Rudi Völler

Rudi Völler

Völler with Leverkusen in 2014.
Personal information
Full name Rudolf Völler
Date of birth (1960-04-13) 13 April 1960
Place of birth Hanau, West Germany
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing position Striker
Club information
Current team
 Bayer Leverkusen (Sporting director)
Youth career
1966–1975 TSV 1860 Hanau
1975–1977 Kickers Offenbach
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1977–1980 Kickers Offenbach 73 (19)
1980–1982 1860 München 70 (46)
1982–1987 Werder Bremen 137 (97)
1987–1992 Roma 142 (45)
1992–1994 Olympique Marseille 58 (24)
1994–1996 Bayer Leverkusen 62 (26)
Total 542 (257)
National team
1979–1982 West Germany U21 19 (10)
1980 West Germany B 3 (0)
1982–1994 Germany 90 (47)
Teams managed
2000 Bayer Leverkusen
2000–2004 Germany
2004 Roma
2005 Bayer Leverkusen
2005– Bayer Leverkusen (sporting director)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.


Rudolf "Rudi" Völler (Nickname Tante Käthe (English. Aunt Käthe), born 13 April 1960) (pronounced [ˈfœlɐ]) is a former German international footballer, and a former manager of the German national team. He won the FIFA World Cup in 1990 as a player.

Along with Mario Jorge Lobo Zagallo and Franz Beckenbauer, Völler has the distinction of reaching a World Cup final as both a player (1986 and 1990) and as a manager (2002).

Club career

Völler started his career with TSV 1860 Hanau, before joining Bundesliga club Werder Bremen in 1982, winning his first cap for West Germany in the same year. Following a successful season, in which he became the Bundesliga's top scorer, foreign clubs became interested in the striker, and in 1987 he was transferred to A.S. Roma, where he became a mainstay of the team and earned the nickname 'er tedesco' (the German) and also 'il tedesco volante' (the flying German).[1] He won the Coppa Italia in 1991, and was the club's top scorer on several occasions.

In 1992, Roma decided to sell Völler to Olympique Marseille, where he was intended as replacement for superstar striker Jean-Pierre Papin. That also allowed Roma to add Claudio Caniggia as its third foreigner to the squad, so both parties were happy to let the deal go through. There he won his biggest club honour in a very successful first season, thanks to the Champions League with Marseille won in 1993. Völler started the match, and played 78 minutes. Marseille was then caught in a bribery scandal, was stripped of its 1993 league title, and were relegated despite its second place in 1994. Völler scored 24 league goals for the club, but left when it was relegated. 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 eight in World Cup final rounds.

Völler also played at three UEFA European Football Championships, starting with Euro 84, where he scored twice in a group match against 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 Germans' 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. Germany had recovered from 2–0 down but eventually lost the match 3–2. Völler became the third player to score as a substitute in the World Cup final, after Dick Nanninga in 1978 and 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 the Netherlands in the semi final.

He was a member of the team that won the 1990 World Cup in Italy. He scored three times in the tournament, including one goal in a 4–1 win over Yugoslavia, and then found the net twice against the United Arab Emirates in a 5–1 win. During the second-round game Germany against the Netherlands, Völler and Dutch player Frank Rijkaard were sent off the field after a spitting incident.[2] Völler came back to play and start for Germany in both the semi-final and final, which Germany ended up winning by 1–0.

The unsavoury incident that took place during the second-round match with the Netherlands 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 dived to avoid a collision with Dutch Keeper Hans van Breukelen, although it did also look as if he dived 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).[3]

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 three group games by Jürgen Klinsmann and Karl-Heinz Riedle who scored five 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.

Managing 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.[4] At first only planning to manage the national team for one year,[4] 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.[5]

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,[6] he left the club only one month later after a series of poor results and high-profile disagreements with players, notably Antonio Cassano.[7] He only signed a one-year contract to allow a return of Prandelli the next year, but presided over only one draw and two defeats in the league.

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

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 and yelled at the presenter Waldemar Hartmann in order to defend his team against unfair press statements.

Career statistics

Rudi Völler (2009)
Rudi Völler signs the book of his hometown Hanau.

Club career statistics

Club performance League Cup League Cup Continental Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Germany League DFB-Pokal Other Europe Total
1977–78Kickers Offenbach2. Bundesliga61
1978–792911
1979–80387
1980–811860 MünchenBundesliga339
1981–822. Bundesliga3737
1982–83Werder BremenBundesliga3123
1983–843118
1984–853225
1985–86139
1986–873022
Italy League Coppa Italia League Cup Europe Total
1987–88RomaSerie A213
1988–892910
1989–903214
1990–913011
1991–92307
France League Coupe de France Coupe de la Ligue Europe Total
1992–93Olympique MarseilleDivision 1331832824422
1993–942564---296
Germany League DFB-Pokal Other Europe Total
1994–95Bayer LeverkusenBundesliga3016
1995–963210
Total Germany 342188
Italy 14245
France 5824
Career total 542257

International statistics

National team statistics

[8]

Germany national team
YearAppsGoals
198210
1983107
1984104
198584
1986107
198763
1988104
198953
1990138
199162
199262
199300
199453
Total9047

International goals

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

Managing career statistics

As of 22 January 2014
Team From To Record
G W D L Win % Ref.
Germany 2 July 2000[4] 24 June 2004[5] 53 29 11 13 54.72 [9]
Bayer Leverkusen 21 October 2000[10] 11 November 2000[10] 7 5 2 0 71.43 [10]
Roma 31 August 2004[6] 27 September 2004[7] 6 1 1 4 16.67 [11]
Bayer Leverkusen 16 September 2005[10] 9 October 2005[10] 5 2 1 2 40.00 [10]
Total 71 37 15 19 52.11 —

Honours

Player

Club

Roma
Marseille

International

Germany

Individual

Manager

International

Germany

References

  1. ↑ A.S. Roma supporters sing 'tedesco, vola!'
  2. ↑ "World Cup: 25 stunning moments … No19: Frank Rijkaard and Rudi Völler". Guardian. 22 May 2014. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  3. ↑ "Cheeseheads vs Krauts": 30 Years of Enmity". ajax-usa.com. Archived from the original on 16 January 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 "Rudi Völler ab sofort Interims-Coach". kicker (in German). 2 July 2000. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
  5. 1 2 "Rudi Völler nimmt seinen Hut". kicker (in German). 24 June 2004. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
  6. 1 2 "Völler wird Teamchef der Roma". kicker (in German). 31 August 2004. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
  7. 1 2 "Wie das gewertet wird, das ist mir herzlich egal". kicker (in German). 27 September 2004. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
  8. ↑ Mamrud, Roberto (2 November 2002). "Rudolf "Rudi" Völler – Goals in International Matches". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 18 May 2012.
  9. ↑ "Nationaltrainer" (in German). DFB. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Bayer 04 Leverkusen" (in German). kicker. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
  11. ↑ "AS Roma » Dates & results 2004/2005". World Football. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
  12. ↑ "Fairs/UEFA Cup Topscorers". RSSSF. 5 January 2014. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
  13. ↑ "A.S. Roma Hall of Fame: 2013". A.S. Roma. 22 July 2013. Retrieved 4 June 2015.
  14. ↑ "Hall of Fame" (in Italian). A.S. Roma. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
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