Bayer 04 Leverkusen
The Bayer 04 Leverkusen professional team stands as Bayer’s flagship, representing the pinnacle of a pyramid that encompasses approximately 43,000 members across 22 Bayer sports clubs.
Founded in 1904 as Turn- und Spielverein der Farbenfabriken vorm. Friedr. Bayer & Co. (abbreviated to TuS 04), the football department, established in 1907, played its inaugural official match against Ballspielverein Manfort football club. After 72 years and numerous matches, Bayer 04 Leverkusen achieved its long-awaited ascent to the 1. Bundesliga, Germany’s premier football league, in 1979, where it has remained since.
The 1980s marked a period of significant achievements for the team. In 1986, it secured its first qualification for a European cup competition, culminating in a UEFA Cup victory in 1988. Notable players of that era included national striker Herbert Waas, the Brazilian Tita, and South Korean football icon Cha Bum-kun.
From the 1990s onward, Bayer Leverkusen enjoyed considerable success both domestically and internationally. The team clinched the German Cup in 1993 and has consistently performed well enough in the Bundesliga since the 1992/93 season to compete in European competitions 17 times. Notable achievements include five runner-up finishes in the German football championship and reaching the 2002 Champions League final. Players such as Ulf Kirsten, Bernd Schneider, Bernd Schuster, Carsten Ramelow, Michael Ballack, and Rudi Völler are among the many who contributed to the team's success.
The Bayer Team – Ambassadors for the Company
Bayer AG's commitment to soccer has always been a form of advertising to boost the image of the entire company. The Bayer team acts as a popular ambassador for Bayer AG, reflecting the values of the corporate philosophy worldwide and conveying them in a unique way through the club's name.
Various visits by the professional team to Bayer sites in St. Louis, the USA or Mexico City, Mexico have contributed to this.
