Elversberg's ascent to the Bundesliga is amazing. Just don't call it a fairytale

SV Elversberg’s rise to the Bundesliga has turned heads in southwest Germany, and the club is trying to control the narrative. Based in Spiesen-Elversberg (population 13,000, no train station), the team earned promotion in May with a 3-0 win over Preussen Munster—its third promotion in five years—and will expand its stadium to 15,000 next year. After spending the 2022 season in Germany’s fourth tier, Elversberg have opened the Bundesliga with a surprise victory over Bayer Leverkusen and host Bayern Munich. Their survival plan included an analysis by technical director Dr. Josef Welzmüller’s small scouting team, leading to tactical adjustments while keeping a “brave, intense, and clever” identity.