Bert Trautmann facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bert Trautmann OBE
Bert Trautmann at an event at the Olympiastadion in Berlin in October 2010
Born	Bernhard Carl Trautmann (1923-10-22)22 October 1923 Bremen, Germany
Died	19 July 2013(2013-07-19) (aged 89) La Llosa, Castellón, Spain
Spouse(s)	Margaret Friar ​ ​ (m. 1950; div. 1972)​ Ursula von der Heyde ​ ​ (m. 1974; div. 1982)​ Marlis Trautmann ​ (m. 1986)​
Children	4
Bert Trautmann Personal information Height 1.89 m Playing position Goalkeeper Youth career Blau und Weiss Senior career* Years Team Apps† (Gls)† 1948–1949 St Helens Town 43 (0) 1949–1964 Manchester City 508 (0) 1964 Wellington Town 2 (0) Total 553 (0) Teams managed 1965–1966 Stockport County 1967–1968 Preußen Münster 1968–1969 Opel Rüsselsheim 1972–1974 Burma 1975 Tanzania 1978–1980 Liberia 1980–1983 Pakistan 1983–1988 North Yemen Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).
Military career
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1941–1944
Rank	Feldwebel
Unit	35th Infantry Division
Awards	5 medals (inc. Iron Cross First Class)

Bernhard Carl "Bert" Trautmann (born October 22, 1923 – died July 19, 2013) was a German professional footballer. He played as a goalkeeper for Manchester City from 1949 to 1964.

When he was nine, Bert joined a youth organization in Germany. During World War II, he served as a soldier and earned five medals. He was later captured by British soldiers and became a prisoner-of-war in England. After the war ended in 1948, he decided to stay in England. He started playing as a goalkeeper for a local team, St Helens Town.

His amazing performances for St Helens made him famous. In October 1949, he signed with Manchester City, a top-level football club. Some fans were not happy about the club signing a former German soldier, and there were protests. However, Bert quickly won over the fans with his incredible goalkeeping skills. He played in almost all of the club's matches for many years.

In 1956, Bert was named the FWA Footballer of the Year. He became a football legend during the 1956 FA Cup Final. With only 17 minutes left in the game, Bert got a serious injury while diving for the ball. He hit his neck in a collision with an opposing player. Even with a broken neck, he kept playing and made important saves to help his team win 3-1. His neck looked crooked when he received his winner's medal. Three days later, an X-ray showed his neck was broken.

Bert Trautmann played for Manchester City until 1964, appearing in 545 games. After his playing career, he became a manager for different football teams. He also worked for the German Football Association, helping to develop football in countries like Burma, Tanzania, and Pakistan. In 2004, he received an honorary Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) award. This was for helping to improve understanding between Britain and Germany through football. Bert Trautmann passed away in Spain in 2013, at the age of 89.

Early Life and War Service

Bert Trautmann was born on October 22, 1923, in Bremen, Germany. He grew up in a working-class area with his parents and younger brother, Karl-Heinz. As a child, Bert loved sports, especially football, handball, and dodgeball. He joined a local football club called Blau und Weiss.

In August 1933, he joined a youth organization that was common at the time in Germany. The next year, he won several local sports competitions. He even received a special award for his athletic skills. When World War II began, Bert was working as a mechanic.

In 1941, Bert joined the German air force. He trained to be a paratrooper. He served on the Eastern Front for three years and earned five medals for his bravery, including an Iron Cross. Later in the war, he was captured by British soldiers. He was then sent to a prisoner-of-war camp in Lancashire, England. Bert was one of only a few soldiers from his original group to survive the war.

Football games were often played at the camp. Bert usually played in other positions, but one day he got injured. He swapped places with the goalkeeper and played in goal from then on. The English soldiers found his German name "Bernd" hard to say, so they started calling him "Bert."

After the war, Bert was offered the chance to return to Germany, but he chose to stay in England. He worked on a farm and then helped with bomb disposal.

Football Career Highlights

Starting with St Helens Town

In August 1948, Bert began playing amateur football for St Helens Town. He quickly became known as an amazing goalkeeper. Many people came to watch him play, and his performances helped the club become more successful.

Joining Manchester City

Because of his great skills, several professional football clubs wanted to sign Bert. Manchester City, a team in the top division, was the first to offer him a contract. On October 7, 1949, Bert signed with Manchester City. He soon became a professional player.

Some Manchester City fans were not happy about signing a former German soldier. They even threatened to stop coming to games. However, the club captain, Eric Westwood, welcomed Bert. Bert made his first team debut on November 19. His talent quickly won over the fans, and the protests stopped. Even though he faced some negative reactions at away games, his skills shone through. In one match in London, where the city had been heavily bombed, the crowd was very hostile. But Bert's amazing saves led to a narrow 1-0 loss, and he received a standing ovation from both teams and the crowd.

Manchester City was relegated to the Second Division that season. But they quickly returned to the top division the next year. Bert became one of the best goalkeepers in the league. By 1952, his fame had spread to Germany. A German club offered a lot of money for him, but Manchester City refused, saying he was worth much more.

In the mid-1950s, Manchester City started using a new playing style. It involved the goalkeeper throwing the ball to start attacks, instead of just kicking it far away. Bert was very good at this because he used to play handball. This new tactic helped the team a lot.

FA Cup Finals: 1955 and 1956

Using their new playing style, Manchester City reached the 1955 FA Cup Final. Bert was the first German player to appear in an FA Cup final. City lost 3-1 to Newcastle United, and Bert received a runner-up medal.

Manchester City had a strong season in 1955-56. They finished fourth in the league and reached the FA Cup final again, this time against Birmingham City. Bert was one of the team's best players and won the FWA Footballer of the Year award just before the final.

Two days later, Bert played in the match that made him famous worldwide. City scored an early goal, but Birmingham equalized. In the second half, City scored two quick goals to lead 3-1. With about 15 minutes left, Bert bravely dove for the ball and collided with an opposing player. He was hit in the neck by the player's knee and was knocked out for a moment.

Since no player substitutions were allowed back then, Bert had to keep playing, even though he was dizzy and unsteady. For the rest of the game, he defended his goal, making crucial saves. Manchester City won the match 3-1. Bert was the hero for his amazing saves while injured. He later said he played the last part of the game "in a kind of fog."

After the match, his neck was noticeably crooked. Even Prince Philip noticed it when he gave Bert his winner's medal. Bert thought it was just a stiff neck. But three days later, an X-ray showed he had dislocated five bones in his neck, and one was broken in two places. Luckily, another bone had wedged against the broken one, which saved his life.

After the Injury

Bert's recovery took several months, and he missed much of the 1956-57 season. When he returned, he struggled to find his best form at first. Some fans and media thought he should retire.

The 1957-58 season was unusual for Manchester City. They became the only English team to score and concede 100 goals in one season. Bert played in 34 matches that year.

Bert played 545 matches for Manchester City over 15 years. On April 15, 1964, he played his final game, a special match held in his honor. About 60,000 fans came to watch. Bert captained a team of Manchester City and Manchester United stars against an International XI.

Later Playing Career

After leaving Manchester City, Bert played a few games for Wellington Town. His skills had lessened with age, but he still attracted large crowds.

International Recognition

Even though Bert was one of the best goalkeepers of his time, he never played for his home country, Germany. The German national coach explained that it was too difficult to pick players who were not playing in Germany. So, Bert missed out on playing in the 1954 World Cup, which Germany won.

Bert's only international football experience came in 1960. He captained a team of top players from the English Football League against teams from Ireland and Italy.

Coaching Career

After his playing career, Bert became a general manager for Stockport County. He tried to make the club more popular by moving their games to Friday evenings. He later managed German teams Preußen Münster and Opel Rüsselsheim.

The German Football Association then sent Bert to help develop football in other countries. He spent two years as the national coach for Myanmar (Burma). He helped them qualify for the Olympics in 1972. He also managed the national teams of Tanzania, Liberia, Pakistan, and North Yemen until he retired in 1988. He then settled in Spain.

Playing Style

Bert Trautmann was excellent at stopping shots, especially penalties. He saved 60% of the penalties he faced in his career. Opposing managers would warn their players to shoot quickly against him because he was so good at guessing where the ball would go.

Because he used to play handball, Bert was very good at throwing the ball long distances. He used this skill to start attacks for his team. He learned this tactic from a Hungarian goalkeeper he admired.

Bert found it hard to accept criticism from others, only listening to close friends. Sometimes, he would think too much about his mistakes, which affected his focus. He also had a short temper and was sent off the field a few times.

Legacy and Influence

Many famous football players and coaches praised Bert Trautmann. The legendary Russian goalkeeper Lev Yashin believed that only he and Bert were truly "world-class goalkeepers."

Bert's unique playing style also influenced many young goalkeepers. Former Arsenal goalkeeper Bob Wilson said Bert was his childhood hero. Gordon Banks, another famous goalkeeper, said Bert influenced his own playing style.

Media outlets have also recognized Bert's importance. ESPN considers him one of the greatest FA Cup goalkeepers. His brave dive in the 1956 FA Cup Final, which broke his neck, is remembered as one of the greatest saves in FA Cup history.

In November 1995, Bert returned to Maine Road, Manchester City's old stadium, to open a rebuilt stand. In 2018, a movie about his life called The Keeper was released, with German actor David Kross playing Bert.

Awards and Recognition

In 1997, Bert Trautmann received the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, a high honor in Germany. In 2004, he was appointed an honorary OBE for his efforts in improving relations between Britain and Germany through football. He received the award at the British Embassy in Berlin. The next night, he met Queen Elizabeth II, who remembered him and asked, "Have you still got that pain in your neck?"

In 2005, he was added to the National Football Museum's Hall of Fame. He continued to support Manchester City and visited Manchester to watch them play.

Personal Life

Bert Trautmann married Margaret Friar in 1950, but they later divorced in 1972. They had three sons: John, Mark, and Stephen. Sadly, John, their first son, died in a car accident at age five, a few months after the 1956 FA Cup Final. Bert believed this loss greatly affected his marriage. He also had a daughter from an earlier relationship whom he reconnected with in 1990.

He married Ursula von der Heyde in the 1970s while living in Burma, but they divorced in 1982. From 1990, Bert lived with his third wife, Marlis, in Spain. He later helped create the Trautmann Foundation, which encourages courage and good sportsmanship.

Bert Trautmann passed away at his home in Spain on July 19, 2013, at 89 years old. He had suffered two heart attacks earlier that year. Many people in the football world remembered him as an "amazing sportsman" and "one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time."

Career statistics

Sources: Rowlands, Trautmann: The Biography, p. 252; James, Manchester City: The Complete Record, pp. 367–395.

Honours

Manchester City

• FA Cup: 1955–56

Individual

• Iron Cross First Class: 1942
• FWA Footballer of the Year: 1956
• Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany: 1997
• Order of the British Empire: 2004
• English Football Hall of Fame: 2005
• Germany's Sports Hall of Fame: 2011

Images for kids

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  Trautmann's birthplace, Bremen, in the 1920s

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  Trautmann's visit to Craven Cottage in 1950 received wide media attention.

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  Wembley Stadium, the venue for the 1955 and 1956 FA Cup finals

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  Bert Trautmann's third wife Marlis at a book event in 2013.

See also

In Spanish: Bert Trautmann para niños