bundesliga titles, a DFB-Pokal, the European Cup, and the Cup Winners’ Cup. Their golden era in the late 1970s and early 1980s featured legends like Kevin Keegan, Felix Magath, and Manfred Kaltz.

However, the club suffered a significant decline, relegating in 2018 and becoming the last founding member of the Bundesliga to drop from the top tier. Since then, Hamburg faced numerous disappointments, including four fourth-place finishes and two third-place finishes, as well as playoff losses, often collapsing in the final matches, known as the “April Curse” or “promotion nerves.”

This season, under the guidance of young coach Melvin Polzin, who took over late last year, Hamburg finally overcame those obstacles. They secured promotion with one game to spare, finishing just one point ahead of rivals like Cologne. The team also benefited from a convincing 4-0 victory in Darmstadt, which allowed them to regain momentum after a difficult April.

Cologne remains in pursuit, also fighting for a strong return to the Bundesliga, while Elversberg occupies a playoff spot with hopes of becoming the first Saarland club in over three decades to reach the top tier.