german football player

Lothar Herbert Matthäus ( german pronunciation : [ ˈloːtaʁ maˈtɛːʊs ], ( help · information ) ; [ 1 ] born 21 March 1961 ) is a german football director and early player. After captaining West Germany to victory in the 1990 FIFA World Cup where he lifted the World Cup trophy, he was awarded the Ballon d’or. In 1991, he was named the first FIFA World Player of the Year, and remains the only german to have received the award. He was besides included in the Ballon d’Or Dream Team in 2020. Matthäus held the record of having played in five FIFA World Cups ( 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998 ), more than any other outfield player in men ‘s football, until the 2018 World Cup, in which Mexico ‘s Rafael Márquez equalled his record, [ 2 ] and holds the record for the most World Cup matches played by a single musician ( 25 games ). [ 3 ] He besides won UEFA Euro 1980, and played in the 1984, 1988 and 2000 UEFA European Championships. In 1999, aged 38, Matthäus was again vote German Footballer of the year, having previously won the award in 1990.

Matthäus is the most capped German player of all time, retiring with a entire of 150 appearances ( 83 for West Germany ) in 20 years, and 23 goals. Matthäus is a extremity of the FIFA 100 list of the greatest life football players chosen by Pelé. [ 4 ] Diego Maradona said of Matthäus, “ he is the best rival I ‘ve ever had. I guess that ‘s adequate to define him ”, in his bible Yo soy el Diego ( I am the Diego ). [ 5 ] A versatile and complete player, Matthäus is regarded as one of the greatest midfielders of all time, and was renowned for his perceptive pass, positional sense, seasonably tackle, a well as powerful shooting. During his career, he normally played as a box-to-box midfielder, although late in his career he played as a sweeper. [ 6 ]

Club career [edit ]

Matthäus was born in Erlangen, Bavaria, West Germany. [ 7 ] He spent his early play days in the youth team of 1. FC Herzogenaurach, located in a little town in Bavaria close to Nuremberg. [ 8 ] Matthäus started his professional career in 1979 with Borussia Mönchengladbach of the Bundesliga, for whom he played until 1984. [ 9 ] He then played for Bayern Munich from 1984–88, winning the Bundesliga twice and the DFB-Pokal. They besides reached the european Cup concluding in 1987, leading 1–0 for most of the game until two late goals gave FC Porto the winnings .
Matthäus in 1991 Matthäus and Bayern teammate Andreas Brehme signed with Inter Milan of Serie A in 1988, winning the Scudetto in 1988–89 during their first gear season, and the italian Supercup that year arsenic well. Matthäus continued to enjoy further achiever with Inter, winning the UEFA Cup in 1991 and being named FIFA World Player of the class. In the final, he scored a penalty in the first leg to help them to their victory over Roma. Returning to Bayern Munich in 1992, he won four Bundesliga titles, two DFB-Pokals, another UEFA Cup and reached a second european Cup final examination in 1999. The entirely major club football honor which eluded Matthäus, for competitions in which he played, was the UEFA Champions League. famously, he came within two minutes of picking up a winners ‘ decoration in 1999, only to have his hopes dashed by Manchester United, who scored two last-minute goals in the final, after he was substituted in the eightieth infinitesimal of play while the team was still leading 1–0. When the two teams went to collect their medals Matthäus removed his runner-up decoration immediately after he received it – it was the second time he had been on the lose side in a final under similar circumstances ; in the 1987 final, Bayern had been leading 1–0 most of the game until two late goals gave FC Porto the acquire. After Matthäus retired, Bayern would win the Champions League in 2000–01 and late that year the Intercontinental Cup. His last official equal for Bayern took position in Munich on 8 March 2000 and was a Champions League match against Real Madrid, which Bayern won 4–1. During the 1999–2000 temper, Matthäus moved from Bayern to New York City ‘s MetroStars team of Major League Soccer in the United States. He played in the u from March to October 2000 and retired from professional football afterwards. During his temper with the MetroStars, he traveled to St. Tropez when he was supposed to be rehabbing his binding. [ 10 ] Matthäus came out of retirement in 2018, at age 57, to play 50 minutes of 1. FC Herzogenaurach ‘s concluding league game of the season. The team had already secured the league title, and the appearance allowed Matthäus to satisfy his ambition retiring with the club where his career started : “ It was constantly my dream to play my last competitive game here. ” [ 11 ]

International career [edit ]

Matthäus has won more Germany caps than anyone else, 150, and went to nine major external tournaments, captaining the 1990 World Cup -winning team. Matthäus was beginning called up to the west german national squad in 1980, where he was partially of the winning police squad in UEFA Euro 1980 in Italy, making his international introduction at the tournament in a game against the Netherlands. [ 12 ] He besides played two games at the 1982 FIFA World Cup in Spain ; he was brought on as a substitute in group stage games against Chile and the ill-famed Disgrace of Gijón game versus Austria. West Germany reached the final, losing to Italy at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid 3–1. By now, he besides had a regular topographic point in the national team for the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, scoring the achiever in the orotund of 16 against Morocco. In the concluding at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, despite his considerable play-making ability, he was assigned by coach Franz Beckenbauer to mark Argentina ‘s Diego Maradona. Maradona did not score in the concluding, but his base on balls to a teammate with six minutes left in rule time set up the fetching goal for Argentina, and West Germany lost their moment consecutive World Cup final, this fourth dimension 3–2. At UEFA Euro 1988 in West Germany, Matthäus captained the team and scored a punishment against the Netherlands ( the eventual winners ) in the semi-final to give his team a 1–0 spark advance, but Ronald Koeman leveled the mark with a punishment, and then Marco vanguard Basten slid in the winning goal in the concluding minutes .
Matthäus celebrating his goal five Czechoslovakia at the 1990 World Cup His immediate success in Italy ‘s premier football league, the Serie A, was a harbinger to the national team which last managed to triumph at the 1990 FIFA World Cup held in Italy. Six of West Germany ‘s team played professionally there ; Matthäus and the west german squad played most of the World Cup games at Inter ‘s home stadium the San Siro. West Germany was the best team of the tournament and one of the few to choose an attack manner of play, reverse to previous german teams ‘ more defensive vogue. Matthäus led his police squad from midfield and scored four goals, including two against Yugoslavia. He scored the only finish of the quarter-final against Czechoslovakia from a punishment awarded in the twenty-fifth minute of the equal. [ 13 ] West Germany reached its one-third back-to-back concluding, a replay against Maradona-led Argentina, and this time Matthäus and his team emerged victorious 1–0 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome thanks to Andreas Brehme converting an 85th moment punishment. Matthäus late said that playing the World Cup in Italy was “ like playing a World Cup at home ”. [ 14 ] As team captain, Matthäus hoisted the last World Cup trophy before german reunion in 1990. [ 15 ]
During the 1994 World Cup, Matthäus scored a penalty kick against bulgarian goalkeeper Borislav Mihaylov in a quarter final equal at Giants Stadium in New York City. He was injured and unable to take part in UEFA Euro 1992 in Sweden ; though a reunified Germany made the final but lost 2–0 to surprise Denmark. At the 1994 FIFA World Cup hosted by the United States, he captained the team but immediately operated as sweeper. He scored a punishment in Germany ‘s quarter-final catch against Bulgaria at Giants Stadium in New York City, which was besides his record-tying 21st World Cup match, but the Bulgarians scored doubly in three minutes to upset the defend champions. USA ’94 was expected to be his last tournament, though he did not officially retire from international play. Matthäus was afterwards not called up for the home team, ascribable to feuding with succeeding captain Jürgen Klinsmann and coach Berti Vogts. In his absence Germany won UEFA Euro 1996 which was held in England. surprisingly, he was called up for the 1998 World Cup in France as a replacement for the injure sweeper Matthias Sammer. He was on the bench for Germany ‘s victory over the United States, but came in as a ersatz against FR Yugoslavia and helped the team to a 2–2 draw. He became the second musician to appear in five different World Cup tournaments, tying the record of Mexican goalkeeper Antonio Carbajal. [ 3 ] In 2014 the record has besides been tied by italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, [ 3 ] who however has lone played in four. In 2015 Homare Sawa and Formiga became the first footballers to appear for a record one-sixth clock at the 2015 FIFA Women ‘s World Cup in Canada. [ 16 ] Matthäus played in all the lie of Germany ‘s matches until Croatia knocked them out in Lyon 3–0 in the quarterfinals, taking his entire to a record 25. He earned his survive three caps at UEFA Euro 2000 in Belgium and the Netherlands, his hundred-and-fiftieth cap being against Portugal, where Germany had a black first round passing. [ 17 ] Matthäus had a poor operation in the first group game against Romania, causing Oliver Bierhoff and early key german players to demand his bench, but head passenger car Erich Ribbeck stuck by Matthäus. [ 18 ]

Coaching career [edit ]

One year after ending his illustrious play days, Matthäus started a coach career, which has sol far been much less distinguish. In his print interviews and early media appearances, he has been pass about his goal and desire to coach in the Bundesliga. His hope was that taking coaching jobs overseas would lead to offers from Germany. When none came his way even after multiple foreign appointments, he often brought it up in the german urge in-between his coach stints. In November 2009, he gave a drawn-out interview to Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, complaining about what he considers to be inadequate discussion he receives in Germany as a former big. He besides bemoaned the lack of coaching job offers extended to him in the Bundesliga — saying german clubs perceived him as being excessively a lot of a Bayern supporter and besides closely linked with the influential Bild yellow journalism newspaper to give him a job. [ 19 ]

rapid Wien [edit ]

His first head coaching experience was at SK Rapid Wien in the austrian Bundesliga. It lasted from 6 September 2001 [ 20 ] until 14 May 2002 with interracial results. [ 21 ] Matthäus got Rapid Wien to the second round of the UEFA Cup, [ 22 ] Round of 16 one nthe austrian Cup, [ 22 ] and finished eighth position in Bundesliga. [ 23 ]

partisan [edit ]

Matthäus in 2002 In December 2002 he was hired by serbian club FK Partizan during mid- season winter break to replace recently sacked Ljubiša Tumbaković. Matthäus signed an 18-month contract. [ 24 ] Inheriting a team at the top of the league table, Matthäus achieved the immediate goal by steering Partizan to the 2002–03 league title in convincing fashion, at one point, tied extending the go over the second-placed rivals Red Star Belgrade to 19 points. still, his finest hour with the golf club came in August 2003 when Partizan eliminated Newcastle United in the Champions League third qualifying round to reach the 2003–04 competition ‘s group phase. [ 25 ] Following the first leg 0–1 loss at home, the cause seemed lost, however, Partizan incredibly triumphed 0–1 away at St. James ‘ Park, taking the tie to penalties. The punishment series brought further dramatic changes of momentum before Milivoje Ćirković ‘s successful spot-kick last put Partizan through. Matthäus had his back turned to the pitch as could n’t bear to watch the drama of Ćirković ‘s penalty. Drawn in a tough group with Real Madrid, eventual champions FC Porto, and Olympique de Marseille, Partizan missed out on the UEFA Cup smudge. On 13 December 2003, right after finishing the final league match of the half- season ( 0–1 win away at FK Železnik ) before the winter break, Matthäus abruptly resigned his post at Partizan by addressing the players and club leadership in private. [ 26 ] A cabaret spokesperson said Matthäus would clear everything up at a press league that he scheduled for two days late, but it was already widely speculated through reports in the hungarian imperativeness that the german had agreed terms with the Hungarian Football Federation to coach the Hungary home team. The rumor proved truthful as he officially signed the contract in Budapest and besides got introduced to the media at Kempinski Hotel Corvinus. [ 27 ] Four months after leaving Belgrade, in mid-april 2004, the quarrel over the terms of Matthäus ‘ sign with Partizan was opened with both parties publicly going back and forth at each other. It began with Matthäus, by nowadays hungarian national team head coach, giving a detailed interview to serbian press and accusing Partizan cabaret leadership of breaching the extra terms of his sign. [ 28 ] It became known on that juncture that his initial condense with Partizan that had been finalized on 1 January 2003 included a infrastructure undertake contribution as well extra agio clauses giving him between 5–10 % from players ‘ transfers and shirt sponsorships arsenic well as Champions League bonus incentives. Matthäus claimed that after none of that was honoured he gave up on asking for his percentages of the Danko Lazović and Zvonimir Vukić transfers american samoa well as Superfund shirt sponsorship batch due to “ not wanting to upset the team atmosphere during Champions League qualify ”, but rather pushed for the extra terms to be renegotiated. After successful Champions League reservation, the extra terms were in fact renegotiated with Partizan ‘s general secretary Žarko Zečević so that both parties agreed to put the former extra terms out of effect and alternatively now give Matthäus 15 % of Igor Duljaj ‘s ( the club ‘s best young asset at the clock ) future transfer afield deoxyadenosine monophosphate well as to allow Matthäus to leave the golf club any time he wanted without penalties. Duljaj was sold to Shakhtar Donetsk in January 2004 for US $ 4 million, and Matthäus claimed Partizan failed to pay him the agreed share ( $ 600,000 or €469,500 ). The club responded two days later in a drawn-out imperativeness turn saying that they do n’t owe him any money. [ 29 ] One day after that, Matthäus decided to sue Partizan for the sum of US $ 600,000 before Sports Arbitration Court in Lausanne, Switzerland. [ 30 ]

Hungary national team [edit ]

Matthäus became coach of the Hungary home football team on 14 December 2003. [ 31 ] The area once synonymous with world class football was trying to return its home team on the path of former 1950s glory, and Matthäus was given the undertaking of qualifying for the 2006 World Cup. After being drawn in a sturdy group with Sweden, Croatia and Bulgaria that goal looked increasingly unmanageable. The campaign started in the fall of 2004 and fairly quickly it became obvious Hungary were in over their heads. The opening 3–0 personnel casualty away at Croatia in early September was slightly stolon four days later by the 3–2 hard fought dwelling win versus Iceland. A calendar month late, Matthäus ‘ Hungary faced another important test away from home, this meter at Sweden. And once again it finished in disappointment with another demoralizing 3–0 loss. Before the winter break, Hungary managed to beat the minnows of the group Malta therefore finishing the fall part of the passing in fourthly place with six points, mathematically placid within striking outdistance of the leading three. Notable was a 2–0 acquire in a friendly in Kaiserslautern against Germany on 6 June 2004. As the qualifiers resumed in late March 2005, Hungary hosted Bulgaria in what was pretty much a must win match for Matthäus ‘ police squad, however they lone managed a hook right at the end with the goal coming in 90th minute for a 1–1 final scoreline. As Croatia and Sweden both won on the lapp juncture, the leading duet of teams immediately tangibly separated themselves from the gang of chasers, all of which meant that in order to qualify Hungary would have to win all its remain fixtures and even get some outside aid in terms of favorable results elsewhere. such improbable scenario failed to materialize and they ended up in fourth place with 14 points from 10 matches, well behind Croatia and Sweden who earned 25 and 24 points, respectively. however, Matthäus was allowed to finish out the campaign behind the bench, and was even offered hungarian citizenship, which he at the time said he would accept. There ‘s no word whether he actually did. Matthäus left the Hungarian national team on 11 January 2006. [ 32 ] After he left the Hungary post, Matthäus was vocally critical of the Hungarian Football Federation, accusing it in November 2007 of “ not contributing, but exploiting hungarian football ” and citing that “ it ‘s not coincident that the Hungarian invite to host Euro 2012 did n’t receive any votes ”. [ 33 ]

Atlético Paranaense [edit ]

Matthäus signed a annual sign to coach brazilian club Atlético Paranaense from the city of Curitiba on 11 January 2006. [ 32 ] however, after only seven matches in consign ( five wins, two draws ) from the start of the 2006 Paraná state championship he quit the club in March 2006 citing the motivation to be closer to his class. The way he left raised some questions about his professionalism. obviously, entirely five weeks after signing a contract he informed club officials about a indigence to rush back to Europe in order to deal with an pressing personal trouble, but assured them he ‘d be bet on in 3–4 days. After missing for two weeks, he faxed in his resignation on 20 March and never even went back to Brazil to pick up his personal belongings. [ 34 ] Some ten days by and by, Atlético put out a release mentioning that Matthäus ran up R $ 13,000 ( US $ 5,915 ) in earphone charges that the club wanted him to pay. [ 35 ] [ 36 ] The club even posted the bill on their web site. [ 37 ]

red Bull Salzburg [edit ]

On 19 May 2006, only two months following the bizarre brazilian sequence, Matthäus was announced as passenger car of Red Bull Salzburg ( once Austria Salzburg ) for the approaching 2006–07 season. soon, the club besides signed Giovanni Trapattoni ( by the way Matthäus ‘ former coach at both Internazionale and Bayern ) to be their director of football. In exercise, this think of that Trapattoni and Matthäus basically shared coach duties. Despite co-leading the team to the Austrian league title by a large gross profit, Matthäus would finally be fired on 12 June 2007 by solid decision of the Red Bull Salzburg ‘s board of directors .

Maccabi Netanya [edit ]

On 13 April 2008, it was announced that Matthäus signed with Israeli clubhouse Maccabi Netanya to coach the team from the beginning of the 2008–09 season. [ 38 ] On 29 April 2009, with the Israeli league season still ongoing and Netanya sitting in fourthly place, it was announced that Matthäus will not be binding for the second temper once the current one is finished. [ 39 ] The reason cited was the fiscal perturb that the club was going through. [ 39 ] Matthäus ‘ club finished the league temper in fourthly spot .

Bulgaria home team [edit ]

Matthäus ( right ) during a friendly match against Serbia in November 2010 On 23 September 2010, it was announced that Matthäus would be the new bus of the Bulgarian national team after the resignation of Stanimir Stoilov a few weeks sooner. [ 40 ] His narrow was for one year with the option for a biennial annex. He started with a 1–0 acquire against Wales in Cardiff on his debut. [ 41 ] Matthäus led Bulgaria to their beginning acquire in 2010 and in the UEFA Euro 2012 qualification political campaign. On 12 October 2010, he led Bulgaria to a 2–0 succeed over Saudi Arabia in a friendly. On 17 November 2010, in a friendly played in Sofia, Bulgaria lost to Serbia 0–1. Despite winning his first base peer in the qualifiers against Wales, Bulgaria under Matthäus were unable to qualify for Euro 2012, following pull back with Switzerland and Montenegro, equally well as a family loss against England. On 19 September 2011, it was revealed that Matthäus had been sacked. [ 42 ] The match against Switzerland was his final match. [ 43 ] In April 2018, he was one of 77 applicants for the vacant Cameroon national team job. [ 44 ]

columnist and television initiate [edit ]

From 2001 until 2009, in analogue and in-between his coach jobs, Matthäus wrote a column for the german hebdomadally sports magazine Sport Bild. He besides worked as in-studio television initiate on a variety show of television receiver networks during big football competitions : for the german pay television receiver channel Premiere during the 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cups, for the german distribution channel ZDF during UEFA Euro 2004, for Eurosport during UEFA Euro 2008, for the Arabian network Al Jazeera Sports during the 2010 FIFA World Cup, for the iranian channel IRIB during the 2014 FIFA World Cup and 2015 AFC asian Cup, and for the british television network ITV during UEFA Euro 2016. [ 45 ] Since the 2012–13 Bundesliga season, he worked as an technical for the Pay TV broadcaster Sky Deutschland. [ 46 ] He has far participated in a especial É Campeão for the brazilian distribution channel SporTV .

personal life [edit ]

Lothar Matthäus was born to Heinz ( 1930–2019 ) and Katharina ( 1931–2020 ) Matthäus. His father who was born in southerly Silesia, fled to Germany during the soviet invasion in 1944, then worked as a canteen coach, while his mother worked for Puma. [ 47 ] He has four children, [ 48 ] and has been married five times. During his beginning marriage that lasted from 1981 until 1992, wife Silvia gave parturition to two daughters Alisa ( hold 1986 ) and Viola ( bear 1988 ). In 1994, he married swiss model and television presenter Lolita Morena with whom he had a son, Loris ( wear 1992 ). The marriage ended in 1999. While coaching FK Partizan in Belgrade, he met 31-year-old Serbian socialite Marijana Kostić who became his third wife on 27 November 2003. It was her third marriage vitamin a good. By late 2007, the copulate separated and she filed for disassociate. Their disassociate became official in late January 2009 following the conclusion of a year-long court sheath in Salzburg, Austria ( their death mansion ) over the division of assets. [ 49 ] In December 2008, 47-year-old Matthäus married 21-year-old ukrainian mannequin Kristina Liliana Chudinova. The ceremony was held in Las Vegas. They met a year earlier at the Oktoberfest beer festival in Munich. The couple lived in Tel Aviv, Israel, where Liliana studies journalism in a local university ; [ citation needed ] but started living individually by early 2010. [ 50 ] Matthäus and Anastasia Klimko have a son, Milan ( born April 2014 ). The marriage ended in 2021. [ 51 ]

Media appearances [edit ]

Matthäus features in EA Sports ‘ FIFA video plot series ; he was on the cover of the german edition of FIFA 2001, [ 52 ] and features in the FIFA 14, FIFA 15, FIFA 16, FIFA 17, FIFA 18, FIFA 19 and FIFA 20 as an Ultimate Team Legend. [ 53 ] Matthäus was besides prominently featured in the open video scene of EA ‘s Euro 2000 television game, with Paul Oakenfold transforming the real Matthäus into an synergistic digital player he controls in the game with his turntables. [ 54 ] In August 2019, Matthäus became the face of turn-based football management game Football, Tactics & Glory ; he does not actually appear in the game itself. [ 55 ] Matthäus had a guest character in concert with Joanna Tuczyńska in the television series Alarm für Cobra 11 – Die Autobahnpolizei, in which he played himself in March 2012. [ 56 ] In June 2012, VOX broadcast a documentary titled “ Lothar – immer am Ball “. [ 57 ]

career statistics [edit ]

clubhouse [edit ]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[58]
Club Season League National Cup[a] League Cup[b] Continental[c] Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Borussia Mönchengladbach 1979–80 Bundesliga 28 4 2 0 11 2 41 6
1980–81 33 10 5 2 38 12
1981–82 33 3 5 4 4 1 42 8
1982–83 34 8 5 2 39 10
1983–84 34 11 6 4 40 15
Total 162 36 23 12 15 3 200 51
Bayern Munich 1984–85 Bundesliga 33 16 6 0 5 1 44 17
1985–86 23 10 5 2 3 0 31 12
1986–87 31 14 3 1 7 4 41 19
1987–88 26 17 4 3 4 1 34 21
Total 113 57 18 6 19 6 150 69
Internazionale 1988–89 Serie A 32 9 7 3 5 0 44 12
1989–90 25 11 2 2 0 0 2 0 29 13
1990–91 31 16 3 1 12 6 46 23
1991–92 27 4 5 1 2 0 34 5
Total 115 40 17 7 0 0 21 6 153 53
Bayern Munich 1992–93 Bundesliga 28 8 0 0 28 8
1993–94 33 8 3 1 4 1 40 10
1994–95 16 5 2 0 6 0 24 5
1995–96 19 1 0 0 7 0 26 1
1996–97 28 1 3 0 2 0 33 1
1997–98 25 3 3 0 2 0 5 0 35 3
1998–99 25 1 5 0 2 0 12 1 44 2
1999–2000 15 1 2 0 0 0 9 0 26 1
Total 189 28 18 1 4 0 45 2 256 31
MetroStars 2000 Major League Soccer 16 0 2 0 5 0 23 0
Career total 595 161 78 26 9 0 100 17 782 204

International [edit ]

Appearances and goals by national team and year[59]
National team Year Apps Goals
Germany 1980 1 0
1981 1 0
1982 10 0
1983 7 0
1984 10 0
1985 7 1
1986 15 2
1987 6 1
1988 10 4
1989 3 1
1990 15 7
1991 7 3
1992 4 0
1993 11 0
1994 15 3
1995 0 0
1996 0 0
1997 0 0
1998 8 0
1999 13 1
2000 7 0
Total 150 23
Scores and results list West Germany’s and Germany’s goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Matthäus goal.

managerial commemorate [edit ]

As of match played 6 September 2011

Honours [edit ]

The number 10 Inter Milan jersey of Matthäus in the San Siro museum Bayern Munich [ 66 ] [ 67 ]
Internazionale [ 66 ] [ 67 ]
MetroStars [ 66 ]
Germany
Individual

See besides [edit ]

References [edit ]

Read more: FIFA 21 Pro Clubs