Lothar Matthäus

Lothar Matthäus born the March 21st 1961 with Erlangen, is old a Football German or reconverted Entraîneur. He evolved/moved at the station of medium ground at the beginning of his career then with that of libéro. Player emblematic of the team of Germany during twenty years, it was Ballon of gold in 1990, after having gained the World cup the same year, then player FIFA of the year in 1991.

With its compatriot Franz Beckenbauer with whom it shares certain similarities in the course of his career, it has one of the most complete prize lists of football. The only trophy which it never succeeded in hanging to its prize list is the Coupe of Europe of the clubs champions.

It is one of the most outstanding players of the Eighties and Nineties, and the symbol even of the German domination on international football at the same time.

Career

It begins its professional path with the Borussia Mönchengladbach in 1979. It will dispute 162 matches under the shirt of Borussia before leaving it for the Bayern Munich in 1984.

It is within the Bavarian club that it will gain some of the largest trophies of its career. He will play 2 recoveries for Bayern: from 1984 to 1988, then of 1992 to 2000. Among these trophies, there are 6 championships of Germany and 1 cut UEFA in 1996. It is as with Bayern as it disputes and loses 2 times the final of the Coupe of Europe of the clubs champions in 1987 and 1999. The edition of 1999 is most terrible. Bayern Munich loses in the last minutes the title against Manchester United after 2 goals of Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Between 1989 and 1992, he will play in the Calcio within the Inter Milan. He will gain 1 there championship and another cut UEFA in 1991. Its Milanese career is very prolific, it marks many goals in Serie has. In 1991, it registers 19 goals in 31 matches.

Between 1979 and 2000, the positioning of Matthaüs evolves/moves on the ground. If he plays mainly medium ground in the Eighties, he gradually reconverts libéro into the Nineties. For this reason, its career makes think of that of the " Kaiser" , Franz Beckenbauer.

In 2000, at 39 years, whereas it is less and less essential to Bayern, it engages with the New York MetroStars. It will dispute 16 matches with the American club before taking its retirement.

1979-1984 : Germany
1984-1988: Germany
1989-1992: Italy
1992-2000: Germany
2000-2001: The United States

National team

Matthäus counts 150 selections for 23 goals marked with the Mannschaft. He is currently still the recordman of the number of selections for the Mannschaft.

He Co-holds with the Mexican goalkeeper Antonio Carbajal the record of the greatest number of participations (five) in final stages of World cup. Matthäus indeed took part in World in 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994 and finally in 1998. It also holds the record of the greatest number of disputed meetings of World cup (25 matches).

It was selected for the first time on June 14th, 1980, against the Netherlands at the time of the Euro 1980. He plays only the 17 last minutes, at the left station of back but that is enough to be regarded as winner of the Euro.

Until 2000, he will play almost all international competitions of football. With the World cup 1982, it disputes only 2 matches but at the time of the edition 1986, he became an indisputable holder of the team and argument the final against the Argentine of Diego Maradona.

Although it loses the final, it will have its revenge later four years against the same adversary. Become captain, Matthaüs raises the World cup, 16 years after Beckenbauer, which is the selector of the Mannschaft. At 29 years, it is with the apogee of its career. But this one is far from being finished. If it does not take part in the Euro 1992 due to wound, it disputes nevertheless the World cup 1994, at the station of libéro. This one is not very brilliant for the German selection which is eliminated in quarterfinal against the Bulgaria. Although much thought that it would be its last tournament, he does not announce his international retreat yet. It is not selected however any more by Berti Vögst to leave the end of the year 1994.

In 1998, to 37 years, he is recalled in selection following the serious wound of the libéro Matthias Sammer. He will dispute 4 matches at the time of World cup 1998 before being eliminated in quarterfinal by the Croatia. Selected in 2000 to dispute the Euro, he is criticized for his age and his play which does not have anything any more to see with its youths. It is true that for a few years, Matthaüs has been in end of a career. Nevertheless, it is one of rare the satisfaction of the catastrophic team of Germany eliminated as of hens. With nearly 40 years, Matthaüs is the only one to show a certain combativeness on the ground. Against Portugal, it will dispute its 150ème and last match in selection.

Profile of Matthaüs

Lothar Matthaüs is with Franz Beckenbauer, the emblematic figure of the domination of the team of Germany in the football of these thirty last years. If the " Kaiser" reign has over the Seventies, Matthaüs as for him reigned over the Eighties. Both were changeable players and true born leaders.

Although Matthaüs will never equalize in class and technique " Kaiser" Franz, it remained like a protean player able to make evolve/move her play in time and to acclimatize himself to all the devices. The great talent of Matthaüs is especially to be able to be expressed in all the registers of the play that is in defense or attack. Player of having and born leader, it illustrates himself at the beginning of his career like a solid medium lending strong hand to defense and liking engagement. At the time of its passage to Inter Milan, it is as a leader of enlightened play that it is distinguished particularly. He will finish his career like libéro.

It is this capacity to be passed from a defensive role to an offensive role which will explain its longevity in selection. If one adds to that his experiment and his influence on the players, it is comprehensible that it was retained until almost 40 years in international competitions.

He was also a very large striker never not hesitating to draw by far and to support his attackers.

Prize list

national Selection

Victorious of the Euro 1980 with Germany
Victorious of the World cup 1990 with Germany

Victorious Club

of the UEFA Cup in 1991 with Inter Milan and 1996 with Bayern Munich
Champion of Italy in 1989 with Inter Milan
Champion of Germany in 1985, 1986, 1987, 1994, 1997, 1999 and 2000 with Bayern Munich
Victorious of the Cut of Germany in 1986, 1998 and 2000 with Bayern Munich

Personal distinctions

Balloon of gold in 1990
Eleven of gold 1990
Player FIFA of the year in 1991
Named with FIFA 100

Career of trainer or selector

After its retirement of professional player, Matthäus became trainer of the Rapid of Vienna then Partizan Belgrade. It was selector of Hungarian national team.

As from January 2006, it involves Clube Atlético Paranaense in Brazil, from where it resigns in March of the same year.

Anecdote

Lothar Matthäus was made slap by its fellow-member of the Bayern of Munich Bixente Lizarazu, this last finding it too arrogant.

External bond

Biography (Internazionale.Fr)

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