Bayer Leverkusen

Bayer Leverkusen are German football's most dramatic story of recent years, a red and black club from North Rhine-Westphalia who finally shed the Neverkusen tag in the most emphatic way imaginable in 2023-24, winning an unbeaten Bundesliga title and the DFB-Pokal in the same season under Xabi Alonso. Founded in 1904 as the sports club of the pharmaceutical company Bayer AG, Die Werkself have been a consistent Bundesliga force since the 1970s and reached the Champions League final in 2002, adding to a reputation as one of Europe's most consistently impressive nearly-men before turning near-misses into history.

Founded on 1 July 1904, Bayer Leverkusen compete in the Bundesliga, Germany's top division. Their home is the BayArena in Leverkusen, which holds around 30,210 spectators. Key honours include 1 Bundesliga title (2023-24), 1 DFB-Pokal (2023-24), 1 UEFA Cup (1988), and a UEFA Champions League runners-up finish in 2002.

Bayer Leverkusen's home kit has been predominantly red and black throughout their history, with the Bayer cross a constant feature of the club crest. The clean red design has been worn by world-class talents from Michael Ballack to Rudi Voller to Florian Wirtz, making it one of the Bundesliga's most recognisable shirts. The 2023-24 title-winning kit carries particular significance, representing the end of decades of near-misses and the start of something genuinely new under Xabi Alonso's management. Adidas have been a long-standing kit supplier, giving the Leverkusen red a consistent sharpness across multiple eras.