Martin Max

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Martin Max

| image = Martin Max 2018.JPG

| image_size =

| caption = Max in 2018

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1968|8|7}}

| birth_place = Tarnowskie Góry, Poland

| height = 1.82 m

| position = Striker

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Rodło Górniki Bytom

| youthyears2 =

| youthclubs2 = Blau-Weiß Post Recklinghausen

| youthyears3 =

| youthclubs3 = FC Recklinghausen

| years1 = 1989–1995

| clubs1 = Borussia Mönchengladbach

| caps1 = 142

| goals1 = 22

| years2 = 1995–1999

| clubs2 = Schalke 04

| caps2 = 109

| goals2 = 33

| years3 = 1999–2003

| clubs3 = 1860 Munich

| caps3 = 112

| goals3 = 51

| years4 = 2003–2004

| clubs4 = Hansa Rostock

| caps4 = 33

| goals4 = 20

| totalcaps = 396

| totalgoals = 126

| nationalyears1 = 2002

| nationalteam1 = Germany

| nationalcaps1 = 1

| nationalgoals1 = 0

}}

Martin Max (born 7 August 1968) is a German former professional footballer who played as a striker.

One of the oldest winners of the Bundesliga's top scorer crown, at the age of 32 and 34, he represented four teams in his country of adoption.

Club career

Born in Tarnowskie Góry in Upper Silesia, Max started to play football in the youth of Rodło Górniki Bytom, and in 1982, he emigrated with his parents as ethnic Germans (Aussiedler) from Poland and went to Germany, where the family settled in Recklinghausen in the Ruhr region (Ruhrgebiet). In Recklinghausen, he joined the youth team of Blau-Weiß Post Recklinghausen, and in 1985, he transferred to the offspring of the 1. FC Recklinghausen.

At Schalke, Max revived his career, netting 23 goals in his first two seasons combined, adding three in the victorious UEFA Cup campaign, and his penalty shootout attempt in the final against Inter Milan.

File:Martin Max 1996.JPG

He joined TSV 1860 Munich in 1999, and was crowned league topscorer in his first season, with 19. In 2001–02, he added 18 for a second individual accolade, tied with Márcio Amoroso.

Already at 35, Max moved to Hansa Rostock, and contributed massively to the former East Germany side's comfortable league position, as he netted 20 goals and ranked third in the goal charts. He retired at the end of the season with a total of 396 matches, with 126 first division goals.{{Cite web | url = https://www.rsssf.org/players/mmaxdata.html | title = Martin Max - Matches and Goals in Bundesliga | author = Matthias Arnhold | date = 1 October 2015 | access-date = 9 October 2015 | publisher = Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation}}

After retiring, Max began running a soccer camp for youths.

International career

Courtesy of his stellar TSV performances, Max earned his only cap for Germany, on 17 April 2002, coming on as a substitute during the 84th minute in a 1–0 loss in a friendly in the Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion (today MHPArena) in Stuttgart against Argentina.{{Cite web | url = https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/mmax-intl.html | title = Martin Max - International Appearances | author = Matthias Arnhold | date = 1 October 2015 | access-date = 9 October 2015 | publisher = Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation}} He was subsequently named on stand-by for that summer's 2002 FIFA World Cup.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport3/worldcup2002/hi/team_pages/germany/newsid_1969000/1969490.stm|title=No surprises from Voeller |publisher=BBC Sport|date=6 May 2002 |access-date=12 April 2018}}

Personal life

His son, Philipp, is also a footballer.{{cite web | url = https://www.dfb.de/news/de/regionalliga/philipp-und-martin-max-jeder-muss-seinen-weg-finden/55233.html | title = Philipp und Martin Max: Jeder muss seinen Weg finden | language = de | date = 17 February 2014 | publisher = dfb.de | access-date = 27 March 2014}}

Career statistics

Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" \|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition !rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="3"\|League !colspan="2"\|DFB-Pokal !colspan="2"\|Europe !colspan="2"\|Other !colspan="2"\|Total
rowspan="7"\|Borussia Mönchengladbach \|1989–90 \|Bundesliga \|11	0	1	0	colspan="2"\|—	colspan="2"\|—	12	0
1990–91 \|Bundesliga \|30	7	0	0	colspan="2"\|—	colspan="2"\|—	30	7
1991–92 \|Bundesliga \|36	4	6	2	colspan="2"\|—	colspan="2"\|—	42	6
1992–93 \|Bundesliga \|21	3	1	0	colspan="2"\|—	colspan="2"\|—	22	3
1993–94 \|Bundesliga \|24	8	1	0	colspan="2"\|—	colspan="2"\|—	25	8
1994–95 \|Bundesliga \|20	0	1	0	colspan="2"\|—	colspan="2"\|—	21	0
colspan="2"\|Total !142	22	10	2	colspan="2"\|—	colspan="2"\|—	152	24
rowspan="5"\|Schalke 04 \|1995–96 \|Bundesliga \|32	11	2	0	colspan="2"\|—	colspan="2"\|—	34	11
1996–97 \|Bundesliga \|30	12	2	1	10{{efn\|name=UC\|Appearances in UEFA Cup}}	3	colspan="2"\|—	42	16
1997–98 \|Bundesliga \|19	4	0	0	6{{efn\|name=UC}}	1	colspan="2"\|—	25	5
1998–99	Bundesliga \|28	6	1	1	2	0	1{{efn\|Appearance in DFB Ligapokal}}	0	32	7
colspan="2"\|Total !109	33	5	2	18	4	1	0	133	39
rowspan="5"\|1860 Munich \|1999–2000 \|Bundesliga \|32	19	2	2	colspan="2"\|—	colspan="2"\|—	34	21
2000–01 \|Bundesliga \|31	8	3	2	7	3	colspan="2"\|—	41	13
2001–02 \|Bundesliga \|28	18	4	3	colspan="2"\|—	6{{efn\|name=UIC\|Appearances in UEFA Intertoto Cup}}	5	38	26
2002–03 \|Bundesliga \|21	6	2	5	colspan="2"\|—	2{{efn\|name=UIC}}	0	25	11
colspan="2"\|Total !112	51	11	12	7	3	8	5	138	71
Hansa Rostock \|2003–04 \|Bundesliga \|33	20	2	0	colspan="2"\|—	colspan="2"\|—	35	20
colspan="3"\|Career total !396	126	28	16	25	7	9	5	458	154