Michael Tarnat facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 27 October 1969 | ||
| Place of birth | Hilden, West Germany | ||
| Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Left wing-back | ||
| Team information | |||
|
Current team
|
Bayern Munich (leader of U12–U16 youths) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1979–1990 | SV Hilden-Nord | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1990–1994 | MSV Duisburg | 134 | (12) |
| 1994–1997 | Karlsruher SC | 81 | (7) |
| 1997–2003 | Bayern Munich | 122 | (8) |
| 2003–2004 | Manchester City | 32 | (3) |
| 2004–2009 | Hannover 96 | 102 | (8) |
| Total | 471 | (38) | |
| International career | |||
| 1996–1998 | Germany | 19 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Michael Tarnat (born 27 October 1969) is a German former professional footballer. He was known for his powerful left-footed shots and amazing free kicks. His nickname was "Tanne," which means "fir tree" in English.
Michael played as a defender, usually on the left side of the field. Sometimes he also played as a left wing-back or even a defensive midfielder. He played for several big clubs like MSV Duisburg, Karlsruher SC, Bayern Munich, Manchester City, and Hannover 96. He also played 19 times for the German national team, including in the 1998 FIFA World Cup. Today, he works for Bayern Munich, helping to lead their young U12–U16 teams.
Contents
Michael Tarnat's Club Journey
Starting His Football Career
Michael Tarnat was born in Hilden, Germany. He started playing football at a local club called SV Hilden-Nord. In 1990, he began his professional career when he joined MSV Duisburg.
He played his first game in the Bundesliga (Germany's top football league) on 2 August 1991. He played 58 games for Duisburg in the Bundesliga over two seasons. He even scored his first Bundesliga goal on 27 August 1993.
Becoming a Star at Karlsruher SC
In the summer of 1994, Michael moved to Karlsruher SC. Here, he became one of the team's most important players. His super-hard left-footed shot was his special move, making him one of the best free-kick takers in the Bundesliga.
During his three seasons with Karlsruher SC, Michael played 81 Bundesliga games and scored seven goals. His great performances led to him being called up to the German national team for the first time in 1996. He made his international debut on 9 October 1996.
Winning Big with Bayern Munich
In 1997, Michael got a huge opportunity when Bayern Munich, one of the biggest clubs in the world, signed him. He played so well on the left side of the field that he often played instead of the famous left-back Bixente Lizarazu.
Later, their coach, Ottmar Hitzfeld, often played both of them together. This made Bayern's left side one of the strongest in Europe. Michael's time at Bayern Munich was very successful. He helped the team win the German championship four times: in 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2003.
He also won the DFB-Pokal (German Cup) three times: in 1998, 2000, and 2003. The biggest win was the UEFA Champions League in 2001, which is Europe's top club competition. He also played in the 1999 Champions League Final, where Bayern lost in the last few minutes.
Michael Tarnat: The Goalkeeper!
In a memorable game during the 1999–2000 season, Michael Tarnat had to play as a goalkeeper for half an hour! Bayern's main goalkeeper, Oliver Kahn, got injured. His replacement, Bernd Dreher, also got hurt shortly after coming on.
So, Michael, who was a defender, had to step in and play in goal. Amazingly, Bayern was losing 0–1 at that point. But just two minutes after Michael became the goalkeeper, Bayern scored to tie the game. They then went on to win 2–1!
Playing in England and Finishing His Career
Towards the end of his time at Bayern, Michael started to get more injuries. This meant he didn't play for the national team after 1998. In 2003, after playing 122 Bundesliga games and scoring eight goals for Bayern, he moved to England.
He joined Manchester City and played 32 games in the Premier League. After one year, he returned to Germany and signed with Hannover 96 in 2004. He played for Hannover until he retired from professional football on 17 May 2009. His very last game was on 29 July 2009 against Arsenal. In August 2009, Michael returned to FC Bayern Munich to work as a talent scout, looking for new young players.
Playing for Germany
Michael Tarnat was also an important player for the German national team. He played in the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France. He appeared in four of Germany's five matches in the tournament. Germany was surprisingly knocked out by Croatia in the quarterfinals. In a group game against Yugoslavia, his free kick led to an own goal by an opposing player.
Michael Tarnat's Family Life
Michael Tarnat's son, Niklas Tarnat, has also become a professional footballer. He currently plays for TSV 1860 Munich.
Honours and Trophies
Michael Tarnat won many awards and trophies during his career:
Karlsruher SC
- DFB-Pokal (German Cup) runner-up: 1995–96
Bayern Munich
- Bundesliga (German League Champion): 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2002–03
- DFB-Pokal (German Cup): 1997–98, 1999–2000, 2002–03; runner-up: 1998–99
- DFB Liga-Pokal (German League Cup): 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000
- UEFA Champions League (European Champion): 2000–01; runner-up: 1998–99
- FIFA Intercontinental Cup: 2001
See also
In Spanish: Michael Tarnat para niños
