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How long before Hoffenheim are in the Champions League?

By Kevin Fylan
May 18, 2008

Hoffenheim celebrate

You see — money can buy you happiness. Just take the grey-haired chap on the right. That’s Dietmar Hopp, the co-founder of the software giant SAP and one of the richest men in Germany.

Alongside him is Ralf Rangnick, the former Schalke 04 coach, and they’re celebrating TSG 1899 Hoffenheim’s promotion to the Bundesliga, which was sealed on Sunday when they beat Greuther Fuerth 5-0.

That completes an incredible rise for Hoffenheim, who are quite possibly the world’s most successful village team.

Based in Sinsheim in south-western Germany, they have been backed by Hopp since 1990. After making it as far as the regional third division they hired Rangnick a couple of years ago and they’ve now clinched successive promotions to the top flight.

They’re due to move to a 30,000 stadium next year and who knows where it will all end. A bid to bring Ballack back to the Bundesliga? A place in the Champions League this time next year? Maybe they could offer a certain unsettled Brazilian a nice change from Barcelona…

PHOTO: TSG Hoffenheim’s sponsor Dietmar Hopp (R) celebrates with coach Ralf Rangnick after their team’s Bundesliga promotion. REUTERS/Alex Grimm

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Comments
3 comments so far | RSS Comments RSS
May 18, 2008
5:00 pm EDT

Kevin mate, you must have joined their celebrations and had some very strong beer. Hoffenheim will be back in the Zweite at the end of next season.

Posted by Red Devil | Report as abusive
 
May 19, 2008
2:44 am EDT

That’s quite possible, Red Devil, but remeber, this guy is seriously rich. If he decides to really turn on the tap, anything is possible…

Posted by Kevin Fylan | Report as abusive
 
May 19, 2008
5:10 am EDT

Congratulations to everybody in the team and club. Finally we will see true soccer sportsmen playing for fun and skill not like the overpaid prima donnas at the big clubs Bayern Munich etc. You will have a true supporter from the middle of the earth called New Zealand. I am very proud of being myself an ex SCHWABE from Neckarsulm. Good luck in your future and show the big heads how to play real soccer.
Hoffenheim will be the most searched place with google earth
Regards Helmut Rudolph

Posted by Helmut Rudolph | Report as abusive
 

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