Stefan Effenberg

Der Tiger: Bayern's midfield general and Champions League-winning captain.

Stefan Effenberg (born 2 August 1968) is a German football pundit and former professional player. Nicknamed Der Tiger, he was known for his leadership skills, passing range, long-range shooting and physical strength as an iconic midfielder of his time, but was also a temperamental and controversial character.

Quick Facts

Born: 2 August 1968
Birthplace: Hamburg, West Germany
Height: 1.88 m / 6 ft 2 in
Position: Midfielder
Total caps: 441
Total goals: 87

Lore & Background

Effenberg collected 109 yellow cards in the Bundesliga, an all-time record at his retirement. With Bayern Munich, he won three Bundesliga titles and captained the club to the UEFA Champions League title in 2001. He appeared for Germany 35 times and at UEFA Euro 1992 and the 1994 FIFA World Cup. His international career was marred by frequent run-ins with management.

Reader's Guide

Effenberg started his professional career with Borussia Mönchengladbach. He moved to Bayern Munich, then to ACF Fiorentina, back to Gladbach, and then re-signed with Bayern in 1998. His second spell at Bayern brought three consecutive Bundesliga titles and two UEFA Champions League finals, winning the 2001 final. After spells at VfL Wolfsburg and Al-Arabi, he became a color commentator. He was head coach of SC Paderborn from October 2015 to March 2016, and sporting director of KFC Uerdingen 05 from October 2019 to May 2020.

Did You Know?

He was named Most Valuable Player of the 2000–01 UEFA Champions League.
Effenberg gave the finger to German fans during a 1994 World Cup group game against South Korea, leading to his dismissal from the national team.
His affair with Claudia Strunz, wife of former teammate Thomas Strunz, caused controversy in the late 1990s.