Who would not want to spend a weekend celebrating the traditional values of football and on top of that play a match in a BVB shirt alongside Borussia Dortmund legend Lars Ricken? Last weekend, this dream came true for a selected group of 20 BVB fans as they played a Sheffield FC Select side in the 'motherland of football'.

On Friday a group of BVB fans embarked on a journey to the north of England, more precisely to Sheffield and the roots of football. On historic ground and with BVB legend Lars Ricken in their side, they played a match against a select side from the world’s oldest club – Sheffield FC. Their journey to England had started on Friday night, and the 13-hour bus ride was filled with anticipation, all the while getting to know each other better. Before the trip, the team, which was compiled of all kind of fans, had already held three training sessions at BVB’s training facility in Brackel.

After the arrival on Saturday morning, the team was able to relax and recover a bit from the trip in the hotel before they were welcomed at lunch by Richard Tims, chairman of Sheffield FC. They then went on to explore some of Sheffield’s historic sites, including Sandygate Road Stadium, the world’s oldest football ground, which is still the home of Hallam FC. Next on the sightseeing list was Sheffield United’s Bramall Lane where the world’s first ever floodlit football match took place. After taking a first look at “Coach & Horses Stadium“, Sheffield United’s current ground, the group then stopped at the club’s pub of the same name to build up more friendships, and, of course, share a few songs and chants.

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The weekend’s biggest highlight for the Fanteam came on Sunday before the anniversary game between the world’s two oldest football clubs. Led onto the field by their skipper Lars Ricken and in front of a number of BVB fans who had travelled from all over Great Britain to support them, they took on a Sheffield FC select side of fans and legends, including former Newcastle United and Manchester City player John Beresford. Eager to represent their club colours in the best possible way, the Fanteam was focused and motivated from the start, with Lars Ricken pulling the strings in midfield to help his side race into a comfortable 3-0 lead at halftime with goals from Marco Rühmann (8 mins), Jens Büdenbender (11) and Jan Schröder (24). The visitors picked up where they left off after the interval and Kamil Dusza (54) and Grazian Schwoch (60) quickly brought the score to 5-0. Unfazed by the score, Sheffield refused to give in and their fighting spirit was rewarded with two goals. After 35 minutes each way, the scoreboard with metal numbered plates showed 5-2 in favour of BVB’s Fanteam.

Before they said goodbye to their friends from Sheffield, each of the players received a very special honour when they were given a lifetime membership to the world’s oldest football club by chairman Richard Tims. It was a thank you for Dortmund’s unique efforts to keep football as a game of the people. And so the journey back home offered the group ample time to reflect on the wonderful memories of the weekend in Sheffield.

Click here for a video on the Fanteam’s and Lars Ricken’s trip to the roots of football