Hamburger SV Quiz
Free Hamburger SV quiz with explained answers — from the 1983 European Cup and Kevin Keegan to Uwe Seeler, the Volksparkstadion and the Bundesliga clock.
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easy
Hamburger SV compete in the top division of which country?
WhyHSV are a German club; their top flight is the Bundesliga. -
easy
Hamburger SV traces its origins to the founding of the club SC Germania in which year?
WhyHSV dates its foundation to SC Germania, established in Hamburg in 1887. -
medium
In which year did HSV win their first German national championship?
WhyHSV were crowned German champions for the first time in 1923. -
medium
In which year did three Hamburg clubs merge to create the club officially named Hamburger SV?
WhySC Germania, Hamburger FC and FC Falke Eppendorf merged in 1919 to form Hamburger SV. -
hard
HSV lost the 1968 European Cup Winners' Cup final to which Italian club?
WhyAC Milan beat HSV 2-0 in the 1968 Cup Winners' Cup final in Rotterdam. -
medium
After their pre-war successes, HSV won their first post-World-War-II German championship in which year?
WhyHSV's first postwar German title came in 1960, before the Bundesliga era began. -
medium
In the early 1980s HSV won back-to-back German championships. In which year did they win the first of that pair?
WhyHSV were German champions in 1982 and then retained the title the following year. -
hard
Which South Korean forward began his professional career at HSV, scoring his first senior goal in 2010?
WhySon Heung-min came through HSV's youth setup and scored his first professional goal for the club in 2010. -
medium
Which Austrian coach managed HSV to their 1983 European Cup triumph?
WhyAustrian coach Ernst Happel guided HSV to the 1983 European Cup — his second European Cup as a manager. -
medium
HSV's first-ever relegation from the Bundesliga came in which year?
WhyHSV dropped into the 2. Bundesliga for the first time in 2018, ending a top-flight run that stretched back to 1963. -
hard
Under which coach did HSV win the 1979 German championship?
WhyBranko Zebec, appointed in 1978, led HSV to the 1979 Bundesliga title with a disciplined, possession-based style. -
medium
Which HSV midfielder scored the only goal of the 1983 European Cup final?
WhyFelix Magath struck early to settle the 1983 European Cup final in HSV's favour. -
medium
Which powerful HSV striker of the early 1980s earned the nickname 'Das Kopfball-Ungeheuer' (the Header Monster)?
WhyHorst Hrubesch's dominance in the air earned him the nickname 'the Header Monster'. -
hard
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?
WhyKeegan was named European Footballer of the Year in both 1978 and 1979 during his HSV spell. -
medium
HSV won the 1983 European Cup final, beating which Italian club 1‑0?
WhyHSV defeated Juventus 1-0 to lift the 1983 European Cup. -
medium
HSV signed playmaker Rafael van der Vaart in 2005 from which Dutch club?
WhyVan der Vaart joined HSV from his boyhood club Ajax in 2005. -
hard
Kevin Keegan's 1977 transfer to HSV set a British record fee of roughly how much?
WhyKeegan's move to HSV cost around £500,000, then a British record transfer fee. -
medium
HSV won the DFB-Pokal (German Cup) in 1976 and then lifted it again in which later year?
WhyHSV's DFB-Pokal triumphs came in 1963, 1976 and 1987. -
medium
In the season they won promotion back to the Bundesliga, HSV clinched it with a 6‑1 home win over which club?
WhyA 6-1 victory over SSV Ulm sealed HSV's return to the top flight. -
hard
For many years a large clock at HSV's stadium famously counted what?
WhyThe clock ticked upward throughout HSV's continuous top-flight tenure and was stopped once that run finally ended. -
medium
At international level, HSV playmaker Rafael van der Vaart appeared at World Cups for which national team?
WhyVan der Vaart was a Netherlands international who represented the Dutch at the World Cup. -
medium
In 2008, HSV sold Rafael van der Vaart to which club?
WhyVan der Vaart moved from HSV to Real Madrid in 2008. -
hard
Which coach led HSV to their 1977 European Cup Winners' Cup triumph?
WhyKuno Klötzer was HSV's coach when they won the 1977 Cup Winners' Cup. -
medium
Which HSV right-back of the 1970s and 80s was famed for his curling crosses, dubbed 'Bananenflanken' (banana crosses)?
WhyManfred Kaltz, a long-serving HSV full-back, was known for his banana-shaped crosses and made a club-record number of Bundesliga appearances. -
medium
HSV's home stadium has carried various sponsor names over the years but is traditionally known by which name?
WhyHSV's ground is traditionally called the Volksparkstadion, whatever the current sponsorship name may be. -
hard
HSV won their first major European trophy in 1977, beating which Belgian club 2‑0 in the Cup Winners' Cup final?
WhyHSV beat Anderlecht 2-0 in Amsterdam to win the 1977 European Cup Winners' Cup. -
medium
HSV signed Kevin Keegan in 1977 from which English club?
WhyKeegan joined HSV from Liverpool, the Merseyside club where he had made his name. -
easy
After a long spell in the second tier, HSV won promotion back to the Bundesliga in which year?
WhyHSV clinched a return to the Bundesliga in 2025, ending several seasons in the 2. Bundesliga. -
hard
In which city was the 1983 European Cup final, won by HSV, played?
WhyThe 1983 European Cup final was staged at the Olympic Stadium in Athens. -
easy
HSV's club crest features a white diamond (Raute) set on a background of which colour?
WhyThe HSV badge is a simple white diamond on a blue field. -
easy
Within the city of Hamburg, HSV's local derby is played against which club?
WhyThe Hamburg derby is HSV versus their cross-city neighbours FC St. Pauli. -
easy
HSV's fierce 'Nordderby' (Northern Derby) is contested against which club?
WhyThe Nordderby pits HSV against their northern rivals Werder Bremen. -
easy
HSV long carried the affectionate nickname 'der Dino' (the Dinosaur). What earned them this name?
WhyUntil their first relegation, HSV had featured in every Bundesliga campaign since the league began in 1963 — the 'dinosaur' that survived every era. -
easy
Which forward, a one-club HSV legend who captained West Germany at the 1966 World Cup, is celebrated as the club's greatest icon?
WhyUwe Seeler ('Uns Uwe') spent his entire career at HSV and captained West Germany in the 1966 World Cup final. -
easy
What is the primary colour of HSV's traditional home shirt?
WhyHSV traditionally play in a white home shirt. -
easy
HSV's nickname 'Die Rothosen' refers to which feature of their traditional kit?
Why'Rothosen' is German for 'red shorts', a nod to the red shorts in HSV's traditional home kit.
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About Hamburger SV
Hamburger SV — HSV — were founded in 1887 and play at the Volksparkstadion, wearing the famous white diamond on blue. This free HSV quiz covers the whole story: one of the giants of German football, the great European night in Athens, and a club whose long unbroken run in the Bundesliga became part of its very identity. If you know your HSV, this is your test.
The peak came in 1983, when Ernst Happel's side won the European Cup, beating Juventus 1-0 in Athens with a goal from Felix Magath. HSV won six German championships, the last of them also in 1983, and the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1977. Kevin Keegan starred for the club between 1977 and 1980, winning two Ballon d'Or awards while there, and the one-club legend Uwe Seeler remains the definitive HSV icon. For decades HSV were the only club ever-present in the Bundesliga since its founding in 1963 — a run marked by a stadium clock counting their time in the top flight — until they were finally relegated in 2018 and the clock was stopped.
Expect questions on the 1983 European Cup, the Keegan years, the great legends and the Bundesliga clock. You'll be asked which Italian club HSV beat in Athens, who scored the winner, and which English star won the Ballon d'Or while at the club. Difficulty climbs from easy openers about the colours and the city to genuinely hard deep cuts about specific finals, scorers and seasons.
Hamburger SV quiz answers, explained
Every question from the quiz above. Play it first; each answer stays folded until you open it.
Hamburger SV compete in the top division of which country?
Show answer
Germany. HSV are a German club; their top flight is the Bundesliga.
Hamburger SV traces its origins to the founding of the club SC Germania in which year?
Show answer
1887. HSV dates its foundation to SC Germania, established in Hamburg in 1887.
In which year did HSV win their first German national championship?
Show answer
1923. HSV were crowned German champions for the first time in 1923.
In which year did three Hamburg clubs merge to create the club officially named Hamburger SV?
Show answer
1919. SC Germania, Hamburger FC and FC Falke Eppendorf merged in 1919 to form Hamburger SV.
HSV lost the 1968 European Cup Winners' Cup final to which Italian club?
Show answer
AC Milan. AC Milan beat HSV 2-0 in the 1968 Cup Winners' Cup final in Rotterdam.
After their pre-war successes, HSV won their first post-World-War-II German championship in which year?
Show answer
1960. HSV's first postwar German title came in 1960, before the Bundesliga era began.
In the early 1980s HSV won back-to-back German championships. In which year did they win the first of that pair?
Show answer
1982. HSV were German champions in 1982 and then retained the title the following year.
Which South Korean forward began his professional career at HSV, scoring his first senior goal in 2010?
Show answer
Son Heung-min. Son Heung-min came through HSV's youth setup and scored his first professional goal for the club in 2010.
Which Austrian coach managed HSV to their 1983 European Cup triumph?
Show answer
Ernst Happel. Austrian coach Ernst Happel guided HSV to the 1983 European Cup — his second European Cup as a manager.
HSV's first-ever relegation from the Bundesliga came in which year?
Show answer
2018. HSV dropped into the 2. Bundesliga for the first time in 2018, ending a top-flight run that stretched back to 1963.
Under which coach did HSV win the 1979 German championship?
Show answer
Branko Zebec. Branko Zebec, appointed in 1978, led HSV to the 1979 Bundesliga title with a disciplined, possession-based style.
Which HSV midfielder scored the only goal of the 1983 European Cup final?
Show answer
Felix Magath. Felix Magath struck early to settle the 1983 European Cup final in HSV's favour.
Which powerful HSV striker of the early 1980s earned the nickname 'Das Kopfball-Ungeheuer' (the Header Monster)?
Show answer
Horst Hrubesch. Horst Hrubesch's dominance in the air earned him the nickname 'the Header Monster'.
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?
Show answer
1978 and 1979. Keegan was named European Footballer of the Year in both 1978 and 1979 during his HSV spell.
HSV won the 1983 European Cup final, beating which Italian club 1‑0?
Show answer
Juventus. HSV defeated Juventus 1-0 to lift the 1983 European Cup.
HSV signed playmaker Rafael van der Vaart in 2005 from which Dutch club?
Show answer
Ajax. Van der Vaart joined HSV from his boyhood club Ajax in 2005.
Kevin Keegan's 1977 transfer to HSV set a British record fee of roughly how much?
Show answer
£500,000. Keegan's move to HSV cost around £500,000, then a British record transfer fee.
HSV won the DFB-Pokal (German Cup) in 1976 and then lifted it again in which later year?
Show answer
1987. HSV's DFB-Pokal triumphs came in 1963, 1976 and 1987.
In the season they won promotion back to the Bundesliga, HSV clinched it with a 6‑1 home win over which club?
Show answer
SSV Ulm. A 6-1 victory over SSV Ulm sealed HSV's return to the top flight.
For many years a large clock at HSV's stadium famously counted what?
Show answer
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.
At international level, HSV playmaker Rafael van der Vaart appeared at World Cups for which national team?
Show answer
Netherlands. Van der Vaart was a Netherlands international who represented the Dutch at the World Cup.
In 2008, HSV sold Rafael van der Vaart to which club?
Show answer
Real Madrid. Van der Vaart moved from HSV to Real Madrid in 2008.
Which coach led HSV to their 1977 European Cup Winners' Cup triumph?
Show answer
Kuno Klötzer. Kuno Klötzer was HSV's coach when they won the 1977 Cup Winners' Cup.
Which HSV right-back of the 1970s and 80s was famed for his curling crosses, dubbed 'Bananenflanken' (banana crosses)?
Show answer
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.
HSV's home stadium has carried various sponsor names over the years but is traditionally known by which name?
Show answer
Volksparkstadion. HSV's ground is traditionally called the Volksparkstadion, whatever the current sponsorship name may be.
HSV won their first major European trophy in 1977, beating which Belgian club 2‑0 in the Cup Winners' Cup final?
Show answer
Anderlecht. HSV beat Anderlecht 2-0 in Amsterdam to win the 1977 European Cup Winners' Cup.
HSV signed Kevin Keegan in 1977 from which English club?
Show answer
Liverpool. Keegan joined HSV from Liverpool, the Merseyside club where he had made his name.
After a long spell in the second tier, HSV won promotion back to the Bundesliga in which year?
Show answer
2025. HSV clinched a return to the Bundesliga in 2025, ending several seasons in the 2. Bundesliga.
In which city was the 1983 European Cup final, won by HSV, played?
Show answer
Athens. The 1983 European Cup final was staged at the Olympic Stadium in Athens.
HSV's club crest features a white diamond (Raute) set on a background of which colour?
Show answer
Blue. The HSV badge is a simple white diamond on a blue field.
Within the city of Hamburg, HSV's local derby is played against which club?
Show answer
FC St. Pauli. The Hamburg derby is HSV versus their cross-city neighbours FC St. Pauli.
HSV's fierce 'Nordderby' (Northern Derby) is contested against which club?
Show answer
Werder Bremen. The Nordderby pits HSV against their northern rivals Werder Bremen.
HSV long carried the affectionate nickname 'der Dino' (the Dinosaur). What earned them this name?
Show answer
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.
Which forward, a one-club HSV legend who captained West Germany at the 1966 World Cup, is celebrated as the club's greatest icon?
Show answer
Uwe Seeler. Uwe Seeler ('Uns Uwe') spent his entire career at HSV and captained West Germany in the 1966 World Cup final.
What is the primary colour of HSV's traditional home shirt?
Show answer
White. HSV traditionally play in a white home shirt.
HSV's nickname 'Die Rothosen' refers to which feature of their traditional kit?
Show answer
Their red shorts. 'Rothosen' is German for 'red shorts', a nod to the red shorts in HSV's traditional home kit.
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