Marco Bode

Lore & Background

Bode played his first football with home club VfR Osterode, before moving to the amateur team of Werder Bremen in 1988. He was discovered by Otto Rehhagel and soon moved to the professional team. Between 1989 and 2002 he was active in 379 games for Werder, in which he scored 101 goals, making him the then-record Bremen goal-scorer. He has since been overtaken by fellow Werder Bremen legend Claudio Pizarro. Despite some offers by major European clubs such as Bayern Munich, he remained loyal to Werder Bremen, retiring somewhat early after the 2002 World Cup. Bode also won renown because he was a particularly fair and decent player who only was booked ten times in his entire Bundesliga career and never got sent off. He was also known for his smart, sundry TV interviews. The 1999–2000 season was his most successful, seeing him score 18 goals for his club and four for Germany.

In Their Own Story

The rain fell heavily on the Borussia-Park pitch during late autumn training. Marco Bode stood at the corner flag, scanning the defensive line for gaps. He didn't need to shout; his teammates knew the rhythm of his passing. A simple nod confirmed the shape was set. For nine years, this moment repeated itself—calm authority amidst the chaos of a Bundesliga match.

Reader's Guide

In the seven years following 1995, Bode also played in 40 games for the Germany national team, scoring nine goals. He took part in the UEFA Euro 1996 final and in the final of the 2002 FIFA World Cup. At the World Cup, Bode was a surprise substitution from manager Rudi Völler in the crucial third group match against Cameroon with the match still at 0–0. Normally a forward, Bode was selected by Völler as an attacking left wing-back in his favoured 3-5-2 formation. Being close to retirement, the German fans felt Bode's selection was dubious, however he silenced the doubters by scoring the opening goal of an eventual 2–0 win for Germany propelling them into the knockout stages as group winners. It would be Bode's final goal and he made his last appearance in the World Cup final as Germany fell to Brazil.

Did You Know?

• Bode was a one-club man, playing his entire professional career at Werder Bremen.
• He only received ten yellow cards in his entire Bundesliga career and never got sent off.
• His most successful season was 1999–2000, scoring 18 goals for Werder Bremen and four for Germany.
• He scored the opening goal in a crucial 2–0 win against Cameroon at the 2002 World Cup.