Philipp Lahm facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Philipp Lahm

Lahm in 2024
Personal information
Date of birth	(1983-11-11) 11 November 1983 (age 41)
Place of birth	Munich, West Germany
Height	1.70 m
Playing position	Right-back, left-back
Youth career
1989–1995	FT Gern München
1995–2001	Bayern Munich
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2001–2003	Bayern Munich II	63	(3)
2002–2017	Bayern Munich	332	(12)
2003–2005	→ VfB Stuttgart (loan)	53	(2)
Total		448	(17)
National team
1999	Germany U17	1	(0)
2000	Germany U18	1	(0)
2001–2002	Germany U19	9	(1)
2002–2003	Germany U20	6	(0)
2003	Germany U21	3	(0)
2004–2014	Germany	113	(5)
Honours Men's football Representing  Germany FIFA World Cup Winner 2014 Brazil Third 2010 South Africa Third 2006 Germany UEFA European Championship Runner-up 2008 Austria–Switzerland Bronze 2012 Poland–Ukraine UEFA European Under-19 Championship Runner-up 2002 Norway
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Philipp Lahm (born 11 November 1983) is a German former professional footballer. He played as a full-back, a position on the side of the defense. Many people think he is one of the best full-backs ever.

Lahm was the long-time captain of Bayern Munich. He led them to win many important titles. This included the UEFA Champions League in 2013. That year, Bayern Munich won a "Treble," meaning they won three major competitions in one season.

He also captained the German national team. He led them to win the 2014 FIFA World Cup before he stopped playing for his country. Lahm was chosen for the World Cup team of the tournament in 2006, 2010, and 2014. He was also in the UEFA Team of the Tournament in 2008 and 2012. With 113 games played, he is one of the top 10 players with the most games for Germany.

Club Career Highlights

Starting Out at Bayern Munich

Philipp Lahm grew up playing football in the Bayern Munich Junior Team. He joined the team when he was 11 years old. A youth coach, Jan Pienta, saw him playing for his local team in Munich. Lahm was already seen as very talented. One of his coaches, Hermann Hummels, even said Lahm was sure to succeed.

Lahm won the Bundesliga youth title twice. The second time, he was the team's captain. At 17, he joined the B team. His coach there, Hermann Gerland, thought Lahm was the most talented player he had ever coached. Lahm became the B team captain in his second season. At this time, he played as a defensive midfielder or a right full-back.

On 13 November 2002, Lahm played his first game for the Bayern Munich senior team. He came on as a substitute in a Champions League match. However, Bayern already had strong full-backs. So, Lahm did not play many more games that season. He was loaned to VfB Stuttgart for two seasons. This was to help him get more experience playing in the Bundesliga.

Loan Spell at VfB Stuttgart

Lahm joined Stuttgart as a back-up player. But his coach, Felix Magath, moved him to left-back. He quickly became the main left-back for Stuttgart. On 29 September 2003, Lahm played his first Champions League game. On 3 April 2004, he scored his first Bundesliga goal. This was in a 5–1 win against VfL Wolfsburg.

In the 2003–04 season, Lahm played 31 Bundesliga games and seven Champions League games. He was also voted second for the Germany Footballer of the Year award.

His second season at Stuttgart was harder. After the Euro 2004 tournament, he had less rest. He also found it hard to fit into the new coach's plans. In January 2005, Lahm broke his right foot. This kept him out for four months. He returned in April 2005, but then tore a cruciate ligament just five weeks later. This injury ended his season and his time at Stuttgart.

Returning to Bayern Munich

Lahm with Bayern Munich in 2017

In July 2005, Lahm went back to Bayern Munich. But his knee injury meant he had to start with rehabilitation. He returned to play in November 2005. He played 20 Bundesliga games and three Champions League games that season. He shared playing time with another defender, Bixente Lizarazu.

In the 2006–07 season, Lahm played in all 34 of Bayern's Bundesliga games. He also played in nine Champions League games. He was rarely substituted, showing how important he was. He scored his first goal for Bayern on 20 August 2006.

For the 2007–08 season, Bayern bought another left-back. Lahm was expected to move to right-back. But because of injuries, he mostly played left-back. There were rumors that Lahm might leave Bayern for FC Barcelona. However, on 16 May 2008, Lahm signed a new contract with Bayern. This kept him in Munich until 2012.

The 2008–09 season was not great for Bayern. But Lahm scored three goals in the Bundesliga. This was his best goal-scoring season.

In November 2009, Lahm was fined by Bayern Munich. He had given an interview without permission. He talked about the club's transfer plans and lack of strategy. This caused mixed reactions. Some thought he should have kept quiet, while others praised his honesty. Despite the fine, he remained a key player.

Under new coach Louis van Gaal in the 2009–10 season, Lahm played as a right-back. He had a great season, working well with Arjen Robben. He scored one goal and made 12 assists. Lahm was also made vice-captain. Bayern won the league and cup that season. They also reached the 2010 UEFA Champions League Final, but lost to Inter Milan.

After captain Mark van Bommel left in January 2011, Lahm became the new club captain. On 19 May 2012, he captained Bayern in the 2012 UEFA Champions League Final against Chelsea. Lahm scored Bayern's first penalty in the shootout. But Bayern lost the final for the second time in three seasons.

Winning the Treble and Later Years

In the 2012–13 season, Lahm led Bayern to an amazing "Treble." They won the Bundesliga, the DFB-Pokal (German Cup), and the Champions League. In the Champions League final, Bayern beat Borussia Dortmund 2–1. Lahm was very happy, saying it was "incredible."

From the start of the 2013–14 season, under new manager Pep Guardiola, Lahm played as a defensive midfielder. Guardiola called Lahm "perhaps the most intelligent player I have ever trained." That season, Lahm captained Bayern to a record 24th Bundesliga title. They won the league with seven games left, breaking their own record. In June 2014, Lahm signed a new contract until 2018.

On 18 October, Lahm scored two goals in one game for the first time in his career. This was in a 6–0 win against SV Werder Bremen. On 26 April 2015, Bayern won the Bundesliga for the third year in a row. This was Lahm's sixth league title.

Lahm holding the Meisterschale during the Championship title celebration in May 2016

On 24 February 2016, Lahm played his 100th UEFA Champions League game. This was in a 2–2 draw with Juventus. The 2015–16 season ended with Lahm captaining Bayern to their fourth Bundesliga title in a row. This was a first in the league's history.

On 4 February 2017, Lahm played his 500th game for FC Bayern. Three days later, Lahm said he would retire at the end of the 2016–17 season. He had turned down an offer to become a sporting director. On 20 May 2017, Lahm played his last career game. He captained Bayern as they won the league for the fifth year in a row. He left the field in the 87th minute to a standing ovation. Manuel Neuer became the new team captain.

Lahm joined Bayern Munich's Hall of Fame on 27 May 2017. He won eight Bundesliga titles and the Champions League with the club.

International Career

Youth Teams and Euro 2004

Lahm warming up for Germany in 2006

Lahm started playing for Germany in the U19 national team. He helped Germany win silver in the 2002 UEFA European Under-19 Championship. He played in all games and scored an important goal against England. After that, he played for the U20 and U21 teams.

On 18 February 2004, at age 20, Lahm made his debut for the senior German team. His first game was a 2–1 win against Croatia. He played the whole game and was named man of the match. He also played in all three games at UEFA Euro 2004 in Portugal. Even though Germany did not get past the group stage, Lahm's performance was seen as very promising.

2006 FIFA World Cup

Lahm missed over a year of international football due to injuries. This included the 2005 Confederations Cup. But after he recovered, he quickly returned to the starting team. He injured his elbow before the 2006 FIFA World Cup. But coach Jürgen Klinsmann still chose him as the first choice left-back.

Lahm scored the first goal of the World Cup in Germany. This was against Costa Rica in the sixth minute. He was named Man of the Match for his play against Poland. He was the only German player to play every minute of the World Cup. He was also chosen for the All Star Team of the tournament.

Euro 2008

At UEFA Euro 2008, Lahm played in all of Germany's games. He started as a right-back but moved to left-back during the second game. On 25 June 2008, he scored the winning goal in the semi-final against Turkey. He called this the most important goal of his career. In the final against Spain, a mix-up between Lahm and the goalkeeper led to Spain's winning goal. Spain won 1–0.

2010 FIFA World Cup

Lahm playing for Germany in 2011

Lahm played every minute of Germany's 2010 World Cup qualifying games.

When regular captain Michael Ballack got injured, Lahm was chosen to captain the team for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. On 13 June 2010, he captained Germany in their first game against Australia. He became the youngest player to captain a German team in a World Cup. Germany reached the semi-finals but lost to Spain. Lahm missed the third-place match due to an infection. Bastian Schweinsteiger captained the team, which won 3–2.

Lahm's captaincy became permanent after coach Joachim Löw said Ballack would no longer play for Germany.

Euro 2012

Philipp Lahm playing against Nani at Euro 2012

Captain Lahm's strong defending helped Germany win all ten qualification matches for UEFA Euro 2012. He also provided assists for teammates. Germany won all three group games. Lahm scored the first goal in their 4–2 win over Greece in the quarter-finals. Germany was knocked out by Italy in the semi-finals.

2014 World Cup and Retirement

Philipp Lahm lifting the 2014 FIFA World Cup trophy in Brazil

On 6 September 2013, Lahm played his 100th game for the German national team. This was in a 3–0 win against Austria during World Cup qualification.

On 16 June 2014, Lahm started for Germany in central midfield at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. This was in their 4–0 win over Portugal. He stayed in this position for the group games and the round of 16 match.

Lahm moved back to right-back for the quarter-final against France. He stayed there for Germany's 7–1 win over Brazil in the semi-final. On 11 July 2014, Lahm was on the shortlist for FIFA's Golden Ball award. This award is for the tournament's best player.

On 13 July 2014, Lahm led Germany to a World Cup victory. They won 1–0 against Argentina in the final. This was Germany's fourth World Cup title.

On 18 July 2014, Lahm, at age 30, announced he was retiring from international football. He had scored five goals in 113 games. On 2 September 2014, Bastian Schweinsteiger became the new captain of the German national team.

Germany Euro 2024 Role

On 8 December 2017, Lahm was named an honorary ambassador for Germany's bid to host the UEFA Euro 2024. He later became the tournament director for UEFA Euro 2024. In August 2022, Lahm spoke out against Qatar hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He mentioned human rights issues and said he would boycott the tournament.

Personal Life

Lahm is known as a private person. He keeps a low profile outside of football. His best friend, Andreas Ottl, was the only footballer at his wedding. Philipp and his wife, Claudia Schattenberg, have a son named Julian and a daughter named Lenia. Lahm was born in Munich and has always been a Bayern fan. He even worked as a ball boy at the Olympic Stadium when he was young.

Lahm is involved in many charity activities. In June 2007, FIFA announced that Lahm would visit South Africa. This was to support the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He visited a local SOS Children's Village and took part in a Kick-AIDS event.

Lahm has started a foundation called Philipp Lahm-Stiftung. It helps children who are not as lucky. He is also an official ambassador for "FIFA for SOS Children's Villages." He was also an ambassador for World AIDS Day in 2007, 2008, and 2009. He has also joined campaigns against speeding and child abuse.

Autobiography

In August 2011, Lahm released his book, Der feine Unterschied: Wie man heute Spitzenfußballer wird. This means "The Subtle Difference – How to Become a Top Footballer." In the book, he talks about his football career and experiences. He also shares his thoughts on football in general and different coaching styles. The book became a bestseller in Germany. Some people criticized parts where Lahm openly discussed his former coaches.

Career Statistics

Club

International

Scores and results list Germany's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Lahm goal.

List of international goals scored by Philipp Lahm

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	28 April 2004	Stadionul Giulesti, Bucharest, Romania	Romania	1–5	1–5	Friendly
2	9 June 2006	WM-Stadion München, Munich, Germany	Costa Rica	1–0	4–2	2006 FIFA World Cup
3	25 June 2008	St. Jakob Park, Basel, Switzerland	Turkey	3–2	3–2	UEFA Euro 2008
4	3 June 2010	Commerzbank-Arena, Frankfurt, Germany	Bosnia and Herzegovina	1–1	3–1	Friendly
5	22 June 2012	PGE Arena Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland	Greece	1–0	4–2	UEFA Euro 2012

Honours and Awards

Bayern Munich

• Bundesliga: 2005–06, 2007–08, 2009–10, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17
• DFB-Pokal: 2005–06, 2007–08, 2009–10, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2015–16
• DFL-Ligapokal: 2007
• DFL-Supercup: 2010, 2012, 2016
• UEFA Champions League: 2012–13
• UEFA Super Cup: 2013
• FIFA Club World Cup: 2013

Germany U19

• UEFA European Under-19 Championship runner-up: 2002

Germany National Team

• FIFA World Cup: 2014 (Winner), 2006 (Third place), 2010 (Third place)
• UEFA European Championship runner-up: 2008; third place: 2012

Individual Awards

• Silbernes Lorbeerblatt: 2006, 2010, 2014 (This is Germany's highest sports award)
• FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 2006, 2010
• FIFA World Cup Dream Team: 2010
• FIFA World Cup Castrol Index All Star Team: 2014
• UEFA Team of the Year: 2006, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014
• UEFA European Championship Team of the Tournament: 2008, 2012
• ESM Team of the Year: 2013, 2014
• FIFA Club World Cup Silver Ball: 2013
• FIFA FIFPro World XI: 2013, 2014
• UEFA Champions League Team of the Season: 2013–14
• FIFA Ballon d'Or: 6th place 2014
• UEFA Ultimate Team of the Year (published 2015)
• UEFA European Championship All-time XI (published 2016)
• Footballer of the Year in Germany: 2017
• Honorary citizen of Munich: 2019
• Ballon d'Or Dream Team (Bronze): 2020
• IFFHS World team of the decade 2011–2020
• IFFHS UEFA team of the decade 2011–2020
• IFFHS All-time Europe Men's Dream Team: 2021

See also

In Spanish: Philipp Lahm para niños

• List of footballers with 100 or more UEFA Champions League appearances
• List of men's footballers with 100 or more international caps