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Royal Blues sign city’s Golden Book as 2. Bundesliga champions
FC Schalke 04’s 2025/26 season officially came to a close on Monday (18/5) with a fitting ceremony. At the invitation of mayor Andrea Henze, the squad were given the honour of signing the city’s Golden Book at Gelsenkirchen town hall as 2. Bundesliga champions and a newly-promoted Bundesliga side.
The players, led by head coach Miron Muslic, entered the hall at Hans-Sachs-Haus to loud applause. Henze, fittingly wearing the gold chain of office, paid tribute to the Royal Blues’ achievement: “This team and this season have delighted people in Gelsenkirchen – and beyond Gelsenkirchen too – and brought them even closer to FC Schalke 04. And hand on heart, when I spoke last summer about a plan to take Gelsenkirchen forward, I did have Schalke 04 in mind as well. But I never imagined it would happen quite so quickly.”
The current squad are the first Schalke side since 2011 to be given the honour, after the team featuring Raúl signed the city’s Golden Book following their DFB-Pokal triumph. Head coach Miron Muslic and captain Kenan Karaman then added their names to the Golden Book of the City of Gelsenkirchen. “It feels incredibly emotional – and it shows how many people we’ve made happy,” explained Muslic. Karaman added: “It’s a fitting and well-deserved way to finish for us, the city and the whole region.”
I told you that if you were elected, we would play our part in taking Gelsenkirchen forward.
Schalke CEO Matthias Tillmann also addressed those in attendance, highlighting his personal connection with the mayor. “A year ago, our club was at a low point. Andrea, you and I met in person at the Schalke Day around that time, and you told me about your plan to take Gelsenkirchen forward. It was clear to both of us that Schalke had to be part of that, and that this club belongs in the Bundesliga. I told you that if you were elected, we would play our part in that plan. As they say, the rest is history!”
The final official engagement of the 2025/26 season ended with a group photo on the balcony of Hans-Sachs-Haus, followed by a reception with local dignitaries and representatives from local politics. Alongside board members, managing directors, media representatives and public figures from Gelsenkirchen, Gerd Rehberg – the city’s former mayor and honorary president of S04 – was also in attendance to pay tribute to the achievement.
