Robert Enke facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Robert Enke

Enke training with Hannover 96 in 2008
Personal information
Full name	Robert Enke
Date of birth	(1977-08-24)24 August 1977
Place of birth	Jena, East Germany
Date of death	10 November 2009(2009-11-10) (aged 32)
Place of death	Neustadt am Rübenberge, Germany
Height	1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position	Goalkeeper
Youth career
1985	BSG Jenapharm
1986–1995	Carl Zeiss Jena
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1995–1996	Carl Zeiss Jena	3	(0)
1996–1999	Borussia Mönchengladbach	32	(0)
1999–2002	Benfica	77	(0)
2002–2004	Barcelona	1	(0)
2003	→ Fenerbahçe (loan)	1	(0)
2004	→ Tenerife (loan)	9	(0)
2004–2009	Hannover 96	164	(0)
Total		287	(0)
National team
1997–1999	Germany U-21	15	(0)
1998	Germany Olympic	4	(0)
2000–2004	Germany B	2	(0)
2007–2009	Germany	8	(0)
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Robert Enke (born August 24, 1977 – died November 10, 2009) was a German professional footballer. He played as a goalkeeper.

He played for several big clubs like Mönchengladbach, Benfica, and Barcelona. However, he played most of his games for Bundesliga team Hannover 96 in Germany.

Robert Enke played eight times for the German national team. He was part of the team that finished second in Euro 2008. At the time of his death in 2009, many people thought he would be Germany's top goalkeeper for the 2010 World Cup.

Early Life and Childhood

Robert Enke was born on August 24, 1977, in Jena, Germany. He grew up in the Lobeda area of the city. He was the youngest of three children. His father, Dirk Enke, was a sports psychologist.

Club Football Journey

Starting in Youth Football

Robert Enke began playing football when he was very young. He first played as a striker, which is a player who tries to score goals. But then he switched to being a goalkeeper, where he showed a lot of natural talent.

In 1985, he joined Carl Zeiss Jena. This happened after he played really well against them in a youth match for his old team, SV Jenapharm. He moved up through the youth teams at Carl Zeiss Jena. In 1993, he even played for the Germany under-15 national team against England at Wembley Stadium. The game ended 0–0, and Enke was praised for making many great saves. When he was 17, Robert Enke signed his first professional contract with Carl Zeiss Jena.

Beginning His Professional Career

Enke joined the first team at Carl Zeiss Jena during the 1995–96 season. He played his first professional game on November 11, 1995. This was against Hannover 96 in the 2. Bundesliga. He got this chance after the team had some tough losses. The coach decided to give the young Enke a try. He played three games in November 1995. After that, the previous goalkeeper returned, and Enke did not play for the first team again that season.

He then moved to Bundesliga club Borussia Mönchengladbach in the summer of 1996. For his first two seasons there, Enke played for the club's U-23 team in lower leagues. He also played for the Under-21 national team. He learned a lot from the club's main goalkeeper, Uwe Kamps.

His big chance came before the 1998–99 season. The main goalkeeper, Uwe Kamps, got injured. The new coach gave Enke his first chance to play for the club. His first Bundesliga game was on August 15, 1998. They won 3–0 against Schalke 04, which put them at the top of the league. However, the team's position quickly changed. Even with Enke's best efforts, they let in many goals in just one week. The club dropped to the bottom of the league and stayed there until they were moved down to a lower division.

Playing Abroad

In June 1999, Robert Enke moved to Portugal and joined Benfica. He signed a three-year contract. He was one of four goalkeepers on the team. Enke faced some difficult times soon after joining the team. However, he knew he had to keep his promise and play. The team was managed by his fellow German, Jupp Heynckes, who quickly made Enke the team captain.

His time in Portugal was challenging. The club changed managers three times in three seasons. They also had their lowest league finish ever (sixth place) and did not win any trophies. The club also had money problems, which meant players' wages were often late.

Despite these issues, Enke's performances made him popular with Benfica fans. Other big clubs like Arsenal, Atlético Madrid, and Manchester United became interested in him. After talks about a new contract with Benfica stopped, Enke accepted an offer from Spanish giants Barcelona. He moved there for free in June 2002, signing a three-year deal.

Life at Camp Nou, Barcelona's stadium, was hard for Enke. He later called the goalkeeper's job at Barcelona the "most difficult goalkeeping position in Europe." He was often the second-choice goalkeeper. His first game was tough, as the club was knocked out of the Spanish Cup by a lower-league team. He was even criticized by a teammate for his part in the loss.

He played briefly in La Liga as a substitute in one game. He also played in two UEFA Champions League matches during his time there.

The next season, Enke was loaned to Turkish team Fenerbahçe. This team was managed by German coach Christoph Daum. However, his career continued to struggle. He played only one game there, a tough 0–3 loss to Istanbulspor. During that game, some fans threw things at him, blaming him for the defeat. These events caused Enke to leave the club immediately and return to Spain. It was at this time that Enke faced his first period of struggling with his feelings, and he almost stopped playing football completely.

After four months back at Barcelona, but not playing with the first team, Enke moved to the Spanish Segunda División. He was loaned to CD Tenerife in January 2004 for the rest of the season. Here, his career improved. He played very well and earned praise from fans and other clubs. Even though he thought his career might stay in lower leagues, he left Tenerife to join Hannover 96 in the Bundesliga.

Returning to the Bundesliga

Enke captaining Hannover in 2009

After getting back in form at CD Tenerife, Enke returned to Germany. He joined Bundesliga team Hannover 96 in July 2004. He signed a two-year deal for free. This was where his career found its greatest success and stability. He became the team's main goalkeeper. His fellow professional players even voted him the best goalkeeper in the league in kicker magazine.

Because he was playing so well, people thought Enke might move to bigger clubs. However, in December 2006, he signed a new contract with Hannover 96 until the end of the 2009–10 season. His teammates chose him as team captain for the 2007–08 season. He kept this role for the rest of his career. He won the best goalkeeper award again for the 2008–09 season. This would sadly be his last full season.

Robert Enke played 180 games for Hannover 96 in total. His last game was on November 8, 2009. It was a 2–2 draw at home against Hamburg, just two days before he died.

Playing for His Country

Enke's No.1 shirt alongside those of other German sportspeople, on display at the Niedersachsenstadion, 2013

Enke first played for Germany in 1997 while with Borussia Mönchengladbach. He earned a spot in the German Under-21 team. He kept the number one jersey for the rest of that season, playing 15 games in total. His good performances convinced the national team coach to include him in the squad for the 1999 Confederations Cup. However, he did not play in any games there.

His international career then paused when he left Germany. He was not considered again until he returned to the Bundesliga. His growing success made him a possible choice for the 2006 FIFA World Cup squad. However, he did not make the final team. He did join the squad shortly after, under new coach Joachim Löw. He was chosen for a friendly game against Georgia. When the first-choice goalkeeper got sick, Enke also played against Cyprus.

He finally made his first senior international appearance for Germany on March 28, 2007. It was a 0–1 friendly loss to Denmark. After more games, he was chosen for the Euro 2008 squad. Germany finished second in the tournament. Enke was a substitute and did not play in the matches.

After the main goalkeeper retired from international games after Euro 2008, Enke was expected to become Germany's top goalkeeper. He played in several World Cup 2010 qualifying games. But in October 2008, he broke a bone in his left hand while training. After surgery, he was out for two months. Another goalkeeper, René Adler, took his place. When Enke returned in January 2009, he again became the number one goalkeeper for the national team.

In September and October 2009, Enke was out of action again for several weeks. The reason given was an intestinal infection. However, it was later shared that he was again struggling with his feelings and mental health. He did not return to football until late October. Because of this, he was not called up for a friendly game against Chile. This game was later canceled out of respect for Enke. Before his death, Enke was expected to be Germany's main goalkeeper at the 2010 World Cup, ahead of Manuel Neuer.

He played eight full international games for Germany. His last international game was on August 12, 2009. He kept a clean sheet (meaning he did not let any goals in) against Azerbaijan.

Family Life

Robert Enke was married to Teresa Reim. She was a former modern pentathlete. They had a daughter named Lara. Lara was born with a serious heart condition. The medicines she took for her heart problems made her deaf. She had surgery to help her hear, but she sadly died in 2006 due to problems from her heart condition. In May 2009, Robert and Teresa adopted another baby girl, named Leila. Enke lived with his family on a small farm near Neustadt am Rübenberge until his death in November 2009.

Enke and his wife cared deeply about animals. They were involved in several animal rights campaigns and owned many pets.

His Passing

Tributes at HDI-Arena in Hanover

On the night of November 10, 2009, Robert Enke passed away at the age of 32. His wife, Teresa, later shared that her husband had been struggling with a serious illness that affected his mind and feelings for six years. He had been seeing a doctor for help. After their daughter Lara died in 2006, he found it very difficult to cope with the loss.

Many fans immediately went to Hannover 96's AWD-Arena stadium. They laid flowers, lit candles, and signed a book to show their sadness. His former club, Barcelona, held a minute of silence before their game that night. Several international football matches the following weekend also paid tribute. As a sign of respect, the German national team canceled their friendly match against Chile. A minute of silence was also held at all Bundesliga games during November 21–22, 2009. Germany also canceled a planned training session and all interviews. Oliver Bierhoff, the national team's general manager, said: "We are all shocked. We are lost for words."

On November 15, 2009, nearly 40,000 people filled the AWD-Arena for his memorial service. Enke's coffin, covered in white roses, was carried by six of his Hannover 96 teammates. He was buried in Neustadt, next to his daughter's grave. As a further tribute, the players of Hannover 96 wore the number one in a circle on their jerseys for the rest of the 2009–10 Bundesliga season.

In 2019, a ten-year memorial event was held in Hannover to remember him.

About His Life

Ronald Reng wrote a book about Robert Enke's life called A Life too Short: The Tragedy of Robert Enke (2011). This book won an award in 2011.

The Robert Enke Foundation

The German Football Association, Hannover 96, and the Deutsche Fußball Liga helped create a special foundation in memory of Robert Enke. The Robert Enke Foundation works to help football players with their mental health.

Career Statistics

Club

International

Awards and Achievements

Fenerbahçe

• Süper Lig: 2003–04

Germany

• UEFA European Championship runner-up: 2008

Individual

• kicker's Bundesliga Goalkeeper of the Year: 2006, 2009
• VDV's Bundesliga Team of the Season: 2008–09
• NFV's Footballer of the Year: 2007

See also

In Spanish: Robert Enke para niños