by Oliver Trust
BERLIN, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Sebastian Hoeness has led VfB Stuttgart to its first major title since 2007, transforming a once-struggling club into one of German football's most compelling stories - and positioning himself as a rising star among the country's coaching ranks.
Stuttgart ended second-tier Arminia Bielefeld's fairytale German Cup run with a 4-2 victory in Saturday's final at Berlin's Olympic Stadium.
While his father, Dieter Hoeness, won eight league and cup titles with Bayern Munich, and his uncle, Uli Hoeness, claimed a 1974 FIFA World Cup title and three European Cups, it was Sebastian - the youngest in the footballing family - who made his own mark on the big stage.
It was a symbolic moment when Dieter embraced his son on the pitch after the final whistle - a passing of the torch between generations.
"When I took over two years ago, no one linked us to a title or even a title chance," Sebastian Hoeness recalled.
In May 2023, he kept Stuttgart in the Bundesliga with a playoff win over Hamburger SV. Just one season later, the team finished second in the league and secured a Champions League berth. After losing key players like Waldemar Anton, Serhou Guirassy and Hiroki Ito, Hoeness retooled his squad and guided them to silverware.
Hoeness, a former midfielder, resisted tempting offers from larger clubs and instead extended his contract in Stuttgart, encouraged by the advice of his father.
"My job in Stuttgart isn't finished yet. There is more to come," he said.
With the Cup victory, Stuttgart qualified for the UEFA Europa League and will face Bundesliga champion Bayern Munich in the German Super Cup on August 16.
Despite finishing ninth in the Bundesliga this season, Stuttgart maintained a promising playing style and showed resilience. Hoeness also managed challenges including players called up to the national team and the demands of a Champions League campaign that tested squad depth. ■
