How many times have Bayer Leverkusen won the Bundesliga? Record in German league as Xabi Alonso leads team to title

Xabi Alonso will forever be remembered at Bayer Leverkusen after leading the team to the Bundesliga title in 2023/24.

The German top flight is a league that has been dominated by Bayern Munich in the past decade: they won 11 league titles in a row since Jurgen Klopp's Borussia Dortmund claimed back-to-back championships in 2011 and 2012.

Alonso's Leverkusen have dropped points just four times across 29 matches and are the only unbeaten team left in any of Europe's top five leagues this season. The 5-0 win over Werder Bremen on April 14 ensured they became champions with five games of the season to spare.

Their form led to speculation that Liverpool could attempt to make the Spanish coach their next manager, with Jurgen Klopp stepping down at the end of the season, although Alonso has now committed to spending another season at the club.

The Sporting News headed to Germany back in November to dive inside the fascinating work of Alonso and how he has propelled Leverkusen to the top of German football, despite being just 42 years of age. You can read here what the man himself has had to say on his work.

Here, we look at Leverkusen's record in the Bundesliga and whether they have got their hands on the title before.

MORE: The top contenders to succeed Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool

How many times have Bayer Leverkusen won the Bundesliga?

Bayer Leverkusen have only won the Bundesliga title once: their 2023/24 triumph saw them become the 30th different team to become champions of Germany.

Leverkusen have finished as runners-up five times, which was the most of any club never to have won the title prior to 2024. They last finished second back in 2010/11.

The club had gone 31 years without winning a trophy, their last being the DFB-Pokal in 1992-93, when they defeated Hertha BSC II 1-0 in the final.

After ending that trophy drought with a league title, Alonso may be about to lead his team to a famous season. They are also in the final of the DFB-Pokal, Germany's top domestic cup competition, and in the knockout phase of the UEFA Europa League, where they hold a 2-0 first-leg lead over West Ham in the quarterfinals.

Leverkusen won that tournament back in 1988, when it was still in the old format of the UEFA Cup. They also fell short at the final hurdle in the 2001/02 Champions League when they lost 2-1 to Real Madrid in the final in Glasgow.

This season, Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen became the first team in German football history to remain unbeaten after the first 25 games of a campaign across all competitions.

The heir to Jürgen Klopp's Liverpool throne? 👑 pic.twitter.com/QPiNSqsMEf

— Squawka (@Squawka) January 26, 2024

Full list of Bundesliga champions

Bayern Munich are the kings of the Bundesliga and were on a record run of 11 consecutive titles with their latest triumph coming on the final day of the 2022/23 season.

Bayer Leverkusen are the new champions.