'Humble but ambitious' - the return of fallen giants Schalke
September 3, 2026 07:48
Schalke have returned to the Bundesliga after three years away, a comeback built amid heavy debts, management change and intense local support. In their first match back, the team lost 3-0 at Augsburg but around 6,000 travelling fans remained to cheer the players after the final whistle.
CLUB AND CITY
Gelsenkirchen treats Schalke as a defining civic presence: supporters fill the 62,000-capacity Veltins-Arena for home games and local residents wear blue and white across the city. Professor Frank Eckardt, who grew up in Schalke-Nord, described the club as an enduring part of the community's identity.
HOW THEY GOT HERE
Schalke's recent decade has been volatile. The club has experienced two promotions and two relegations in the past six years, and at one point insolvency was a realistic threat after large debts, failure to qualify for Europe and the effects of Covid-19. After an immediate return to the top flight in 2022 they were relegated again a year later and then spent three seasons in the second tier, including finishes of 10th and 14th in successive campaigns.
REBUILDING THE TEAM
New leadership and signings were central to the turnaround. Miron Muslic, who had previously managed Plymouth Argyle, is credited locally with restoring belief and implementing a high-press style that supporters have embraced. Frank Baumann, the former Werder Bremen director of football and Germany international, joined Schalke in June 2025 and has been a prominent figure behind the scenes.
A notable January 2025 signing was Edin Dzeko, who arrived after a difficult spell in Italy with Fiorentina. Dzeko scored eight goals in 13 games for Schalke, including two in their DFB-Pokal cup win this season. Muslic highlighted Dzeko's influence, noting the striker remains effective at 40: "He's 40 years old, and he's still able to perform."
EXPERT VIEW
German football expert Mark Lovell has said Schalke suffered under the "burden of expectation" and that the club had been living beyond its means. He also described Baumann as "a real top football man," a contrast with the instability that preceded the recent rebuild.
WHAT THIS MEANS NOW
Schalke's promotion is the product of a sustained internal reset: new sporting leaders, targeted signings and unwavering fan support. The club's revival follows a period in which it was forced to reduce spending, sell players and reconfigure its operation.