The 2000-01 campaign delivered a dramatic cup triumph and a heartbreaking near-miss in the league for Schalke. Die Knappen secured a glorious DFB-Pokal victory, defeating Union Berlin in the Final, but finished a spectacular 2nd in the Bundesliga, losing the title in the final seconds of the season in the infamous 'Four-Minute Champions' drama. Leading the charge was the sensational Ebbe Sand, whose 22 goals earned him the Bundesliga's joint-Golden Boot and proved decisive in a campaign built on fierce passion and relentless fighting spirit. It was a historic year that marked the club's first major silverware in decades and remains a defining chapter of unforgettable triumph and heartbreak.