Sepp Maier facts for kids
Maier in 2012
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Josef Dieter Maier | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 28 February 1944 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Metten, Germany | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1952–1959 | TSV Haar | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1959–1962 | Bayern Munich | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1962–1980 | Bayern Munich | 537 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1961–1962 | West Germany Youth | 11 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1963 | West Germany Amateur | 4 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1966–1979 | West Germany | 95 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Managerial career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1988–2004 | Germany (goalkeeping coach) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1994–2008 | Bayern Munich (goalkeeping coach) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Josef Dieter "Sepp" Maier was born on February 28, 1944. He is a famous German former professional footballer. Sepp Maier played as a goalkeeper for Bayern Munich and the West Germany national team. Many people think he is one of the greatest goalkeepers ever.
He was known as "Die Katze von Anzing" which means "the cat from Anzing". This nickname came from his amazing reflexes, quickness, flexibility, and how steady he was in games. He played 709 matches for Bayern Munich over seventeen seasons. This was a club record for appearances until Thomas Müller passed it in 2024.
Sepp Maier was also known for being great at stopping shots. He was also good at controlling his penalty area. Fans loved him for his sense of humor and fun personality throughout his career. He once joked that a goalkeeper should look calm, but not fall asleep!
Contents
Club Career Highlights
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Sepp Maier was born in Metten, Bavaria. He spent his whole professional football career playing for Bayern Munich. He started playing for Bayern's youth teams in 1958.
Winning Trophies with Bayern
In the 1970s, Maier was a key part of a legendary Bayern team. This team included other famous players like Franz Beckenbauer and Gerd Müller. Together, they won many important titles. They won four West German league titles and three German cups. They also won the European Cup three times in a row. They won in 1974, 1975, and 1976.
Before that, in 1967, Bayern won the European Cup Winners Cup. They beat Rangers F.C. in the final. In the five European finals he played, Maier only let in one goal. This shows how amazing he was as a goalkeeper.
German Footballer of the Year
Maier was chosen as the German Footballer of the Year three times. He won this award in 1975, 1977, and 1978. Between 1966 and 1979, he played in 442 Bundesliga matches in a row. This is still a German national record!
End of His Playing Career
In July 1979, Sepp Maier was in a serious car accident. He was badly hurt. After the accident, he had to end his football career. He missed the entire 1979–80 season.
International Career Highlights
Sepp Maier was chosen for the West Germany squad for four World Cup tournaments in a row. In the 1966 World Cup in England, he was a backup player. At the 1970 FIFA World Cup in Mexico, he was the main goalkeeper. He played in all the games, including a thrilling 4–3 semifinal loss to Italy.
Winning the World Cup
In the 1974 FIFA World Cup, which was held in West Germany, Maier was at the top of his game. He helped his team reach the final. The team was full of stars like Franz Beckenbauer, Berti Vogts, Gerd Müller, and Paul Breitner. Their biggest win came when they beat a Johan Cruyff-led Netherlands team 2–1 in the final. This famous match happened in Maier's hometown of Munich.
Four years later, at the 1978 FIFA World Cup in Argentina, Maier still played very well. However, his team did not make it past the second round.
European Championship Success
Maier also won the 1972 European Championship with West Germany. He reached the final again in 1976. In that final, they lost to Czechoslovakia in a penalty shootout. He played 95 games for his country in total.
After Playing Football
After retiring as a player, Sepp Maier became a coach. He coached for both his club, Bayern Munich, and the national team. He helped train famous goalkeepers like Oliver Kahn. In 2004, his contract with the national team ended. This happened after he shared his opinion about who should be the main goalkeeper for Germany. He continued to work as the head goalkeeping coach for Bayern Munich and retired in 2008.
Fun Facts About Sepp Maier
Besides his amazing goalkeeping, Maier was known for a few fun things. He often wore very long shorts. He was also the first goalkeeper to wear the big, "Mickey Mouse" gloves that are common today. His sense of humor was also famous.
One time, during a match at the Olympiastadion, he got bored because the other team wasn't attacking his goal. A duck wandered onto the field, and Maier tried to catch it!
In June 2009, the Bavarian government honored Maier. They gave him the Life Achievement Award for his contributions.
Honours and Awards
Sepp Maier won many awards and titles during his career.
With Bayern Munich
- Regionalliga Süd: 1964–65
- Bundesliga: 1968–69, 1971–72, 1972–73, 1973–74
- DFB-Pokal: 1965–66, 1966–67, 1968–69, 1970–71
- European Cup: 1973–74, 1974–75, 1975–76
- European Cup Winners' Cup: 1966–67
- Intercontinental Cup: 1976
With West Germany
- FIFA World Cup: 1974
- UEFA European Championship: 1972
Individual Awards
- FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 1974
- Footballer of the Year (Germany): 1975, 1977, 1978
- FIFA 100 (a list of the greatest living footballers chosen by Pelé)
- Germany's Goalkeeper of the Century
- World Soccer: The 100 Greatest Footballers of All Time
- One Club Man Award: 2017
- Bayern Munich All-time XI
- Member of Germany's Sports Hall of Fame
Fun Facts About Sepp Maier
Sepp Maier was known for more than just his amazing goalkeeping. He often wore very long shorts. He was also the first goalkeeper to wear the large "Mickey Mouse" gloves that are common today. His sense of humor was famous.
One funny story about him happened during a match at the Olympiastadion. The other team wasn't attacking his goal much, and Maier got bored. A duck wandered onto the field, and Maier tried to catch it!
In June 2009, the government of Bavaria honored Sepp Maier. He received the Life Achievement Award for his contributions to football.
See also
In Spanish: Sepp Maier para niños
