Shared Memories

Christoph Immick, USA

Eintracht Frankfurt and Goal Click are showcasing how the energy, traditions, and spirit of Eintracht travel far beyond the city itself through the eyes of two club supporters during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. While the club's "Made in Frankfurt" campaign celebrates the players whose brilliance, attitude, and energy were shaped during their time at Eintracht before taking to the world stage, this series explores what that idea means for club supporters based in the USA.

Born and raised near Frankfurt, Christoph is an Eintracht supporter with a lifelong connection that continues today from his home in Boston.

Eintracht is always with me in some shape or form. Even when I am not wearing an Eintracht jersey, the club is always present in my thoughts and in all the stories I can tell.

My name is Christoph. I am 41 years old, and I live in the Greater Boston area with my wife and our three children.

I was born in Frankfurt and grew up outside the city, in the heart of the Taunus. After living and working in the Rhein-Main area for various years, my family and I relocated to the US in September 2022 for a job opportunity.

Our first child was born in Frankfurt, while our middle child and youngest were born in the US. We are excited to be so close to the World Cup, and even though the US is currently our home, we will be supporting Germany during the tournament.

Growing up in Frankfurt and the Rhein-Main area, there was really no choice but to become an Eintracht supporter. My memories are very vivid: kids wearing Eintracht jerseys at football practice, in kindergarten, and on the playground.

One of my first stadium memories was in 1993, when Jay-Jay Okocha danced around multiple defenders before scoring his goal of the century against Oliver Kahn.

Many unforgettable moments followed over the years: Jan Aage Fjørtoft’s famous goal in 1999 to make it 5-1 against Kaiserslautern and keep the team from being relegated; Alexander Schur’s header against Reutlingen to secure promotion to the Bundesliga, while Mainz, a great Frankfurt rival under coach Jürgen Klopp, remained in the second division; multiple cup finals, including the 2018 DFB-Pokal victory over Bayern Munich; and of course the international travels in recent years, leading to the iconic Europa League title in Sevilla in 2022 against Rangers.

A Lifelong Relationship

I would compare my relationship with Eintracht to many other relationships in life. The connection developed over time and grew with every shared memory.

In the first few years, it was exciting just to watch games live in the stadium. In fact, at the time, it was the only way for me to watch a full Bundesliga match. I remember the perfumed smell of my friend’s dad’s car, the same walk every time from the parking lot across the bridge and through the forest, the old and worn-out seats of the Haupttribüne in the old Waldstadion, and the scoreboard that already felt outdated back then, but was probably perfectly normal for the average Bundesliga stadium at the time.

All of that was thrilling in the beginning. Over time, it became comforting, and going to the stadium almost felt like coming home.

Once the first dates were done and the “getting to know each other” phase had passed, it was about intensifying the relationship and building memories together. As we got older, watching from the main stand was no longer what we wanted. We wanted to be where the hardcore fans were. We wanted to sing and shout. We wanted to go crazy when the team scored. As teenagers, every development around the club felt like our lives depended on it. It directly impacted everything we did during the week until the next game.

It was inevitable that we had to get season tickets for the G-Block. From that point on, there was no other place in the stadium we wanted to watch the game from. Ever since, the Eintracht end has been our home.

As in every relationship, there have been many highs and lows over time, but there was never a doubt in my mind that I would question my support. Today, it feels like a mature long-distance relationship: we can rely on each other and are always there for each other, even if we do not see each other for a while.

Made In Frankfurt

We recently founded EFC New England, and the World Cup watch party was our first opportunity to meet some of the other members in person.

What brings us together is our love for Eintracht and the desire to connect with like-minded people far from home. While we plan to meet more regularly in the future, this watch party was our first chance to do so.

There are many ways to describe Eintracht supporter culture and the spirit of the club and its fans. At the same time, it is very difficult to put into words what it really means to be an Eintracht supporter.

There are some obvious characteristics: unwavering and passionate support, a love for travel, iconic choreographies, endless dedication to the club, and a deep respect for tradition.

But what ‘Made in Frankfurt’ really means to me is sitting in a pub and deciding at 11pm to take a day trip to Rostock the next morning, leaving at 5am and sitting for 16 hours with four people in a small Ford Fiesta.

It means driving eight hours from Boston to Philadelphia just to watch Eintracht train.

It means randomly meeting other Eintracht fans on a whale-watching boat in Boston and talking about Eintracht for three hours.

Meeting fellow Eintracht supporters abroad always creates an immediate bond. Conversations quickly turn to where everyone is from in Frankfurt, favourite Eintracht memories, and when we will next be back to attend a match. Sharing the same heritage and passion for the club makes it feel a little like home.

Coming Together

For me, no club or national team can recreate the passion and emotion I feel at an Eintracht match. That said, tournaments like the World Cup are special because they bring together players from different backgrounds and clubs, all working toward the same goal. Fans set aside their club loyalties to support the national team, which represents every German, regardless of club preference.

Of course, it is even more exciting when a member of the Eintracht family is part of the squad, like Nene Brown this year.

For Germany’s opening match of the 2026 World Cup, we wanted to fully embrace the excitement of the tournament. We chose to watch the game at a German club alongside other German fans. Especially for the kids, we wanted to create a memorable atmosphere rather than simply watching at home. Germany’s 7–1 win over Curaçao was a perfect start and left everyone excited for the rest of the tournament.

For the remaining matches, we plan to return to the German club or attend similar public viewing events. If Germany wins its group, they are scheduled to play the Round of 32 in Boston, and I have already bought tickets in anticipation - fingers crossed!