Karlheinz Förster

Karlheinz Helmut Förster (born 25 July 1958) is a former German footballer who played as a central defender.

Karlheinz Förster
Personal information
Full name Karlheinz Helmut Förster
Date of birth (1958-07-25) 25 July 1958
Place of birth Mosbach, West Germany
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Playing position(s) Centre back
Youth career
Badenia Unterschwarzach
Waldhof Mannheim
0000–1977 VfB Stuttgart
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1977–1986 VfB Stuttgart 311 (22)
1986–1990 Marseille 103 (6)
Total 414 (28)
National team
1976–1978 West Germany Amateur 4 (0)
1978 West Germany B 2 (0)
1978–1986 West Germany 81 (2)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

The younger brother of another football defender, Bernd Förster, he was regarded as one of the world's top man-markers at his peak,[1] and played most of his career at VfB Stuttgart with Bernd. Both were crowned European champions in 1980.

Club career

Born in Mosbach, Förster started playing professionally at VfB Stuttgart, which would be his only club in the German first division. He was instrumental in the club's promotion in 1977, as he scored five times in 34 contests.[2]

In the topflight, Förster rarely missed a game, partnering sibling Bernd in the backline. Both were instrumental in the club's 1983–84 league conquest and he left the club in 1986, having played in more than 300 overall official matches. He was then bought by France's Olympique de Marseille, for 3.5 million Deutsche Mark.

In his third year with L'OM, already partnered by countryman Klaus Allofs, Förster helped the side win the double. Having retired at nearly 32, he later became a player's agent.[3]

International career

Förster gained the first of his 81 caps for the national team in a friendly with Brazil, on 5 April 1978,[4] not yet aged 20. From then onwards, he became an undisputed starter, appearing in all the matches at the victorious Euro 1980 (completely neutralizing Belgium's Jan Ceulemans in the final) and the runner-up place at the 1982 FIFA World Cup (also playing all the minutes).

At the latter competition, the pair of brothers (Bernd had already been an important figure in the continental win) became the first in German football history to take part in a World Cup final since Ottmar and Fritz Walter's appearances in the victorious 1954 edition, and the first to be defeated.

Förster still played for his nation at the UEFA Euro 1984 and 1986 World Cup, finishing second to Argentina in the latter. In Mexico 86, he took the role of man to man marker, neutralizing Mexico's Hugo Sánchez at the quarterfinals and Michel Platini of France at the semifinals.

International goals
Score and results list West Germany's goal tally first.
#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.17 October 1979Müngersdorfer Stadion, Cologne Wales5–05–1Euro 1980 qualifier
2.16 December 1984Ta' Qali National Stadium, Ta' Qali Malta1–13–21986 World Cup qualifier

Honours

Club

VfB Stuttgart

Marseille

International

West Germany

Individual
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References
  1. "Karl-Heinz Förster". UEFA.com. 9 July 2003. Archived from the original on 27 August 2009. Retrieved 2 September 2009.
  2. Arnhold, Matthias (29 November 2012). "Karlheinz Förster – Matches and Goals in Bundesliga". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 11 December 2012.
  3. "Kuranyi staying at Stuttgart". UEFA.com. 11 December 2003. Retrieved 2 September 2009.
  4. Arnhold, Matthias (10 March 2004). "Karlheinz Förster – International Appearances". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 11 December 2012.
  5. "Bundesliga Historie 1977/78" (in German). kicker.
  6. "Bundesliga Historie 1983/84" (in German). kicker.
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