Michael Ballack is a German former professional footballer. He is among the top goal scorers in the history of the Germany national team. Ballack wore the number 13 shirt for every team he has played for, except 1. FC Kaiserslautern. He was selected by Pelé as one of FIFA's 100 Greatest Living Players, and as the UEFA Club Midfielder of the Year in 2002. He won the German Footballer of the Year award three times – in 2002, 2003 and 2005. Ballack was known for his passing range, powerful shot, physical strength and commanding presence in midfield.
Juan Fernando Arango Sáenz is a Venezuelan former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder.
Rainer Bonhof is a German former professional footballer, who played as a defensive midfielder or wing-back. He was known for his occasional bursts upfield and his fierce shot. He was a key player for the 1974 West Germany national team that won the World Cup. Bonhof was one of the stars for his club side, Borussia Mönchengladbach and won numerous domestic league and cup titles.
In early 2005, German football was overshadowed by the discovery of a €2 million match fixing scandal centered on second division referee Robert Hoyzer, who confessed to fixing and betting on matches in the 2. Bundesliga, the DFB-Pokal, and the then third division Regionalliga. The scandal has been described as the largest controversy in German football since the Bundesliga scandal of the early 1970s, as numerous players, coaches and officials have been accused of involvement with an organised crime group in the scheme, which came on the eve of Germany playing host to the 2006 World Cup.
Stefan Reuter is a German football executive and former player who played as a defender or midfielder. He has been the general manager of Bundesliga club FC Augsburg since 2012.
Rolf Rüssmann was a German international footballer who played as a defender for FC Schalke 04, Club Brugge and Borussia Dortmund.
Łukasz Piotr Piszczek is a Polish professional footballer and coach who serves as a player-manager for III liga club Goczałkowice-Zdrój. He is primarily positioned as a right-back, but is capable of playing as a centre-back.
Mats Julian Hummels is a German professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund and the Germany national team.
Jos Luhukay is a Dutch football manager and former player, who was most recently head coach of VVV-Venlo.
Michael Frontzeck is a German professional football coach and former player who is assistant coach of VfL Wolfsburg.
The history of German football is one that has seen many changes. Football was a popular game from early on, and the German sports landscape was dotted with hundreds of local sides. Local sports associations or clubs are a longtime feature of the culture of German athletics. Each club would participate in, and field teams from, one or more sports, depending on local interest and resources.
Robert Lewandowski is a Polish professional footballer who plays as a striker for La Liga club Barcelona and captains the Poland national team. Recognised for his positioning, technique and finishing, Lewandowski is regarded as one of the best strikers of all time, as well as one of the most successful players in Bundesliga and Bayern Munich history. He has scored over 600 senior career goals for club and country.
Marco Reus is a German professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or winger for Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund and the Germany national team. Regarded as one of the best wingers in the world, Reus is renowned for his versatility, speed, agility, technical skills, intelligence, and shooting ability.
Volkmar Groß was a German professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He spent seven seasons in the Bundesliga with Hertha BSC, Tennis Borussia Berlin and FC Schalke 04. He represented Germany once in a friendly against Greece. He scored one goal in the Bundesliga from a penalty kick.
The 2009 European football betting scandal was an attempt to influence the outcome of professional association football matches in Europe, and to defraud the gambling industry by betting on the results. The investigation centres on around 200 fixtures, including domestic league games in nine European countries: Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Croatia, Slovenia, Turkey, Hungary, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Austria. It also involved twelve qualifying matches in the UEFA Europa League and three in the UEFA Champions League. Peter Limacher, a spokesman for European football's governing body UEFA, described it as "the biggest match-fixing scandal ever to hit Europe."
Mario Götze is a German professional footballer who plays for Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt and the Germany national team. Although his favoured position is that of a playmaker, Götze has also played as a false nine or as an emergency striker.
Sven Köhler is a former German footballer and coach.
Jürgen Rumor is a former professional German footballer.
Felix Zwayer is a German football referee who is based in Berlin. He referees for SC Charlottenburg of the Berlin Football Association. He is a FIFA referee, and is ranked as a UEFA elite category referee.
Jamal Musiala is a German professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or winger for Bundesliga club Bayern Munich and the Germany national team. Nicknamed "Bambi", Musiala is known for his world-class dribbling ability and is often considered one of the best young attackers in the world.
