Sepp Maier

Sepp Maier
Personal information
Full name	Josef Dieter Maier
Date of birth	28 February 1944 (1944-02-28) (age 65)
Place of birth	Metten, Germany
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing position	Goalkeeper
Senior clubs1
Years	Club	App (Gls)*
1965-1980	Bayern Munich	536 (0)
National team
1966-1979	West Germany	095 (0)
1 Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. * Appearances (Goals)

Josef Dieter "Sepp" Maier (born 28 February 1944) is a German former professional football goalkeeper.

Born in Metten, Bavaria, he spent the entirety of his professional playing career at Bayern Munich, winning the Bundesliga Championship four times and the European Cup three times in succession. Between 1966 and 1977 he played in an uninterrupted sequence of 422 matches, still a German national record. He was voted West German footballer of the year three times (1975, 1977 and 1978). His nickname was "Die Katze von Anzing" ("the cat from Anzing").

Maier was selected in the West Germany squad for four consecutive World Cups. In 1966 in England, he was a non-playing deputy to Hans Tilkowski. In 1970 in Mexico, he was the undisputed starter and played all games (including the legendary 3-4 semifinal loss to Italy after extra time) save for the third-place match. In 1974 on home soil, at the top of his footballing abilities, he enjoyed his greatest triumph when he helped his national side win the World Cup, defeating the Netherlands 2-1 in the final in his home city of Munich. In 1978 in Argentina, slightly past his peak but still formidable, he delivered a strong performance but could not prevent his side's failing to advance past the second round. Maier also won the 1972 European Championship with West Germany and reached the final in 1976, losing to Czechoslovakia on penalty kicks. In all, he played for his country 95 times.

As well as his goalkeeping exploits, Maier was famous for his overlong shorts and outsize gloves, and, despite his undoubted talent, was seen in some circles as somewhat of a clown. Famous is his duck hunt in the Olympia Stadion. While Bayern were pressuring the opponent's goal all the time, Maier got bored and a duck had got lost itself in the stadium. Since no shot on goal was to be expected, Sepp Maier went duck hunting instead of paying attention to the match. Needless to say, the duck escaped all the dives Maier made. His career was curtailed in 1979 following a car crash (self-inflicted while under the influence of alcohol) in which he sustained life-threatening injuries. After a near-complete recovery, Maier turned to coaching and has since been goalkeeping coach for both Bayern Munich and the German national side. In October 2004 his contract with the national side was terminated by coach Jürgen Klinsmann after Maier spoke out in favour of Bayern's Oliver Kahn over Jens Lehmann in a dispute over who should be the side's first-choice goalkeeper. Maier retired from Bayern Munich in 2008.

Career statistics

Honours

• German Champions: 1969, 1972, 1973, 1974
• German Cup: 1966, 1967, 1969, 1971
• European Cup: 1974, 1975, 1976
• UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1967
• Intercontinental Cup: 1976
• World Cup: 1974
• European Championship: 1972

West Germany squad – 1966 FIFA World Cup Runners-up 1 Tilkowski • 2 Höttges • 3 Schnellinger • 4 Beckenbauer • 5 Schulz • 6 Weber • 7 Brülls • 8 Haller • 9 Seeler • 10 Held • 11 Emmerich • 12 Overath • 13 Hornig • 14 Lutz • 15 Patzke • 16 Lorenz • 17 Paul • 18 Sieloff • 19 Krämer • 20 Grabowski • 21 Bernard • 22 Maier • Coach: Schön

West Germany squad – 1970 FIFA World Cup Third Place 1 Maier • 2 Höttges • 3 Schnellinger • 4 Beckenbauer • 5 Schulz • 6 Weber • 7 Vogts • 8 Haller • 9 Seeler • 10 Held • 11 Fichtel • 12 Overath • 13 Müller • 14 Libuda • 15 Patzke • 16 Lorenz • 17 Löhr • 18 Sieloff • 19 Dietrich • 20 Grabowski • 21 Manglitz • 22 Wolter • Coach: Schön

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 – UEFA Euro 1976 Runners-up 1 Maier • 2 Vogts • 3 Dietz • 4 Schwarzenbeck • 5 Beckenbauer • 6 Wimmer • 7 Bonhof • 8 Hoeneß • 9 Müller • 10 Beer • 11 Hölzenbein • 12 Worm • 13 Danner • 14 Bongartz • 15 Flohe • 16 Nogly • 17 Kaltz • 18 Kargus • Coach: Schön

West Germany squad – 1978 FIFA World Cup 1 Maier • 2 Vogts • 3 Dietz • 4 Rüssmann • 5 Kaltz • 6 Bonhof • 7 Abramczik • 8 Zimmermann • 9 Fischer • 10 Flohe • 11 Rummenigge • 12 Schwarzenbeck • 13 Konopka • 14 D. Müller • 15 Beer • 16 Cullmann • 17 Hölzenbein • 18 Zewe • 19 Worm • 20 H. Müller • 21 Kargus • 22 Burdenski • Coach: Schön