Fallen German giants Hamburg clinched automatic promotion back to the Bundesliga on Saturday, ending a seven-year exile with a commanding 6-1 home victory over Ulm at the Volksparkstadion.
As the final whistle blew, jubilant scenes unfolded as thousands of fans among the 57,000-strong crowd stormed the pitch to celebrate with the players. Once a dominant force in German football, Hamburg—one of only three German clubs to have won the European Cup and a six-time Bundesliga champion—were relegated for the first time in their history in 2018.
Needing a win to guarantee promotion, Hamburg made a shaky start, conceding after just seven minutes to a strike from Ulm’s Tom Gaal. However, the hosts quickly responded through Ludovit Reis, who equalized three minutes later.
Ulm then squandered a golden opportunity to retake the lead with a missed 36th-minute penalty, and Hamburg made them pay. Goals from Ransford-Yeboah Königsdörffer and Davie Selke just before half-time put the hosts firmly in control.
An own goal from Philipp Strompf shortly after the break widened the gap, before Königsdörffer bagged his second. Daniel Elfadli added a late goal with four minutes remaining, sealing Hamburg’s return to the top flight after 2,555 days.
Despite having resources surpassing many Bundesliga teams, Hamburg had consistently fallen short in recent years, finishing fourth three times and third twice since their relegation.
This season’s successful promotion campaign was led by 34-year-old rookie coach Merlin Polzin, a Hamburg native and lifelong supporter of the club. Polzin briefly disappeared from the celebrations after the match, only to return with a humorous explanation.
Asked by Sky Germany if the moment had overwhelmed him emotionally, Polzin laughed: “I had to rush to the bathroom—I couldn’t hold it any longer. But who cares, we did it. HSV is back!”
Reflecting on the achievement, Polzin added: “It’s indescribable. Something had been building in the background. We’re back. It’s the result of incredibly hard work. A very special moment.” His contract was automatically extended upon promotion, though he noted: “That’s the last thing on my mind—we’ve been promoted!”
Hamburg’s victory puts them one point clear of Cologne at the top of the Bundesliga 2 table. Cologne, relegated last season, must earn at least a point in their final match next week to join Hamburg in the top tier.
Meanwhile, Holstein Kiel and Bochum were confirmed relegated from the Bundesliga, while Ulm’s defeat sealed their drop to the third division alongside Jahn Regensburg.
