2002–03 VfB Stuttgart season

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VfB Stuttgart
2002–03 season
ChairmanManfred Haas
ManagerFelix Magath
Bundesliga2nd
UEFA CupRound of 16
DFB-PokalSecond round
Intertoto CupChampions
Top goalscorerKevin Kurányi (15)

VfB Stuttgart reached the UEFA Champions League for the first time in more than ten years, following a surprising runner-up position in Bundesliga. Coach Felix Magath was hailed as the man behind the success, in his second full season at the helm, managing to unite a squad with lesser-known players to form a side strong enough to overhaul reigning champions Borussia Dortmund for the automatic qualification spot. It was also the breakthrough season of exciting young talents such as Alexander Hleb, Timo Hildebrand and Kevin Kurányi.

Players

First-team squad

Squad at end of season[1]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Germany GER Timo Hildebrand
2 DF Germany GER Andreas Hinkel
3 DF Germany GER Timo Wenzel
4 DF Angola ANG Rui Marques
5 DF Brazil BRA Marcelo Bordon
6 DF Portugal POR Fernando Meira
7 MF Germany GER Silvio Meißner
8 MF Germany GER Jens Todt
9 FW Romania ROU Ionel Ganea
10 MF Bulgaria BUL Krasimir Balakov
11 FW Greece GRE Ioannis Amanatidis
12 DF Germany GER Heiko Gerber
13 MF Germany GER Christian Tiffert
14 MF Germany GER Thomas Schneider
15 MF Belarus BLR Alexander Hleb
No. Pos. Nation Player
16 DF South Africa RSA Bradley Carnell
17 DF Germany GER Jochen Seitz
18 FW Germany GER Sean Dundee[notes 1]
19 MF Germany GER Horst Heldt
20 DF Croatia CRO Zvonimir Soldo
21 GK Germany GER Thomas Ernst
22 FW Germany GER Kevin Kurányi[notes 2]
24 MF Germany GER Benjamin Adrion
25 MF Germany GER Michael Mutzel
26 MF Germany GER Robert Vujević
29 DF Germany GER Steffen Dangelmayr
31 GK Switzerland SUI Diego Benaglio
33 FW Germany GER Steffen Handschuh
43 DF Germany GER Steffen Kocholl
44 DF Germany GER Michael Rundio

Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
19 FW Brazil BRA Adhemar (to São Caetano)
No. Pos. Nation Player
23 FW Nigeria NGA Stephen Famewo (demoted to VfB Stuttgart II)

Results

Bundesliga

Top scorers

UEFA Cup

1st round

2nd round

3rd round

Last 16

Sources

Notes

  1. ^ Dundee was born in Durban, South Africa, but also qualified to represent Germany internationally after gaining citizenship and represented Germany at B level.
  2. ^ Kurányi was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, but also qualified to represent Germany internationally through his father and Panama through his mother and represented Germany at U-21 and B level before making his international debut for Germany in March 2003.

References

  1. ^ "FootballSquads - VFB Stuttgart - 2002/03".