Sinsheim, Germany - Surprise Bundesliga leaders TSG Hoffenheim are the toast of the German football community and making their home town immensely proud. "I am lost for words. It is simply beautiful," says Ingrid Kunkel, who runs Hoffenheim's only petrol station.
Local nurse Cornelia Breunig names the success "simply amazing" as she discusses the latest victories with her teen-aged sons Andre and Christoph.
Never has a Bundesliga leader come from a smaller community.
The population of Hoffenheim, located some 100 kilometres south of Frankfurt is 3,300. The town is officially part of Sinsheim, which has 35,500 inhabitants.
Kunkel's business has picked up considerably as reporters from all parts of the country - and from outside Germany as well - are paying a visit. She nowadays also sells club merchandising articles such as scarves and flags.
"My father said he won't take you to a match unless I wear a (Hoffenheim) scarf," says Kunkel's client Tamara Weitz.
Local council chairman Karl-Heinz Hess is also over the moon but insists that the amazing success run is not only due to the town's most famous son, billionaire Dietmar Hopp.
The co-founder of software giants SAP has invested big in the club which has risen from the lower leagues into the top flight over the past years.
Coach Ralf Rangnick has no megastars at his disposal, but has formed a group of formerly little known players into a splendid unit which has delivered far beyond the expectations.
Sunday's 3-0 drubbing of former leaders SV Hamburg was the latest display of Hoffenheim's overwhelming attacking football by the likes of Vedad Ibisevic and Demba Ba.
"Our boys have shown everyone that the can play wonderful football. The whole concept weighs much more than money alone," insisted Hess.
Hopp was alienated by opposing fans at the start of the season but now everyone from Germany coach Joachim Loew to Bayern Munich helmsman Juergen Klinsmann is in awe of Hoffenheim's skills and names them a serious title contender.
If that becomes reality the Breunig family will face another painting job.
Cornelia's husband Heribert promised in May to paint their house in Hoffenheim's colours blue and white if the team was promoted. Once that became reality the job was done - with the paint supplied by Hoffenheim president Peter Hofman who liked the idea.
Now Cornelia Breunig promises: "If we win the title it will be roof's turn."
The dedication is immense even though Sinsheim mayor Achim Kessler has named the success run "scary" and Hess warned that there will be setbacks as well.
Sinsheim will be the team's home town again from January onwards once the new 30,000-seat Dietmar-Hopp-Stadium is completed.
So far, Hoffenheim are playing in nearby Mannheim, where mayor Peter Kurz is more than happy with the publicity.
"The likeable team has put the region and Mannheim into the German football focus," said Kurz. But the mayor also hopes that the team "continues to be successful in the new stadium after the big points won in Mannheim."
