Rudi Völler

Rudi Völler
Personal information
Full name	Rudolf Völler
Date of birth	April 13, 1960 (1960-04-13) (age 49)
Place of birth	Hanau, West Germany
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing position	Striker
Club information
Current club	Bayer Leverkusen (Sporting Director)
Youth clubs
1956-1975 1975-1977	TSV 1860 Hanau Kickers Offenbach
Senior clubs1
Years	Club	App (Gls)*
1977-1980 1980-1982 1982-1987 1987-1992 1992-1994 1994-1996	Kickers Offenbach 1860 Munich Werder Bremen AS Roma Olympique Marseille Bayer Leverkusen	073 (18) 070 (46) 137 (97) 142 (45) 058 (24) 062 (26)
National team
1982-1994	Germany	090 (47)
Teams managed
2000 2000-2004 2004 2005	Bayer Leverkusen Germany AS Roma Bayer Leverkusen
1 Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. * Appearances (Goals)

Rudolf 'Rudi' Völler (born April 13 1960) is a German former international football striker, and a former manager of the German national team. He won the FIFA World Cup in 1990 as a player and coached the national team to second place at the 2002 World Cup. He was born in Hanau, Hesse.

Club career

Völler, joined the Bundesliga team Werder Bremen in 1982, winning his first cap for Germany in the same year. In 1987 he was transferred to A.S. Roma, where he became a mainstay of the team and earned the nickname 'il tedesco volante' (the flying German). He won the Italian Cup in 1991.

In 1992, Völler joined Olympique Marseille, winning the Champions League with this team in 1993. Returning to Germany, he joined Bayer Leverkusen in 1994, where he ended his career as a player in 1996 and started a career in the management of the club.

National team

Völler was capped 90 times for the national team, scoring 47 goals, including 8 in World Cup finals matches. He was a member of the team that won the 1990 World Cup. He scored 3 times in the tournament, including one goal in a 4-1 win over Yugoslavia, and then found the net twice against the United Arab Eimirates in a 5-1 win. During the second-round game against Holland, Völler and Dutch player Frank Rijkaard were sent off the field after a spitting incident. Völler came back to play and star for Germany in both the semi-final and final, and he was the player brought down in the penalty area by an Argentinian defender, leading to Andreas Brehme's penalty kick in the final. Germany ended up winning the match 1-0.

The unsavoury incident that took place during the second-round match with Holland started when Rijkaard was booked for a bad tackle on Völler. As Rijkaard took up position for the free kick, he spat in Völler's hair. Völler complained to the referee and was booked as well. From the resulting free kick, Völler dove to avoid a collision with Dutch Keeper Hans van Breukelen, although it did also look as if he dove for a penalty. Van Breukelen was angry at this, but Rijkaard again confronted Völler by twisting his ear and stamping on his foot. Both Völler and Rijkaard were sent off, but Rijkaard again spat in Völler's hair as they left the pitch and was rumoured to have repeated this on the touchline. Rijkaard later stated that it was his fault: "That day I was wrong. There was no insult. I always had much respect for Rudi Völler. But I went berserk when I saw that red card. I talked to him after the match and I apologized. I'm very happy that he accepted. I have no bad feeling about him now. We even posed for a very funny advert together, years after." (Rijkaard had family problems in this time)^[1].

Völler also played in Euro 84, he scored twice in a group match with Romania which the Germans won 2-1 but a 90th minute defeat against Spain in their next game saw West Germany eliminated when all they needed was a draw.

At the 1986 World Cup, Völler scored the West German's equalizer in a 2-1 win over Scotland in the group stage. He bagged a last minute goal against France in the semi final to seal a 2-0 win and in the final itself his 80th minute goal made it 2-2 against Argentina. West Germany had been 2-0 down but lost the match 3-2. Völler became the second, and to this day the last player to score as a substitute in the World Cup final, after Alessandro Altobelli achieved this feat in 1982.

West Germany hosted the Euro 88, and Völler scored twice in a 2-0 win over Spain but the hosts lost to eventual winners Holland in the semi final.

He was again selected for the Euro 92 but was sent home when he suffered an injury in the opening game with CIS.

At the 1994 World Cup Völler was kept out of the starting line up for all 3 group games by Jürgen Klinsmann and Karl-Heinz Riedle who scored 5 between them. He made just one sub appearance in the group stages. He did start the second round tie with Belgium and scored twice in a 3-2 win.

International goals

Scores and results table. Germany's goal tally first:

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	March 30, 1983	Qemal Stafa Stadium, Tirana, Albania	Albania	1-0	2-1	UEFA Euro 1984 qualifying
2	September 7, 1983	Népstadion, Budapest, Hungary	Hungary	1-1	1-1	Friendly
3	October 5, 1983	Parkstadion, Gelsenkirchen, Germany	Austria	2-0	3-0	UEFA Euro 1984 qualifying
4	October 5, 1983	Parkstadion, Gelsenkirchen, Germany	Austria	3-0	3-0	UEFA Euro 1984 qualifying
5	October 26, 1983	Olympic Stadium, Berlin, Germany	Turkey	1-0	5-1	UEFA Euro 1984 qualifying
6	October 26, 1983	Olympic Stadium, Berlin, Germany	Turkey	3-0	5-1	UEFA Euro 1984 qualifying
7	February 15, 1984	Spartak Stadium, Varna, Bulgaria	Bulgaria	2-0	3-2	Friendly
8	February 29, 1984	Heysel Stadium, Brussels, Belgium	Belgium	1-0	1-0	Friendly
9	March 28, 1984	Niedersachsenstadion, Hannover, Germany	USSR	1-1	2-1	Friendly
10	June 17, 1984	Stade Félix-Bollaert, Lens, France	Romania	1-0	2-1	UEFA Euro 1984
11	June 17, 1984	Stade Félix-Bollaert, Lens, France	Romania	2-1	2-1	UEFA Euro 1984
12	February 24, 1985	Estádio da Luz, Lisbon, Portugal	Portugal	2-0	2-1	FIFA World Cup 1986 qualifying
13	April 17, 1985	Rosenaustadion, Augsburg, Germany	Bulgaria	1-0	4-1	Friendly
14	April 17, 1985	Rosenaustadion, Augsburg, Germany	Bulgaria	4-1	4-1	Friendly
15	September 25, 1985	Råsunda Stadium, Stockholm, Sweden	Sweden	1-0	2-2	FIFA World Cup 1986 qualifying
16	May 11, 1986	Ruhrstadion, Bochum, Germany	Yugoslavia	1-1	1-1	Friendly
17	May 14, 1986	Westfalenstadion, Dortmund, Germany	Netherlands	1-0	3-1	Friendly
18	May 14, 1986	Westfalenstadion, Dortmund, Germany	Netherlands	2-0	3-1	Friendly
19	June 8, 1986	Estadio La Corregidora, Santiago de Querétaro, Mexico	Scotland	1-1	2-1	FIFA World Cup 1986
20	June 25, 1986	Estadio Jalisco, Guadalajara, Mexico	France	2-0	2-0	FIFA World Cup 1986
21	June 29, 1986	Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico	Argentina	2-2	2-3	FIFA World Cup 1986
22	October 29, 1986	Prater Stadium, Vienna, Austria	Austria	1-1	1-4	Friendly
23	August 12, 1987	Olympic Stadium, Berlin, Germany	France	1-0	2-1	Friendly
24	August 12, 1987	Olympic Stadium, Berlin, Germany	France	2-0	2-1	Friendly
25	September 23, 1987	Volksparkstadion, Hamburg, Germany	Denmark	1-0	1-0	Friendly
26	June 17, 1988	Olympic Stadium, Munich, Germany	Spain	1-0	2-0	UEFA Euro 1988
27	June 17, 1988	Olympic Stadium, Munich, Germany	Spain	2-0	2-0	UEFA Euro 1988
28	August 31, 1988	Olympic Stadium, Helsinki, Finland	Finland	1-0	4-0	FIFA World Cup 1990 qualifying
29	August 31, 1988	Olympic Stadium, Helsinki, Finland	Finland	2-0	4-0	FIFA World Cup 1990 qualifying
30	March 22, 1989	Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia, Bulgaria	Bulgaria	1-1	2-1	Friendly
31	October 4, 1989	Westfalenstadion, Dortmund, Germany	Finland	4-0	6-1	FIFA World Cup 1990 qualifying
32	November 15, 1989	Müngersdorfer Stadion, Cologne, Germany	Wales	1-1	2-1	FIFA World Cup 1990 qualifying
33	April 25, 1990	Neckarstadion, Stuttgart, Germany	Uruguay	2-1	3-3	Friendly
34	May 30, 1990	Parkstadion, Gelsenkirchen, Germany	Denmark	1-0	1-0	Friendly
35	June 10, 1990	Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Milan, Italy	Yugoslavia	4-1	4-1	FIFA World Cup 1990
36	June 15, 1990	Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Milan, Italy	United Arab Emirates	1-0	5-1	FIFA World Cup 1990
37	June 15, 1990	Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, Milan, Italy	United Arab Emirates	5-1	5-1	FIFA World Cup 1990
38	October 10, 1990	Råsunda Stadium, Stockholm, Sweden	Sweden	2-0	3-1	Friendly
39	October 31, 1990	Stade Josy Barthel, Luxembourg, Luxembourg	Luxembourg	3-0	3-2	UEFA Euro 1992 qualifying
40	December 19, 1990	Neckarstadion, Stuttgart, Germany	Switzerland	1-0	4-0	Friendly
41	October 16, 1991	Frankenstadion, Nuremberg, Germany	Wales	2-0	4-1	UEFA Euro 1992 qualifying
42	November 20, 1991	King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium	Belgium	1-0	1-0	UEFA Euro 1992 qualifying
43	May 30, 1992	Parkstadion, Gelsenkirchen, Germany	Turkey	1-0	1-0	Friendly
44	October 14, 1992	Rudolf-Harbig-Stadion, Dresden, Germany	Mexico	1-0	1-1	Friendly
45	June 8, 1994	Lamport Stadium, Toronto, Canada	Canada	2-0	2-0	Friendly
46	July 2, 1994	Soldier Field, Chicago, USA	Belgium	1-0	3-2	FIFA World Cup 1994
47	July 2, 1994	Soldier Field, Chicago, USA	Belgium	3-1	3-2	FIFA World Cup 1994

Trivia

Rudi is an unlockable player in EA Sports, 2006 FIFA World Cup. He was also included in the 'Classic Germany' team in Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer 6. He is also included in the Electronic Arts game FIFA 08 and 09, and can be unlocked as a striker of the Classic 11 team.

Coaching career

After a disappointing Euro 2000 for the national team under manager Erich Ribbeck, the DFB appointed Völler as new manager, even though he then did not have a coaching licence. At first only planning to manage the national team for one year, he extended his contract when his planned successor Christoph Daum was involved in a drug scandal. Despite losing to England 5-1 at home, he managed to lead the team to a surprising appearance in the Final of the 2002 World Cup.

After a first-round exit from Euro 2004, he resigned from his post.

Following his resignation from the German national job, Völler briefly made a comeback at A.S. Roma in 2004, this time as manager. Hired in late August as a last-minute appointment after the shock resignations of Cesare Prandelli, he left the club only one month later after a series of poor results and high-profile disagreements with players, notably Antonio Cassano.

Moving back to the support ranks at Bayer Leverkusen, Völler was named caretaker manager of Bayer Leverkusen on September 16, 2005 after the club sacked manager Klaus Augenthaler. Völler served in that role until Michael Skibbe was named as the club's new permanent manager that October.

Völler was (and still is) very popular in Germany. Even when the national squad achieved only modest results, Völler never lost his popularity as the German public knew he was achieving as much as possible with a relatively limited squad. His predecessor Berti Vogts by contrast was widely "slagged off" by everybody even during periods of success with a far more talented German squad. The public even forgave Völler when - during a TV interview in September 2003 - he lost his temper, used dirty language, even attacked and yelled at the presenter Waldemar Hartmann in order to defend his team against unfair press statements.

Among German fans, Völler earned himself the affectionate nickname "Tante Käthe" ("Aunt Katie") due to his curly grey "auntie" hairdo (see photograph).

Career statistics

Honours

As a player

• World Cup: 1990; Runner-up 1986
• Coppa Italia: 1991
• UEFA Champions League: 1993
• UEFA Cup: Runner-up 1991
• European Championship: Runner-up 1992

As a coach

• World Cup: Runner-up 2002

References

1. ↑ "Cheeseheads vs Krauts": 30 Years of Enmity

External links

• Rudi Völler (in German)
• Legends - Rudi Völler German Documentary
• Career stats at fussballdaten.de

Rudi Völler navigation boxes German Footballer of the Year 1960: Seeler | 1961: Morlock | 1962: Schnellinger | 1963: Schäfer | 1964: Seeler | 1965: Tilkowski | 1966: Beckenbauer | 1967: Müller | 1968: Beckenbauer | 1969: Müller | 1970: Seeler | 1971: Vogts | 1972: Netzer | 1973: Netzer | 1974: Beckenbauer | 1975: Maier | 1976: Beckenbauer | 1977: Maier | 1978: Maier | 1979: Vogts | 1980: Rummenigge | 1981: Breitner | 1982: Förster | 1983: Völler | 1984: Schumacher | 1985: Briegel | 1986: Schumacher | 1987: Rahn | 1988: Klinsmann | 1989: Häßler | 1990: Matthäus | 1991: Kuntz | 1992: Häßler | 1993: Köpke | 1994: Klinsmann | 1995: Sammer | 1996: Sammer | 1997: Kohler | 1998: Bierhoff | 1999: Matthäus | 2000: Kahn | 2001: Kahn | 2002: Ballack | 2003: Ballack | 2004: Aílton | 2005: Ballack | 2006: Klose | 2007: Gómez | 2008: Ribéry West Germany squad – UEFA Euro 1984 1 Schumacher • 2 Briegel • 3 Strack • 4 K. Förster • 5 B. Förster • 6 Rolff • 7 Brehme • 8 K. Allofs • 9 Völler • 10 Meier • 11 Rummenigge • 12 Burdenski • 13 Matthäus • 14 Falkenmayer • 15 Stielike • 16 Bruns • 17 Littbarski • 18 Buchwald • 19 Bommer • 20 Roleder • Coach: Derwall West Germany squad – 1986 FIFA World Cup Runners-up 1 Schumacher • 2 Briegel • 3 Brehme • 4 Förster • 5 Herget • 6 Eder • 7 Littbarski • 8 Matthäus • 9 Völler • 10 Magath • 11 Rummenigge • 12 Stein • 13 Allgöwer • 14 Berthold • 15 Augenthaler • 16 Thon • 17 Jakobs • 18 Rahn • 19 K. Allofs • 20 Hoeneß • 21 Rolff • 22 Immel • Coach: Beckenbauer West Germany squad – UEFA Euro 1988 semi-finalists 1 Immel • 2 Buchwald • 3 Brehme • 4 Kohler • 5 Herget • 6 Borowka • 7 Littbarski • 8 Matthäus • 9 Völler • 10 Thon • 11 Mill • 12 Illgner • 13 Wuttke • 14 Berthold • 15 Pflügler • 16 Eckstein • 17 Dorfner • 18 Klinsmann • 19 Sauer • 20 Rolff • Coach: Beckenbauer West Germany squad – 1990 FIFA World Cup Winners (3rd Title) 1 Illgner • 2 Reuter • 3 Brehme • 4 Kohler • 5 Augenthaler • 6 Buchwald • 7 Littbarski • 8 Häßler • 9 Völler • 10 Matthäus • 11 Mill • 12 Aumann • 13 Riedle • 14 Berthold • 15 Bein • 16 Steiner • 17 Möller • 18 Klinsmann • 19 Pflügler • 20 Thon • 21 Hermann • 22 Köpke • Coach: Beckenbauer Germany squad – UEFA Euro 1992 Runners-up 1 Illgner • 2 Reuter • 3 Brehme • 4 Kohler • 5 Binz • 6 Buchwald • 7 Möller • 8 Häßler • 9 Völler • 10 Doll • 11 Riedle • 12 Köpke • 13 Thom • 14 Helmer • 15 Frontzeck • 16 Sammer • 17 Effenberg • 18 Klinsmann • 19 Schulz • 20 Wörns • Coach: Vogts Germany squad – 1994 FIFA World Cup 1 Illgner • 2 Strunz • 3 Brehme • 4 Kohler • 5 Helmer • 6 Buchwald • 7 Möller • 8 Häßler • 9 Riedle • 10 Matthäus • 11 Kuntz • 12 Köpke • 13 Völler • 14 Berthold • 15 Gaudino • 16 Sammer • 17 Wagner • 18 Klinsmann • 19 Kirsten • 20 Effenberg • 21 Basler • 22 Kahn • Coach: Vogts Germany squad – 2002 FIFA World Cup Runners-up 1 Kahn • 2 Linke • 3 Rehmer • 4 Baumann • 5 Ramelow • 6 Ziege • 7 Neuville • 8 Hamann • 9 Jancker • 10 Ricken • 11 Klose • 12 Lehmann • 13 Ballack • 14 Asamoah • 15 Kehl • 16 Jeremies • 17 Bode • 18 Böhme • 19 Schneider • 20 Bierhoff • 21 Metzelder • 22 Frings • 23 Butt • Coach: Völler Germany squad – UEFA Euro 2004 1 Kahn • 2 Hinkel • 3 Friedrich • 4 Wörns • 5 Nowotny • 6 Baumann • 7 Schweinsteiger • 8 Hamann • 9 Bobic • 10 Kurányi • 11 Klose • 12 Lehmann • 13 Ballack • 14 Brdaric • 15 Kehl • 16 Jeremies • 17 Ziege • 18 Ernst • 19 Schneider • 20 Podolski • 21 Lahm • 22 Frings • 23 Hildebrand • Coach: Völler Germany national football team – Managers DFB committee (1908–1927) • Nerz (1928–1936) • Herberger (1936–1964) • Schön (1964–1978) • Derwall (1978–1984) • Beckenbauer (1984–1990) • Vogts (1990–1998) • Ribbeck (1998–2000) • Völler (2000–2004) • Klinsmann (2004–2006) • Löw (2006–) Bayer 04 Leverkusen – Managers Pliska (1963–65) • Kirchberg (1965–72) • Rummel (1972–75) • Momirski (1976) • Kremer (1976–81) • Kentschke (1981–82) • Cramer (1982–85) • Ribbeck (1985–88) • Michels (1988–89) • Gelsdorf (1989–91) • Hermann (1991) • Saftig (1991–93) • Stepanović (1993–95) • Ribbeck (1995–96) • Hermann (1996) • Daum (1996–2000) • Völler (2000) • Vogts (2000–01) • Toppmöller (2001–03) • Hörster (2003) • Augenthaler (2003–05) • Völler (2005) • Skibbe (2005–08) • Labbadia (2008–) A.S. 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