1. FC Köln
The 'Effzeh' is Cologne's big football club and, for many, a piece of the city's identity. Red and white, with the billy goat Hennes as a living mascot and an anthem sung in the stadium and at carnival alike.
since 1948
Little unites the people of Cologne across all their Veedel like 1. FC Köln. Founded in 1948 from the merger of two clubs, the 'Effzeh' plays in red and white and hosts its home games at the RheinEnergieStadion in Müngersdorf. Its sporting heyday was in the 1960s and 1970s; what remains is a fan base that stays loyal through ups and downs — complete with its own anthem and a real billy goat on the touchline.
Source: Wikipedia
At a glance
- Founded
- 13 February 1948
- Club colours
- red and white
- Stadium
- RheinEnergieStadion (approx. 50,000 seats)
- Mascot
- the billy goat Hennes
- Nicknames
- the Billy Goats, 'Effzeh'
- German champions
- 1962, 1964, 1978
- DFB-Pokal
- 1968, 1977, 1978, 1983
The billy goat Hennes is named after Hennes Weisweiler, the club's legendary player and coach. Since 1950 every living FC mascot has borne this name — now several successors on.
Things to do here
- Experience a home game at the RheinEnergieStadion in Müngersdorf
- Sing along to the club anthem 'Mer stonn zo dir'
- Spot the billy goat Hennes on the touchline
Age comparison
Age compared with other places in Cologne.
From founding myth to championship
The club was formed in 1948 by merging Kölner BC 01 and SpVgg Sülz 07. In 1963 it was a founding member of the Bundesliga and became its first champion in 1964. In 1978 it won the double of league title and cup — still its last championship to date. In 1986 the club reached the UEFA Cup final.
Hennes the billy goat
Since 1950 the FC has had a living emblem: the billy goat Hennes, named after former player and coach Hennes Weisweiler. The reigning goat — now several successors on — attends home games and features on the club crest.
More than a club
'Mer stonn zo dir, FC Kölle' — the anthem sung by the Höhner has long been a Cologne communal song heard well beyond the stadium. With well over 160,000 members, the FC is among Germany's largest sports clubs and, for the city, far more than just a football team.
Timeline
- 1948Founded by merging Kölner BC 01 and SpVgg Sülz 07
- 1950The billy goat Hennes becomes the mascot
- 1963Founding member of the new Bundesliga
- 1964First Bundesliga champion of Germany
- 1978Double of league title and DFB-Pokal
- 1986UEFA Cup final
Ups and downs
League membership since 1948 — the promotions and relegations of the "yo-yo club".
Source: Wikipedia
Gallery
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Sources & links
- Wikipedia (retrieved 2026-07-01)
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