Bernd Schuster

Bernd Schuster made an excellent debut in West Germany but controverses lead to his farewell in 1984. Although not playing for Germany he excelled to world class.

Magnus Brink
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Bernd Schuster started playing in the youth side of SV Hammerschmiede Augsburg. In 1976 he transfered to FC Augsburg, a club which a few years earlier nearly haf qualfied for Bundesliga with former star player Helmut Haller in the team. Schuster played for FC Augsburg until 1978 when he moved to the reigning league and cup winners FC Köln. The team was trained by legend Hennes Weisweiler and had a number of internationals in the side. Schuster would quickly gain a place in the first lineup.

At the same time he caught the eyes of the federation and its talent scout Berti Vogts who was looking for new talents. Schuster was called up to the West German U18 team and via a short spell with the U21 Team he was called up to the National team together with an other young talent - Lothar Matthäus. Schuster was considered as the greater talent of the two and still today many see Schuster as the better player. Have in mind that Matthäus was a bench warmer. Matthäus that would be team captain and lead West Germany to the World Cup in 1990.

European Champions 1980
His style of play was a mix of technique, power and skills. He always played intelligent and therefore was an ideal playmaker. He was by many seen as the new Beckenbauer and was given the nick name Der Blonde Angel. His first - and only - tournament for West Germany was the European Championship in Italy in 1980. West Germany hade a young team, many players with more caps had been injured. Schuster played his first match against the Netherlands making a grand display passing to all three goals scored by striker Klaus Allofs (3-2).

Schuster was then spared in the next game but back again in the final against Belgium which was won by West Germany. This is Schuster's only honour with the national team. He made himself a name in football Europe and was runner-up in Ballon d'Or - being 20 years old! This lead to Schuster leaving Köln for FC Barcelona. In the national team Schuster was at the same having controverses with Bayern stars Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Paul Breitner with eventually would lead to Schuster quitting. Schuster was still a part of the team during the qualifying campaign for the 1982 World Cup, being match winner with two goals away against Albania. Schuster now a star in Spain was uplifted as one of the stats of the World Cup but missed the tournament after being badly injured.

No more German international
This together with Schuster not getting along with West Germany's coach Jupp Derwall made Schuster quit the national team at the age of 23. The president of the German football Federation Neuberger and goalie Harald Schumacher tried to negotiate to find a solution - without a resultat. Schuster would instead concentrate on FC Barcelona. Schuster became the fan's favourite as the strong man in the midfield together with close friend Diego Maradona. The two won the Cup Winners' Cup in 1982, the Spanish championship in 1985 and reached the final in the European Cup only to losse on penalties against Romanian side Steaua Bukarest. Schuster would later make the biggest of traits when he transfered to rivals Real Madrid. The fans was shocked and it wasn't easy being a German in Catalonia.

Schuster would never again play with Germany, the change from Derwall to Beckenbauer as team coach didn't change the situation. Schuster still refused. Beckenbauer tried to get Schuster change his decision and return in time for the World Cup in Mexico in 1986. Later it has been revealed that it failed on Schuster's wife and manager demanding to much money from the German federation. Many argue that the runner-up places in 1982 and 1986 could have turned to gold had Schuster been a part of the team.

The last chance for Schuster to play for Germany came in 1992. Lothar Matthäus was injured and there was a new coach in Berti Vogts. Vogts started talking to Schuster but Schuster turned it down. Schuster often came into trouble with coaches and staff, not only in the national team but also in Barcelona. During one seasion the Catalans choose to play without Schuster. The last two years in Spain Schuster spent playing for Atletico Madrid. Bayer Leverkusen managed to get Schuster to sign and Rudi Völler also joined the club. Schuster made such good appearances that his name was yet again mentioned for the national team. Schuster managed to get the top three places in the election for the goal of the year in Germany (Tor des Jahres). Schuster's winning goal was later elected to goal of the decade.

Coaching career
Schuster ended his career with a year in Mexico and then started his coaching career. He coached FC Köln and Fortuna Köln in Germany without success. FC Köln was aiming at getting back to the Bundesliga but reached only a 10th place 1998/1999 and Schuster left. Schuster has since then been abroad in Spain and a year in Ukrainian Donetsk. His time in Spanish Getafe was successful with the small club beating FC Barcelona and thereby reaching the Spanish cup final in 2007. In July 2007 he was appointed as the new head coach in Real Madrid.

Facts

DOB: 22nd December 1959

Caps: 21 (1979-1984)
Goals: 4
First Cap: 22nd May 1979 against Ireland (3-1)
Last Cap: 29th February 1984 against Belgium (1-0)

Caps Goals
1979 5 0
1980 6 1
1981 3 2
1982 1 0
1983 4 1
1984 2 0
Totalt 21 4

European Championship

Participation: 1980
Games: 2
Goals: 0

European Champion 1980

Clubs

Universidad N. Autonoma de Mexico, Mexico (1997)
Bayer 04 Leverkusen (1993-1996)
Atletico Madrid, Spain (1990-1992)
Real Madrid, Spain (1988-1990)
FC Barcelona, Spains (1980-1988)
FC Köln (1978-1980)
FC Augsburg (1976-1978)
SV Hammerschmiede Augsburg (1971-1976)

Honours

Spanish championship (3) 1984, 1989, 1990
Spanish cup (6) 1981, 1983, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992
Cup Winners' Cup (1) 1982

120 matches in the Bundesliga
18 goals in the Bundesliga

316 matches in the Spanish league (1980-1992)
87 goals in the Spanish league

Coaching career

Real Madrid, Spain (2007-)
Getafe, Spain (2005-2007)
Levante UD, Spain (2004-2005)
Sjaktar Donetsk, Ukraine (2003-2004)
Xerez CD, Spain (2001-2003)
FC Köln (1998-1999)
SC Fortuna Köln (1997-1998)

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