The history of Schalke 04
Milestones and background from the club's history, in chronological order.
More milestones and background for each event.
Categories
Competitions
Nicknames through the years Three names tell a story of near misses, late goals and an unbeaten season. Read the storiesClose the stories
Kreisel, championships and European football
First German championship final
Schalke reach the German championship final for the first time.
Fortuna Düsseldorf win 3-0 in Cologne.
The first double in German football
Schalke beat Fortuna Düsseldorf 2-1 in the delayed 1937 cup final.
Combined with the 1937 championship, this completes the first German league-and-cup double.
Record victory in the championship final
The 9-0 win over SK Admira Wien is the biggest victory in a German championship final.
Ernst Kalwitzki scores five times.
The first European match
Schalke make their European debut away to Kjøbenhavns Boldklub.
The preliminary-round first leg of the European Cup ends in a 3-0 defeat at Copenhagen’s Idrætsparken.
Reaching a European quarter-final
After drawing 2-2 in Wolverhampton, Schalke win the return against Wanderers 2-1.
They reach the quarter-finals in their first European campaign.
Bundesliga, cup triumph and the Parkstadion
A founding Bundesliga member
Schalke begin life in the newly founded Bundesliga with a 2-0 win over Stuttgart.
Willi Koslowski and Waldemar Gerhardt score the goals.
Seven goals away to Bayern
Schalke win 7-0 away to Bayern Munich.
Klaus Fischer scores four times in one of the club’s most famous away victories.
Relegations and promotions
Third relegation and eventual lowest finish
The 3-1 defeat in Cologne confirms Schalke’s third Bundesliga relegation.
The club ultimately finishes 18th for the first time, its lowest Bundesliga placing.
Eurofighters, heartbreak and a new arena
The first European final
Schalke beat Inter 1-0 in the first leg of the UEFA Cup final.
Marc Wilmots scores the decisive goal at the Parkstadion.
Jens Lehmann heads Schalke level in the derby
Goalkeeper Jens Lehmann rescues a 2–2 draw for Schalke at Borussia Dortmund with a stoppage-time header on December 19, 1997.
He becomes the first Bundesliga goalkeeper to score from open play. Thomas Linke flicks on Olaf Thon’s corner and Lehmann heads the equaliser at the Westfalenstadion. The goal is voted Germany’s Goal of the Month for December 1997.
Bundesliga debut at the new arena
Five days after the opening ceremony, Schalke play their first competitive match at Arena AufSchalke.
The game against Bayer Leverkusen ends 3-3.
The first Champions League match
The attacks in the United States overshadow Schalke’s Champions League debut.
The match against Panathinaikos nevertheless goes ahead and ends in a 2-0 defeat.
European highlights and Ruhr derbies
First qualification for the Champions League round of 16
A 3-1 win over Rosenborg takes Schalke into the Champions League round of 16 for the first time.
They finish second in the group behind Chelsea.
The first Champions League round-of-16 match
Schalke win their first Champions League round-of-16 match 1-0 against Porto.
Kevin Kurányi scores early in the first leg.
Neuer takes Schalke into the quarter-finals
After a 1-0 defeat in Porto, the tie goes to penalties.
Manuel Neuer makes two saves as Schalke win the shoot-out 4-1 to reach their first modern Champions League quarter-final.
Reaching the Champions League semi-finals
A 2-1 return-leg win over Inter confirms Schalke’s first Champions League semi-final appearance.
They win the quarter-final 7-3 on aggregate.
The first Champions League semi-final match
Schalke play their first Champions League semi-final match against Manchester United.
Despite numerous saves by Manuel Neuer, the first leg ends in a 2-0 defeat.
Crisis and recovery
The heaviest Bundesliga defeat
Schalke lose 8-0 at Bayern Munich on the opening day.
It is the club’s heaviest Bundesliga defeat.
Relegation after 30 Bundesliga seasons
A 1-0 defeat in Bielefeld confirms relegation on matchday 30.
Schalke eventually finish with 16 points in 18th place, equalling their lowest Bundesliga placing.
