Sepp Maier facts for kids
Maier in 2012
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 28 February 1944 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Metten, Nazi Germany | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.85 m | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Goalkeeper | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1952–1959 | TSV Haar | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1959–1962 | Bayern Munich | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1962–1980 | Bayern Munich | 537 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1961–1962 | West Germany Youth | 11 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1963 | West Germany Amateur | 4 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1966–1979 | West Germany | 95 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Teams managed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1988–2004 | Germany (goalkeeping coach) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1994–2008 | Bayern Munich (goalkeeping coach) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Honours
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Josef Dieter "Sepp" Maier was born on February 28, 1944. He is a German former professional footballer. He played as a goalkeeper for Bayern Munich and the West Germany national team. Many people think he is one of the best goalkeepers ever.
He was called "Die Katze von Anzing" (which means "the cat from Anzing"). This nickname came from his amazing skills. He had super fast reflexes, was very agile, flexible, and consistent. Sepp Maier played 709 matches for Bayern Munich over seventeen seasons. For a long time, he held the record for the most appearances for the club. Thomas Müller passed his record in 2024.
Besides being great at stopping shots, Maier was also known for his funny personality. He was a favorite with fans because he always had a good sense of humor. He once joked that "a keeper should give off a sense of calm, and not fall asleep while doing so."
Contents
Sepp Maier's Club Career
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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.
In the 1970s, he was a key part of a famous Bayern team. This team included other legends like Franz Beckenbauer and Gerd Müller. Together, they won many 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. In these big European finals, Maier only let in one goal in five games.
Maier was named the German Footballer of the Year three times. He won this award in 1975, 1977, and 1978. He also set a German record by playing in 442 straight Bundesliga matches. This amazing streak lasted from 1966 to 1979.
Accident and Retirement
On July 14, 1979, Sepp Maier was in a serious car accident. He lost control of his car and crashed into another vehicle. At first, doctors did not realize how badly he was hurt. But his friend, Uli Hoeneß, helped him get to a better hospital. There, doctors found he had very serious injuries, including a ruptured lung. Emergency surgery saved his life. He tried to train again later that year, but his injuries were too severe. He had to end his football career, missing the entire 1979–80 season.
Sepp Maier's International Career
Sepp Maier played for the West Germany squad in four World Cups. In the 1966 FIFA 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 their games, including a tough 4–3 loss to Italy.
His biggest international success came in the 1974 FIFA World Cup. This tournament was held in West Germany, his home country. Maier was at the top of his game. The German team, with stars like Franz Beckenbauer and Gerd Müller, made it to the final. They beat a strong Johan Cruyff-led Netherlands team 2–1 in the final. This big win happened in Maier's hometown of Munich.
Four years later, at the 1978 FIFA World Cup in Argentina, Maier was still a great player. But his team could not get past the second round. Maier also helped West Germany win the 1972 European Championship. They reached the final again in 1976, but lost to Czechoslovakia in a penalty shootout. In total, he played 95 games for his country.
Life After Playing Football
After retiring as a player, Sepp Maier became a coach. He coached goalkeepers for both his club, Bayern Munich, and the German national team. He even coached famous goalkeeper Oliver Kahn. In 2004, his contract with the national team ended. This happened after he said that Kahn should be the main goalkeeper over Jens Lehmann. He continued to work as the head goalkeeping coach for Bayern Munich until he retired in 2008.
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.
Career Statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | DFB-Pokal | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Bayern Munich | 1962–63 | Oberliga Süd | 4 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | — | 5 | 0 | ||
| 1963–64 | Regionalliga Süd | 24 | 0 | — | 7 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 37 | 0 | ||
| 1964–65 | 36 | 0 | — | — | 8 | 0 | 44 | 0 | ||||
| 1965–66 | Bundesliga | 31 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | — | 37 | 0 | |||
| 1966–67 | 34 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 9 | 0 | — | 48 | 0 | |||
| 1967–68 | 34 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 0 | — | 46 | 0 | |||
| 1968–69 | 34 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | — | 40 | 0 | ||||
| 1969–70 | 34 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 39 | 0 | |||
| 1970–71 | 34 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 0 | — | 49 | 0 | |||
| 1971–72 | 34 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 0 | — | 47 | 0 | |||
| 1972–73 | 34 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 47 | 0 | ||
| 1973–74 | 34 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 10 | 0 | — | 48 | 0 | |||
| 1974–75 | 34 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 | — | 44 | 0 | |||
| 1975–76 | 34 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 52 | 0 | ||
| 1976–77 | 34 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 48 | 0 | ||
| 1977–78 | 34 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | 43 | 0 | |||
| 1978–79 | 34 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 35 | 0 | ||||
| 1979–80 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |||
| Career total | 537 | 0 | 63 | 0 | 86 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 709 | 0 | ||
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Germany | 1966 | 3 | 0 |
| 1967 | 4 | 0 | |
| 1968 | 5 | 0 | |
| 1969 | 6 | 0 | |
| 1970 | 9 | 0 | |
| 1971 | 8 | 0 | |
| 1972 | 7 | 0 | |
| 1973 | 5 | 0 | |
| 1974 | 12 | 0 | |
| 1975 | 6 | 0 | |
| 1976 | 6 | 0 | |
| 1977 | 8 | 0 | |
| 1978 | 12 | 0 | |
| 1979 | 4 | 0 | |
| Total | 95 | 0 | |
Honours and Awards
Sepp Maier won many important titles and awards during his career.
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
West Germany
- FIFA World Cup: 1974
- UEFA European Championship: 1972
Individual Awards
- FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 1974
- kicker Bundesliga Team of the Season: 1974–75
- Footballer of the Year (Germany): 1975, 1977, 1978
- FIFA 100 (a list of the 100 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
See also
In Spanish: Sepp Maier para niños
- List of one-club men
