Lothar Matthaeus

Der Neue Kaiser

World Cup glory in Italia '90

Lothar Herbert Matthaeus, the name alone sounds intimidating. Equipped with a stocky, 5 ft 8 inch (1.74m) frame, this diminutive libero enjoyed an illustrious career that spanned over two decades.

Winning 7 Bundesliga titles with Bayern Munich and a single Serie A title with Inter Milan‘s Matthaeus ended his playing career with a season in the sun at the Metrostars in the MLS.

But its his international performances that best captured the hearts and minds of football supporters around the world. After painfully finishing runners-up in the 1986 Mexico World Cup, Matthaeus gained iconic status captaining the West German national team to victory in World Cup Italia 90. Composed, assertive and tireless, Matthaeus marshaled the midfield and cajoled his team into action. A nervy final against Maradona and Argentina was decided by an Andres Brehme penalty.

Often considered a midfielder, much like celebrated countryman Franz Beckenbauer, Matthaeus could play anywhere along the back line and in the sweeper role. With strength and balance in abundance, The New Emperor epitomized the magic and energy of a generation of great European competitors.