Paul Breitner

Paul Breitner (born 5 September 1951 in Kolbermoor, Bavaria) is a former German football player. One of Germany's most controversial players, he was capped 48 times for his country.

Playing career

His football career lasted from 1970 until 1983, mainly playing for Bayern Munich (1970–74 and 1978–83) and Real Madrid (1974–78), with one season playing for Eintracht Braunschweig. His early success was as a free roaming left back, as likely to score from the right midfield as to stop an attacker in his own penalty area. Later in his career he moved to midfield and became one of the top midfielders through the early 1980s.

The early peak of Breitner's long and successful career was at age 21 in 1972 as part of the winning German European Championship team. This was followed two years later with victory as a member of the German World Cup squad. The final was played in Munich against the Netherlands, and Breitner scored the first German goal on a penalty kick. In the final, he, Franz Beckenbauer and Berti Vogts formed a slick unit at the back and their water-tight defense prevented the Dutch from winning the World Cup. He moved to Real Madrid following the World Cup and quit the West German squad, remaining off the side until enticed to return by Jupp Derwall in 1981. Breitner is one of only four footballers to have achieved the feat of scoring in two different World Cup final matches, sharing that honour with Pelé, Vavá, and Zinédine Zidane. He achieved this in 1974 against the Netherlands and in 1982 against Italy.

During his club career, Breitner won seven National Championships with Bayern Munich (1972, 1973, 1974, 1980, 1981) and Real Madrid (1975, 1976), the Champions' Cup (1974) as well as the German (1971, 1982) and Spanish Cups (1975). During his spell with Bayern Munich, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and he formed such a formidable one-two-punch that they were often called Breitnigge.

By many of the older and more traditional football fans in Germany he was decried for his "revolutionary" attitude and his tendency for voicing strong opinions on political and social issues. Before the 1982 World Cup (held in Spain) former "leftist" Breitner caused a major uproar in Germany when he accepted an offer by a German cosmetics company to pay him the – what many Germans regarded at that time as a "scandalously high" – sum of 150,000 Deutsche Mark if he shaved off his fluffy full beard, used their fragrance and advertised for the company. He currently works as a football commentator in Germany and is also an advisor to the Board of Bayern Munich.

Career statistics

Honours

Bayern Munich

Bundesliga

• Winner: 1972, 1973, 1974, 1980, 1981

DFB-Pokal

• Winner: 1971, 1982

European Cup

• Winner: 1974
• Runner-up: 1982

Real Madrid

La Liga

• Winner: 1975, 1976

Copa del Rey

• Winner: 1975

West Germany

UEFA European Football Championship

• Winner: 1972

FIFA World Cup

• Winner: 1974
• Runner-up: 1982

Individual

• German Footballer of the Year 1981
• European Footballer of the Year 1981 (Silver Ball)

Post-retirement

In 1998, Breitner was announced as the new national coach by German Football Association president Egidius Braun. However, after some steam from fellow DFB officials, he reconsidered his decision 17 hours later, making Breitner an infamous 17 hours national coach.

Today, Breitner works as a TV critic and columnist.

In March 2007 he entered into a contract with FC Bayern Munich and acts as an advisor on various issues.

External links

• Paul Breitner Autograph (German)
• Paul Breitner career information (German)

West Germany squad – UEFA Euro 1972 Winners (1st title) GK Maier • GK Kleff • DF Beckenbauer • DF Bella • DF Breitner • DF Höttges • DF Schwarzenbeck • DF Vogts • MF Bonhof • MF Hoeneß • MF Köppel • MF Netzer • FW Grabowski • FW Heynckes • FW E. Kremers • FW Löhr • FW Müller • FW Wimmer • Coach: Schön

West Germany squad – 1974 FIFA World Cup Winners (2nd Title) 1 Maier • 2 Vogts • 3 Breitner • 4 Schwarzenbeck • 5 Beckenbauer • 6 Höttges • 7 Wimmer • 8 Cullmann • 9 Grabowski • 10 Netzer • 11 Heynckes • 12 Overath • 13 Müller • 14 Hoeneß • 15 Flohe • 16 Bonhof • 17 Hölzenbein • 18 Herzog • 19 Kapellmann • 20 H. Kremers • 21 Nigbur • 22 Kleff • Coach: Schön

West Germany squad – 1982 FIFA World Cup Runners-up 1 Schumacher • 2 Briegel • 3 Breitner • 4 K. Förster • 5 B. Förster • 6 Dremmler • 7 Littbarski • 8 Fischer • 9 Hrubesch • 10 Müller • 11 Rummenigge • 12 Hannes • 13 Reinders • 14 Magath • 15 Stielike • 16 T. Allofs • 17 Engels • 18 Matthäus • 19 Hieronymus • 20 Kaltz • 21 Franke • 22 Immel • Coach: Derwall