Horst-Dieter Höttges facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Horst-Dieter Höttges

Höttges in 1971
Personal information
Date of birth	(1943-09-10)10 September 1943
Place of birth	Mönchengladbach, Germany
Date of death	22 June 2023(2023-06-22) (aged 79)
Place of death	Bremen, Germany
Height	1.76 m
Playing position	Defender
Youth career
	Blau-Weiß Bahl
	Rheydter SV
	Borussia Mönchengladbach
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1963–1964	Borussia Mönchengladbach	30	(0)
1964–1978	Werder Bremen	420	(55)
1964–1978	SC Oberbecksen
	TSV Achim
National team
1963–1964	West Germany U23	3	(0)
	West Germany B	2	(0)
1965–1974	West Germany	66	(1)
Honours Men's football Representing  West Germany FIFA World Cup Winner 1974 West Germany Runner-up 1966 England Third 1970 Mexico
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Horst-Dieter Höttges (born September 10, 1943 – died June 22, 2023) was a German football player. He was a strong defender, known for his tough playing style. He started his career with his hometown club, Borussia Mönchengladbach. But he spent most of his time playing for Werder Bremen. He also played for the West Germany national team from 1965 to 1974. He played in 66 games for his country and scored one goal.

Club Career

Starting Out at Borussia Mönchengladbach

Horst-Dieter Höttges was born in Mönchengladbach, Germany. He began playing football at local clubs like Blau-Weiß Bahl and Rheydter SV. When he was 17, he joined Borussia Mönchengladbach's youth team. After three years, he played for their main team in the 1963–64 Regionalliga West season. However, the team's manager, Hennes Weisweiler, felt Höttges' playing style didn't fit his plans. So, Höttges had to find a new club.

Success with Werder Bremen

Before the 1964–65 season, Höttges signed with Bundesliga team Werder Bremen. He quickly found success under manager Willi Multhaup. In his very first season, Werder Bremen won the Bundesliga title!

This big win helped Höttges get called up to the German national team in 1965. His strong tackles and tough play earned him the nickname "Eisenfuß," which means "iron foot." Even though Werder Bremen didn't win the title again and often struggled, Höttges stayed loyal to the club. He played for them until 1978. He scored 55 goals in 420 games for Werder Bremen.

Höttges decided to stop playing professional football because he had a part-time job as a sales representative. He didn't want to give up his business. Werder Bremen honored him by naming him "Ehrenspielführer," or "honorary captain," for his dedication to the club.

Later Years and Retirement

After leaving professional football, Höttges played for a while at an amateur level. He played for SC Oberbecksen and TSV Achim, a club near Bremen, where he lived. In the 1990s, he even helped coach TSV Achim for some time.

Horst-Dieter Höttges passed away on June 22, 2023, at the age of 79. He died due to complications from dementia.

International Career

Horst-Dieter Höttges played his first game for West Germany on March 13, 1965. It was a friendly match against Italy, which ended in a 1–1 draw. The game took place at Hamburg's Volksparkstadion. This same stadium was where he played his last game for West Germany. It was during the 1974 FIFA World Cup when West Germany lost to East Germany.

After this important match, the coach, Helmut Schön, made some changes to the team. Höttges was moved to the bench. This led him to retire from international football after West Germany won the 1974 World Cup final against the Netherlands.

Höttges played in three World Cups. His first was in 1966 in England, where West Germany finished as runners-up. He was also part of the team that finished third in the 1970 FIFA World Cup in Mexico. In 1972, he started for West Germany in the UEFA Euro 1972 final in Brussels. On June 18, he and his teammates beat the Soviet Union to win Germany's first UEFA European Football Championship trophy.

See also

In Spanish: Horst-Dieter Höttges para niños