Paul Breitner

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Paul Breitner

| full_name =

| image = Paul Breitner 2011.jpg

| caption = Breitner in 2011

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1951|9|5|df=y}}

| birth_place = Kolbermoor, Bavaria, West Germany

| height = 1.76 m{{cite web | url = http://www.worldfootball.net/spieler_profil/paul-breitner/ | title = Paul Breitner | publisher = worldfootball.net | access-date = 17 July 2011}}

| currentclub =

| position = Left-back, midfielder

| youthyears1 = 1957–1961

| youthclubs1 = SV-DJK Kolbermoor

| youthyears2 = 1961–1970

| youthclubs2 = ESV Freilassing

| years1 = 1970–1974

| clubs1 = Bayern Munich

| caps1 = 109

| goals1 = 17

| years2 = 1974–1977

| clubs2 = Real Madrid

| caps2 = 84

| goals2 = 10

| years3 = 1977–1978

| clubs3 = Eintracht Braunschweig

| caps3 = 30

| goals3 = 10

| years4 = 1978–1983

| clubs4 = Bayern Munich

| caps4 = 146

| goals4 = 66

| totalcaps = 369

| totalgoals = 103

| nationalyears1 = 1968–1970

| nationalteam1 = West Germany Youth

| nationalcaps1 = 16

| nationalgoals1 = 1

| nationalyears2 = 1971

| nationalteam2 = West Germany U-23

| nationalcaps2 = 1

| nationalgoals2 = 0

| nationalyears3 = 1971–1982

| nationalteam3 = West Germany

| nationalcaps3 = 48

| nationalgoals3 = 10

| medaltemplates =

{{Medal|Country|{{fb|FRG}}}}

}}

Paul Breitner ({{IPA|de|ˈpaʊ̯l ˈbʁaɪ̯tnɐ}}; born 5 September 1951) is a German former professional footballer who played as a midfielder and left-back.{{cite web | url = https://www.kicker.de/paul-breitner/spieler/bundesliga/1981-82/fc-bayern-muenchen | title =Breitner, Paul | language = de | publisher=Kicker | access-date =2 January 2011}} Considered one of the best full-backs and midfielders of all time, and one of the best players of his era, Breitner was named in the FIFA World Cup All-Time Team. In 2004 he was named one of the Top 125 greatest living footballers as part of FIFA's 100th anniversary celebration.{{cite web|date=4 March 2004|title=Pele's list of the greatest|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/3533891.stm|access-date=15 June 2013|publisher=BBC Sport}}{{cite web |url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/10-greatest-midfielders-in-football-history/10 |title=10 greatest midfielders in football history: #1 Lothar Matthaus |website=sportskeeda.com |publisher=Sportskeeda |first=Ashwin |last=Hanagudu |date=17 September 2016 |access-date=6 November 2018}}

Breitner was capped 48 times for West Germany and was an integral part of the team that won the 1974 FIFA World Cup, scoring in the final.

He also scored in the final of the 1982 FIFA World Cup, making him one of only five players to have scored in two different World Cup final matches, the others being Pelé, Vavá, Zinedine Zidane and Kylian Mbappé.

He was known for his partnerships with Franz Beckenbauer, Hans-Georg Schwarzenbeck and Berti Vogts in defence for the national team, and his midfield combination with Karl-Heinz Rummenigge for Bayern Munich.

Breitner has been working as a commentator, pundit and columnist in Germany since retiring and is also an advisor to the Bayern management board.

Playing career

Breitner's football career lasted from 1970 until 1983, mainly playing for Bayern Munich (1970–74 and 1978–83) and Real Madrid (1974–77), with one season playing for Eintracht Braunschweig.{{Cite web | url = https://www.rsssf.org/players/breitnerdata.html | title = Paul Breitner - Matches and Goals in Bundesliga | author = Matthias Arnhold | date = 6 September 2012 | access-date = 22 November 2012 | publisher = Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation}} His early success was as a free roaming left back, as likely to score from the right midfield as to stop an attacker in his own penalty area. Later in his career he moved to midfield and became one of the top midfielders through the early 1980s.

The early peak of Breitner's long and successful career was at age 21 in 1972 as part of the winning German European Championship team. Two years later he won the 1974 FIFA World Cup.{{cite web|title=World Cup - History - West Germany 1974|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport3/worldcup2002/hi/history/newsid_1632000/1632217.stm|publisher=BBC|date=15 April 2002 | access-date = 13 April 2013}} The final was played in Munich against the Netherlands, and Breitner scored the first German goal on a penalty kick. In the final, he, Franz Beckenbauer, Hans-Georg Schwarzenbeck and Berti Vogts formed a formidable unit at the back, their resolute defense preventing the Dutch from getting many scoring chances. He moved to Real Madrid for a fee of over 1 million Deutsche Marks{{cite web|website=Sport1|url=https://www.sport1.de/news/fussball/bundesliga/2024/01/fc-bayern-trauert-um-casar-klaus-wunder|title=Bayern trauert um "Cäsar" Klaus Wunder|date=19 January 2024|language=de|access-date=27 January 2024}} following the World Cup and withdrew from the West German squad, remaining off the side until enticed to return by Jupp Derwall in 1981. Breitner is one of only five footballers to have achieved the feat of scoring in two different World Cup final matches,{{Cite web | url = https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/breitner-intl.html | title = Paul Breitner - International Appearances | author = Matthias Arnhold | date = 18 April 2004 | access-date = 22 November 2012 | publisher = Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation}} sharing that honour with Pelé, Vavá, Zinedine Zidane, and Kylian Mbappe. He achieved this in 1974 against the Netherlands and in 1982 against Italy.

File:FC Bayern Munchen tegen Aston Villa 0-1 Europa Cup. Breitner in aktie.jpg in the 1982 European Cup final]]

During his club career, Breitner won seven National Championships with Bayern Munich (1972, 1973, 1974, 1980, 1981) and Real Madrid (1975, 1976), the Champions' Cup (1974){{Cite web | url = https://www.rsssf.org/players/breitner-in-ec.html | title = Paul Breitner - Matches in European Cups | author = Marcel Haisma | date = 14 February 2008 | access-date = 22 November 2012 | publisher = Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation}} as well as the German (1971, 1982) and Spanish cups (1975). During his spell with Bayern Munich, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and he formed such a formidable one-two-punch that they were often called Breitnigge.{{cite news|title=Bayern Munich's all-time greatest starting line-up|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/raphael_honigstein/02/15/bayern.greatestXI/index.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130215175346/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/raphael_honigstein/02/15/bayern.greatestXI/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=15 February 2013|publisher=Sports Illustrated|date=15 May 2012 | access-date = 13 April 2013}}

Outside the pitch, Breitner self identified as part of the 68ers (the 1968 protest movement in West Germany and elsewhere). He was often decried by the more traditional or conservative football fans for his radicalism and "revolutionary" attitude, as well as his tendency for voicing strong opinions on major political and social issues, especially during a time when Germany was still divided by the Berlin Wall. He was seen bringing Mao Zedong's "Little Red Book" to training. However, after 1974, Breitner abruptly brushed aside his leftist leanings. While his Dutch World Cup rival Johan Cruyff had publicly declared to never play for a club associated with "fascist" General Franco, Breitner yearned to play for Real Madrid and signed the transfer documents in 1974. Subsequently, he gained notoriety for spending lavishly on houses and cars, as well as participating in lucrative commercials.

Before the 1982 World Cup in Spain he caused a major uproar in West Germany when he accepted an offer by Pitralon, a German cosmetics company to pay him the – what many Germans regarded at that time as a "scandalously high" – sum of 150,000 Deutsche Mark if he shaved off his fluffy full beard, used their aftershave and advertised for the company. In the previous years his long hair had been perceived as a show of rebellion. Breitner had previously infuriated many fans with his move to Spanish club giants Real Madrid. He returned to West Germany after the successful spell in Madrid and retired as a player in 1983. About the aftershave incident, Breitner said that he was mistakenly labelled as Maoist after, talking with a journalist about communism, the Soviet Union and France, mentioning that he had Mao Zedong's Little Red Book.{{Cite book |last=Ruiz |first=Daniel |title="No fim do dia... Paul Breitner" |date=9 September 2009 |publisher=Editora Cádiz |pages=58 |language=Portuguese |trans-title=At the End of the Day... Paul Breitner}} He stated "When the atrocities became known, I had nothing to regret about because I never declared myself as a Maoist".{{Cite book |last=Ruiz |first=Daniel |title="No fim do dia... Paul Breitner" |date=9 September 2009 |publisher=Editora Cádiz |pages=58 |language=Portuguese |trans-title=At the End of the Day... Paul Breitner}}

Post-retirement

In 1998, Breitner was announced as the new national team manager by DFB president Egidius Braun. However, after some steam from fellow association officials, Braun reconsidered 17 hours later, making Breitner the infamous 17 Stunden Bundestrainer ("the 17-hour coach").{{cite web | url = https://www.bluewin.ch/de/sport/fussball/paul-breitner-wird-70-querkopf-und-bundestrainer-fuer-17-stunden-865294.html | title = Querkopf und Bundestrainer für 17 Stunden | language = de | website = bluewin.ch | date = 5 September 2021 | access-date = 24 November 2022 | first = Klaus | last = Bergmann}}

Today, Breitner mainly works as a TV pundit and newspaper columnist. In March 2007, he entered into a contract with Bayern Munich and acts as an advisor on various issues. He occasionally still plays for the Bayern All-Stars in charity games, captaining the team on several occasions.

Career statistics

rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="3"\|League !colspan="2"\|National Cup{{efn\|Includes DFB-Pokal, Copa del Rey}} !colspan="2"\|Europe{{efn\|Includes European Cup, Cup Winners' Cup, UEFA Cup, Inter-Cities Fairs Cup}} !colspan="2"\|Total
class=wikitable style=text-align:center \|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
rowspan="6"\|Bayern Munich \|1969–70 \|rowspan="5"\|Bundesliga \|colspan="2"\|–	1	0	colspan="2"\|–	1	0
1970–71 \|21	2	5	0	4	0	30	2
1971–72 \|30	4	6	0	8	1	44	5
1972–73 \|32	4	6	1	5	0	43	5
1973–74 \|26	7	4	1	7	1	37	9
colspan="2"\|Total !109	17	22	2	24	2	155	21
rowspan="4"\|Real Madrid \|1974–75 \|rowspan="3"\|La Liga \|29	3			6	0	35	3
1975–76 \|25	6			7	0	32	6
1976–77 \|30	1			3	0	33	1
colspan="2"\|Total !84	10			16	0	100	10
Eintracht Braunschweig \|1977–78 \|Bundesliga \|30	10	2	0	5	1	37	11
rowspan="6"\|Bayern Munich \|1978–79 \|rowspan="5"\|Bundesliga \|33	12	2	1	colspan="2"\|–	35	13
1979–80 \|32	10	3	2	10	4	45	16
1980–81 \|30	17	2	0	8	1	40	18
1981–82 \|29	18	6	5	7	5	42	28
1982–83 \|22	9	2	1	6	3	30	13
colspan="2"\|Total !146	66	15	9	31	13	182	84
colspan="3"\|Career total !369	103	39	11	76	16	484	130

Honours

Bayern Munich

Bundesliga: 1971–72, 1972–73, 1973–74, 1979–80, 1980–81
DFB-Pokal: 1970–71, 1981–82
European Cup: 1973–74; runner-up: 1981–82

Real Madrid

West Germany

FIFA World Cup: 1974; runner-up: 1982
UEFA European Championship: 1972

Individual

kicker Bundesliga Team of the Season: 1971–72, 1972–73, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1981–82, 1982–83{{cite web|url=http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/bundesliga/bl50/197172/startseite.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018173042/http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/bundesliga/bl50/197172/startseite.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 October 2012|title=Bundesliga Historie 1971/72|language=de|publisher=kicker}}{{cite web|url=http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/bundesliga/bl50/197273/startseite.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018185806/http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/bundesliga/bl50/197273/startseite.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 October 2012|title=Bundesliga Historie 1972/73|language=de|publisher=kicker}}{{cite web|url=http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/bundesliga/bl50/197879/startseite.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018212307/http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/bundesliga/bl50/197879/startseite.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 October 2012|title=Bundesliga Historie 1978/79|language=de|publisher=kicker}}{{cite web|url=http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/bundesliga/bl50/197980/startseite.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019114414/http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/bundesliga/bl50/197980/startseite.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=19 October 2012|title=Bundesliga Historie 1979/80|language=de|publisher=kicker}}{{cite web|url=http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/bundesliga/bl50/198081/startseite.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019114419/http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/bundesliga/bl50/198081/startseite.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=19 October 2012|title=Bundesliga Historie 1980/81|language=de|publisher=kicker}}{{cite web|url=http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/bundesliga/bl50/198182/startseite.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018212315/http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/bundesliga/bl50/198182/startseite.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 October 2012|title=Bundesliga Historie 1981/82|language=de|publisher=kicker}}{{cite web|url=http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/bundesliga/bl50/198283/startseite.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018212319/http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/bundesliga/bl50/198283/startseite.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 October 2012|title=Bundesliga Historie 1982/83|language=de|publisher=kicker}}
UEFA European Championship Team of the Tournament: 1972{{cite news |title=1972 team of the tournament |url=https://www.uefa.com/euro2024/news/0253-0d7bd0da58f2-d557c23f55fa-1000--euro-1972-team-of-the-tournament/ |work=Union of European Football Associations |access-date=23 January 2015}}
FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 1974
FUWO European Team of the Season: 1972{{cite web|url=https://www.fcc-supporters.org/fuwo/files/FUWO%201973/FUWO%201973%2002.pdf |website=FCC-Wiki|title=FUWO 1973|access-date=23 April 2024 }}
World XI: 1972, 1974, 1975, 1976{{cite web |url=https://beyondthelastman.com/2013/11/07/eric-battys-world-xis-the-seventies/ |website=Beyond The Last Man |date=7 November 2013 |title=Eric Batty's World XI – The Seventies |access-date=22 July 2020 |archive-date=5 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220705040250/https://beyondthelastman.com/2013/11/07/eric-battys-world-xis-the-seventies/ |url-status=live }}
Sport Ideal European XI: 1972,{{cite web|url=http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1972/12/31/pagina-15/972425/pdf.html |website=Mundo Deportivo|title=Sport 1972|access-date=4 June 2024 }} 1974,{{cite web|url=http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1975/01/01/pagina-30/1005843/pdf.html |website=Mundo Deportivo|title=Sport 1974|access-date=4 June 2024 }} 1979{{cite web|url=http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1980/01/05/pagina-13/1043229/pdf.html |website=Mundo Deportivo|title=Sport 1979|access-date=4 June 2024 }}
Footballer of the Year (Germany): 1981
Ballon d'Or runner-up: 1981
Onze d'Argent: 1981
FIFA World Cup All-Time Team
FIFA 100
Bayern Munich All-time XI{{cite news|url=http://www.fcbayern.de/en/news/news/2005/04283.php|title=Fans name greatest reds of all time|date=1 June 2005|work=FC Bayern München| access-date = 6 December 2018}}
Ballon d'Or Dream Team (bronze): 2020{{cite web |title=The other two Ballon d'Or Dream Team XIs: Zidane, Cruyff, Iniesta, Di Stefano... but no Casillas |url=https://www.marca.com/en/football/international-football/2020/12/14/5fd7bc8522601d53598b45b2.html |website=MARCA|date=15 December 2020 |access-date=15 December 2020}}