​"We weren’t doing a good enough job" – BVB boss reveals how Club World Cup eye-opener forced a strategy shift | OneFootball

On December 19, marking Borussia Dortmund’s 116th birthday, the Bundesliga club announced the launch of @ElDortmund – a new, dedicated Spanish-language Instagram channel. 

The launch of the channel is at the heart of Dortmund’s strategy to better engage with Spanish-speaking fans and build a stronger, more authentic presence within this vibrant footballing community.

In an exclusive interview with Bulinews.com, Marc Lingenhoff, managing director for Borussia Dortmund Americas, reveals that last summer’s Club World Cup was a definitive turning point.

“The tournament once again made us aware of how significant the interest is from Hispanics in the US, Mexico, and other Spanish-speaking countries,” says Lingenhoff, who leads the club’s New York office. 

The club’s leadership traveled to the US to experience the tournament firsthand, witnessing the sheer scale of the Hispanic “soccer” community.

“Just by interacting with the fans, we realized how many Spanish-speaking people were present and that we weren’t doing a good enough job as a club and an organization to connect with them.”

Finding the right tonality

Three months after the launch, @ElDortmund has amassed nearly 160,000 followers. While the numbers are promising, Lingenhoff acknowledges that the process of finding the vibe is still ongoing.

“The feedback we’re getting is great; it’s resonating. But we’re still trying to find the right tonality,” he said.

“They share the same language, but there are so many nuances in culture and how football is embraced across different countries.”

This cultural challenge was made harder when Argentine defender Aaron Anselmino – one of the few Spanish-speakers in the squad – was recalled from his loan by Chelsea in January.

“Everybody knows that players drive interest. Aaron Anselmino was part of the launch, made some great content and was excited to do things in Spanish for BVB. But then, unfortunately, he left. What it did in the first month was to put Argentina on top of the followers,” Lingenhoff explained.

“We can’t influence who we sign, that’s not our department, but I always tell our headquarters that if you have a player from a certain country, that drives interest and traffic from that region. The situation with Anselmino was just another proof of that.”

Fans in the BVB Embassy in Cincinnati during FIFA Club World Cup (Photo: Borussia Dortmund).

Breaking through the noise

Like many other top clubs in Europe, Dortmund remain heavily focused on the US market in general, with Lingenhoff noting that there is still a lot of room for soccer to grow. 

He points out that the club have 49 fan clubs and 19 youth academies across the United States.

“The US is the biggest sports market in the world. I think the US has an amazing potential because soccer is still growing, whereas other sports are saturated or even declining. If you look at the numbers in TV viewership, soccer is clearly a growth sport,” Lingenhoff said.

However, the US market is crowded. 

“There are so many distractions for the fans. You just have to find a way to break through that noise with initiative and being on the ground, being accessible and present always. You need to be very specific and strategic in which markets you want to be present and work in.”

A player-driven market

Lingenhoff notes that there is a significant difference between being a fan in the US and in Europe.

“The fandom is very different here. A soccer fan could also be a fan of other sports and other clubs. We hear a lot that people have a favorite club in different national leagues. We can’t change that fan behavior and we don’t want to. It’s more about, ‘How can I be your club in Germany?’”

“Also, the US is a very player-driven market. We had Bellingham, we had Haaland and Sancho, but as soon as they left the club, many fans moved to other clubs too. They still liked Dortmund, but now that Haaland played for City, they bought their jersey instead of ours. The loyalty factor is something that was very unknown for me as a German when I moved over here like 10 years ago.”

Two years ago, one of Borussia Dortmund’s biggest legends, Marco Reus, moved to the United States, joining LA Galaxy. In late 2025, the club took a strategic step by appointing Reus as an official brand ambassador while he continues his playing career in MLS. The Black and Yellows have been looking to utilize that connection, but without forming an actual partnership with his club.

“We are in touch with clubs and teams and working closer with the LA Galaxy now that Marco Reus is there. We have done some things together, but it’s not like an official partnership,” said Lingenhoff.

Instead, Dortmund have formed a partnership with the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers, which Lingenhoff describes as a "perfect fit" for knowledge transfer and commercial growth.

BVB Legends Reunion in Los Angeles, March 2026: Marco Reus, Patrick Owomoyela (Photo: Borussia Dortmund).

Winning over new fans

With a view to the upcoming World Cup, Dortmund are looking at partnerships with the German Football Association (DFB) and the Bundesliga to capture new fans on the ground.

“Our perspective is not to try to break through the noise of the World Cup as an individual club. We tell the story through the lens of our players, but we also want to join forces with the German national team and the Bundesliga to help represent German football during the tournament,” Lingenhoff said.

The goal is to use the massive exposure of the World Cup to turn casual viewers into loyal supporters. 

“If German football is successful, it gets more eyeballs from new fans. We want to be there so that when they look at Germany after the tournament, we are their club of choice,” the BVB boss concluded.