SPORT BILD Awards 2025: Yes—Boris Becker was honored as a “Legend.” Here’s what’s true, what’s missing, and why it matters

Short answer: The headline claim and the winners’ list check out. Boris Becker received the “Legende” award from Jürgen Klopp in Hamburg. The date, venue, hosts, and categories match press materials and independent reports. One small number doesn’t line up (crowd size), and one TV prize currently lacks outside confirmation. Read on for the verified details and the two caveats—with sources.

The night’s biggest moment, verified

Forty years after a 17‑year‑old Boris Becker shocked Wimbledon, he walked on stage in Hamburg to accept the SPORT BILD “Legende” award—handed to him by Jürgen Klopp. That pairing wasn’t hype; it’s documented.

• Becker’s record as the youngest men’s Wimbledon champion and his three Wimbledon titles are well established. Source: Guinness World Records (https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/75165-youngest-male-wimbledon-champion?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
• Klopp’s current role as Red Bull’s “Head of Global Soccer” is correct. Source: BBC (https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cwye80dqy2ro?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
• The press announcement specifically flagged Becker’s honor and Klopp’s role. Source: Presseportal (https://www.presseportal.de/pm/54937/6101279?utm_source=chatgpt.com), SID coverage via Freenet (https://www.freenet.de/sport/tennis/becker-erhaelt-als-legende-sport-bild-award-40501642.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

Event at a glance (what we confirmed)

• Monday, August 25, 2025
• Venue: Fischauktionshalle, Hamburg
• Edition: 23rd SPORT BILD-Award
• Hosts: Andrea Kaiser and Matthias Brügelmann

Sources: Presseportal (https://www.presseportal.de/pm/54937/6101279?utm_source=chatgpt.com), newswire recap (https://www.finanznachrichten.de/nachrichten-2025-08/66235873-tennis-legende-boris-becker-erhaelt-sport-bild-award-2025-preisuebergabe-durch-juergen-klopp-verleihung-in-sieben-kategorien-am-25-august-in-hamburg-007.htm?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

• Key note on turnout: The press release said “around 800 expected,” while BILD’s live coverage wrote “around 700” attendees. That reads like expectation vs. observed headcount—not a substantive error. Sources: Finanznachrichten (https://www.finanznachrichten.de/nachrichten-2025-08/66235873-tennis-legende-boris-becker-erhaelt-sport-bild-award-2025-preisuebergabe-durch-juergen-klopp-verleihung-in-sieben-kategorien-am-25-august-in-hamburg-007.htm?utm_source=chatgpt.com), BILD live (https://www.bild.de/sport/mehr-sport/sport-bild-award-grosse-ehre-fuer-boris-becker-alle-gewinner-68ac80598c33b226bcae7974?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

The winners, fact-checked

• Legende: Boris Becker — presented by Jürgen Klopp. Confirmed by press and independent coverage. Sources: Presseportal (https://www.presseportal.de/pm/54937/6101279?utm_source=chatgpt.com), Freenet (https://www.freenet.de/sport/tennis/becker-erhaelt-als-legende-sport-bild-award-40501642.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

• Aufsteiger des Jahres: Hamburger SV (men and women, a “double promotion”).

  • HSV men returned to the Bundesliga after seven years.
  • HSV women returned after 13 years; club confirms May 11, 2025 promotion; squad details (e.g., Victoria Schulz, 27) match club info; coach Merlin Polzin’s age/role confirmed via DFB/HSV; Hamburg sports senator Andy Grote’s age (57) matches his official bio. Sources: Welt (https://www.welt.de/256100956?utm_source=chatgpt.com), HSV (https://www.hsv.de/news/hsv-frauen-steigen-in-die-bundesliga-auf?utm_source=chatgpt.com), DFB (https://www.dfb.de/news/hsv-trainer-merlin-polzin-pro-lizenz-und-aufstieg-mit-ansage?utm_source=chatgpt.com), HSV e.V. (https://www.hsv-ev.de/news/hsv-frauen-dauerbrennerin-victoria-schulz-bleibt-an-bord?utm_source=chatgpt.com), Hamburg Senate bio (https://www.hamburg.de/politik-und-verwaltung/senat/der-hamburger-senat/andy-grote-236070?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

• Moment des Jahres: Eisbären Berlin’s title celebration honoring Tobias Eder (†26), with fiancée Ina invited onto the ice.

  • Eder’s death in January 2025 is documented; the championship dedication and his fiancée’s presence were widely reported. Sources: RBB24 (https://www.rbb24.de/sport/beitrag/2025/01/eishockey-del-eisbaeren-berlin-tobias-eder-krebs-erkrankung-verstorben.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com), Sport.de (https://www.sport.de/news/ne7714262/eishockey—teil-der-familie-eisbaeren-widmen-del-titel-verstorbenem-eder/?utm_source=chatgpt.com), BILD photo/report (https://www.bild.de/sport/mehr-sport/eishockey-berliner-eisbaeren-mit-meister-ehrung-fuer-verlobte-von-eder-26-680c80b5c4045804b5d374b9?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

• Trainer des Jahres: Hansi Flick (FC Barcelona) — “won the double in his first season.”

  • Barcelona won La Liga and the Copa del Rey under Flick in 2024–25 (and also the Supercopa). Source: Wikipedia season summary (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024%E2%80%9325_La_Liga?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

• TV-Award: Laura Wontorra.

  • BILD’s own gallery captions her as the winner; her high‑profile return to RTL Sport in 2025 is independently confirmed.
  • Current status: We have not yet found a non–Axel Springer outlet listing her as the 2025 TV-Award recipient. Sources: BILD gallery (https://www.bild.de/sport/sport-bild-award-die-schoensten-fotos-vom-roten-teppich-in-der-galerie-685bb03f54352c1fc4b2bb76?utm_source=chatgpt.com), RTL Media (https://media.rtl.com/meldung/Heimspiel-fuer-Laura-Wontorra-Comeback-bei-RTL-Sport-ab-Sommer-2025/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

• Paralympics-Award: Elena Semechin.

  • 2024 Paralympics gold in 100 m breaststroke; a 2021 brain tumor and chemotherapy; currently pregnant; aims for LA 2028. These details match mainstream coverage. Sources: SWIM.de (https://swim.de/aktuell/news/nach-tumor-und-ueberstandener-chemo-elena-semechin-gewinnt-paralympics-gold-mit-fantastischer-zeit/?utm_source=chatgpt.com), Der Spiegel (https://www.spiegel.de/sport/elena-semechin-weil-sie-schwanger-ist-schwimm-star-verliert-sponsoren-a-408605d1-3247-4dc6-a499-cfe13ee100af?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

• Mannschaft des Jahres: Füchse Berlin (German handball champions 2024–25).

  • Their first Bundesliga title is confirmed by the league and major outlets. Sources: Handball-Bundesliga (https://www.daikin-hbl.de/de/hbl/content/f%C3%BCchse-berlin-kr%C3%B6nen-sich-erstmals-zum-deutschen-meister-der-daikin-hbl?utm_source=chatgpt.com), Kicker (https://www.kicker.de/historischer-titel-fuechse-berlin-sind-erstmals-deutscher-meister-1124318/artikel?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

What didn’t line up (and why we think it’s minor)

• Crowd size: Press materials said “~800 expected”; on the night, BILD wrote “~700” attendees.

  • Interpretation: Standard pre‑event projection vs. observed turnout. Not a substantive factual error, but worth noting for transparency.

• TV-Award external validation:

  • As of now, only BILD/SPORT BILD materials show Laura Wontorra as the TV-Award winner. This may simply be a timing issue—same‑day coverage often lags on independent recaps. We’ll watch for non–Axel Springer confirmations.

How we checked (so you can, too)

We cross‑referenced:

• SPORT BILD’s press release and wires for date, venue, hosts, categories, and the Becker/Klopp moment: Presseportal (https://www.presseportal.de/pm/54937/6101279?utm_source=chatgpt.com), Finanznachrichten (https://www.finanznachrichten.de/nachrichten-2025-08/66235873-tennis-legende-boris-becker-erhaelt-sport-bild-award-2025-preisuebergabe-durch-juergen-klopp-verleihung-in-sieben-kategorien-am-25-august-in-hamburg-007.htm?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
• Independent sports outlets and official bodies for each team/athlete achievement: DFB, Handball‑Bundesliga, RBB24, Kicker, and more (links above)
• Reputable bios and records for context (Guinness World Records, BBC, Der Spiegel)

Bottom line

• The original claim—“All the winners … big honor for Boris Becker”—is accurate.
• The essentials (date, place, hosts, categories, and the named winners) are supported by press releases and independent reporting.
• Two caveats for the record:
  • The headcount was likely closer to 700 than the 800 expected.
  • Laura Wontorra’s TV-Award is currently supported only by BILD/SPORT BILD materials; we await an external recap.

If you have a link to the exact version you saw, share it and we’ll do a line‑by‑line verification of quotes, ages, and any extra details.