Last update 7 April, 2024 by Alberto Llopis
There are players who belong to a generation and others, instead, They have the virtue of belonging to several. It is possibly, this last case that of the German striker Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. Born in 1955 in North Rhineland, His was a long-lived career in which he was fortunate to agree on the pitch with some of the best players ever: digase Franz Beckenbauer, Johan Cruyff, Lothar Matthäus (who told him and the famous phrase "I played against Maradona and Zico and now I know who the best player in the world: Karl-Heinz Rummenigge” ) Or until Diego Armando Maradona, his great rival on the pitch of the time.
Rummenigge, one of the best german footballers ever
Holder of the main features that a striker can have (gol, anticipation and speed), Rummenigge inherited the predatory instinct of an entire German football myth like the “Torpedo” Müller and served as a bridge to other great 9 Klinsmann as the Teutons Völler, or more recently Klose. All of them, extraordinary finishers. And that is what was mainly in his career. He devastating able to put in check the rival defense at the slightest movement.
Three teams summarized his sporting career: The Bayern Munich, Inter Milan and Swiss Servette. In the German box, begin his steps "Rotbäckchen" , as it was called at her cheeks red put on costumes talks. And you would with important titles. Partly, because their incorporation into 1974 -con 19 years- It coincided with the time when Bayern prevailed in Europe Beckenbauer, Meier and Müller and company in charge of operations.
This led him to win two European Cups in his first two years and one hit the ground running love affair with the Munich team that would extend for 10 years with 310 games behind him and 162 goals scored. shocking figures that would lead to be the second top scorer in the history of Bayern and the tenth in the Bundesliga.
Incredible numbers, of course, also they make his debut for Germany in which European champions would be proclaimed in 1980 After debuting two years before the first of his three World, that of Argentina 78.
Won 2 times the Ballon d'Or
Golden ball in 1980 y 1981, precisely, the selection was his great unfinished business. He arrived there shortly after proclaimed world champion 1974 and he left shortly before returning to do it 1990. Admittedly he marked 45 many with her, even as parties remembered as the World Cup semifinal against France Spain, and scored in the final against Argentina in Mexico 86, but it is also true that he could never lift the world cup champion who would have brought in its own right in football history as one of the greatest ever.
German football not only enjoy their quality. In 1984, Inter Milan would be done with their services after paying a stratospheric amount of money (the highest in the time after the signing of Maradona Napoli). However, no injuries would render him according to expectations, and this led him to sign for the Swiss Servette, Where, in 1989 would retire.
They dedicated a song to him
His fame before and now reached such a level that the English musical group Alan & Denise he dedicated in 1982 a song titled “Rummenigge, what a man!” (“¡Rummenigge, qué hombre!”). Definitely, the most accurate definition for one of the best strikers in history.
