Ulf Kirsten

Ulf Kirsten (born 4 December 1965) is a German former professional footballer and manager, who played as a striker.[1] Nicknamed Der Schwatte (dialect for Der Schwarze, 'The Black One'), he is the first player in history to reach a total 100 caps playing with two different national teams (first for East Germany, then Reunified Germany). Kirsten's biggest success was the victory of the 1992–93 DFB-Pokal. He served the Stasi as an informer under the codename "Knut Krüger".[2]

Ulf Kirsten
Kirsten in 2019
Personal information
Full name Ulf Kirsten
Date of birth (1965-12-04) 4 December 1965
Place of birth Riesa, East Germany
Height 1.72 m (5 ft 7 1⁄2 in)
Position(s) Striker
Youth career
1972–1978 BSG Chemie Riesa
1978–1979 BSG Stahl Riesa
1979–1983 Dynamo Dresden
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1983–1990 Dynamo Dresden 154 (57)
1990–2003 Bayer Leverkusen 350 (181)
Total 504 (238)
National team
1984–1986 East Germany U21 10 (4)
1985–1990 East Germany 49 (14)
1990–2000 Germany 51 (20)
Teams managed
2003–2005 Bayer Leverkusen (assistant)
2005–2011 Bayer Leverkusen II
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Club career

Dynamo Dresden

On club level, Kirsten played for only two teams: from 1983 to 1990 he was with Dynamo Dresden. In the East German Oberliga, he made 154 matches and scored 57 goals for Dresden.

Kirsten had an unusual build, measuring only 172 cm (5'8"), but weighing 81 kg (179 lbs). He had an unusually low centre of gravity, which enabled him to protect the ball in the box against much bigger defenders and turn around quickly for close-range shots. The playing style was often compared to that of Gerd Müller. In addition, despite his small height, Kirsten was also a feared header.

Bayer Leverkusen
Kirsten in 1997

Kirsten was one of the first East German footballers to enter the Bundesliga after the German reunification. In the German Bundesliga he played 350 matches for Bayer 04 Leverkusen and scored 182 goals (ranked #7 in the all-time top scorer list). He established himself as one of the most dangerous strikers in the Bundesliga, but Bayer Leverkusen regularly ended as runner-up to either Bayern Munich or Borussia Dortmund. He stayed there until his retirement in 2003. He also played in the 2002 UEFA Champions League Final. In the 1999–2000 season, Kirsten won the EFFIFU award for being the most efficient striker in the league.

Off the pitch, Kirsten was famous for his strong beard growth, which earned him a sponsorship by Braun, who used him to advertise their electrical shavers.

International career

Kirsten's 100 caps are almost evenly split: 49 for East Germany and 51 for the re-unified Germany in a career which spanned 15 years from 1985 until 2000, with the reunified team being formed in late 1990.[3]

Kirsten scored a total of 34 international goals, 14 of them for East Germany. His only major tournaments came late in his career; Kirsten played for his country at the 1994 and 1998 World Cups and Euro 2000.

Personal life

Kirsten's son Benjamin is also a footballer, and has played as a goalkeeper for Dynamo Dresden and NEC.[4]

Career statistics

Club
Including only appearances and goals for Bayer Leverkusen
Club Season League Cup Continental Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Bayer Leverkusen1990–91Bundesliga321122523915
1991–92231211—2413
1992–93332073—4023
1993–9428123145361191
1994–952715109103725
1995–9629832213411
1996–97292210—3022
1997–9827223292402272
1998–9931192232383243
1999–20002717—64354234
2000–0129122143365175
2001–0232115314452618
2002–033010—570
Total 35018131175633446237

Managerial statistics
As of 25 May 2012
Team From To Record
G W D L GF GA GD Win %
Bayer Leverkusen II 1 July 2005 30 June 2011 209 72 50 87 292 313 −21 034.45
Total 209 72 50 87 292 313 −21 034.45

Honours

Club

Dynamo Dresden

Bayer Leverkusen

Individual

References
  1. "Kirsten, Ulf" (in German). kicker.de. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
  2. Jörg Winterfeldt (22 March 2000). "Mielkes Rächer unbestraft". welt.de. Retrieved 26 June 2009.
  3. "Ulf Kirsten – International Appearances". RSSSF. Retrieved 14 June 2016.
  4. "Kirsten vor 3. Liga-Debüt" (in German). kicker.de. 29 April 2009. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
  5. "Bundesliga Historie 1996/97" (in German). kicker.
  6. "Bundesliga Historie 1998/99" (in German). kicker.
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