Hamburger SV Quiz Questions and Answers

36 Hamburger SV questions in rounds of ten, with the answers kept separate so you can read them out. Free to use for a pub quiz, a matchday WhatsApp group or your own revision — no sign-up, and the page prints cleanly.

Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4

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Round 1

  1. Hamburger SV traces its origins to the founding of the club SC Germania in which year?
  2. In which year did three Hamburg clubs merge to create the club officially named Hamburger SV?
  3. HSV long carried the affectionate nickname 'der Dino' (the Dinosaur). What earned them this name?
  4. HSV's first-ever relegation from the Bundesliga came in which year?
  5. HSV's nickname 'Die Rothosen' refers to which feature of their traditional kit?
  6. After a long spell in the second tier, HSV won promotion back to the Bundesliga in which year?
  7. HSV won the DFB-Pokal (German Cup) in 1976 and then lifted it again in which later year?
  8. HSV's fierce 'Nordderby' (Northern Derby) is contested against which club?
  9. Within the city of Hamburg, HSV's local derby is played against which club?
  10. What is the primary colour of HSV's traditional home shirt?
Answers — round 1
  1. 1887 — HSV dates its foundation to SC Germania, established in Hamburg in 1887.
  2. 1919 — SC Germania, Hamburger FC and FC Falke Eppendorf merged in 1919 to form Hamburger SV.
  3. For decades they had appeared in every Bundesliga season without relegation — Until their first relegation, HSV had featured in every Bundesliga campaign since the league began in 1963 — the 'dinosaur' that survived every era.
  4. 2018 — HSV dropped into the 2. Bundesliga for the first time in 2018, ending a top-flight run that stretched back to 1963.
  5. Their red shorts — 'Rothosen' is German for 'red shorts', a nod to the red shorts in HSV's traditional home kit.
  6. 2025 — HSV clinched a return to the Bundesliga in 2025, ending several seasons in the 2. Bundesliga.
  7. 1987 — HSV's DFB-Pokal triumphs came in 1963, 1976 and 1987.
  8. Werder Bremen — The Nordderby pits HSV against their northern rivals Werder Bremen.
  9. FC St. Pauli — The Hamburg derby is HSV versus their cross-city neighbours FC St. Pauli.
  10. White — HSV traditionally play in a white home shirt.

Round 2

  1. Hamburger SV compete in the top division of which country?
  2. For many years a large clock at HSV's stadium famously counted what?
  3. HSV's club crest features a white diamond (Raute) set on a background of which colour?
  4. In which year did HSV win their first German national championship?
  5. In the early 1980s HSV won back-to-back German championships. In which year did they win the first of that pair?
  6. After their pre-war successes, HSV won their first post-World-War-II German championship in which year?
  7. HSV won the 1983 European Cup final, beating which Italian club 1-0?
  8. Which HSV midfielder scored the only goal of the 1983 European Cup final?
  9. In which city was the 1983 European Cup final, won by HSV, played?
  10. HSV won their first major European trophy in 1977, beating which Belgian club 2-0 in the Cup Winners' Cup final?
Answers — round 2
  1. Germany — HSV are a German club; their top flight is the Bundesliga.
  2. The unbroken time the club had spent in the Bundesliga — The clock ticked upward throughout HSV's continuous top-flight tenure and was stopped once that run finally ended.
  3. Blue — The HSV badge is a simple white diamond on a blue field.
  4. 1923 — HSV were crowned German champions for the first time in 1923.
  5. 1982 — HSV were German champions in 1982 and then retained the title the following year.
  6. 1960 — HSV's first postwar German title came in 1960, before the Bundesliga era began.
  7. Juventus — HSV defeated Juventus 1-0 to lift the 1983 European Cup.
  8. Felix Magath — Felix Magath struck early to settle the 1983 European Cup final in HSV's favour.
  9. Athens — The 1983 European Cup final was staged at the Olympic Stadium in Athens.
  10. Anderlecht — HSV beat Anderlecht 2-0 in Amsterdam to win the 1977 European Cup Winners' Cup.

Round 3

  1. Which coach led HSV to their 1977 European Cup Winners' Cup triumph?
  2. HSV lost the 1968 European Cup Winners' Cup final to which Italian club?
  3. Which Austrian coach managed HSV to their 1983 European Cup triumph?
  4. Under which coach did HSV win the 1979 German championship?
  5. Which forward, a one-club HSV legend who captained West Germany at the 1966 World Cup, is celebrated as the club's greatest icon?
  6. Which HSV right-back of the 1970s and 80s was famed for his curling crosses, dubbed 'Bananenflanken' (banana crosses)?
  7. Which powerful HSV striker of the early 1980s earned the nickname 'Das Kopfball-Ungeheuer' (the Header Monster)?
  8. English forward Kevin Keegan, nicknamed 'Mighty Mouse' by HSV fans, won the Ballon d'Or (European Footballer of the Year) in which two consecutive years while at the club?
  9. HSV signed playmaker Rafael van der Vaart in 2005 from which Dutch club?
  10. In 2008, HSV sold Rafael van der Vaart to which club?
Answers — round 3
  1. Kuno Klötzer — Kuno Klötzer was HSV's coach when they won the 1977 Cup Winners' Cup.
  2. AC Milan — AC Milan beat HSV 2-0 in the 1968 Cup Winners' Cup final in Rotterdam.
  3. Ernst Happel — Austrian coach Ernst Happel guided HSV to the 1983 European Cup — his second European Cup as a manager.
  4. Branko Zebec — Branko Zebec, appointed in 1978, led HSV to the 1979 Bundesliga title with a disciplined, possession-based style.
  5. Uwe Seeler — Uwe Seeler ('Uns Uwe') spent his entire career at HSV and captained West Germany in the 1966 World Cup final.
  6. Manfred Kaltz — Manfred Kaltz, a long-serving HSV full-back, was known for his banana-shaped crosses and made a club-record number of Bundesliga appearances.
  7. Horst Hrubesch — Horst Hrubesch's dominance in the air earned him the nickname 'the Header Monster'.
  8. 1978 and 1979 — Keegan was named European Footballer of the Year in both 1978 and 1979 during his HSV spell.
  9. Ajax — Van der Vaart joined HSV from his boyhood club Ajax in 2005.
  10. Real Madrid — Van der Vaart moved from HSV to Real Madrid in 2008.

Round 4

  1. Which South Korean forward began his professional career at HSV, scoring his first senior goal in 2010?
  2. HSV signed Kevin Keegan in 1977 from which English club?
  3. Kevin Keegan's 1977 transfer to HSV set a British record fee of roughly how much?
  4. At international level, HSV playmaker Rafael van der Vaart appeared at World Cups for which national team?
  5. HSV's home stadium has carried various sponsor names over the years but is traditionally known by which name?
  6. In the season they won promotion back to the Bundesliga, HSV clinched it with a 6-1 home win over which club?
Answers — round 4
  1. Son Heung-min — Son Heung-min came through HSV's youth setup and scored his first professional goal for the club in 2010.
  2. Liverpool — Keegan joined HSV from Liverpool, the Merseyside club where he had made his name.
  3. £500,000 — Keegan's move to HSV cost around £500,000, then a British record transfer fee.
  4. Netherlands — Van der Vaart was a Netherlands international who represented the Dutch at the World Cup.
  5. Volksparkstadion — HSV's ground is traditionally called the Volksparkstadion, whatever the current sponsorship name may be.
  6. SSV Ulm — A 6-1 victory over SSV Ulm sealed HSV's return to the top flight.

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