Paul Steiner facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Paul Steiner

Personal information
Date of birth	(1957-01-23) 23 January 1957 (age 68)
Place of birth	Waldbrunn, West Germany
Height	1.82 m
Playing position	Centre back
Youth career
0000–1975	TSV Strümpfelbrunn
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1975–1979	Waldhof Mannheim	144	(16)
1979–1981	MSV Duisburg	58	(7)
1981–1991	1. FC Köln	291	(20)
Total		493	(43)
National team
1983	West Germany U21	2	(1)
1987	West Germany Olympic	2	(0)
1990	West Germany	1	(0)
Honours 1. FC Köln Winner DFB-Pokal 1983 Runner-up UEFA Cup 1986 Runner-up DFB-Pokal 1991  West Germany Winner FIFA World Cup 1990
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Paul Steiner (born on January 23, 1957) is a German former professional footballer. He mostly played as a central defender, which is a player who helps protect the goal.

Paul Steiner's Club Career

Early Football Days

Paul Steiner was born in Waldbrunn, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. He started playing football in his hometown with a team called TSV Strümpfelbrunn. This is where he began his journey in the sport.

Starting Professional Football

In 1975, Paul Steiner began his professional football career. He played for four seasons in the 2. Bundesliga, which is Germany's second-highest football league. During this time, he played for SV Waldhof Mannheim.

Playing in the Bundesliga

From 1979 to 1991, Steiner played in the Bundesliga, Germany's top football league. He played a total of 349 games and scored 27 goals. He played for two teams during this period: MSV Duisburg and 1. FC Köln.

With 1. FC Köln, he was a very important player. His team finished in the top three of the league five times. He also helped them win the DFB-Pokal, which is the German Cup, in 1983. In 1986, his team reached the final of the UEFA Cup but lost to Real Madrid.

After Retirement

Paul Steiner retired from playing football when he was 34 years old. After that, he worked as a scout. A scout is someone who looks for new talented players for a team. He first worked for Bayer 04 Leverkusen, a rival team of Köln. Later, he returned to 1. FC Köln to work as a scout there too.

Paul Steiner's International Career

Debut for Germany

Paul Steiner made his debut for the German national team when he was 33 years old. This made him one of the older players to play for the national team for the first time. He played as a substitute in a friendly match against Denmark. This game was played on May 30, 1990, just before the 1990 FIFA World Cup.

1990 FIFA World Cup

It was a bit of a surprise when Paul Steiner was chosen for the 1990 FIFA World Cup squad. Many people expected another player, Holger Fach, to be picked instead. The coach, Franz Beckenbauer, chose Steiner as a backup player.

Germany went on to win the World Cup that year in Italy. They defeated Argentina in the final match. Even though Germany won, Paul Steiner did not play in any of the games during the tournament. After the World Cup, he was not called to play for the national team again.

Images for kids

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  In Spanish: Paul Steiner para niños