Klaus Fischer (born 27 December 1949) is a German former professional footballer and coach. He was a key player on the West Germany national team that lost the 1982 World Cup final to Italy. As a forward, he was noted for his bicycle kicks, and scored a spectacular overhead kick equalizer in extra-time of a 1982 World Cup semi-final against France.
 Fischer in 2013 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 27 December 1949 | ||
| Place of birth | Kreuzstraßl, West Germany | ||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1958–1961 | SC Kreuzstraßl | ||
| 1961–1968 | SC Zwiesel | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1968–1970 | 1860 Munich | 60 | (28) |
| 1970–1981 | Schalke 04 | 295 | (182) |
| 1981–1984 | 1. FC Köln | 96 | (31) |
| 1984–1988 | VfL Bochum | 84 | (27) |
| Total | 535 | (268) | |
| International career | |||
| 1971 | West Germany U-23 | 2 | (2) |
| 1977–1982 | West Germany | 45 | (32) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1988–1989 | VfL Bochum (assistant) | ||
| 1989–1992 | Schalke 04 (assistant) | ||
| 1990 | → Schalke 04 (interim) | ||
| 1992 | → Schalke 04 (interim) | ||
| 1992–1995 | Schalke 04 II | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Club career
editFischer was born in Kreuzstraßl, near Lindberg (Bayerischer Wald) in the district of Regen.
He moved from SC Zwiesel to TSV 1860 Munich in 1968 and made 535 Bundesliga appearances for 1860 Munich, FC Schalke 04, 1. FC Köln and VfL Bochum. With Schalke 04 he won the German Cup in 1972. Schalke 04 were one of the clubs involved in a bribery scandal in season 1970–71 of the Bundesliga. As one of the players involved, Fischer initially received a ban for life, but this punishment was later reduced to a one-year league ban and a five-year ban from national team eligibility.
In 1976, he was top scorer in the Bundesliga. With 268 goals he ranks third to Gerd Müller and Robert Lewandowski on the list of all-time top Bundesliga goalscorers. In 1988 Fischer's club side VfL Bochum made it to the German Cup final, but Fischer did not feature in the final match. He ended his career in 1988.[1]
His 182 league goals for Schalke 04 remain a club record.[2]
International career
editFischer made 45 appearances for the West Germany national team from 1977 to 1982, scoring 32 goals (eight headers and 24 with his feet, including two bicycle kicks). He appeared in two World Cups and was a World Cup runner-up in Spain in 1982.[3]
Fischer was known particularly for his bicycle kicks, often set up for him by Rüdiger Abramczik. His goal from a bicycle kick in a 4–1 win in a 1977 international match against Switzerland was selected as the Goal of the Year by German television viewers. It was later voted Goal of the Decade and Goal of the Century. He also scored a famous bicycle kick equalizer in extra time in a 1982 World Cup semi-final against France, which West Germany went on to win on penalties.
Coaching career
editFischer runs a football training school.[4]
Career statistics
editClub
edit| Club | Season | League | Cup | Europe | League Cup | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| League | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| 1860 Munich | 1968–69 | Bundesliga | 26 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 29 | 9 | |
| 1969–70 | 34 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | — | 36 | 21 | |||
| Total | 60 | 28 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | — | 65 | 30 | |||
| Schalke 04 | 1969–70 | Bundesliga | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | ||
| 1970–71 | 34 | 15 | 5 | 1 | — | — | 39 | 16 | ||||
| 1971–72 | 29 | 22 | 9 | 7 | — | — | 38 | 29 | ||||
| 1972–73 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 7 | 4 | ||
| 1973–74 | 25 | 21 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 26 | 22 | ||||
| 1974–75 | 33 | 17 | 3 | 3 | — | — | 36 | 20 | ||||
| 1975–76 | 34 | 29 | 3 | 3 | — | — | 37 | 32 | ||||
| 1976–77 | 31 | 24 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | — | 39 | 34 | |||
| 1977–78 | 32 | 20 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 0 | — | 41 | 27 | |||
| 1978–79 | 34 | 21 | 3 | 4 | — | — | 37 | 25 | ||||
| 1979–80 | 26 | 7 | 4 | 4 | — | — | 30 | 11 | ||||
| 1980–81 | 17 | 6 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 17 | 6 | ||||
| Total | 295 | 182 | 39 | 34 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 349 | 226 | ||
| 1. FC Köln | 1981–82 | Bundesliga | 31 | 7 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 32 | 7 | ||
| 1982–83 | 32 | 12 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 3 | — | 43 | 20 | |||
| 1983–84 | 33 | 12 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 2 | — | 40 | 19 | |||
| Total | 96 | 31 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 5 | — | 115 | 46 | |||
| VfL Bochum | 1984–85 | Bundesliga | 34 | 16 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 37 | 16 | ||
| 1985–86 | 27 | 8 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 31 | 8 | ||||
| 1986–87 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 11 | 3 | ||||
| 1987–88 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 2 | — | — | 15 | 2 | ||||
| Total | 84 | 27 | 10 | 2 | — | — | 94 | 29 | ||||
| Career total | 535 | 268 | 60 | 46 | 22 | 14 | 6 | 3 | 623 | 331 | ||
International
edit| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Germany | 1977 | 9 | 11 |
| 1978 | 11 | 1 | |
| 1979 | 6 | 5 | |
| 1980 | 1 | 2 | |
| 1981 | 8 | 9 | |
| 1982 | 10 | 4 | |
| Total | 45 | 32 | |
Honours
editSchalke 04
1. FC Köln
- West Germany
- FIFA World Cup runner-up: 1982
Individual
- Bundesliga top scorer: 1975–76 (29 goals)
- Goal of the Year (Germany): 1977[7]
- Goal of the Decade (Germany)[7]
- Goal of the Century (Germany)[7]
- Sport Ideal European XI: 1977[8]
- kicker Bundesliga Team of the Season: 1984–85[9]
References
edit- ^ "Klaus Fischer: "Mr. Fallrückzieher" wird 60" [Klaus Fischer: "Mr. Bicycle Kick" is 60] (in German). reviersport.de. 26 December 2009. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
- ^ "Klaus Fischer turns 70 – "Mr. Bicycle Kick still knows where the goal is"". Schalke 04. 27 December 2019.
- ^ Klaus Fischer – FIFA competition record (archived)
- ^ "Fußball: Klaus Fischer und kleine Kicker-Träume" (in German). derwesten.de.de. 25 December 2009. Archived from the original on 31 March 2020. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
- ^ "Klaus Fischer » Club matches". WorldFootball.
- ^ "Klaus Fischer - Goals in International Matches". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation.
- ^ a b c "November 1977 - Fischer" (in German). Sportschau. 12 July 2013. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
- ^ "Sport 1977". Mundo Deportivo. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
- ^ "Bundesliga Historie 1984/85" (in German). kicker.