Bernd Hölzenbein (9 March 1946 – 15 April 2024) was a German professional footballer who played as a striker or winger.[1] He played for Eintracht Frankfurt from 1967 to 1981 and is the club's all-time Bundesliga top scorer, having tallied 160 goals in 420 league matches. At the international level, Hölzenbein was a member of the West German team that won the World Cup in 1974. He was fouled in the final against the Netherlands, which led to the Germans' equalizing penalty.[2]
 Hölzenbein in 2018 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 9 March 1946 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Runkel, Greater Hesse, Allied-occupied Germany | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of death | 15 April 2024 (aged 78) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Winger, striker | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1956–1966 | TuS Dehrn | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1966–1967 | Eintracht Frankfurt | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1967–1981 | Eintracht Frankfurt | 420 | (160) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1981–1982 | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | 46 | (10) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1982?–1984? | Memphis Americans | 89 | (41) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1984?–1985? | Baltimore Blast | 24 | (4) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1986 | FSV Salmrohr | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1973–1978 | West Germany | 40 | (5) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing career
edit
A qualified merchant, Hölzenbein debuted for Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga in 1967 to serve for this club until his departure in 1981. A three times German Cup winner with them in 1974, 1975 and 1981, Hölzenbein also won the UEFA Cup with Frankfurt in 1980. His output of 160 goals in his 420 Bundesliga matches is still club record achievement for Frankfurt.[3][4]
Hölzenbein joined Fort Lauderdale Strikers in the United States in 1981. He later played for Memphis Americans and Baltimore Blast in the Major Indoor Soccer League.[5]
In his international career, Hölzenbein scored five goals in forty appearances for West Germany between 1973 and 1978. He made six appearances at the 1974 World Cup finals, including the final.[6] He also played in the UEFA Euro 1976 Final where he scored the equalizing goal in a 2–2 draw against Czechoslovakia,[7] which West Germany lost on penalties. However, he was the oldest player to score in a Euro final, aged 30 years and 103 days.[8]
Death
editHölzenbein died from complications of dementia on 15 April 2024, at the age of 78.[9][10]
Honours
editEintracht Frankfurt
West Germany
Individual
- kicker Bundesliga Team of the Season: 1976[15]
References
edit- ^ "Hölzenbein, Bernd" (in German). kicker.de. Retrieved 29 December 2011.
- ^ "Oranje crushed in Munich". FIFA.com. Archived from the original on 27 August 2011. Retrieved 29 December 2011.
- ^ "Bernd Hölzenbein: Das ewige Schlitzohr wird 75". kicker (in German). 9 March 2021. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
- ^ Heinrich, Benjamin (21 April 2021). "Hütter: Jetzt kann Silva auch den Hölzenbein-Rekord knacken!". fussball.news (in German). Retrieved 12 March 2022.
- ^ "Bernd Holzenbein". nasljerseys.com. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
- ^ "Obituaries". World Soccer. June 2024. p. 22.
- ^ Michael Mühlen (2 November 2002). "Bernd Hölzenbein – Goals in International Matches". RSSSF. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
- ^ "Who is the oldest player to have appeared at a EURO?". UEFA. 24 February 2020.
- ^ "Bernd Hölzenbein ist tot: Eintracht Frankfurt trauert um Legende und Weltmeister" [Bernd Hölzenbein is dead: Eintracht Frankfurt mourns legend and world champion]. Hessenschau (in German). 16 April 2024. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
- ^ "Bernd Hölzenbein obituary: Footballer who shone in the 1974 World Cup final". The Times. 29 April 2024. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
- ^ "Der berühmteste Sitzkopfball der Welt". Eintracht Frankfurt (in German). Retrieved 12 March 2022.
- ^ "Schlitzohr und Eintracht-Idol: Bernd Hölzenbein wird 75". SPOX.com (in German). 9 March 2021. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
- ^ "Schlitzohr und Eintracht-Idol: Hölzenbein wird 75". FOCUS Online (in German). 8 March 2021. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
- ^ "Hölzenbein 44 Jahre danach: Ja, es war eine Schwalbe – Zweibrücken". Die Rheinpfalz (in German). 17 May 2018. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
- ^ "Rangliste – Bundesliga Winter 1975/76". kicker (in German). 12 March 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
External links
edit- Bernd Hölzenbein at fussballdaten.de (in German)
- Bernd Hölzenbein at WorldFootball.net
- Bernd Hölzenbein at National-Football-Teams.com
- Bernd Hölzenbein at kicker (in German)
- Bernd Hölzenbein at the German Football Association
- Bernd Hölzenbein at EU-Football.info
