We asked you on social media: Which goals by Borussia Dortmund, Schalke 04, VfL Bochum, MSV Duisburg, and Rot-Weiss Essen were your favorites? Here are the results.
The year 2025 had quite a few surprises in store for the Ruhr Valley clubs: Borussia Dortmund sensationally made it into the Champions League, VfL Bochum was relegated, Schalke had a historically poor season (and recovered just as quickly), MSV Duisburg was promoted from the Regionalliga West to the 3. Liga, and now finds itself—just like Rot-Weiss Essen—in the promotion race.
Around the turn of the year, we asked you on social media: What was your favorite goal from each club—and why? Here’s a selection of your answers.
Borussia Dortmund:
@borussiahenrik 09: “Beier’s last-minute goal against Cologne. I’d never before been able to celebrate a BVB winning goal in stoppage time at the stadium.” Borussia Dortmund – 1. FC Köln 1–0, Bundesliga 2025–2026, Matchday 8 – Sat., Oct. 25, 2025 – 6:30 p.m.)
@leonienhaus: “Adeyemi’s drop kick against OSC Lille” (Borussia Dortmund vs. OSC Lille 1–2, 2024–2025 Champions League, Round of 16 – Tue., Mar. 4, 2025 – 9:00 p.m.)
Schalke 04:
Benny Bo: “Moussa Sylla’s 1-0 goal in Hannover, because that goal epitomizes the kind of soccer Schalke has been playing so far this season: putting pressure on the opponent early and winning the ball in a high position. What followed is what Schalke fundamentally still needs to improve—or rather, needs to show more often: quick, direct play up front and well-placed finishing. I’d love to see more of that.” (Hannover 96 – FC Schalke 04 0–3, 2. Bundesliga 2025/2026, Matchday 9 – Fri., Oct. 17, 2025 – 6:30 p.m.)
Kevin Meyer: “Becker in Düsseldorf (awesome pass from Karaman) or Lasme’s chip against Paderborn” (Fortuna Düsseldorf vs. FC Schalke 04 0–2, 2. Bundesliga 2025/2026, Matchday 15 – Fri., Dec. 5, 2025 – 6:30 p.m. and FC Schalke 04 – SC Paderborn 07 2–1, 2. Bundesliga 2025/2026, Matchday 14 – Fri., Nov. 28, 2025 – 6:30 p.m.)
Ralf Kriegel: “That incredible (artistic volley) goal on Finn Porath’s debut for Schalke against Greuther Fürth! A real stunner! Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to repeat that feat (…).” (FC Schalke 04 – SpVgg Fürth 1-0, 2nd Bundesliga 2025/2026, Matchday 7 – Fri., Sept. 26, 2025 – 6:30 p.m.)
VfL Bochum:
@collin.vfl: “Onyeka on the 2-0 goal against Hertha—the way he moved and that finish: simply perfect” (VfL Bochum – Hertha BSC 3-2, 2. Bundesliga 2025/2026, Matchday 9 – Sat., Oct. 18, 2025 – 8:30 p.m.)
Stefan Köhn: “Matus Bero’s 2–3 goal in Munich—historic.” (FC Bayern Munich – VfL Bochum 2:3, Bundesliga 2024/2025, Matchday 25 – Sat., Mar. 8, 2025 – 3:30 p.m.)
Matthias Rauh: “Masouras’ second goal against BVB” (VfL Bochum – Borussia Dortmund 2-0, Bundesliga 2024/2025, Matchday 22 – Sat., Feb. 15, 2025 – 3:30 p.m.)
MSV Duisburg:
Totti Tarara: “All those late goals—they came so late that Forecasting had to rewrite its previously published match reports!” (MSV Duisburg just didn’t always make it easy for us, Ed.)
Markus Fröhlich: “That 3–2 win in Verl was epic” (Conor Noß, SC Verl – MSV Duisburg 2–3, 3rd League 2025/2026, Matchday 4 – Sat., Aug. 30, 2025 – 2:00 p.m.)
Ron Nie: “Thilo Töpken’s 2–1 game-winning goal at home while down a man in stoppage time against Ulm (Matchday 3)—pure excitement” (MSV Duisburg vs. SSV Ulm 1846 2–1, 3rd League 2025/2026, Matchday 3 – Sat., Aug. 23, 2025 – 4:30 p.m.)
Benedikt Körner: “Not necessarily the prettiest goal, but probably one of the most important in my view—Fleckstein’s goal in Mönchengladbach. Simply because it put to rest any lingering doubts that might have arisen from all sorts of ‘what-if’ scenarios. By the way, thanks again to Borussia Mönchengladbach for the many tickets. It was a blast” (Borussia Mönchengladbach II – MSV Duisburg 0–1, Regionalliga West 2024/2025, Matchday 31 – Fri., Apr. 25, 2025 – 6:45 p.m.)
Rot-Weiss Essen:
@keba_green: “3–2 in Saarbrücken: Because it was simply a perfectly executed counterattack, unlike in Havelse.” (Franci Bouebari, 1. FC Saarbrücken – Rot-Weiss Essen 2–3, 3rd League 2025–2026, Matchday 16 – Sat., Nov. 29, 2025 – 2:00 p.m.)
@collin_pablo: “Müselllllll in Wiesbaden” (SV Wehen Wiesbaden – Rot-Weiss Essen 3:4, 3rd League 2025/2026, Matchday 3 – Fri., Aug. 22, 2025 – 7:00 p.m.)
Thomas Go: “3–2 by Mizuta against Ulm” (Rot-Weiss Essen vs. SSV Ulm 1846 3–2, 3rd League 2025/2026, Matchday 19 – Sat., Dec. 20, 2025 – 2:00 p.m.)
