Wolfgang Rolff

Lore & Background

Rolff played in 356 Bundesliga matches (47 goals) for Hamburger SV, Bayer 04 Leverkusen, Bayer 05 Uerdingen, Karlsruher SC and 1. FC Köln. He also played in 126 2. Bundesliga matches (23 goals) for OSC Bremerhaven and SC Fortuna Köln, and had a spell in France with RC Strasbourg, scoring four goals in 30 games in Ligue 2. He won the Bundesliga title with Hamburg in 1983 and the European Cup with Hamburg in 1983, and won the UEFA Cup with Bayer 04 Leverkusen in 1988. Rolff debuted for West Germany in 1983 and was part of the UEFA Euro 1984 and UEFA Euro 1988 squads, making two appearances in each tournament. He also made two appearances for West Germany in their runner-up campaign at the 1986 FIFA World Cup. In total he played 37 international matches until 1989. After his playing career, he worked as an assistant coach at Hamburger SV, VfB Stuttgart, Bayer 04 Leverkusen, Kuwait, and SV Werder Bremen, and served as interim head coach of SV Werder Bremen from 15 May 2013 until 27 May 2013.

In Their Own Story

The floodlights hummed over the Parkstadion as the clock ticked past ninety minutes in a crucial title decider. Wolfgang Rolff sprinted up the touchline, lungs burning, eyes fixed on the space behind the opposing defender. He received a simple pass, cut inside slightly to draw the full-back, and whipped a perfect cross into the box. The striker headed it home. In that moment of exhaustion and triumph, the crowd roared for 'Der Wolle', knowing another chapter of history was sealed.

Reader's Guide

Wolfgang Rolff is a former midfielder known for his tireless work rate. He played for several German clubs and RC Strasbourg, winning the Bundesliga, European Cup, and UEFA Cup. He represented West Germany in two European Championships and one World Cup. As a manager, he has held assistant and interim head coach roles.

Did You Know?

• Rolff won the European Cup with Hamburger SV in 1983, beating Juventus in Athens.
• He won the UEFA Cup with Bayer 04 Leverkusen in 1988.
• Rolff made 37 appearances for West Germany between 1983 and 1989.
• He was interim head coach of SV Werder Bremen for 12 days in May 2013.