Steffen Freund facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Steffen Freund

Freund in 2017
Personal information
Date of birth	(1970-01-19) 19 January 1970 (age 55)
Place of birth	Brandenburg, East Germany
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s)	Defensive midfielder
Youth career
	BSG Motor Süd Brandenburg
0000–1988	BSG Stahl Brandenburg
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1988–1991	BSG Stahl Brandenburg	57	(0)
1991–1993	Schalke 04	53	(3)
1993–1998	Borussia Dortmund	117	(6)
1998–2003	Tottenham Hotspur	102	(0)
2003–2004	1. FC Kaiserslautern	9	(0)
2004	→ Leicester City (loan)	14	(0)
Total		352	(9)
International career
1992	Germany Olympic	2	(0)
1995–1998	Germany	21	(0)
Managerial career
2009–2012	Germany U16
2010–2011	Germany U17
2012–2014	Tottenham Hotspur (assistant)
Medal record Men's football Representing  Germany (as player) UEFA European Championship Winner 1996 Representing  Germany (as manager) FIFA U-17 World Cup Bronze 2011
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Steffen Freund (born 19 January 1970) is a German former professional footballer. He played as a defensive midfielder for many years. Steffen played in top leagues in both Germany and England. He represented his country, Germany, 21 times. He was a key player when Germany won the UEFA Euro 1996 championship.

Playing Career Highlights

Steffen Freund began his football journey at Stahl Brandenburg. He grew up playing in their youth teams.

Early Career in Germany

In 1991, Steffen moved to FC Schalke 04. He quickly became an important player in their midfield. After two years, he joined Borussia Dortmund in 1993. He stayed with Dortmund until 1998.

During his time at Dortmund, Steffen achieved great success.

• He helped the team win the German league, the Bundesliga, twice. These wins were in 1995 and 1996.
• He also won the UEFA Champions League with Dortmund in 1997. This is one of the biggest club competitions in European football.

Freund with BSG Stahl Brandenburg in 1990

Moving to England: Tottenham Hotspur

In December 1998, Steffen Freund moved to England. He joined Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur. He played for the London club until 2003.

Steffen won the Football League Cup with Tottenham in 1999. He started in the midfield during their 1–0 win against Leicester City in the final. Even though he never scored a goal in 131 games for the club, fans loved him. They admired his hard work, dedication, and commitment on the field.

In December 2009, Steffen Freund was honored by Tottenham Hotspur. He was added to the club's Hall of Fame. This is a special recognition for players who have made a big impact.

Later Club Teams

Towards the end of his playing career, Steffen had short spells at two other clubs. He played for 1. FC Kaiserslautern in Germany. Then, he had a loan spell at Leicester City in England.

International Appearances

Steffen Freund played for the German national team between 1995 and 1998. He earned 21 caps, which means he played in 21 international matches.

Winning UEFA Euro 1996

He was part of the German team that won UEFA Euro 1996. This was a major European championship. Steffen missed the final match due to an injury he got in the semi-final. Germany won that semi-final against England.

1998 FIFA World Cup

Steffen also played in the 1998 FIFA World Cup. Germany reached the quarter-finals in that tournament. They were defeated by Croatia. Steffen was a substitute in that match but did not play.

Coaching and Other Roles

After retiring as a player, Steffen Freund moved into coaching.

Coaching German Youth Teams

In September 2007, he became an assistant coach for the German U-20 team. He also worked as an assistant for the Nigeria national team for a short time.

In July 2009, Steffen became the manager of the German U-16 team. He signed a two-year contract for this role. A year later, he started managing the German U-17 team.

Under his guidance, the U-17 team achieved great success.

• They finished as runners-up in the 2011 UEFA European U-17 Football Championship.
• They also won a bronze medal (third place) at the U-17 World Cup in Mexico.

Return to Tottenham Hotspur

In July 2012, Steffen Freund returned to Tottenham Hotspur. This time, he was appointed as an assistant head coach. Later, in August 2014, he took on the role of International Technical Coordinator for the club.

As of 2017, Steffen stated he was not interested in coaching anymore. He enjoys his work as a football pundit.

Television Work

Steffen Freund has also worked in television. In 2006, he appeared on a TV show called They Think It's All Over.

Since 2011, he has worked as a pundit for football broadcasts. He provides commentary and analysis for the German Bundesliga on Eurosport and Sky Deutschland. He also co-comments for the English broadcast of the Bundesliga.

Personal Life

Steffen Freund is married and has three children: one son and two daughters. His son, Niklas, also played football as a goalkeeper. Later, in May 2018, Niklas switched to American football. He plays as a Wide receiver for the Berlin Rebels in the German Football League.

Career Achievements

Steffen Freund achieved several important honors during his football career.

Club Honors

Borussia Dortmund

• Bundesliga: 1994–95, 1995–96
• DFB-Supercup: 1995
• UEFA Champions League: 1996–97
• Intercontinental Cup: 1997

Tottenham Hotspur

• Football League Cup: 1998–99

International Honors

Germany

• European Championship: 1996

Individual Awards

• Tottenham Hotspur Hall of Fame: Inducted December 2009

Images for kids

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  Steffen Freund in 2017

• 

  Freund with BSG Stahl Brandenburg in 1990

See also

In Spanish: Steffen Freund para niños