German giants Schalke completed their return to the Bundesliga after a three-year hiatus with a 1-0 home win over struggling Fortuna Düsseldorf on Saturday.
Top scorer Kenan Karaman grabbed the winner in the 15th minute for one of Germany's best-supported clubs. Paderborn are the favorites to go up with Schalke.
"I can't find the right words right now," Karaman told broadcaster Nitro.
"We've waited a while for this moment. We had two difficult years. I'm incredibly grateful and incredibly proud. I truly wear this jersey with passion and pride," he added.
Karaman's 14 goals have helped fire Schalke back to the big time, while the January signing of Bosnia veteran Edin Dzeko gave them impetus for the run-in.
Goalkeeper Loris Karius – finding consistency after years of woe following his Champions League final debacle in 2018 – was also a key factor.
"(It feels) Good. Not bad! We wanted this win, we wanted to celebrate with the fans," Dzeko told broadcaster Sky.
Asked whether he will be with the team for the much-awaited derby against Borussia Dortmund next season, he said: "Let's see. First of all, we celebrate. I'm very happy to have decided in January to play here."
On X, Dortmund posted a picture of an aircraft pulling a banner saying: "We've almost missed you."
Former Cercle Brugge and Plymouth Argyle boss Miron Muslic was a surprise pick as coach but has masterminded promotion in his first season.
Schalke finished 10th and 14th in the previous two second-tier seasons, the latter of which was their lowest ever finish in the current German league structure adopted in 1963.
Fans will be slightly wary of their return to the top flight, given their last promotion in 2022 led to just one season in the Bundesliga before another painful relegation.
As recently as 2018, they had finished second in the Bundesliga, the seventh time Schalke have been runners-up.
But the Royal Blues have never won the Bundesliga title, although they did claim the German championship several times before the Bundesliga came into being.
