"Die Werkself (The Company Team)"
Bayer Leverkusen was founded in 1904 by employees of the Bayer pharmaceutical company as a works team. After rising through the ranks and joining the Bundesliga in 1979, the club claimed its first major trophies with the UEFA Cup in 1988 and DFB-Pokal in 1993. After years of near-misses (earning the nickname "Neverkusen"), Leverkusen finally secured their first Bundesliga championship in 2024, completing a historic domestic double without a single league defeat.
Goalkeeper
Midfield
Offence
Left Back
Defence
As defending Bundesliga champions, Bayer Leverkusen have continued to perform strongly in the 2024-25 season. By early March 2025, they sit in 2nd place in the Bundesliga table, closely trailing Bayern Munich with a record of 15 wins, 8 draws and only 2 losses. They captured the 2024 DFL-Supercup and have advanced to the DFB-Pokal semi-finals. In Europe, Leverkusen successfully navigated the Champions League league phase and are set to face Bayern Munich in the Round of 16.
Bayer Leverkusen's supporters have embraced the "Werkself" identity, emphasizing the club's industrial roots and proud history as a works team for Bayer pharmaceutical company. Despite sometimes being derided as a "plastic club" by rivals due to its corporate origins, the fans are devoted and have celebrated the recent success as a long-awaited triumph, shedding the "Neverkusen" label. The Rhein derby against 1. FC Köln represents the club's most storied rivalry.
Xabi Alonso, Bayer Leverkusen has developed an attractive and tactical playing style. Alonso favors a fluid 3-4-2-1 formation with asymmetrical wing-back roles – one wing-back drops into the defensive line while the other pushes high into attack. The team plays with an emphasis on midfield control and quick transitions, pressing aggressively in a mid-block to force turnovers. This approach features intense gegenpressing (counter-pressing) and has produced one of the league's strongest defenses, as well as a potent attack that uses width and pace to stretch opponents.
