There is a particular quality to the loyalty that follows a football club through its worst years, and in Germany's industrial heartland it has rarely been tested quite as severely as at Schalke. Yet the Royal Blues are back in the Bundesliga, and the city of Gelsenkirchen — a place that has known its share of economic difficulty — is exhaling with something approaching relief.

Schalke's return to the top flight this season arrives after three years in the Bundesliga 2, and it caps a turbulent half-decade that took in two relegations, two promotions, the spectre of insolvency and the humbling task of dismantling the ego of a club that had long been spending money it did not have. As German football expert Mark Lovell put it, they were living beyond their means for many seasons, extending themselves too far in pursuit of success they could no longer afford. When that catches up with a club, it rarely does so gently.

A culture of belonging, even in the depths

What never wavered was the attachment of the supporters. Even in Schalke's first game back in the Bundesliga — a 3-0 defeat at Augsburg — six thousand travelling supporters stayed behind after the final whistle to applaud their players. That detail says a great deal. Professor Frank Eckardt, who grew up in the Schalke-Nord district, describes the club's place in the community as something close to religious. "You can take everything from us, but you will never take Schalke from us," he says of the local feeling. "That's what they really believe."

On matchday, even for friendlies, the streets around the Veltins-Arena fill with fans in blue and white arriving by tram and on foot. The 62,000-capacity ground sells out for home league fixtures as a matter of course. The fanbase did not drift during the difficult years. If anything, the difficulties reinforced the bond.

The architect in the dugout

What changed the trajectory was the appointment of Miron Muslic, a coach of Bosnian descent who had been working in Austria and, before that, had suffered relegation with Plymouth Argyle to England's third tier. He was hardly a marquee name. Initial scepticism in Gelsenkirchen was understandable, but Muslic — high-energy, high-press, uncompromising in his demands — proved those doubts wrong in spectacular fashion.

Local journalist Robin Haack, who covers the club for WAV, describes Muslic as the face of the promotion and credits him with restoring belief to a fanbase that had seen two dispiriting Bundesliga 2 campaigns. After finishing 14th in the second tier, one step above the relegation play-off places, the turnaround he engineered was remarkable. Haack says supporters love the manager in a way he has never seen before.

Baumann and the bones of a rebuilt club

Operating quietly behind the scenes was Frank Baumann, the former Werder Bremen director of football and Germany international, who joined the club in June 2025. By that point, Schalke's infrastructure was threadbare. Lovell describes Baumann simply as a top football man and a decent person, qualities that Schalke, in his assessment, had been lacking. Baumann's most visible move was recruiting Edin Dzeko, the veteran Bosnian forward, from Fiorentina in January. Dzeko, now 40, scored eight goals in his first 13 games and has continued into this season, contributing twice in a DFB Pokal victory.

For Muslic, Dzeko carries the weight of national legend. "He's our Gary Lineker. He's our Johan Cruyff," the manager told BBC Sport. The signing of a player of that stature — even on the downslope of a distinguished career — sent a signal about the direction the club intends to travel.

Humble, but with intent

The language around Schalke now is notably measured. The phrase "humble but ambitious" reflects a club that has learned, at considerable cost, the consequences of overreach. The market is cautious about their prospects for survival in the Bundesliga, and realistically so — they were away from the top flight for three years and rebuilt on a shoestring. But they carry in spades the one resource that no balance sheet can manufacture: a city that refuses to let go.

Frequently asked

Why were Schalke relegated from the Bundesliga?
Schalke suffered years of financial mismanagement, racking up significant debts through overspending. Combined with failure to qualify for European football and the economic impact of Covid-19, they were relegated from the Bundesliga for the first time in 21 years and faced the genuine threat of insolvency.
Who is Miron Muslic and what did he do for Schalke?
Miron Muslic is an Austrian-based manager of Bosnian descent who had previously worked in England with Plymouth Argyle. Appointed after Schalke finished 14th in the Bundesliga 2, he rebuilt the squad around a high-pressing style, restored belief to supporters, and led the club back to the Bundesliga.
Is Edin Dzeko still playing for Schalke?
Yes. Edin Dzeko, the former Manchester City and Bosnia-Herzegovina forward, joined Schalke in January 2025 and has continued into this season. He scored eight goals in his first 13 games and has added further goals in the DFB Pokal. He is 40 years old.