Horst-Dieter Höttges
Encyclopedia
Horst-Dieter Höttges is a former German
footballer.
at the age of seventeen from neighbourhood side Rheydter SV (to whom he went from his first club, Blau-Weiß Bahl). After three years in the youth of Mönchengladbach he was taking part for them in their Regionalliga West campaign of 1963–1964 with Mönchengladbach manager Hennes Weisweiler
feeling Höttges' way of playing wouldn't be what he was looking for and, though, the defender
was forced to move on. Ahead of the 1964–65 season he signed with Bundesliga
team Werder Bremen
and enjoyed immediate success under Willi Multhaup
at the Weserstadion
, ending up winner of the Bundesliga title with Werder at the end of the same season.
This outstanding success with Werder Bremen was a key for the full back to be called up by Helmut Schön
for the German team
already in 1965, a time when his toughness in tackling duels earned him his "Eisenfuß" (iron foot) nickname. Although Werder Bremen couldn't recopy the success of 1965, and became rather a relegation battler than a title chaser, Höttges remained loyal to them and served in the Bundesliga until 1978, scoring 55 goals in his 420 appearances for the North German side. His commitment to a half-a-day employment as sales representative for a manufacturer of sports goods forced him to hang up his boots that summer. Höttges put job before club, unwilling to give up his business, and got named "Ehrenspielführer" (honorary captain) due to his career efforts by Werder Bremen.
Later on he was showing up for some time on amateur level for Bad Oeynhausen
's SC Oberbecksen and TSV Achim, a club in a village near Bremen, where he settled down. He was partly coaching that club in an honorary capacity in the 1990s.
in a friendly against Italy (1-1) at Hamburg
's Volksparkstadion. Hamburg's Volksparkstadion was also the place where he won the last of his sixty-six caps for West Germany during the memorable first round defeat at the hands of East Germany
in the 1974 FIFA World Cup
. The defeat of the West Germans in the politically and emotionally exaggerated match lead coach Helmut Schön to significant changes in his line-up and limiting Höttges to a bench role was one of those. It resulted in the defenders subsequent retirement from international football after the 1974 FIFA World Cup
final (West) Germany won against their Dutch opponents. His first of altogether three World Cup participations Höttges enjoyed in 1966 as part of the runner-up squad of (West) Germany in England. He was further a member of the squad for the 1970 FIFA World Cup
(third place finish) and was a starter for his country in the 1972 UEFA European Football Championship
final against in Brussels
on 18 June. He and his team-mates beat the Soviet Union
that day to win Germany's first UEFA European Football Championship trophy.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
footballer.
Club career
Höttges joined Borussia MönchengladbachBorussia Mönchengladbach
Borussia Mönchengladbach is a German association football club based in Mönchengladbach, North Rhine-Westphalia. The team plays in the Bundesliga and is one of the country's most well-known, well-supported, and successful teams. Borussia Mönchengladbach has over 40,000 members and is the sixth...
at the age of seventeen from neighbourhood side Rheydter SV (to whom he went from his first club, Blau-Weiß Bahl). After three years in the youth of Mönchengladbach he was taking part for them in their Regionalliga West campaign of 1963–1964 with Mönchengladbach manager Hennes Weisweiler
Hennes Weisweiler
Hans "Hennes" Weisweiler was a German football player and coach....
feeling Höttges' way of playing wouldn't be what he was looking for and, though, the defender
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
was forced to move on. Ahead of the 1964–65 season he signed with Bundesliga
Fußball-Bundesliga
The Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
team Werder Bremen
SV Werder Bremen
SV Werder Bremen is a German sports club best known for its association football team playing in Bremen, in the northwest German federal state of the same name. The club was founded on 4 February 1899 as Fußballverein Werder by a group of sixteen vocational high school students who had won a prize...
and enjoyed immediate success under Willi Multhaup
Willi Multhaup
Willi Multhaup was a German association football manager who led Borussia Dortmund to victory in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1966.-References:...
at the Weserstadion
Weserstadion
The Weserstadion is a multi-purpose stadium in Bremen, Germany. The stadium is scenically situated on the north bank of the Weser River and is surrounded by lush green parks . The city center is only about a kilometer away...
, ending up winner of the Bundesliga title with Werder at the end of the same season.
This outstanding success with Werder Bremen was a key for the full back to be called up by Helmut Schön
Helmut Schön
Helmut Schön was a German football player and manager. He is best remembered for his exceptional career as manager of West Germany....
for the German team
Germany national football team
The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
already in 1965, a time when his toughness in tackling duels earned him his "Eisenfuß" (iron foot) nickname. Although Werder Bremen couldn't recopy the success of 1965, and became rather a relegation battler than a title chaser, Höttges remained loyal to them and served in the Bundesliga until 1978, scoring 55 goals in his 420 appearances for the North German side. His commitment to a half-a-day employment as sales representative for a manufacturer of sports goods forced him to hang up his boots that summer. Höttges put job before club, unwilling to give up his business, and got named "Ehrenspielführer" (honorary captain) due to his career efforts by Werder Bremen.
Later on he was showing up for some time on amateur level for Bad Oeynhausen
Bad Oeynhausen
Bad Oeynhausen is a spa town in the Minden-Lübbecke district, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.- Geography :Bad Oeynhausen is located on the banks of the Weser river, which runs along the eastern edges of the town. Bad Oeynhausen has the world's highest carbonated, thermal saltwater fountain,...
's SC Oberbecksen and TSV Achim, a club in a village near Bremen, where he settled down. He was partly coaching that club in an honorary capacity in the 1990s.
Country record
On 13 March 1965, Horst-Dieter Höttges debuted for West GermanyGermany national football team
The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
in a friendly against Italy (1-1) at Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
's Volksparkstadion. Hamburg's Volksparkstadion was also the place where he won the last of his sixty-six caps for West Germany during the memorable first round defeat at the hands of East Germany
East Germany national football team
The East Germany national football team was from 1952 to 1990 the football team of East Germany, playing as one of three post-war German teams, along with Saarland and West Germany....
in the 1974 FIFA World Cup
1974 FIFA World Cup
The 1974 FIFA World Cup, the tenth staging of the World Cup, was held in West Germany from 13 June to 7 July. The tournament marked the first time that the current trophy, the FIFA World Cup Trophy, created by the Italian sculptor Silvio Gazzaniga, was awarded...
. The defeat of the West Germans in the politically and emotionally exaggerated match lead coach Helmut Schön to significant changes in his line-up and limiting Höttges to a bench role was one of those. It resulted in the defenders subsequent retirement from international football after the 1974 FIFA World Cup
1974 FIFA World Cup
The 1974 FIFA World Cup, the tenth staging of the World Cup, was held in West Germany from 13 June to 7 July. The tournament marked the first time that the current trophy, the FIFA World Cup Trophy, created by the Italian sculptor Silvio Gazzaniga, was awarded...
final (West) Germany won against their Dutch opponents. His first of altogether three World Cup participations Höttges enjoyed in 1966 as part of the runner-up squad of (West) Germany in England. He was further a member of the squad for the 1970 FIFA World Cup
1970 FIFA World Cup
The 1970 FIFA World Cup, the ninth staging of the World Cup, was held in Mexico, from 31 May to 21 June. The 1970 tournament was the first World Cup hosted in North America, and the first held outside South America and Europe. In a match-up of two-time World Cup champions, the final was won by...
(third place finish) and was a starter for his country in the 1972 UEFA European Football Championship
1972 UEFA European Football Championship
-Semi-finals:-----Third place play-off:-Final:-Statistics:*Fastest goal: 24 minutes**Raoul Lambert **Gerd Müller -Top scorers:...
final against in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
on 18 June. He and his team-mates beat the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
that day to win Germany's first UEFA European Football Championship trophy.