Bernd Schuster facts for kids
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Schuster as coach of Málaga in 2013
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Bernd Schuster | |||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 22 December 1959 | |||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Augsburg, West Germany | |||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in) | |||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | |||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||
| 1971–1976 | SV Hammerschmiede Augsburg | |||||||||||||||
| 1976–1978 | FC Augsburg | |||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||
| 1978–1980 | 1. FC Köln | 61 | (10) | |||||||||||||
| 1980–1988 | Barcelona | 170 | (63) | |||||||||||||
| 1988–1990 | Real Madrid | 61 | (13) | |||||||||||||
| 1990–1993 | Atlético Madrid | 85 | (11) | |||||||||||||
| 1993–1996 | Bayer Leverkusen | 59 | (8) | |||||||||||||
| 1996–1997 | Pumas UNAM | 9 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| Total | 445 | (105) | ||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||
| 1977–1979 | West Germany U18 | 10 | (2) | |||||||||||||
| 1980 | West Germany U21 | 1 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 1979–1984 | West Germany | 21 | (4) | |||||||||||||
| Managerial career | ||||||||||||||||
| 1997–1998 | Fortuna Köln | |||||||||||||||
| 1998–1999 | 1. FC Köln | |||||||||||||||
| 2001–2003 | Xerez | |||||||||||||||
| 2003–2004 | Shakhtar Donetsk | |||||||||||||||
| 2004–2005 | Levante | |||||||||||||||
| 2005–2007 | Getafe | |||||||||||||||
| 2007–2008 | Real Madrid | |||||||||||||||
| 2010–2011 | Beşiktaş | |||||||||||||||
| 2013–2014 | Málaga | |||||||||||||||
| 2018–2019 | Dalian Yifang | |||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||
Bernd Schuster (born on December 22, 1959) is a famous German former footballer. He played as a midfielder from the late 1970s to the early 1990s. People called him "der Blonde Engel," which means "the Blond Angel."
Schuster won many club titles with Spanish teams like Barcelona (1980–1988) and Real Madrid (1988–1990). After he stopped playing, he became a coach for several European clubs. He even led Real Madrid to win the league title in the 2007–08 season.
Contents
Playing Career: A Football Star
Bernd Schuster began his professional football journey with 1. FC Köln in 1978. He was just 18 years old and had already shown great skill with the West German Under-18 National team.
Playing for Barcelona
Schuster joined FC Barcelona in 1980 and became a very important player for them throughout the 1980s. He played as a midfielder and scored many goals. He was known for his strong playing style.
While at Barcelona, he won the European Silver Ball award in 1980. He also won the Bronze Ball in 1981 and 1985, which are awards for top European players. In 1981, when he was 21, he got a serious injury to his right knee.
Even many years later, in 2024, Pep Guardiola, a famous football coach, said he would pick Schuster for his dream five-a-side team. Guardiola mentioned that he used to watch Schuster play as a ball boy and was very impressed by his skills.
Playing for Real Madrid
Schuster's move to Real Madrid was a big deal because of the strong rivalry between Barcelona and Madrid. His playing style fit well with Real Madrid's team, which included famous Spanish players. They won many Spanish Championship titles in the 1980s.
Playing for Atlético Madrid
In 1990, Schuster signed with Atlético Madrid. He helped the team play much better. His long, accurate passes were key in making Atlético Madrid a top club again.
Playing for Bayer Leverkusen
In 1993, Schuster returned to Germany to play for Bayer Leverkusen for three seasons. Even though the team didn't win the Bundesliga or German Cup, his great performances made fans wonder if he would play in the 1994 World Cup. In 1994, his goals were voted the top three "Goal of the Year" in Germany. He was also ranked 40th among the best European players of the last five decades.
International Football: Playing for West Germany
Schuster was part of the West Germany national team that won the 1980 UEFA European Football Championship in Italy. He played in two of their four matches. His performance helped him win the Silver Ball Trophy in 1980, making him the second-best player in Europe that year.
He played 21 matches for the West Germany national team. He stopped playing for the national team at age 24 due to disagreements with the team management and other players.
Schuster's Playing Style
Bernd Schuster was a very smart and skilled player. Many people consider him one of the best midfielders of his time. When he started his career, he was an attacking midfielder who could dribble well and had good speed.
After some injuries, he became a deep-lying playmaker. This meant he played further back, using his excellent technique, vision, and passing skills to control the game. He was also great at taking free-kicks and had a powerful shot from far away. Sometimes, he even played as a sweeper, starting attacks from the back of the field.
Schuster was also known for his leadership on the field. He was nicknamed "The Blonde Angel" because of his long blonde hair. Many coaches and players have praised his talent. For example, his first coach at Köln, Hennes Weisweiler, said Schuster was the best player he ever coached.
Coaching Career: Leading Teams
After retiring as a player, Bernd Schuster became a football coach.
Coaching Fortuna Köln and 1. FC Köln
Schuster coached Fortuna Köln from 1997 to 1998. Then, he coached 1. FC Köln from 1998 to 1999. However, he couldn't help 1. FC Köln get promoted to a higher league.
Coaching Xerez and Shakhtar Donetsk
He became the coach of Xerez in Spain in 2001. He led the team successfully for two seasons, which were some of the best in the club's history. In 2003, he moved to Ukraine to coach Shakhtar Donetsk. He set a club record for winning many games in a row.
Coaching Levante and Getafe
Schuster returned to Spain in 2004 to coach Levante. In 2005, he moved to Getafe. Under his guidance, Getafe had their best seasons ever. They even reached the final of the Copa del Rey in 2007, which helped them qualify for the 2007–08 UEFA Cup.
Coaching Real Madrid
On July 9, 2007, Schuster was appointed coach of Real Madrid. He had a great start, leading them to the top of the La Liga standings. Real Madrid's playing style became more attacking, and they were very strong at home. They even beat their rivals Barcelona at their home stadium, Camp Nou.
On May 4, 2008, Schuster guided Real Madrid to win their 31st league title. They also won the Supercopa de España. Schuster was known for speaking his mind, which sometimes led to disagreements with the media. He left Real Madrid on December 9, 2008.
Coaching Beşiktaş and Málaga
In 2010, Schuster became the coach of the Turkish club Beşiktaş. He brought in several talented players. He resigned in March 2011 after a series of difficult results. He was criticized for trying to use a very attacking style of play.
Schuster became the head coach of Málaga in Spain on June 12, 2013. His contract ended in May 2014.
Coaching Dalian Yifang
On March 19, 2018, Schuster was appointed coach of the Chinese Super League team Dalian Yifang. He was replaced in 2019.
Personal Life
During his time as a player, Bernd Schuster and his former wife Gaby were well-known figures in Germany. Gaby was known for being very direct, especially when she managed Schuster's career. In 2008, Schuster and Gaby separated. In 2012, he married Elena Blasco, a Spanish lawyer.
Honours
Player
Barcelona
- La Liga: 1984–85
- Copa del Rey: 1980–81, 1982–83, 1987–88
- European Cup Winners' Cup: 1981–82
- Copa de la Liga: 1983
- European Cup runner-up: 1985–86
Real Madrid
- La Liga: 1988–89, 1989–90
- Copa del Rey: 1988–89
- Supercopa de España: 1989
Atlético Madrid
- Copa del Rey: 1990–91, 1991–92
West Germany
Individual Awards
- UEFA European Championship Team of the Tournament: 1980
- Ballon d'Or runner-up: 1980; third place: 1981, 1985
- La Liga: Don Balón Award for Best Foreign Player: 1985, 1991
- Goal of the Year (Germany): 1994
Manager
Getafe
- Copa del Rey runner-up: 2006–07
Real Madrid
- La Liga: 2007–08
- Supercopa de España: 2008
Individual Award
- La Liga: Miguel Muñoz Trophy for Best Coach of the Year: 2006
See also
In Spanish: Bernd Schuster para niños
