90: What happened to West Germany's World Cup winners?
Wednesday 26 May 2010 12:31
The West Germany side that enjoyed victory in in Rome 20 years ago had varying levels of success since lifting the cup, Ulrich Hesse tells us more...
Goalkeeper: BODO ILLGNER
The first man to keep a clean sheet in a World Cup final unexpectedly retired from international duty following Germany’s quarter-final defeat at USA 94 and later vanished from the radar. Until 2004, that is, when he and his wife published a fact-meets-fiction football novel that sank without trace.
Defender: ANDREAS BREHME
The two-footed wing-back, then 30, converted the penalty that won the final with his more accurate right foot but would take free-kicks with his more powerful left. Has been unemployed since he was fired as Stuttgart’s assistant coach three years ago.
Defender: JURGEN KOHLER
The hard but fair defender, who retired from the national team after the 1998 World Cup and 105 internationals, was sent off in his last-ever professional game, the 2002 UEFA Cup Final. Kohler’s coaching career never got off the ground – hence he’s recently been linked with a fifth-division club.
Defender: GUIDO BUCHWALD
Contrary to popular belief, the ungainly centre-back wasn't nicknamed 'Diego’ for marking Maradona out of the final. He earned the moniker three games earlier, for a step-over that led to a goal against Holland. Buchwald retired from international duty after the 1994 World Cup and 76 caps, later coaching in Japan and Germany.
Defender: THOMAS BERTHOLD
Outspoken and stubborn, in June 1991 Berthold kicked Kevin Ratcliffe
during a game against Wales and was sent off, whereupon coach Berti
Vogts banned him from the national team for almost three years; he
returned to play in his third World Cup in 1994. In 2005, Berthold was
fired as Dusseldorf’s business manager and now works as a pundit.
Sweeper: KLAUS AUGENTHALER
The Marlboro-smoking sweeper retired from national service after the
final. He went into coaching but has been unemployed since narrowly
avoiding relegation with Wolfsburg in 2007.
Midfielder: PIERRE LITTBARSKI
The final was Littbarski’s 73rd and last international, though the diminutive dribbler didn’t retire for another seven years, finishing his career in Japan, where he met his second wife and where he started his coaching career. Today, Littbarski is in charge of Liechtenstein club Vaduz, competing in the Swiss league.
Midfielder: THOMAS HASSLER
The tiny playmaker collected 101 caps. He retired only in 2004, had a stint as Nigeria’s assistance coach under Berti Vogts and currently concentrates on the hard-rock record label he co-founded in 1996.
Midfielder: LOTHAR MATTHAUS
It almost defies belief, but the man who was only eight months shy of his 30th birthday when he won the 1990 World Cup played on for another decade, finishing his illustrious career in 2000 in MLS. He’s since coached six sides in five countries but can't get a job in Germany, where too many people have an axe to grind.
Striker: RUDI VOLLER
’Aunt Cathy’ was one of the most popular German players of all time. He
cemented his status as a fans’ favourite when he took over a hopeless
national team and guided them to the 2002 World Cup Final. Following a
disastrous Euro 2004, however, Voller went back to his day job,
director of football at Bayer Leverkusen.
Striker: JURGEN KLINSMANN
Always more popular abroad than at home until he coached an unfancied German team to a third place at the 2006 World Cup on home soil. He lasted less than 10 months at Bayern Munich’s helm, though, before moving back to California, where he runs a sports marketing company.
Coach: FRANZ BECKENBAUER
Ten years after becoming only the second man to win the World Cup as a player and a coach, Kaiser won it for the third time: in July 2000, Germany were declared hosts of the 2006 World Cup, against all odds and thanks to his lobbying. Beckenbauer stepped down as Bayern president in November but still regularly appears on Sky Germany.
Substitute: STEFAN REUTER
Played the final 15 minutes of the final. He worked as 1860 Munich’s director of football from 2006 to 2009.
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