Borussia Dortmund release footage of first Bundesliga goal after 63 years
It was the moment that marked the beginning of Bundesliga history – yet for decades, no one had been able to see it. On 24 August 1963, Borussia Dortmund's Timo Konietzka scored against Werder Bremen in the very first minute, putting BVB 1-0 up and etching his name into history as the scorer of the newly founded Bundesliga's first-ever goal. There were no video recordings or photographs of the historic moment – until now.
To mark the start of the new Bundesliga season, Dortmund, in collaboration with Vodafone, have reconstructed the goal as a moving image for the first time in 63 years. The accompanying short documentary, The Unseen Goal, brings to life a pivotal moment in the history of the club and German football that had previously existed only in the memories of those who witnessed it.
Watch: The Unseen Goal
A wealth of information was gathered over several months to ensure an accurate reconstruction. BVB and Vodafone analysed archive material and media reports and spoke to eyewitnesses, including Gerd Kolbe, now the club’s chief historian, who witnessed the historic moment at the stadium in 1963. Günther Konietzka, brother of the goalscorer, who died in 2012, and Eugen Kraas, chairman of BVB fan club Oeventrop-Freienohl, also shared their memories.
In addition, data from other BVB and Bremen matches from the period was incorporated into the project, helping to create movement models that replicated the playing styles and behaviour of players from the era as authentically as possible.
The context of that historic afternoon was also taken into account. Football experts reconstructed the atmosphere in the stadium, while the weather conditions, players' kits and attendance were also factored into the video. This wealth of information was then used by AI to recreate the historic moment.
Watch: The first goal in Bundesliga history, reconstructed with AI
"I am absolutely delighted that BVB and Vodafone have managed to bring this production to life. It fills a historic gap in the history of German football," said Kolbe.
Dortmund president Hans-Joachim Watzke also sees the project as a special tribute to the history of the club and the Bundesliga. "For many fans who are very conscious of tradition – and that is certainly the case at BVB, but also at Werder Bremen – this AI reconstruction is a real highlight."
