Karlheinz Förster Explained

Karlheinz Förster
Full Name:Karlheinz Helmut Förster
Birth Date:25 July 1958
Birth Place:Mosbach, West Germany
Height:1.78 m
Position:Centre-back
Youthclubs1:Badenia Unterschwarzach
Youthclubs2:Waldhof Mannheim
Youthyears3:–1977
Youthclubs3:VfB Stuttgart
Years1:1977–1986
Clubs1:VfB Stuttgart
Caps1:311
Goals1:22
Years2:1986–1990
Clubs2:Marseille
Caps2:103
Goals2:6
Totalcaps:414
Totalgoals:28
Nationalyears1:1976–1978
Nationalteam1:West Germany Amateur
Nationalcaps1:4
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:1978
Nationalteam2:West Germany B
Nationalcaps2:2
Nationalgoals2:0
Nationalyears3:1978–1986
Nationalteam3:West Germany
Nationalcaps3:81
Nationalgoals3:2

Karlheinz Helmut Förster (born 25 July 1958) is a German former professional footballer who played as a central defender.

The younger brother of another football defender, Bernd Förster, he was regarded as one of the world's top man-markers at his peak,[1] and played most of his career at VfB Stuttgart with Bernd. Both were crowned European champions in 1980.

Club career

Born in Mosbach, Förster started playing professionally at VfB Stuttgart, which would be his only club in the German first division. He was instrumental in the club's promotion in 1977, as he scored five times in 34 contests.[2]

In the topflight, Förster rarely missed a game, partnering sibling Bernd in the backline. Both were instrumental in the club's 1983–84 league conquest and he left the club in 1986, having played in more than 300 overall official matches. He was then bought by France's Olympique de Marseille, for 3.5 million Deutsche Mark.

In his third year with L'OM, already partnered by countryman Klaus Allofs, Förster helped the side win the double. Having retired at nearly 32, he later became a player's agent.[3]

International career

Förster gained the first of his 81 caps for the West Germany national team in a friendly with Brazil, on 5 April 1978,[4] not yet aged 20. From then onwards, he became an undisputed starter, appearing in all the matches at the victorious Euro 1980 (completely neutralizing Belgium's Jan Ceulemans in the final) and the runner-up place at the 1982 FIFA World Cup (also playing all the minutes).

At the latter competition, the pair of brothers (Bernd had already been an important figure in the continental win) became the first in German football history to take part in a World Cup final since Ottmar and Fritz Walter's appearances in the victorious 1954 edition, and the first to be defeated.

Förster still played for his nation at the UEFA Euro 1984 and 1986 World Cup, finishing second to Argentina in the latter. In Mexico 86, he took the role of man to man marker, neutralizing Mexico's Hugo Sánchez at the quarterfinals and Michel Platini of France at the semifinals.

Career statistics

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

List of international goals scored by Karlheinz Förster
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1 17 October 1979 Müngersdorfer Stadion, Cologne, West Germany 5–0 5–1 UEFA Euro 1980 qualifying
2 16 December 1984 Ta' Qali National Stadium, Ta' Qali, Malta 1–1 3–2 1986 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours

VfB Stuttgart

1983–84

Marseille

1988–89, 1989–90

1988–89; runner-up: 1986–87

West Germany

1980

Individual

1980,[7] 1984[8]

1986

1982

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Karl-Heinz Förster . UEFA.com . 9 July 2003 . 2 September 2009 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090827182846/http://www.uefa.com/uefa/news/kind%3D4/newsid%3D81763.html . 27 August 2009 .
  2. Web site: Karlheinz Förster – Matches and Goals in Bundesliga . Matthias . Arnhold . 29 November 2012 . 11 December 2012 . Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation.
  3. Web site: Kuranyi staying at Stuttgart. UEFA.com. 11 December 2003. 2 September 2009.
  4. Web site: Karlheinz Förster – International Appearances . Matthias . Arnhold . 10 March 2004 . 11 December 2012 . Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation.
  5. Web site: Bundesliga Historie 1977/78. de. kicker.
  6. Web site: Bundesliga Historie 1983/84. de. kicker.
  7. News: 1980 team of the tournament . Union of European Football Associations. 2 January 2015.
  8. News: 1984 team of the tournament. Union of European Football Associations. 14 May 2020.