| Klaus Fichtel | |
| Birth Date: | 19 November 1944 |
| Birth Place: | Castrop-Rauxel, Germany |
| Height: | 1.76 m |
| Position: | Defender, sweeper |
| Youthyears1: | –1965 |
| Youthclubs1: | Arminia Ickern |
| Years1: | 1965–1980 |
| Clubs1: | Schalke 04 |
| Caps1: | 437 |
| Goals1: | 14 |
| Years2: | 1980–1984 |
| Clubs2: | Werder Bremen |
| Caps2: | 117 |
| Goals2: | 0 |
| Years3: | 1984–1988 |
| Clubs3: | Schalke 04 |
| Caps3: | 40 |
| Goals3: | 0 |
| Totalcaps: | 594 |
| Totalgoals: | 14 |
| Nationalyears1: | 1967–1971 |
| Nationalteam1: | West Germany |
| Nationalcaps1: | 23 |
| Nationalgoals1: | 1 |
Klaus Fichtel (born 19 November 1944) is a German former professional footballer who played as a defender for Schalke 04 and Werder Bremen. He made 23 appearances for the West Germany national team.
Fichtel was born in Castrop-Rauxel, Province of Westphalia He began his career with FC Schalke 04 and after four years with SV Werder Bremen he returned to Schalke. In total he played 552 games (14 goals) in the Bundesliga.[1] In addition, he played 42 times in the 2. Bundesliga in one of his four years with SV Werder Bremen.
Fichtel is the oldest player to appear in the Bundesliga, playing his last match at the age of 43 and a half years in May 1988. His 477 Bundesliga matches for Schalke 04 remain a club record.[2]
Fichtel won 23 caps[3] in four years with West Germany in between 1967 and 1971, scoring one goal against Scotland in 1969. He was part of the West German squad at the 1970 FIFA World Cup, playing in five matches during the tournament.
| Club | Season | League | DFB-Pokal | Europe | DFL-Ligapokal | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| League | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Schalke 04 | 1965–66 | Bundesliga | 34 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 36 | 0 | |||
| 1966–67 | 34 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 37 | 0 | |||||
| 1967–68 | 34 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 36 | 0 | |||||
| 1968–69 | 29 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 34 | 0 | |||||
| 1969–70 | 32 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 1 | — | 43 | 2 | ||||
| 1970–71 | 29 | 1 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 34 | 1 | |||||
| 1971–72 | 33 | 3 | 7 | 0 | — | — | 40 | 3 | |||||
| 1972–73 | 18 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 34 | 1 | |||
| 1973–74 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 14 | 1 | |||||
| 1974–75 | 29 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 31 | 1 | |||||
| 1975–76 | 32 | 4 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 35 | 4 | |||||
| 1976–77 | 34 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 1 | — | 45 | 2 | ||||
| 1977–78 | 22 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 26 | 0 | ||||
| 1978–79 | 34 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 37 | 2 | |||||
| 1979–80 | 29 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 34 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 437 | 14 | 52 | 1 | 20 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 516 | 17 | |||
| Werder Bremen | 1980–81 | 2. Bundesliga | 42 | 0 | 5 | 1 | — | — | 47 | 1 | |||
| 1981–82 | Bundesliga | 34 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 39 | 0 | ||||
| 1982–83 | 33 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | 41 | 0 | ||||
| 1983–84 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 10 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 117 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 6 | 0 | — | 137 | 1 | ||||
| Schalke 04 | 1984–85 | Bundesliga | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 13 | 0 | |||
| 1985–86 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 13 | 0 | |||||
| 1986–87 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 3 | 0 | |||||
| 1987–88 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 11 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 40 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 40 | 0 | |||||
| Career total | 594 | 14 | 66 | 2 | 26 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 693 | 18 | |||