Manfred Burgsmüller
Encyclopedia
Manfred "Manni" Burgsmüller (born 22 December 1949 in Essen
) is a retired German
footballer who played mainly as a striker – he could occasionally operate as a midfielder
.
He appeared in 447 Bundesliga
games over the course of 17 seasons, namely for Borussia Dortmund
and Werder Bremen
, scoring 213 goals. After retiring professionally in his 40's, he played as a kicker
in American football
.
and Bayer Uerdingen
alike. In his first stint with the latter club, in the regional leagues, he scored 29 goals in two separate seasons, followed by 22. After failing to score initially for Essen, he returned in 1974 and scored an average of 16 per year.
In October 1976, Burgsmüller left Uerdingen for Borussia Dortmund
(where he fielded almost exclusively as a midfielder
, but where he also had the most productive years of his career individually, never netting fewer than 15 goals in the top division
). In the 1980–81 season, he scored a career-best – in division one – 27 goals, helping the North Rhine-Westphalia
side finish in seventh position, and ranking second in the goalscorers' chart, just two behind Karl-Heinz Rummenigge
, who played for champions FC Bayern Munich
.
After one sole season with 1. FC Nuremberg, Burgsmüller moved to the second level
with Rot-Weiß Oberhausen
. In his first year, he was crucial as the team narrowly avoided relegation, scoring 29 times and being crowned Torjäger, with 12 goals more than the next player.
Burgsmüller started the next season in scoring fashion, netting seven times in only 15 matches. In November 1985, at nearly 36, he returned to the first division, signing for SV Werder Bremen
, where he would achieve team success: he scored in his first game, a 2–1 win at Borussia Mönchengladbach
, adding two in his third, a 6–0 home routing of VfB Stuttgart
, and totalling 13 in only 20 matches for the season, as Werder finished second; during his spell, the veteran appeared in 115 league games with 34 goals, being an important offensive element in the conquest of the 1988 league title.
Burgsmüller retired at almost 41, also having appeared three times for West Germany
, in friendlies comprised in a three-month span; his debut came on 16 November 1977, in a 4–1 win with Switzerland
.
in 1996, being Rhein Fire
's kicker
from 1996 to 2002, becoming the oldest professional American football
player in history, at age 52. He also won two World Bowl
s, in 1998
and 2000
.
Essen
- Origin of the name :In German-speaking countries, the name of the city Essen often causes confusion as to its origins, because it is commonly known as the German infinitive of the verb for the act of eating, and/or the German noun for food. Although scholars still dispute the interpretation of...
) is a retired German
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 who played mainly as a striker – he could occasionally operate as a midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
.
He appeared in 447 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...
games over the course of 17 seasons, namely for Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund
Ballspielverein Borussia Dortmund, commonly BVB, are a German sports club based in Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia. Dortmund are one of the most successful clubs in German football history. Borussia Dortmund play in the Bundesliga, the top league of German football...
and 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...
, scoring 213 goals. After retiring professionally in his 40's, he played as a kicker
Placekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...
in American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
.
Football career
During his early career, Burgsmüller played in two different spells for local Rot-Weiss EssenRot-Weiss Essen
Rot-Weiss Essen is a German association football club based in Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia.- Early years :The club was formed as SV Vogelheim on 1 February 1907 out of the merger of two smaller clubs: SC Preussen and Deutsche Eiche. In 1910, Vogelheim came to an arrangement with Turnerbund...
and Bayer Uerdingen
KFC Uerdingen 05
KFC Uerdingen 05 is a German association football club in the Uerdingen district of the city of Krefeld, North Rhine-Westphalia. The one time Bundesliga side enjoyed its greatest successes in the 1980s, but most recently has been part of fifth and sixth tier competition.-History:The club was...
alike. In his first stint with the latter club, in the regional leagues, he scored 29 goals in two separate seasons, followed by 22. After failing to score initially for Essen, he returned in 1974 and scored an average of 16 per year.
In October 1976, Burgsmüller left Uerdingen for Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund
Ballspielverein Borussia Dortmund, commonly BVB, are a German sports club based in Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia. Dortmund are one of the most successful clubs in German football history. Borussia Dortmund play in the Bundesliga, the top league of German football...
(where he fielded almost exclusively as a midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
, but where he also had the most productive years of his career individually, never netting fewer than 15 goals in the top division
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...
). In the 1980–81 season, he scored a career-best – in division one – 27 goals, helping the North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia is the most populous state of Germany, with four of the country's ten largest cities. The state was formed in 1946 as a merger of the northern Rhineland and Westphalia, both formerly part of Prussia. Its capital is Düsseldorf. The state is currently run by a coalition of the...
side finish in seventh position, and ranking second in the goalscorers' chart, just two behind Karl-Heinz Rummenigge
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge
Karl-Heinz "Kalle" Rummenigge is a German former football player.He had his greatest career success with German club Bayern Munich, where he won the Intercontinental Cup, the European Cup, as well as two league titles and two domestic cups.A member of the German national team, Rummenigge won the...
, who played for champions FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups....
.
After one sole season with 1. FC Nuremberg, Burgsmüller moved to the second level
2. Fußball-Bundesliga
- Changes in division set-up :* Number of clubs: currently 18. From 1974 to 1981 there were two conferences, each of 20 teams. In 1981–91 it had 20...
with Rot-Weiß Oberhausen
Rot-Weiß Oberhausen
Rot-Weiß Oberhausen is a German association football club in Oberhausen, North Rhine-Westphalia. The club was formed as Oberhausener SV in December 1904 out of the merger of Emschertaler SV and the football enthusiasts of Oberhausener TV 1873...
. In his first year, he was crucial as the team narrowly avoided relegation, scoring 29 times and being crowned Torjäger, with 12 goals more than the next player.
Burgsmüller started the next season in scoring fashion, netting seven times in only 15 matches. In November 1985, at nearly 36, he returned to the first division, signing for SV 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...
, where he would achieve team success: he scored in his first game, a 2–1 win at Borussia Mönchengladbach
Borussia 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...
, adding two in his third, a 6–0 home routing of VfB Stuttgart
VfB Stuttgart
Verein für Bewegungsspiele Stuttgart 1893 e. V., commonly known as VfB Stuttgart, is a German sports club based in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg. The club is best known for its football team, which has participated in all but two Bundesliga seasons...
, and totalling 13 in only 20 matches for the season, as Werder finished second; during his spell, the veteran appeared in 115 league games with 34 goals, being an important offensive element in the conquest of the 1988 league title.
Burgsmüller retired at almost 41, also having appeared three times for West Germany
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....
, in friendlies comprised in a three-month span; his debut came on 16 November 1977, in a 4–1 win with Switzerland
Switzerland national football team
The Swiss national football team is the national football team of Switzerland...
.
Honours
- German LeagueFußball-BundesligaThe 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...
: 1987–88 - German CupDFB-PokalThe DFB-Pokal or DFB Cup is a German knockout football cup competition held annually. 64 teams participate in the competition, including all clubs from the Bundesliga and the 2nd Bundesliga. It is considered the second most important national title in German football after the Bundesliga...
: Runner-up 1988–89, 1989–90
After football
Burgsmüller made a comeback in NFL EuropeNFL Europe
NFL Europe was an American football league which operated in Europe from 1991 until 2007. Backed by the National Football League , the largest professional American football league in the United States, it was founded as the World League of American Football to serve as a type of spring league...
in 1996, being Rhein Fire
Rhein Fire
The Rhein Fire was a professional American football team in NFL Europe, formerly the World League of American Football. Established in Germany in 1995, the franchise resurrected the name of the former Birmingham Fire team which was active during the 1991-1992 WLAF seasons.-History:The team was...
's kicker
Placekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...
from 1996 to 2002, becoming the oldest professional American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player in history, at age 52. He also won two World Bowl
World Bowl
The World Bowl was the American football Championship game of NFL Europe, similar to the Super Bowl of the National Football League.The World Bowl trophy itself was a globe made of glass measuring 35.5 cm in diameter and weighing 18.6 kg .-World League of American Football:When NFL Europe was...
s, in 1998
World Bowl VI
World Bowl '98 was NFL Europe's 1998 championship game, located at Waldstadion in Frankfurt, Germany. On June 14, 1998, the 7-3 Rhein Fire went up against the 7-3 Frankfurt Galaxy for the NFL Europe title...
and 2000
World Bowl VIII
World Bowl 2000 was NFL Europe's championship game, which would bring an end to the 2000 NFL Europe season. Played at Waldstadion in Frankfurt, Germany on June 25, 2000, the match-up was between the 6-4 Scottish Claymores and the 7-3 Rhein Fire...
.