Hennes Weisweiler

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Lore & Background

Weisweiler is most closely associated with the fortunes of Borussia Mönchengladbach in the 1960s and 1970s and with 1. FC Köln in the late 1970s. He is also famous for having developed the talents of many outstanding players, including Günter Netzer, Berti Vogts, Jupp Heynckes, Rainer Bonhof, Allan Simonsen, Uli Stielike, Bernd Schuster and Pierre Littbarski. Between 1957 and 1970, at the German Sports Academy in Cologne, Weisweiler was responsible for the training of hundreds of coaches from all over the world. In 2005, the training centre for coaches there was named the Hennes-Weisweiler-Academy in his honour.

In Their Own Story

The 1970s marked the majority of Borussia Mönchengladbach's success under Weisweiler's guidance. He built a squad known for its speed and attacking flair, turning them into champions both domestically and abroad. His tenure saw the club win five Bundesliga titles and two UEFA Cups. The peak of this era came in 1977 when they reached the European Cup final. After his departure, Udo Lattek took over to continue the winning tradition, but Weisweiler laid the foundation for a dynasty that redefined German football.

Reader's Guide

Weisweiler took over as manager of Borussia Mönchengladbach in 1964. He led the club to promotion to the Bundesliga in 1965. Under his guidance, Borussia won three Bundesliga titles (first in 1969–70, defended in 1970–71, and a third in the 1974–75 season), one German cup title (DFB-Pokal in 1972–73), and one UEFA Cup title (1974–75). He also led the team to a second-place finish in the Bundesliga in 1973–74. Weisweiler left Borussia Mönchengladbach in the summer of 1975.

Did You Know?

• Weisweiler was in the first ever line-up for 1. FC Köln after the club was founded in 1948.
• He served as player-manager for 1. FC Köln from 1949 to 1952, playing 62 league matches.
• Weisweiler's Borussia Mönchengladbach team was known for its attacking style and young players, earning the nickname 'the Foals'.
• The 1971–72 European Cup match between Borussia Mönchengladbach and Inter Milan, which ended 7–1, was annulled after a disputed incident involving a soft drink can; it became known as 'the Match of the Can'.
• Weisweiler's belief in Allan Simonsen, initially regarded as a dud, was vindicated when Simonsen was voted Europe's Player of the Year five years later.