Professional German Football Club - FC Union Berlin
Every major soccer league has one or more teams whose histories far outweigh their achievements on the field. Even though this team has never won a title, it has a large number of followers. Indeed, to a large extent, this is the magic of football, and it can generate such a level of affection and devotion among fans that sometimes has little to do with their team's soccer performance. Usually, factors such as political ideologies or traditions generate a fan's attachment to his favorite team. So, one of the most interesting cases is that of FC Union Berlin, the people's team that today surprises everyone in the Bundesliga. This is the second season in which the club plays in the 1 Bundesliga, with more than acceptable results.
FC Union Berlin is currently in seventh place on the Bundesliga's scoreboard. Thus, it is very close to reaching a ticket to the Europa League. But you may be wondering which team we are talking about since you probably know little about Union Berlin. And it is a team that everyone should know about since their history is fascinating. As far as soccer teams are concerned, Union Berlin is the only one that relies only on fan backing; that team is Union Berlin, and its relationship with its fans is almost that of a family.
FC Union Berlin: The People's Team That Made It To The Bundesliga
The Union Berlin team was founded in 1906 and belonged to the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) until the fall of the Berlin wall, when the two Germanies were unified. The team had a fan base made up of workers from the metallurgical industries. That is why, since its foundation, it has been known as the people team. So, they emerged from the working class. Honor, mutual support, and respect are the basis of its ideology. Also, it is essential to note that much of the team's history has been poor in terms of results in the lower division Bundesliga championships.
However, the excellent relationship with their fans has led them out of multiple economic crises. The team's supporters have organized massive fundraising campaigns during the team's bad times. So, Union Berlin has paid them back by doing something incredible. They made their fans the partners and owners of the team. Currently, Union Berlin has over 37 thousand members, and all of them are the team's fans. In 2008 the team's fans personally worked for 300 days (for free) to refurbish the An der Alten Fösterei stadium, which was in terrible condition. Besides, every Christmas, the stadium is open for team fans to celebrate for free, and the club opens its gates for everyone to watch the matches when a World Cup is held.
They do not have the budget of famous teams and even do not hire many foreign players. But now, In the Bundesliga, Union Berlin is currently a major player. Therefore, the happiness and struggle of all the fans who, since 1906, have worked to make Union Berlin a great team are finally paying off fruits. As a result of this, the club and its supporters form the largest football family in the world. They are one of the best examples of what the force of sport can achieve.
