How a century-old German sports magazine became the definitive voice of global football

Entertainment · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Founded in 1920 by pioneer Walther Bensemann, Kicker has evolved from a niche German publication into a titan of football journalism. With its twice-weekly print editions and expansive digital presence, it remains a cornerstone of the sport, influencing how fans perceive the greatest clubs and players in history.

Kicker was born in Konstanz in July 1920, established by Walther Bensemann. After moving its headquarters from Stuttgart to Nuremberg in 1926, the magazine navigated a turbulent history, including a wartime merger with the publication Fußball and a total discontinuation in the fall of 1944. Its post-war revival was complex, involving a period where it operated under the name Sport before Friedebert Becker resumed the Kicker brand in 1951. The modern iteration took shape in 1968, when Olympia-Verlag acquired the magazine and merged it with Sportmagazin, creating the Kicker-Sportmagazin that remains a fixture today.

Beyond its reporting, Kicker has become an arbiter of football excellence. It annually awards the Kicker Torjägerkanone to the Bundesliga's top scorer, a distinction comparable to the Spanish Pichichi Trophy. The magazine also maintains deep historical records, publishing the Kicker Fußball-Almanach—which has appeared continuously since 1959—and the Kicker Fußball-Jahrbuch. These publications serve as essential archives for the sport's evolving statistics and achievements.

The magazine's influence extends to subjective rankings of football's elite. In 1998, it compiled a list of the 20th century's best clubs based on the insights of legendary figures like Johan Cruyff, Giovanni Trapattoni, and Udo Lattek. By 2014, the editorial team updated this perspective, creating a new list of history's best clubs based on international achievements, titles, and player careers. Today, Kicker maintains a massive digital footprint, including a live ticker covering over 80 international leagues and a dedicated mobile presence, ensuring its legacy as a founding member of European Sports Media continues in the digital age.

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