Horst Szymaniak facts for kids
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Szymaniak in the 1960–61 season
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 29 August 1934 | ||
| Place of birth | Erkenschwick, Germany | ||
| Date of death | 9 October 2009 (aged 75) | ||
| Place of death | Melle, Germany | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1943–1952 | SpVgg Erkenschwick | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1952–1955 | SpVgg Erkenschwick | 50 | (11) |
| 1955–1959 | Wuppertaler SV | 91 | (12) |
| 1959–1961 | Karlsruher SC | 53 | (2) |
| 1961–1963 | Catania | 62 | (8) |
| 1963–1964 | Internazionale Milano | 6 | (0) |
| 1964–1965 | Varese | 23 | (0) |
| 1965–1966 | Tasmania 1900 Berlin | 29 | (1) |
| 1966 | FC Biel | ||
| 1967 | Chicago Spurs | 12 | (1) |
| National team | |||
| 1956–1966 | West Germany | 43 | (2) |
| 1956–1965 | West Germany B | 2 | (0) |
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Horst "Schimmi" Szymaniak (born August 29, 1934 – died October 9, 2009) was a famous German football player. He was known for playing as a midfielder, a position in the middle of the field.
Contents
Playing for Football Clubs
Horst Szymaniak was born in a town called Oer-Erkenschwick in Germany. He played for many different football clubs during his career.
Early Club Days
He started his football journey with SpVgg Erkenschwick. After that, he played for Wuppertaler SV and Karlsruher SC.
Playing in Italy
Later, he moved to Italy to play for clubs like Calcio Catania and Internazionale Milano. He also played for Varese.
Back in Germany
He returned to Germany to play for Tasmania 1900 Berlin. This was during the 1965–66 season, which was the only time that club played in the top German league, the Bundesliga.
Szymaniak's Playing Style
Horst Szymaniak was a very skilled player. He usually played as a defensive midfielder, which means he helped protect his team's goal. He was also good at playing as a left half-back. Sometimes, he even played closer to the front as an inside forward.
He was known for his excellent control of the ball. He could see the whole field well and make very accurate long passes to his teammates. One of his most famous skills was his "slide tackling," where he would slide on the ground to take the ball from an opponent. This move became his special trademark.
Many people thought he was one of the best German football players in the late 1950s and early 1960s. A sports magazine called kicker even called him "world class" five times!
Playing for His Country
Horst Szymaniak also played for the West Germany national team. He played 43 games for his country and scored two goals between 1956 and 1966.
World Cup Appearances
He was chosen to play in two big tournaments: the 1958 FIFA World Cup and the 1962 FIFA World Cup. These are huge events where countries compete for the world championship in football. He was a key player in these teams.
Later Life and Passing
Horst Szymaniak passed away on October 9, 2009. He had been ill for a long time. He died in a nursing home in Melle, a town near Osnabrück in Germany.
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