Helmut Schön facts for kids
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Schön in 1973
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Helmut Schön | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 15 September 1915 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Dresden, German Empire | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of death | 23 February 1996 (aged 80) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of death | Wiesbaden, Germany | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Forward | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1932–1944 | Dresdner SC | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1946–1950 | SG Dresden-Friedrichstadt | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1946–1947 | → FC St. Pauli (loan) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1950–1951 | Hertha BSC | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1937–1941 | Germany | 16 | (17) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Teams managed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1952–1956 | Saarland | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1953–1954 | 1. FC Saarbrücken | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1956–1964 | West Germany (assistant coach) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1964–1978 | West Germany | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Honours
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Helmut Schön (born September 15, 1915 – died February 23, 1996) was a famous German football player and manager. He is best known for leading the West Germany national team. He managed them in four World Cup tournaments in a row.
Under his guidance, West Germany won the World Cup in 1974. They also reached the final in 1966 and finished third in 1970. Beyond the World Cup, his teams also won the European Championship in 1972. They were runners-up in the European Championship in 1976.
Contents
Helmut Schön's Early Life and Playing Career
Helmut Schön started his football journey as a striker. He played for Dresdner SC, a team in his hometown. With Dresdner SC, he won the German football championship twice. These wins were in 1943 and 1944. He also helped his team win the German Cup (DFB-Pokal) in 1941 and 1942.
Schön also played for his country, Germany. He played 16 matches for the national team between 1937 and 1941. During these games, he scored an impressive 17 goals.
Becoming a Football Manager
After World War II, Helmut Schön began his career in football management. He started coaching teams in his home region of Saxony. This area was then part of East Germany, which was controlled by the Soviet Union. He coached teams from Saxony and the Soviet occupation zone.
However, political issues began to affect sports. Because of this, Schön moved to West Germany in 1950. He had previously played for FC St. Pauli in Hamburg. He then became a player-coach for Hertha BSC in Berlin. He later became a licensed coach in Cologne.
Coaching the Saarland National Team
From 1952 to 1956, Schön coached the Saarland national team. At that time, Saarland was an independent region. His team even played against West Germany in the qualifiers for the 1954 World Cup. When Saarland rejoined West Germany in 1956, Schön joined the West Germany national team. He became the assistant coach to Sepp Herberger.
Leading West Germany to Glory
Helmut Schön took over as the main manager of the West Germany national team in November 1964. This began a very successful period for German football.
World Cup and European Championship Success
Under Schön's leadership, West Germany achieved great things:
- In the 1966 World Cup, they finished as runners-up. They lost 4-2 to England in the final match.
- At the 1970 World Cup, they secured third place.
- They became European champions in 1972. They beat the Soviet Union 3-0 in the final.
- The team won the 1974 World Cup on home soil. They defeated the Netherlands 2-1 in the final.
- They were runners-up in the 1976 European Championship. They lost to Czechoslovakia in a penalty shootout after extra time.
Key Decisions as Manager
Schön made many smart decisions that led to West Germany's triumphs. He chose Sepp Maier as the main goalkeeper. He also brought in young players like Berti Vogts and Paul Breitner. Schön allowed Franz Beckenbauer to play his best role as a sweeper and made him team captain. He also built the midfield around talented players like Günter Netzer and later Wolfgang Overath.
Helmut Schön's Coaching Records
Helmut Schön holds several impressive World Cup records. He coached the most matches in World Cup history, with 25 games. He also has the most wins as a coach in the World Cup, with 16 victories. He was the first coach ever to win both a World Cup and a European Championship.
Schön managed the same national team in four World Cup tournaments in a row. He shares this record with England's Walter Winterbottom.
Retirement and Legacy
Schön announced he would retire after the 1978 World Cup. His assistant, Jupp Derwall, took over from him. Sadly, his last tournament did not end with a win. His team was knocked out by Austria, who had already been eliminated.
During his 14 years as the national coach, Schön's record was outstanding. He led his team to 87 victories, 30 draws, and only 22 defeats in 139 matches. For his amazing contributions to football, Helmut Schön received the FIFA Order of Merit in 1984. This is a very high honor in the world of football.
Managerial Honours
West Germany
- FIFA World Cup: 1974; runner-up: 1966; third-place: 1970
- UEFA European Championship: 1972; runner-up: 1976
Individual
- World Soccer 22nd Greatest Manager of All Time: 2013
See also
In Spanish: Helmut Schön para niños
