In 2006, the club sought to improve its squad and technical staff by bringing in players with several years of Bundesliga experience, most notably Jochen Seitz and Tomislav Marić, and by signing Ralf Rangnick, former manager of Bundesliga teams SSV Ulm 1846, VfB Stuttgart, Hannover 96, and Schalke 04, to a five-year contract.
The investment paid off in the 2006–07 season with the club's promotion to the 2. Bundesliga after finishing 2nd in Regionalliga Süd.
Remarkably, the club spent only a single season in the 2. Bundesliga, where they finished in 2nd place and received automatic promotion. The 2008–09 season is Hoffenheim's first in the German top division where they are at the top of the table during the winter break with 35 points, thereby winning the unofficial "Herbstmeister" (Autumn-Champion) title.
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