Gelsenkirchen -
Park Stadion
(demolished)

FC Schalke 04 - 1.FC Kaiserslautern 1-1

Bundesliga, 31 January 1998

It is difficult to understand in 2025 but in 1998 this match was a real top match in the Bundesliga. Schalke 04, managed by PSV legend Huub Stevens, won the UEFA Cup  in the season before. The guests from Kaiserslautern achieved a real dream season this year: managed by Otto Rehhagel they won the Bundesliga in their first season after being promoted from 2. Bundesliga. I went to the game with my father in this iconic stadium in the smell of bratwurst. The stadium is mainly iconic for the Dutch because of Wim Kieft's header in 1988 against Ireland bringing them in the Semi Final of Euro 1988 and winning the Cup later. The Park Stadion was demolished in 2001 but is still Schalke's training facility with one light tower remaining. Another Dutchman, Marco van Hoogdalem, scored on behalf of Schalke. I saw him in 2023 again as owner of the Bernardushoeve in Voerendaal where we had a Christmas brunch. 

Tickets:

I ordered them by telephone after which we had to pay by bank transfer: the tickets where being send to our house by post. I should have kept the tickets.