The 2020-21 campaign was a devastating year that delivered relegation for Schalke 04 as Die Knappen finished a crushing 18th in the Bundesliga, ending their 30-year stay in the top flight. The season was defined by a record-breaking 30-game winless streak and five managerial changes, but it was briefly punctuated by the emergence of young American Matthew Hoppe. Hoppe's team-leading 6 goals, which included a historic hat-trick to finally break the dreadful winless run, proved to be a single, fleeting bright spot in an otherwise dark and unforgettable chapter of the club's history.