CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
What does Borussia Dortmund’s motto ‘Echte Liebe’ mean?
The phrase has been used by fans and players of the German club since 2009 with the launch of an advertising campaign.
When it comes to German soccer teams, it’s clear there is something special about Borussia Dortmund. For many reasons - the passionate fans and the atmosphere they create at Signal Iduna Park; the legends that have passed through the club, the rivalry with Bayern Munich and, ultimately, the philosophy of life that the club transmits. All of that contributes to make the Bundesliga club something unique.
This evening, Barcelona are guests at Signal Iduna Park to face Borussia Dortmund in matchday six of the league phase of the Champions League. Having been a regular in the tournament over the past thirty years (today’s game will be the team’s 189th), fans are used to reading or hearing the motto ‘Echte Liebe’, which has been used by BVB fans and players since 2009.
Meaning of ‘Echte Liebe’ in English
You could say that ‘Echte Liebe’ is a short and concise motto, since its literal translation into English is simply “true love”. ‘Echt’ means ‘real’ or ‘true’, and ‘liebe’ means ‘love’. In the German language, ‘love’ is a word with a feminine article (die), so the final ‘e’ is added to form the phrase.
The feeling of pride and identification that Dortmund supporters have with their players is one of the most intense in the world, and that is what the slogan aims to capture. A true and unconditional love that unites the team with its fans.
‘Echte Liebe’ is one more of the hallmarks of Borussia Dortmund, which includes other elements such as the abbreviation BVB, singing the anthem You’ll Never Walk Alone (borrowed from Liverpool) and the legendary Yellow Wall (Gelbe Wand) - an intimidating sea of yellow and black that visiting teams are confronted with at all of Dortmund’s home games.
The origin of the motto
The motto was created in 2009 following a marketing campaign devised by the XEO Communications agency and the club’s marketing department.
The intention was to strengthen the club’s identity and connect it with the fans, and that’s when the idea of creating a short but clear motto arose. Since then, ‘Echte Liebe’ has been present on everything related to Borussia Dortmund, from scarves to advertising panels, T-shirts, sweatshirts and tattoos.