Bursaspor and Dynamo Dresden featured in BBC's list of Europe's sleeping giants
October 10, 2026 07:30
WHAT HAPPENED
The piece applies criteria such as history, heritage, fanbase and stadium to shortlist clubs that have experienced past success but have not returned to elite status recently. Among the names highlighted are Bursaspor and Dynamo Dresden, both detailed with their recent decline and capacity to draw significant crowds.
Bursaspor
- League titles: One (2009–10). Domestic cups: One (1985–86).
- Current division: 1. Lig (second tier). Stadium: Centennial Atatürk Stadium (43,361).
- The club won the Turkish title in 2010 and subsequently played Champions League nights against Manchester United and Rangers.
- In 2024 Bursaspor dropped into the fourth tier for the first time in their history; they have since climbed back up and are aiming to return to the Super Lig for the first time since 2019.
- The club is based in Bursa, a city of about 2.5 million in north‑west Turkey; their stadium is noted for a crocodile‑shaped design.
Dynamo Dresden
- League titles: Eight (most recent: East German DDR‑Oberliga 1989–90). Domestic cups: Seven (most recent: 1989–90).
- Current division: 2. Bundesliga (second tier). Stadium: Rudolf‑Harbig‑Stadion (32,085).
- Dynamo were one of East Germany’s dominant clubs, reached European competition stages in the 1970s (including defeats by Liverpool in the UEFA Cup and European Cup), and joined the Bundesliga in 1991 after reunification.
- The club subsequently fell into the third tier amid relegation and debts but now sit in the 2. Bundesliga. Their city has a population of more than half a million and Dynamo averaged over 30,000 at home games in the second tier last season.
NOTABLE CONTEXT AND EXCLUSIONS
The article notes several recent returns to top flights — Deportivo, Parma, Hamburg, Leeds United, Nottingham Forest, Schalke and Málaga — and explains why some historic names were excluded from the list. Examples cited include:
- Clubs omitted despite large stadia or cities: Bari, Hellas Verona, Messina and Palermo.
- Historical giants with complications: Pro Vercelli (seven Italian titles by 1922) lack the ground or local population to reclaim former status quickly; Steaua Bucharest (European Cup winners 40 years ago) now play in Liga II and much of the traditional fanbase follow top‑flight FCSB; Boavista (title winners in 2001) have been ejected from Portugal’s professional leagues amid financial crisis.
- Other recent benchmarks: West Ham won a European competition three years ago; Wolves have been recent top‑flight regulars; Stade de Reims and Nantes are cited for their past achievements.
WHY THIS MATTERS
The feature aims to identify clubs with the infrastructure and fanbase that could, in theory, support a return to higher divisions — while also explaining why some obvious candidates were left out because recent success, structural problems or fractured legacies make a revival unlikely.