Vedad Ibišević: the Bosnian striker scored Hoffenheim’s very first Bundesliga goal. On the opening matchday of August 2008, in a 3–0 away win at Energie Cottbus, he struck after 18 minutes. In October he was named Footballer of the Month, then became autumn champion with Hoffenheim and led the scoring charts with 18 first-half goals before a cruciate ligament tear struck.
The dream of the top-scorer cannon vanished just as the dream of a title did. Without Vedo, TSG were only half as good. After recovering, he also delivered Hoffenheim’s first Bundesliga hat-trick, in a 5–1 home win over Hertha in September 2009.