Wolfgang Overath

Wolfgang Overath (born 29 September 1943) is a former West German footballer.[1] A true one-club man, Overath spent his entire professional career at 1. FC Köln. He represented his country three times in World Cup finals, culminating in 1974 with the 2–1 victory over the Netherlands on home soil. Primarily an attacking midfielder, Overath was known for his passing ability, technique and outstanding left foot.

Wolfgang Overath
Overath after winning the 1974 FIFA World Cup
Personal information
Date of birth (1943-09-29) 29 September 1943
Place of birth Siegburg, Germany
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Attacking Midfielder
Youth career
1953–1962 SSV Siegburg 04
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1962–1977 1. FC Köln 409 (83)
National team
1963–1974 West Germany 81 (17)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Career
Overath at the 1970 FIFA World Cup

An attacking midfielder, Overath started playing football at SSV Siegburg, but spent the majority of his career at 1. FC Köln, appearing 765 times between 1962 and 1977 and scoring 287 goals. He won the inaugural Bundesliga with 1. FC Köln in 1964, overall he appeared in the first 14 seasons of the newly formed top-flight,[2] and the German Cup in 1968. At European club level he played 71 matches (11 goals) for 1. FC Köln.[3] He currently holds the all-time appearances record of the club (549 official matches played).[4]

In total he won 81 caps for the national side between 1963 and 1974, scoring 17 goals. As well as the World Cup victory in 1974, he was at the heart of the West German midfield when they reached the final in 1966 and achieved third place in 1970. Overath scored the only goal in the latter match, with many foreign journalists voting him Germany's best player in Mexico.

Overath is one of only seven players (alongside his teammates Franz Beckenbauer, Jürgen Grabowski, Horst-Dieter Höttges, Sepp Maier, later compatriot Miroslav Klose, and Italian Franco Baresi) with World Cup medals for first, second and third place. A main rival in the national team for leading the midfield was the flamboyant Günter Netzer from Borussia Mönchengladbach, German Player of the year in 1972 and 73. However, German coach Helmut Schön preferred the more staid Overath.[5] An injury forced Overath out of the side before the quarterfinals of the European Championships 1972 where Netzer became alongside Franz Beckenbauer and Gerd Müller one of the outstanding protagonists leading the side, considered still Germany's best of all time, to victory in the final over the USSR. Overath soon regained his place ahead of Netzer, due to the latter's now being injured. Netzer himself said that Overath "was born to play for Germany".

In 2004, he was elected President of 1. FC Köln. He resigned on 13 November 2011.[6]

Personal life

Overath and his wife have three children: two sons and one adopted daughter. Also, he was named an honorary citizen of Siegburg in 2003. Overath was awarded the Egidius-Braun-Preis for his charity work.[7]

Career statistics
Overath (right) in 1992

Club

[8]

Club performance League
Season Club League AppsGoals
Germany League
1963–641. FC KölnBundesliga308
1964–65279
1965–66303
1966–67336
1967–68299
1968–69346
1969–702912
1970–71264
1971–72256
1972–73303
1973–74315
1974–75344
1975–76272
1976–77246
CountryGermany 40983
Total 40983

International

[9]

Germany national team
YearAppsGoals
196330
196441
196542
1966133
196781
196882
196963
1970122
197161
197200
197380
197492
Total8117

Honours

Club
Köln

International
Germany

Individual

References
  1. "Overath, Wolfgang". kicker.de (in German). Retrieved 25 March 2012.
  2. Matthias Arnhold (31 October 2013). "Wolfgang Overath - Matches and Goals in Bundesliga". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 27 November 2013.
  3. Marcel Haisma (19 February 2010). "Wolfgang Overath - Matches in European Cups". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 27 November 2013.
  4. "The record holders of 1.FC Koln". 1.FC Koln official website. Retrieved 5 August 2017.
  5. Chiesa, Carlo F. (22 August 1999). "We are the champions - I 150 fuoriclasse che hanno fatto la storia del calcio" [The 150 champions that made football's history]. Calcio 2000 (in Italian). Action Group S.r.l. p. 126.
  6. "Zu viel Frust: Overath tritt ab und erntet Pfiffe". kicker.de (in German). 13 November 2011. Retrieved 25 March 2012.
  7. "Overath für soziales Engagement geehrt" (in German). Rhein-Sieg-Anzeiger. 22 June 2013. Retrieved 23 June 2013.
  8. Wolfgang Overath at National-Football-Teams.com
  9. Arnhold, Matthias (13 March 2004). "Wolfgang Overath - International Appearances". RSSSF. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
  10. "Bundesliga Historie 1965/66" (in German). kicker.
  11. "Bundesliga Historie 1967/68" (in German). kicker.
  12. "Bundesliga Historie 1969/70" (in German). kicker.
  13. "Bundesliga Historie 1973/74" (in German). kicker.
  14. Leme de Arruda, Marcelo (20 October 2015). "FIFA XI´s Matches - Full Info". RSSSF. Retrieved 25 October 2015.
Sporting positions
Preceded by
Uwe Seeler		 West Germany captain
1970–1972		 Succeeded by
Franz Beckenbauer

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