Hans-Peter Briegel

Lore & Background

Briegel's original sport was athletics, being successful in long jump (personal best: 7 metres 44 cm, aged 16), triple jump and pentathlon. He also ran 100 metres in 10.8 seconds (hand-timed), aged 16. At 17, he left athletics and played club football with SV Rodenbach. Two years later, Erich Ribbeck took him to training with 1. FC Kaiserslautern. He made his debut as a sub on 10 April 1976 in a 4–3 win over FC Bayern Munich. He stayed with Kaiserslautern until 1984, then moved to Hellas Verona in Italy, winning Serie A in 1985. He later played for U.C. Sampdoria, winning the Coppa Italia before retiring in 1988. He earned 72 caps for West Germany, winning Euro 1980 and finishing runner-up at the 1982 and 1986 World Cups. He was named German Footballer of the Year in 1985. His nickname was 'Die Walz von der Pfalz' (The steamroller from Palatinate). He played without shin pads.

In Their Own Story

The floodlights at Borussia-Park hummed as the crowd roared, but Hans-Peter Briegel remained calm, eyes fixed on the opposing winger. With a quick feint and a burst of acceleration, he closed down the space, intercepting the pass with a clean tackle that sent the ball flying toward his midfielders. In that split second, the defender became an attacker, sprinting up the flank to join the chaos in the final third, embodying the very soul of the yellow-and-black jersey.

Reader's Guide

Briegel was known for his physical, technical and goal scoring abilities. He scored 47 goals in 240 Bundesliga matches. In the 1982 World Cup final, he conceded a penalty by fouling Bruno Conti, but the penalty was missed. In the 1986 World Cup final, his hesitation contributed to Argentina's winning goal. He quit the national team after 72 appearances. His managerial career included FC Glarus, SV Edenkoben, SG Wattenscheid 09, Beşiktaş J.K., Trabzonspor, Albania (2002–2006), Bahrain (dismissed January 2007), and Ankaragücü (2006–07 season).

Did You Know?

• Briegel's personal best in long jump at age 16 was 7 metres 44 cm.
• He ran 100 metres in 10.8 seconds (hand-timed) at age 16.
• He never wore shin pads during his career.
• He is the most successful coach of Albania by points per match in two qualifying campaigns.