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 | |||||||||||||||
| Playing position | 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) | ||||||||||||||
| National team | ||||||||||||||||
| 1977–1979 | West Germany U18 | 10 | (2) | |||||||||||||
| 1980 | West Germany U21 | 1 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 1979–1984 | West Germany | 21 | (4) | |||||||||||||
| Teams managed | ||||||||||||||||
| 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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Honours
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Bernd Schuster (born 22 December 1959) is a German former professional footballer. He played as a midfielder from the late 1970s to the early 1990s. He was known for winning major club titles with Spanish teams like Barcelona (1980–1987) and Real Madrid (1988–1990). People called him "der Blonde Engel," which means "the Blond Angel." After his playing career, he became a coach for many European clubs, including Real Madrid, where he led them to win the league title in the 2007–08 season.
Contents
Bernd Schuster's Club Career
Schuster began his professional football journey at 18 with 1. FC Köln in 1978. He had already shown great promise playing for the West German Under-18 National team. After playing for Köln, he moved to Spain in 1980 to join FC Barcelona, where he really shined. Throughout his career, he also played for other famous clubs like Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid, and Bayer Leverkusen. Towards the end of his playing days, he even played a few matches for the Mexican team Pumas de la UNAM in 1997.
Playing for Barcelona
Bernd Schuster was a very important player for FC Barcelona during the 1980s. He played as a midfielder and scored many goals. He was so good that he won the European Silver Ball award in 1980 and the Bronze Ball in 1981 and 1985.
When he was 21, in 1981, he got a serious injury to his right knee. This happened during a game against Athletic Bilbao. Years later, in 2024, famous coach Pep Guardiola said that Schuster was one of the five players he would pick for a five-a-side team. Guardiola mentioned that he used to watch Schuster play as a ball boy and was "completely in love" with his style.
Playing for Real Madrid
Schuster's move to Real Madrid was a big deal because Barcelona and Real Madrid are huge rivals. His playing style fit perfectly with Real Madrid's team, which included a famous group of players known as "la Quinta del Buitre." Together, they helped Real Madrid win many Spanish Championship titles in the 1980s.
Playing for Atlético Madrid
In 1990, Schuster joined Atlético Madrid. His arrival helped the team play much better. His long, accurate passes were key in making Atlético Madrid a top club again.
Playing for Bayer Leverkusen
Schuster returned to Germany in 1993 to play for Bayer Leverkusen for three seasons. Even though the team didn't win the Bundesliga or German Cup, his excellent performances made fans wonder if he would play in the 1994 World Cup. He even won the top three spots in Germany's "Goal of the Year" election in 1994 for his amazing goals.
Bernd Schuster's International Career
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 great performance helped him win the Silver Ball Trophy in 1980, making him the second-best player in Europe that year.
Schuster decided to stop playing for the West Germany national team at just 24 years old. This was because he had disagreements with the German Football Association and the national team manager at the time. Overall, he played 21 matches for West Germany.
Schuster's Style of Play
Bernd Schuster was a very smart and skilled player, considered one of the best midfielders of his time. Early in his career, he was an attacking midfielder who could run all over the field. He was great at creating chances, dribbling, and was very fast.
After some injuries, he became a "deep-lying playmaker." This meant he played further back on the field, using his amazing technique, vision, and passing skills to control the game. He could make short passes or long, precise passes to set up his teammates. He was also excellent at taking free-kicks and had a powerful shot from far away. Sometimes, he even played as a "sweeper," which is a defender who can also start attacks from the back.
Schuster was also known for his strong leadership on the field. Even though he faced injuries and was sometimes outspoken, many coaches and players admired his talent. His first coach at Köln, Hennes Weisweiler, called him the best player he ever coached. Famous players like Pep Guardiola and Xavi have said Schuster was their idol.
Bernd Schuster's Coaching Career
After his successful playing career, Bernd Schuster became a football coach. He managed several clubs in different countries.
Coaching Fortuna Köln
Schuster was the coach for Fortuna Köln from July 1997 to June 1998.
Coaching 1. FC Köln
He then coached 1. FC Köln from July 1998 to June 1999. During this time, he tried to help the club get promoted to a higher league, but they didn't quite make it.
Coaching Xerez
Schuster took over as coach of Xerez in June 2001. He led the team to two very successful seasons, which were among the best in the club's history. However, he couldn't get them promoted to La Liga, Spain's top league.
Coaching Shakhtar Donetsk
In June 2003, Schuster became the coach of Shakhtar Donetsk in Ukraine. He set a club record for winning many games in a row. But because the team didn't win the championship, he was let go in May 2004, just before they won the Ukrainian Cup final.
Coaching Levante
Schuster returned to Spain in 2004 to coach Levante. He was dismissed in May 2005. The team later ended up going back down to the Segunda División.
Coaching Getafe
Schuster moved to Getafe in the summer of 2005. Under his leadership, Getafe had their best season ever. The team continued to improve, finishing seventh in La Liga. They also qualified for the 2007–08 UEFA Cup by reaching the final of the Copa del Rey. They famously beat Barcelona 4-0 in the second leg of the semi-final after losing the first leg 5-2.
Coaching Real Madrid
Schuster was appointed coach of Real Madrid on 9 July 2007. He had a great start, leading them to the top of the La Liga standings. Real Madrid's attacking style of play returned, and they were very strong at home. They even beat their big rivals Barcelona at their home stadium, Camp Nou.
He guided Real Madrid to their 31st league title with three games left to play. On 18 May 2008, Schuster's Real Madrid achieved the highest point total (85 points) in the league, a record at the time. He also won the Supercopa de España. Schuster left Real Madrid on 9 December 2008.
Coaching Beşiktaş
On 10 June 2010, Schuster agreed to become the new coach for the Turkish club Beşiktaş. He brought in several talented players like Ricardo Quaresma and Guti. Schuster resigned from Beşiktaş on 15 March 2011 after a series of difficult results.
Coaching Málaga
Schuster became the head coach at Málaga on 12 June 2013. His contract ended in May 2014 after the team didn't finish in the top half of the league.
Coaching Dalian Yifang
On 19 March 2018, Schuster was officially named the coach of the Chinese Super League team Dalian Yifang. He was later replaced in 2019.
Bernd Schuster's Personal Life
Bernd Schuster is married to Elena Blasco, a Spanish lawyer, whom he married in 2012. He has four children.
Career statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| 1. FC Köln | 1978–79 | Bundesliga | 24 | 1 | 2 | 0 | – | 5 | 0 | – | 31 | 1 | ||
| 1979–80 | 32 | 9 | 8 | 4 | – | 0 | 0 | – | 40 | 13 | ||||
| 1980–81 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 5 | 0 | ||||||
| Total | 61 | 10 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 76 | 14 | ||
| Barcelona | 1980–81 | La Liga | 23 | 11 | 5 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | – | 28 | 11 | ||
| 1981–82 | 13 | 8 | 0 | 0 | – | 4 | 2 | – | 17 | 10 | ||||
| 1982–83 | 28 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 47 | 14 | ||
| 1983–84 | 22 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | – | 29 | 10 | |||
| 1984–85 | 32 | 11 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | – | 42 | 19 | |||
| 1985–86 | 22 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 32 | 12 | ||
| 1986–87 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | ||||
| 1987–88 | 30 | 9 | 8 | 3 | – | 8 | 1 | – | 46 | 13 | ||||
| Total | 170 | 63 | 31 | 13 | 8 | 2 | 29 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 241 | 89 | ||
| Real Madrid | 1988–89 | La Liga | 33 | 7 | 9 | 3 | – | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 52 | 10 | |
| 1989–90 | 28 | 6 | 6 | 0 | – | 2 | 0 | – | 36 | 6 | ||||
| Total | 61 | 13 | 15 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 88 | 16 | ||
| Atlético Madrid | 1990–91 | La Liga | 29 | 4 | 7 | 1 | – | 0 | 0 | – | 36 | 5 | ||
| 1991–92 | 34 | 6 | 6 | 2 | – | 6 | 4 | – | 46 | 12 | ||||
| 1992–93 | 22 | 1 | 2 | 0 | – | 6 | 0 | – | 30 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 85 | 11 | 15 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 112 | 18 | ||
| Bayer Leverkusen | 1993–94 | Bundesliga | 28 | 5 | 4 | 0 | – | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 34 | 6 | |
| 1994–95 | 23 | 2 | 2 | 1 | – | 9 | 2 | – | 34 | 5 | ||||
| 1995–96 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 0 | – | 4 | 0 | – | 15 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 59 | 8 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 83 | 12 | ||
| Universidad Nacional | 1996–97 | Primera División | 9 | 0 | 9 | 0 | ||||||||
| Career total | 445 | 105 | 80 | 24 | 8 | 2 | 70 | 18 | 6 | 0 | 609 | 149 | ||
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Germany | 1979 | 5 | 0 |
| 1980 | 6 | 1 | |
| 1981 | 3 | 2 | |
| 1982 | 1 | 0 | |
| 1983 | 4 | 1 | |
| 1984 | 2 | 0 | |
| Total | 21 | 4 | |
Managerial
| Team | From | To | Record | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % | Ref. | |||
| Fortuna Köln | 1 July 1997 | 30 June 1998 | 35 | 11 | 13 | 11 | 55 | 59 | −4 | 31.43 | |
| 1. FC Köln | 1 July 1998 | 30 June 1999 | 35 | 12 | 9 | 14 | 46 | 54 | −8 | 34.29 | |
| Xerez | 26 June 2001 | 30 June 2003 | 89 | 38 | 22 | 29 | 102 | 101 | +1 | 42.70 | |
| Shakhtar Donetsk | 1 July 2003 | 5 May 2004 | 43 | 30 | 6 | 7 | 82 | 28 | +54 | 69.77 | |
| Levante | 1 July 2004 | 1 May 2005 | 36 | 9 | 9 | 18 | 37 | 52 | −15 | 25.00 | |
| Getafe | 20 June 2005 | 9 July 2007 | 89 | 35 | 21 | 33 | 119 | 101 | +18 | 39.33 | |
| Real Madrid | 9 July 2007 | 9 December 2008 | 75 | 44 | 9 | 22 | 157 | 100 | +57 | 58.67 | |
| Beşiktaş | 10 June 2010 | 15 March 2011 | 45 | 24 | 8 | 13 | 80 | 50 | +30 | 53.33 | |
| Málaga | 12 June 2013 | 16 May 2014 | 40 | 12 | 11 | 17 | 43 | 50 | −7 | 30.00 | |
| Dalian Yifang | 19 March 2018 | 10 February 2019 | 29 | 13 | 5 | 11 | 41 | 40 | +1 | 44.83 | |
| Total | 516 | 228 | 113 | 175 | 762 | 636 | +126 | 44.19 | — | ||
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
- UEFA European Championship Team of the Tournament: 1980
- Ballon d'Or runner-up: 1980; third place: 1981, 1985
- Sport Ideal European XI: 1980
- La Liga: Don Balón Award for Best Foreign Player: 1985, 1991
- kicker Bundesliga Team of the Season: 1993–94
- 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
- La Liga: Miguel Muñoz Trophy for Best Coach of the Year: 2006
See also
In Spanish: Bernd Schuster para niños
