Worst starts in Bundesliga history: Has 2025/26 really been that bad for Borussia Mönchengladbach?

Borussia Mönchengladbach remain the only team in the Bundesliga yet to register a league win in 2025/26 and have posted just three points from eight games to prop up the table. Where do the Foals rank for worst starts to a season and what are their chances of survival?

“Not everything that’s been criticised has actually been bad,” said interim coach Eugen Polanski in an interview with the Bundesliga last month. His side also earned plaudits for their efforts with 10 men in their eventual 3-0 loss to so far flawless Bayern Munich on Matchday 8.

The bottom line, however, is that it’s the first time in their top-flight history that Gladbach have failed to get a win over the first eight games of the season.

Watch: Gladbach 0-3 Bayern - highlights

That is, though, not actually a rare occurrence in the Bundesliga. Over now 63 seasons, they are the 41st team to be winless after Matchday 8.

The longest wait for a first win of the campaign was set by Nuremberg in 2013/14, who finally picked up a victory on Matchday 18.

The Foals’ haul of three points from eight games is also by no means the lowest in history, with several teams having posted a solitary point down the years.

The record for fewest wins over an entire Bundesliga season stands at two by Tasmania Berlin in 1965/66 and Wuppertal in 1974/75.

As you’ll see in the list below, the former also hold the unwanted distinction of playing the worst season in Bundesliga history, amassing only 10 points.

The Tasmania Berlin team of the 1960s hold an unwanted place in Bundesliga history. - imago images/Horstm¸ller

This current Gladbach team are also only a point away from the relative safety of the play-off spot.

In addition, history shows that being bottom after Matchday 8 can very much go either way over the rest of the campaign. Out of 62 previous seasons, the bottom team at this stage has been relegated 31 times and secured safety 31 times – a 50/50 split. Over the last 25 years, it’s 13-12 in favour of staying up.

Two teams have even finished as high as eighth place from this position, in Bochum (2006/07) and Hamburg (2004/05).

Changing coach is also nothing new in this situation. Every single team to be bottom after eight rounds of fixtures has made at least one change in the dugout over the course of the season. Schalke even had five men in charge in 2020/21.

Worst starts to a Bundesliga season by matchday:

Numbers correct following Matchday 8 of 2025/26

*denotes tied on points with other teams

Matchday 1: Schalke, 2020/21 – 0 points*, -8 goal difference

Matchday 2: Schalke, 2020/21 – 0 points*, -10 goal difference

Matchday 3: Schalke, 2020/21 – 0 points*, -14 goal difference

Matchday 4: Karlsruhe, 1963/64 – 0 points*, -13 goal difference

Matchday 5: Karlsruhe, 1963/64 – 0 points*, -15 goal difference

Matchday 6: Bochum, 2022/23 – 0 points*, -14 goal difference

The Bochum team of 2022/23 are one of three to have had no points on the board after six games. - IMAGO/Ralf Treese/IMAGO/Treese

Matchday 7: Eintracht Braunschweig, 2013/14 – 1 point, -15 goal difference

Matchday 8: Bochum, 2022/23 – 1 point*, -18 goal difference

Matchday 9: Bochum, 2024/45 – 1 point*, -20 goal difference

Matchday 10: Saarbrücken, 1963/64 – 1 point*, -21 goal difference

Matchday 11: Greuther Fürth, 2021/22 – 1 point, -21 goal difference

Matchday 12: Greuther Fürth, 2021/22 – 1 point, -25 goal difference

Matchday 13: Greuther Fürth, 2021/22 – 1 point, -28 goal difference

Matchday 14: Greuther Fürth, 2021/22 – 1 point, -34 goal difference

Matchday 15: Cologne, 2017/18 – 3 points, -22 goal difference

Matchday 16: Cologne, 2017/18 – 3 points, -23 goal difference

A Cologne team featuring Serhou Guirassy once managed only three points from their first 16 games of a season. - imago/Eduard Bopp

Matchday 17: Tasmania Berlin, 1965/66 – 4 points, -50 goal difference

Matchday 18: Tasmania Berlin, 1965/66 – 4 points, -53 goal difference

Matchday 19: Tasmania Berlin, 1965/66 – 5 points, -53 goal difference

Matchday 20: Tasmania Berlin, 1965/66 – 5 points, -55 goal difference

Matchday 21: Tasmania Berlin, 1965/66 – 5 points, -59 goal difference

Matchday 22: Tasmania Berlin, 1965/66 – 5 points, -60 goal difference

Matchday 23: Tasmania Berlin, 1965/66 – 5 points, -61 goal difference

Matchday 24: Tasmania Berlin, 1965/66 – 5 points, -66 goal difference

Matchday 25: Tasmania Berlin, 1965/66 – 6 points, -66 goal difference

Matchday 26: Tasmania Berlin, 1965/66 – 6 points, -68 goal difference

Matchday 27: Tasmania Berlin, 1965/66 – 6 points, -77 goal difference

Matchday 28: Tasmania Berlin, 1965/66 – 6 points, -81 goal difference

Matchday 29: Tasmania Berlin, 1965/66 – 7 points, -81 goal difference

Matchday 30: Tasmania Berlin, 1965/66 – 7 points, -85 goal difference

The Bundesliga proved a step too far for Tasmania Berlin in 1965/66. - imago images/Horstm¸ller

Matchday 31: Tasmania Berlin, 1965/66 – 7 points, -88 goal difference

Matchday 32: Tasmania Berlin, 1965/66 – 7 points, -90 goal difference

Matchday 33: Tasmania Berlin, 1965/66 – 10 points, -89 goal difference

Matchday 34: Tasmania Berlin, 1965/66 – 10 points, -93 goal difference

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