Opposition Check: Hannover 96
On May 23, 1954, the stadium erupted during the final match between Hannover and Kaiserslautern. A shimmering summer light bathed the stadium, 80,000 spectators packed the stands, the air thick with anticipation. When the final whistle blew, a roar of jubilation erupted, echoing far beyond the city limits: Hannover 96 had just defeated the overwhelming favourites, 1. FC Kaiserslautern, 5-1, and crowned themselves German football champions. A sensation the likes of which German football hadn't seen in a long time. The next morning, almost every newspaper in the country ran the headline in large letters: "The Football Sensation: Hannover 96 is Champion!"