Майнц 05: About
- FSV Mainz 05 (full name: 1. Fußball- und Sport-Verein Mainz 05 e.V.) was founded on March 16, 1905, in Mainz, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The club experienced several mergers during its early history. A significant milestone came in 2003-04 when the club was first promoted to the Bundesliga under manager Jürgen Klopp, who would later gain international recognition at Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool.
Mainz's best Bundesliga finish came in the 2010-11 season when they reached 5th place, qualifying for the UEFA Europa League. They also earned a spot in the 2005-06 UEFA Cup through the Fair Play draw. The club's youth academy has been successful, winning the German U19 championship in 2009 and 2023. In recent years, they secured a significant draw against Borussia Dortmund on the final matchday of the 2022-23 season that impacted the Bundesliga title race.
Mainz is known by the nicknames 'Die Nullfünfer' (the 05ers) and 'Karnevalsverein' (Carnival club), reflecting its deep connection to the carnival tradition as one of Germany's three foremost carnival cities. This identity is celebrated by playing the 'Narrhallamarsch' carnival tune after home goals at their MEWA Arena (capacity: 33,305). The club maintains local rivalries with Eintracht Frankfurt and Kaiserslautern. Beyond football, Mainz also operates handball and table tennis departments and is active in community service through its charity 'Mainz 05 hilft e.V.'
Mainz currently competes in the Bundesliga, finishing 13th in the 2023-24 season. Under current manager Bo Henriksen, the team showed remarkable improvement, going unbeaten in their final nine matches of that season. The club is led by President Stefan Hofmann and features key players including goalkeeper Robin Zentner, defenders Danny da Costa, Stefan Bell, and Silvan Widmer, midfielders Jae-sung Lee and Nadiem Amiri, and attackers Jonathan Burkardt and Nelson Weiper. Mainz has established itself as a stable Bundesliga club that balances modern football with traditional values and community connection.
