Jürgen Klinsmann

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Klinsmann debuted for the West German senior squad on 12 December 1987 in a 1–1 friendly draw against Brazil. He was an important part of the West German team that won the 1990 FIFA World Cup. In the round of 16 against the Netherlands, after Rudi Völler was sent off in the 22nd minute, Klinsmann was forced to play as a lone striker. He scored the 1–0 opener, and German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung wrote that "In the last decade, not a single forward of a DFB team has offered such a brilliant, almost perfect performance." After further victories over Czechoslovakia (1–0) and England (1–1 after extra time, 4–3 on penalties), he became a world champion after beating Argentina 1–0 in the final. Klinsmann is remembered for being fouled by Argentinian Pedro Monzón, who was sent off. In a 2004 interview, Klinsmann noted that the foul left a 15 cm gash on his shin. His last international tournament with Germany was the 1998 FIFA World Cup, in which they were eliminated in the quarter-finals by Croatia.

In Their Own Story

The defining moment of Klinsmann's international career came at the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy. After qualifying for the round of 16, Germany faced the Netherlands, a team that had beaten them two years earlier at UEFA Euro 1988. When Rudi Völler was sent off in the 22nd minute, Klinsmann was forced to play as a lone striker. He responded by scoring the 1–0 opener, delivering what Süddeutsche Zeitung called "a brilliant, almost perfect performance." Germany went on to beat Czechoslovakia 1–0 and England 1–1 (4–3 on penalties) before facing Argentina in the final. In the final, Klinsmann was fouled by Pedro Monzón, who was sent off, reducing Argentina to ten men. Germany won 1–0, and Klinsmann became a world champion. He later noted that the foul left a 15 cm gash on his shin.

Reader's Guide

Jürgen Klinsmann's international career spanned from his debut on 12 December 1987 to his final tournament at the 1998 FIFA World Cup. He was an important part of the West German team that won the 1990 FIFA World Cup, scoring the opening goal in the round of 16 against the Netherlands while playing as a lone striker after Rudi Völler's red card. He also played for the unified German team that won the UEFA Euro 1996. Klinsmann scored in all six major international tournaments he participated in for Germany, from UEFA Euro 1988 to the 1998 FIFA World Cup. His last international tournament was the 1998 FIFA World Cup, where Germany was eliminated in the quarter-finals by Croatia. In 2016, he became the fifth player to be named as honorary captain of Germany.

Did You Know?

• Klinsmann scored in all six major international tournaments he participated in for Germany, from UEFA Euro 1988 to the 1998 FIFA World Cup.
• In the 1990 World Cup round of 16, after Rudi Völler was sent off in the 22nd minute, Klinsmann played as a lone striker and scored the 1–0 opener against the Netherlands.
• Klinsmann noted in a 2004 interview that the foul by Pedro Monzón in the 1990 World Cup final left a 15 cm gash on his shin.
• In 2016, Klinsmann became the fifth player to be named as honorary captain of Germany.
• He was named in the FIFA 100 list of the '125 Greatest Living Footballers' in March 2004.