Harald Schumacher

Toni Schumacher

Harald Schumacher in April 2013
Personal information
Full nameHarald Anton Schumacher
Date of birth6 March 1954
Place of birthDüren, West Germany
Height1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing positionGoalkeeper
Club information
Current team
Germany Football Association (Advisor)
Youth career
1962–1972Schwarz-Weiß Düren
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
1972–19871. FC Köln422(0)
1987–1988Schalke 0433(0)
1988–1991Fenerbahçe65(0)
1991–1992Bayern Munich8(0)
1995–1996Borussia Dortmund1(0)
Total529(0)
National team
1979–1986West Germany76(0)
Teams managed
1992–1993Schalke 04 (goalkeeping coach)
1993–1994Bayern Munich (goalkeeping coach)
1995–1998Borussia Dortmund (goalkeeping coach)
1998–1999SC Fortuna Köln
2001–2003Bayer 04 Leverkusen (goalkeeping coach)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Harald Anton Schumacher (born 6 March 1954 in Düren, West Germany), commonly known as Toni Schumacher, is a German former football goalkeeper, and a member of the Germany national football team. He won the 1980 European Championship and lost two World Cup finals, in 1982 and 1986. However, he is perhaps best remembered for a highly controversial incident in the 1982 FIFA World Cup semifinal against France when he collided with and seriously injured French defender Patrick Battiston.

International career

Schumacher played 76 international matches for West Germany between 1979 and 1986, including 15 World Cup qualifying matches and 14 World Cup matches. He won the 1980 European Championship and lost two World Cup finals, in 1982 and 1986.

Controversy at 1982 World Cup

Schumacher was involved in a collision with a French defender, substitute Patrick Battiston, in the semi-final of the 1982 World Cup. Battiston and Schumacher were both sprinting towards a long through ball pass from Michel Platini. Battiston managed to reach the ball first and flicked it up and to the side of the approaching Schumacher. Schumacher leapt into the air as the ball sailed past him, ultimately wide of the goal. Schumacher, still in the air, then collided with Battiston. The resulting contact left Battiston unconscious, later slipping into a coma. Schumacher has always denied any foul play regarding the incident, saying that he was simply going for the ball as a goal keeper is entitled to do. Others have alleged that he intentionally collided with Battiston.[1] Battiston also lost two teeth and had three cracked ribs.[2] He received oxygen on the pitch.[3] Michel Platini later said that he thought Battiston had died, because "he had no pulse and looked pale".[4] The Dutch referee Charles Corver did not award a free kick for the incident. Schumacher proceeded to take the goal kick and play resumed.[5] West Germany would eventually go on to win the game on penalty kicks after the match was tied at 3–3.

Schumacher caused more controversy after the game with his response to news that Battiston had lost three teeth: "If that's all that's wrong with him, I'll pay him the crowns." Schumacher later apologised in person to Battiston, who accepted the apology.

A French newspaper poll asked which was the least popular man in France, and Schumacher beat Adolf Hitler into second.[6]

When West Germany and France met again in World Cup 1986, Battiston said that the incident was "forgiven and forgotten". However, he said that he was wary of getting "close to Schumacher" and said that he would hold a distance of at least 40 meters from the German goalkeeper. Schumacher would mostly refrain from commenting on the incident.[5]

Coaching career

As coach of SC Fortuna Köln he was sacked at half time by club chairman Jean Löring when his club was 0–2 behind against Waldhof Mannheim in December 1999.[7]

Autobiography

In 1987, Schumacher's autobiography, Anpfiff (kick-off), was published in various countries, including France (Coup de sifflet, Monique Thiollet translat., Michel Lafon ed.).

There was much interest in Schumacher's comments on the Battiston incident. Schumacher maintained that his actions did not constitute a foul and that he was only trying to get the ball. The reason he did not go over to check on Battiston's condition was that several French players were standing around Battiston and making threatening gestures in his direction.

The book achieved its own measure of controversy for entirely different reasons; it included graphic accounts of alleged but unproven improprieties by German football players, including substance abuse. This resulted in Schumacher's exclusion from the German national team and his long-term Bundesliga club, 1. FC Köln.

Personal life

He is married to Jasmin Schumacher and has a daughter (Perla-Marie). He has a son, Oliver, and daughter, Vanessa, from his previous marriage to Marlies Schumacher.

Honours

1. FC Köln
Borussia Dortmund
Fenerbahçe Istanbul
Germany

References

  1. ↑ "Fox Sports Top 10 World Cup Controversies". foxsports.com. 2 June 2010. Retrieved 23 March 2011.
  2. ↑ Lyttleton, Ben. "France, West Germany, and the Most Horrific Challenge in World Cup History". Retrieved 4 July 2014.
  3. ↑ "World Cup History".
  4. ↑ Alsos, Jan. "Russian Roulette in Seville". Planet World Cup. Retrieved 23 March 2011.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Yannis, Alex (25 June 1986). "World Cup; Semifinal Stirs '82 Memories". The New York Times. Retrieved 23 March 2011.
  6. ↑ "The 5 Worst Tackles". The Guardian (London). 19 May 2002. Retrieved 23 March 2011.
  7. ↑ "Als der "Schäng" den "Tünn" in der Pause entließ" (in German). weltfussball.de. Retrieved 13 June 2012.

External links

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Sporting positions
Preceded by
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge		 West Germany captain
1986 		Succeeded by
Klaus Allofs