Bundesliga

The Bundesliga is Germany's top football league and one of the most watched football leagues in the world. At the top of the German football league, the Bundesliga has 18 teams competing throughout the course of a season, operating on a system of promotion and relegation with Germany's second division, 2. Bundesliga.

Running throughout August to May, most Bundesliga games are played on Saturdays and Sundays, although there are regularly games played during the week. All of the Bundesliga clubs qualify for the German cup competition, DFB-Pokal, whilst the winner of the Bundesliga qualifies for the DFL-Supercup, where the winners of the league take on the winners of the Cup.

Since its birth in 1963, a total of 52 clubs have competed in the Bundesliga. Bayern Munich are currently the most successful club in Bundesliga history, winning the title on 22 occasions. Other notable champions include Borussia Dortmund, Hamburger SV, Werder Bremen, Borussia Monchengladbach and VfB Stuttgart, although it has been Bayern who have long been the league's dominant force.

Bayern and Borussia Monchengladbach hold the record for most consecutive championship titles with three. In fact, Bayern have on three occasions achieved that feat (1971-1972, 1972-1973 and 1973-1974; 1984-1985, 1985-1986 and 1986-1987; 1998-1999, 1999-2000 and 2000-2001). Monchengladbach won a hat-trick of Bundesliga titles in 1974-1975, 1975-1976 and 1976-1977.

Bayern's title winning season of 2012-2013 saw the club rack up a record 91 points, including a record 29 victories. They also set an impressive new record of 15 away wins over the course of the season. At the other end of the spectrum, however, Tasmania Berlin's ten points in the 1965-1966 season remains the lowest ever total in Bundesliga history. 

Bayern Munich legend Gerd Müller remains the Bundesliga's leading goalscorer, with 395 goals during his 14 years in the league, while Karl-Heinz Körbel's 602 appearances in the league for Eintracht Frankfurt remains a record for appearances in the Bundesliga.

The Bundesliga is currently ranked third in Europe based on recent European performances. The Bundesliga boasts the highest league attendances in all of world football, with an average of over 45,000 fans attending Bundesliga matches. The Bundesliga is broadcast on television in over 200 countries, highlighting the growing influence the league is having around the world.  

Stefan Kießling's 25 goals for Bayer Leverkusen in 2012-2013 saw him pip Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski for the Bundesliga's top scorer. 

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