Professionals, 20. May 2025
By defeating RB Leipzig 3-1 in the semi-finals of the DFB Cup, VfB cleared the last hurdle on the way to Berlin, and now they meet Arminia Bielefeld in the final. This is by no means Stuttgart’s first experience of the DFB Cup final, as the club have reached the end-of-season showpiece on six previous occasions. What better opportunity for a whistle-stop tour of cup finals involving VfB?
1954 – The first cup win
Stuttgart appeared in the DFB Cup final for the first time on 17 April 1954. 1. FC Köln were the opponents in front of a crowd of 60,000 at the Südweststadion in Ludwigshafen. After a goalless 90 minutes, VfB striker Erwin Waldner became the match-winner when he found the net in the sixth minute of extra time. The VfB players celebrated a historic triumph, which was followed by another just four years later.
1958 – Decided in extra time
In mid-November 1958, an unusual date for the DFB Cup final, there was high tension for 120 minutes at the Auestadion in Kassel. In an entertaining contest between VfB and Fortuna Düsseldorf, the Cannstatt club initially led 1-0 and then 3-2, before Fortuna equalised again shortly before the end of normal time. In the equally hard-fought extra time period, VfB forward Lothar Weise eventually scored the winning goal in the 113th minute to seal the club’s second cup success.
1986 – One-sided affair
Unfortunately from a VfB point of view, the third final in the club’s history was fairly one-sided. Willi Entenmann’s side went down to a 5-2 defeat against defending German champions FC Bayern Munich at Berlin’s Olympiastadion on 3 May 1986, as the Cannstatt club had to accept their first loss in the cup final.
1997 – Familiar feel
On 14 June 1997 – in a clear parallel to VfB’s final opponents this season, Arminia Bielefeld – Joachim Löw’s VfB side took on third-tier outfit FC Energie Cottbus, who had previously knocked Bundesliga clubs out of the competition. The man of the match was outgoing VfB striker Giovane Elber, who clinched his side’s third cup success with two goals. Needless to say, great celebrations in Berlin and Stuttgart followed.
2007 – Double missed
Just a week after winning the Bundesliga title, Stuttgart had the chance to claim the first double in the club’s history on 26 May 2007. The newly crowned German champions came up against 1. FC Nürnberg in the final of the DFB Cup. The crowd of 74,220 at the Olympiastadion witnessed a dramatic and eventful match, which ended in an agonising 3-2 defeat after extra time.
2013 – Valiant effort
VfB’s most recent final clash in 2013 was also a gripping contest. Again watched by 74,220 in the capital, Stuttgart lost 3-2 to Bayern having trailed 3-0 at one point. It was an impressive fightback, but sadly there was no happy ending.
Cup-winning team of 1997
The Cannstatt club live by their tradition. In keeping with this, many of the members of VfB’s cup-winning side of 1997 will be cheering in the stands at this year’s final, while Joachim Löw is acting as final ambassador. A special reunion for a special team – and wonderful support for the current team led by head coach Sebastian Hoeneß.