Vodafone, Borussia Dortmund and AI go back in time
‘The Unseen Goal’ is an example of AI use that’s hard not to admire.
On 24 August 1963, Borussia Dortmund striker Timo Konietzka scored the first goal in Bundesliga history. ‘The Unseen Goal’, a collaboration between Vodafone Germany, Borussia Dortmund and Jung von Matt, is AI’s attempt to resurface this lost legacy.
Although the goal in question was the subject of much footballing lore, for more than six decades, the goal has only existed through newspaper reports, eyewitness memories and football folklore. Well (insert film voiceover tones), until now.
Given that nobody filmed the thing, the moment has become football's equivalent of a lost masterpiece.
Vodafone and BVB, however, saw the potential of AI to bring about something as close as possible to historical authenticity.
The reconstruction required months of investigative work. Teams from Vodafone, Borussia Dortmund and AI production partner PROMPTR interviewed witnesses who were present inside Bremen's Weser Stadium that afternoon. Among them were BVB historian Gerd Kolbe, Timo Konietzka's brother Günther Konietzka, and long-time supporters whose memories helped build a picture of the event.
Media reports from the period were analysed, alongside match data. Hell, even weather records were reviewed to recreate atmospheric conditions.
In fact, the efforts went so far that BVB's current under-19 squad were called in to reenact the sequence leading to the goal, providing reference material for AI models studying movement patterns and player behaviour.
The campaign was conceived by German agency Jung von Matt, which, given the storied background and sterling human effort here, has proved that AI isn’t necessarily the hero of the piece.
A dramatic unveiling
The reconstructed goal premiered at Dortmund's BORUSSEUM, the club's museum, before airing across Germany via Sky Sport News and Vodafone and BVB's digital channels. Fans attending Borussia Dortmund's season opener against Hamburger SV were also able to see the footage displayed on the giant screens at SIGNAL IDUNA PARK, Germany's largest football stadium.
Perhaps most significantly, the film will become a permanent exhibit within the German Football Museum, while chosen supporters will receive a specially designed newspaper styled to look like it came directly from 1963, helping bridge the gap between football's past and AI-assisted present.
Our take
Unusually, this campaign represents a win for humans and robots alike. But what excites us about it is the potential for AI to open entire chapters of history, previously confined to our collective noggins.
Of course, this isn’t the first time we, or indeed creatives en masse, have complimented AI work. Cognizant’s Noor Salam Khan praised Heinz's ‘A.I. Ketchup’ by Rethink.
"This campaign wasn't just clever; it was pure genius, reminding us that sometimes, the simplest ideas, when paired with cutting-edge tech, are the most powerful."
Wendy Walker of Salesforce (and chair of the 2025 Creative B2B Lions jury), meanwhile, was glowing about GoDaddy's AI-powered ‘Airo’ campaign: "All the jurors were smiling and laughing. B2B can be bold, entertaining, and brilliantly effective."
Of course, if you have any comments on these, or any other AI campaigns, good or bad, let us know (tom@creativemoment.co).
Credits
Brand: Vodafone Germany
Partner: Borussia Dortmund (BVB)
Agency: Jung von Matt (JvM)
AI Production Partner: PROMPTR
Media Partner: Sky Sport News
Launch Date: 29 August 2026
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