One of the most important dates in Borussia's history is undoubtedly 24 June 1989, when the Black & Yellows won the DFB Cup to end their 23-year wait for a trophy. The 4-1 victory over Werder Bremen in the final marked the start of a successful era in Dortmund that culminated in the club lifting the Champions League eight years later.

Kick-off was only 45 minutes away. But while Bremen boss Otto Rehhagel had announced his team selection some while previously, BVB counterpart Horst Köppel had not yet followed suit. Only ten Dortmund players had been selected. Did he no longer think it was viable to start with Norbert Dickel? Chairman Gerd Niebaum and midfielder Michael Zorc had tried to talk him into using the frontman, who had only returned to team training – in pain, which he had hidden – the day before the final following a lengthy lay-off. Niebaum is said to have begged Köppel to start Dickel.

Half an hour before kick-off, Köppel finally filled in the missing name on his team sheet: Norbert Dickel would start the final.

Borussia began timidly, allowing Bremen to open the scoring in the 15th minute through Karlheinz Riedle, who would later move to Dortmund. But six minutes later the fightback began when Frank Mill played a cross beyond the outstretched foot of Bratseth and into the path of Dickel, who slotted the leveller beyond Werder shot-stopper Oliver Reck. Game on.

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In the changing room at half-time, the players were encouraging each other ahead of the second half: "They're not that good," they said. The match really swung into life after the break as Mill made a goal-line clearance before heading BVB in front in the 58th minute. Dickel, meanwhile, had only one thing on his mind: "Somehow get another goal!" All thoughts of tactics went out of the window. "We didn't play a 4-3-3 or a 4-4-2. It was just everyone versus Werder," he said.

That goal came in the 73rd minute. Mill began a mazy run down the right before shooting at Reck, who blocked with his foot. Mil latched onto the loose ball, curling it across to Dickel, who took a fierce swing at it "because I didn't know how much the shot would hurt the inside of my foot". The connection couldn't have been sweeter and the ball flew past Reck, nestling in the bottom corner. Michael Lusch made it 4-1 a minute later and Dortmund had their first title since 1966.

At some point the next day, a pilot flying over Germany addressed his passengers: "They're waiting for you in Dortmund. The police say the area around the airport is packed. And when I say packed, I mean absolutely ram-packed." Around 30,000 people were awaiting the return of their heroes in Wickede, while more than a hundred thousand had gathered in the city. (sf)