These were potentially, and most likely, the first two foreign words that I ever heard, or the first ones that registered - "Borussia Monchengladbach." "Soccer Made in Germany" was on the TV right around the time I started playing the game myself, and Gladbach were always featured prominently, because this was the club's Golden Age. I couldn't understand what the f*** they were saying when they said the name, but I loved it, and they became my first favorite (real) football team. I was like five or six years old.
They also are the sister club of Liverpool. The two sides met first in the final of the UEFA Cup in 1973, which Liverpool won on aggregate over two legs, 3-2. They met again in the final of the European Cup (the precursor to the Champions League) in 1977, which Liverpool again won, 3-1, the first of their six European titles (so far). Bayern Munich also have six, [REDACTED] have seven, and [REDACTED] have 13.
The fans got along well in these match-ups, but it was later that the relationship was cemented. In a huge police f***-up, and then cover-up (proven only recently in court), 96 Liverpool supporters lost their lives in a crowd crush at Hillsborough while going to watch the Reds play Sheffield Wednesday. This was an enormous turning point in football in Europe - it basically wiped out terrace standing for matches. That pales in comparison to the tragedy of the loss of human life, of course. A group of Gladbach supporters collected donations totalling 21,000 German Deutschemarks and flew to Liverpool to present them to the families of the victims. Ever since, fans of the two clubs have made yearly visits to the other's ground to watch matches, and support each other's clubs in general, especially against the evil empire in either league.
Team European Football Club - Borussia Monchengladbach
@DancingPanther
I'm putting Liverpool in Euro Football Club, and Gladbach in Non-Defunct Franchise. Anyone else who already has a football team can do the same, just let me know.