VfB Lübeck

Verein für Bewegungsspiele Lübeck was born on 1 June 1919 in the Hanseatic city on the Baltic and took its present shape in 1945, after the war. Green and white from the start, it plays at the Lohmühle, a 10,434-capacity ground among the oldest in northern Germany. Its history is a staircase with many steps: a Bundesliga promotion playoff in 1969, two spells in the 2. Bundesliga (1995-97 and 2002-04) and the 2004 German Cup semi-final, lost to Werder Bremen in extra time.

Then came the falls: insolvency in 2008, another in 2013 with relegation to the fifth tier. And the comebacks: Regionalliga Nord champions in 2020 and 2023, with two 3. Liga seasons in between. Among the feats fans keep is the 2-1 over Bundesliga side Mainz in the 2009 Cup.

Here at Hoopster, Lübeck is the green and white hooped club that never accepted staying down.