The anniversary celebrations took place at pre-game and halftime as part of the Saturday clash with Mainz 05, marking five decades of organized fan culture dating back to 1976. The “Werkself” players sported special customized white kits to honor the occasion designed under the theme “love that lasts a lifetime” and bearing the Bayer 04 Leverkusen crest from that era of the late 1970s.
Six fan clubs, in particular, were recognized for five decades of loyalty to the cross, while Kramm was given the microphone to speak with the crowd about the passion of the Werkself Warriors, the U.S.-based club he co-founded with Octavio Gil.
Established in New York City last year and officially recognized for this most recent Bundesliga season, the Werkself Warriors highlight the tradition, community and enthusiasm that have defined the club’s loyal supporter culture for half a century.
For the Werkself Warriors and Kramm, the occasion was a powerful reminder of the deep bonds that connect Leverkusen to fans far beyond Germany’s borders.
“It was an honor to be part of this celebration of 50 years of Leverkusen fan clubs,” said Kramm, who traveled in from the U.S. for the occasion. “There is a lot of history here, and there are such strong bonds between this great club, its fans and the community going back decades.”
Kramm and Gil continue to strengthen those bonds on the other side of the Atlantic with Bayer 04-themed meet-ups and events around the New York City region.
“I hope that I can take some of that back with me to the U.S. where we continue to celebrate the Werkself regularly on match days with other New York area Bayer 04 fans,” he added.
The recognition of the Werkself Warriors underscores Bayer 04’s growing international community and the shared identity that unites supporters worldwide – 50 years after the first official fan club was established. Whether at the BayArena or gathering in Manhattan on matchdays, the black and red colors continue to bring fans together across continents.
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