A cool morning settles over the slopes of the Saar Valley as the first rays of sunlight touch the Kaiserlinde tree. Nestled among half-timbered houses and narrow streets, a place awakens that barely registers on maps – yet it now plays a lively role in professional football. And the club almost qualified for the top flight, narrowly losing out to 1. FC Heidenheim in the summer's relegation play-offs. But this season, too, demonstrates that in Elversberg, the smallest town in the entire 2. Bundesliga, the tranquility of everyday life blends seamlessly with footballing excellence.
Today, when people think of SV Elversberg, they picture the surprise promotion winner – but the club’s roots stretch far back, to a time when football was still played on open fields. Founded in 1907 as „FC Germania Elversberg,“ the club experienced its early years as a rollercoaster of euphoria and turmoil: World War I led to its dissolution in 1914, but the club was re-established in 1918 – this time as „Sportvereinigung Elversberg VfB.“
With the construction of the sports field at the Kaiserlinde in the 1920s, the team finally found a permanent home. On the field, they fluctuated between the A-Class, the District League, and the Regional League. After World War II, the occupying powers reorganised the club system, and in 1945, all the local sports clubs merged to form the „Sportgemeinde Elversberg.“
After several years in the district and regional leagues, the club achieved promotion to the Landesliga, the highest amateur league in Saarland, in 1951. In 1952, the club reverted to its original name, „Sportvereinigung Elversberg VfB 07,“ which later became „SV 07 Elversberg e.V.“
What hardly anyone could have foreseen at the time: decades later, this Saarland community would become a professional club, poised to establish itself in the 2. Bundesliga. The Saarlanders were already competing in the second division for the third consecutive season.
| Top Scorers | Top Assists |
| Younes Ebnoutalib – 10 Goals | Bambasé Conté – 5 Assists |
| Bambasé Conté – 3 Goals | Lukas Petkov – 2 Assists |
| Lukas Petkov – 2 Goals | Nicholas Mickelson – 2 Assists |
| Frederik Schmahl – 2 Goals | Lukasz Poreba – 2 Assist |
| Felix Keidel – 2 Goals | Felix Keidel – 2 Assist |
Vincent Wagner
Head coach at SV 07 ElversbergSV Elversberg currently dominates the offensive statistics. With 210 shots on goal, the team leads the league. They not only regularly put opposing goalkeepers under pressure, but also frequently find the back of the net: 27 goals is also a league-leading figure. Arminia Bielefeld follows in second place with 25 goals.
The hall smells of sweat and rubber, the sound of feet striking the mats echoes off the walls. A young Younes Ebnoutalib stands barefoot in the centre, his gaze fixed on his father. Faissal Ebnoutalib, Olympic silver medalist in taekwondo, corrects his son’s posture, gently rotating his hips. The boy nods—and the next moment, his foot shoots upward with lightning speed, clean, precise, powerful. No one in the hall at that time suspected that these movements would one day form the basis for a completely different career.
Today, you can recognise it in every sprint he makes, in every physical contact, in every turn in tight spaces. Younes Ebnoutalib possesses a sporting foundation that is rare in professional football: a black belt. Ebnoutalib’s football career began at the age of 14 in the youth academy of SV 07 Heddernheim, and he later moved to Rot-Weiss Frankfurt before joining the youth team of SV Wehen Wiesbaden in 2019. After another stint at Rot-Weiss Frankfurt, he moved to Italy in 2022, where he played for the U19 team of AC Perugia. His contract was later terminated due to a broken foot, leaving him without a club for six months. In January 2025, he returned to Germany and signed with FC Gießen in the Regionalliga Südwest (fourth tier) – there, he scored six goals and provided several assists in 19 appearances.
… Later that same year, he made the jump to the 2nd Bundesliga: SV 07 Elversberg signed him on January 1, 2025, with a long-term contract until 2028. And Ebnoutalib is delivering: This season he has made 13 appearances and scored ten goals.
On Sunday, the Lilies face a challenge in Baden: for the 8th matchday, SV Darmstadt 98 travel to take on Karlsruher SC. At the pre-match press conference, our head coach discussed the squad situation, the qualities of the opposition, and the team's motivation to get back to winning ways on the road.
On Sunday (October 18th), SV Darmstadt 98 will visit Karlsruher SC. KSC has a history that extends well beyond the confines of German football: the club from Baden once caused a stir on the European stage, writing a chapter that is still remembered today. But how did KSC manage to step into the international spotlight, and what made this success so special?
The next away match is coming up: this Sunday (October 18th, 1:30pm), the Lilien will visit Karlsruher SC for the 8th matchday of the 2. Bundesliga. As always, you can find all the essential information regarding travel and your visit to the stadium in the fan guidelines.
SV Darmstadt 98 invites all its members to come to the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor on November 1st, 2026, starting at 11:30am. Together, we aim to once again create the largest team photo in our club’s history—with the professional players in the front and the entire Lilies family behind them.
On Sunday (Oct 18th), SV Darmstadt 98 will visit Karlsruher SC. The side from Baden differs from the Lilies in several key respects. Furthermore, the match will see SV 98 cross paths with a former player once again. Find out here about other connections between the two clubs, as well as some particularly interesting statistics ahead of the encounter.
On Tuesday evening (October 13th), the SilberLilien took part in SV Darmstadt 98’s Stolperstein tour for the first time. Along the approximately six-kilometre route, the participants made several stops to learn more about the fates of Jewish club members who were persecuted and driven out during the Holocaust.
From new grassroots sports offerings and a look back at the club's history to birthdays and the latest updates from the media briefing—there is plenty to report from SV Darmstadt 98 again this week. In "Lilien Across the Board," we round up the news, insights, and stories from life at the club.
Tickets for the home match against 1. FC Heidenheim on November 22nd are available for purchase now.
SV Darmstadt 98's U21 team proved their mettle at home against KSV Hessen Kassel II in the Hessenliga on Sunday (Oct. 11th). After a convincing 90-minute performance, the Young Lilies secured another three points, finishing with a decisive 4–0 victory that lifts them to sixth place in the standings.
The Lilies overturned an early deficit to celebrate a 3–1 home victory against Energie Cottbus—a win that boosts confidence and confirms the progress being made. Read our analysis to find out why there is still work to be done and what positives SV 98 takes away from the match.
This season, too, Lilien fans will be doubly rewarded for every home goal scored by SV Darmstadt 98. In addition to the joy and excitement of the goals, the team's supporters will receive 98 litres of Krombacher Pils for every home goal scored by Darmstadt at the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor.
After the international break, Darmstadt 98 returned to the Bölle with a home win! Against Energie Cottbus, SV Darmstadt 98 put on a spirited performance in front of their home crowd and rewarded themselves with three points after an intense match. We've compiled the post-match reactions for you here: