Success of Viktoria Cologne: Flying high in Höhenberg

Viktoria Köln is the team of the moment in the third division. Since last weekend, the people on the right bank of the Rhine from the Höhenberg district have been at the top of the table and are now seen as serious candidates for promotion to the second league. In terms of budget, the club is in the relegation zone of league three.

The soaring began when the club was basically on the ground. Around ten years ago, Viktoria Cologne didn't have a particularly good reputation. “Millionarios” was heard maliciously from the stands of opposing fans during Cologne games. At the time, Viktoria was generously financed by entrepreneur Fanz-Josef Wernze. With the support of the billionaire entrepreneur, it was considered one of the financially strongest clubs in the 3rd league.

Wernze died in April 2023. And a lot of things changed for Viktoria Cologne. The club's management started a restructuring process with the clear goal of establishing itself as a training club and reducing costs in the process. “The club immediately had to make do with 30 percent less money – in all areas,” describes today's sporting director Valentin Schäfer, who was employed as a player scout for the club at the time.

In the scene, Viktoria was considered the number one relegated team. The personnel situation was difficult. The club had to sell key performers and replace them for free. “In April 2024 we had 14 players under contract for the new season – and were therefore already over our budget,” recalls Schäfer. With the new direction, Viktoria brought in viable players from lower leagues instead of established professionals. And actors who, after a career break at Viktoria, tried to make a new start for a comparatively low salary.

And – perhaps even more important: the senior staff were promoted from their own junior camp. The assistant coach of the professionals in 2024/25 was Marian Wilhelm, who had already coached all of Viktoria's youth teams from the U10 to the U19 - now he has been assigned to head coach Olaf Janßen. With the firm agreement to replace Janßen as head coach after one season. Valentin Schäfer first became a squad planner and was promoted to sporting director at the beginning of 2026.

Wilhelm may have achieved his masterpiece when he developed Said El Mala into a professional. Together with Schäfer, he brought the current national player to Viktoria in 2023 together with his brother Malek from TSV Meerbusch.

Viktoria sold the two of them to their big neighbors 1. FC Köln in 2024, but kept them in their own team on loan for another year. With the two El Malas, Viktoria played a strong season despite poor forecasts and earned a new reputation. “We were suddenly known in the scene as a club that could be a springboard for young, promising players,” describes Schäfer. In the last two years, the team has been revamped before each season.

Before the 2024/25 season, the club had 17 player departures, and in 2025/26 there were even 21. These included central defender Zoumana Keita, who was sold to RSC Anderlecht for 500,000 euros, and Sidny Lopes Cabral. The full-back caused a stir with the Cape Verde national team at the 2026 World Cup with a dream goal.

The enormous personnel changes brought the club a significant increase in transfers every time - vital for the existence of the “new” Viktoria. There was no loss of performance, quite the opposite. The fact that Viktoria is now leading the 3rd league is surprising from those responsible, but the overall positive development of the team is not completely unexpected.

Continuity in the team is definitely important - but actually much more important in the management of the club, says Valentin Schäfer: "We've all known each other here for years and follow a game idea and a concept. And that's what we look for and sign our players to," explains Schäfer. He thinks: “A team gets used to it more quickly if it is put together to suit the coaching team’s idea.”

Coach Wilhelm follows a clear concept: his team should play possession football and be courageous. Viktoria players should be technically strong and offensively oriented. “We all want to take the next step here,” says Wilhelm. “We only bring in players who have the personal goal of getting out of the third division as quickly as possible.” On Friday Viktoria welcomes 1. FC Saarbrücken for the next championship game. The Saarlanders definitely want to get promoted. Like almost all clubs in the 3rd league. Also the Victoria. "Our club has positioned itself clearly. We wouldn't defend ourselves against promotion," says Marian Wilhelm.