German football executive and former player
Karl-Heinz "Kalle" Rummenigge (German: [ˌkaʁlˈhaɪnts ˈkalə ˈʁʊmənɪɡə]; born 25 September 1955) is a German football 🔔 executive and former professional player. Considered one of the greatest German footballers, he was also the longtime Chairman of Executive 🔔 Board of FC Bayern München AG, a daughter company of German Bundesliga team Bayern Munich.
As a player, Rummenigge had his 🔔 greatest career success with Bayern Munich, where he won the Intercontinental Cup, two European Cups, as well as two league 🔔 titles and two domestic cups. He also won two Ballon d'Or awards, in 1980 and 1981.
A member of the West 🔔 Germany national team, Rummenigge won the 1980 European Championship and was part of the squad that finished runner-up in the 🔔 1982 FIFA World Cup and at the 1986 World Cup.
Rummenigge is a former chairman of the European Club Association, serving 🔔 in that capacity from 2008 until 2024.
Club career [ edit ]
Rummenigge with Bayern Munich in 1982
Rummenigge was born in Lippstadt, 🔔 North Rhine-Westphalia.
He joined Bayern Munich in 1974, coming from the Westphalian amateur side Borussia Lippstadt, for a transfer fee of 🔔 ca. €10,000. He immediately showed great strength as a dribbler. His scoring qualities were initially insignificant, but would find great 🔔 improvement in later years, particularly after the arrival of coach Pal Csernai in 1979. In 1979–80, he scored 26 goals 🔔 and became for the first time the Bundesliga's top striker, a feat he repeated in 1981 and 1984 with 29 🔔 and 26 goals, respectively.
With Bayern he won the European Cup in 1975 and 1976. In 1975, he did not take 🔔 part in the final of the competition, whilst in the year thereafter a glass of brandy sufficiently prepared the nervous 🔔 Rummenigge to contribute to the defeat of AS Saint-Étienne. In the same year he became also part of the team 🔔 that prevailed in the Intercontinental Cup finals against Cruzeiro EC from Belo Horizonte.
In the era of coach Csernai he found 🔔 in midfielder Paul Breitner a congenial partner and he formed such a formidable one-two-punch that they were only called Breitnigge 🔔 (name invented by German newspaper Bild).
The club, then often dubbed as "FC Breitnigge", won in this period the Bundesliga title 🔔 in 1980 and 1981, and the DFB-Pokal in 1982 and 1984. A renewed triumph in the European Cup was denied, 🔔 when the club lost the 1982 final narrowly against Aston Villa. In the season before Rummenigge was top-scorer in this 🔔 competition with 6 goals.
His substantial contribution to the successes of the club and the Germany national football team found also 🔔 expression in personal honours. In 1980, he was named German Footballer of the Year and in 1980–1981 the European Footballer 🔔 of the Year.
In 1984, aged 29, he was sold for a record fee of €5.7m[1] to Inter Milan. Despite a 🔔 notable beginning, in which he helped the team to compete until the end for the 1984–85 Scudetto, Rumenigge's career in 🔔 Italy was mostly marred by injury problems. At the end of his contract in 1987, Rummenigge moved on to Swiss 🔔 first division club Servette FC in Geneva, where he saw his career out. In his last season, 1988–89, he had 🔔 his last success, becoming top scorer in the Swiss league with 24 goals.
International career [ edit ]
With the West Germany 🔔 national team he took part in the 1978 World Cup in Argentina, 1982 World Cup in Spain and the 1986 🔔 World Cup in Mexico. In 1978, West Germany exited in the second group stage of the tournament. In 1982 and 🔔 1986, the team was runner-up behind Italy and Argentina, giving him the unique distinction of captaining the senior team to 🔔 two silver medals in the FIFA World Cup.[2]
Rummenigge also took part in two European Championship tournaments. In the 1980 competition 🔔 in Italy, West Germany defeated Belgium in the final by 2–1 to win their second UEFA Euro.
Altogether, between 1976 and 🔔 1986, Rummenigge amassed 95 caps and scored 45 goals for West Germany, including one in extra-time in the 1982 World 🔔 Cup semi-final victory over France, and one in the losing 1986 World Cup final match against Argentina. He also scored 🔔 a hat-trick in a group stage game against Chile during the 1982 World Cup.
Style of play [ edit ]
One of 🔔 the most talented attacking players of his generation, Rummenigge was often lauded as a highly versatile forward, capable of playing 🔔 as a second striker, winger, or flat-out centre forward. His main strengths were his pace, dribbling, heading and goalscoring ability, 🔔 from both close range and from outside the box. He also had a penchant for scoring from awkward situations.
Rummenigge was 🔔 also praised for his both-footedness, leadership and physical strength. However, his later career was greatly affected by injuries, in particular 🔔 after his move to Inter Milan.
Bayern Munich management [ edit ]
Rummenigge (right) with Uli Hoeneß in 2013
In autumn 1991, Bayern 🔔 Munich invited Franz Beckenbauer and Rummenigge to return to the club as vice presidents. Rummenigge held this position until February 🔔 2002, when he was appointed Chairman of Executive Board of the newly corporatised football department of the club (FC Bayern 🔔 München AG).[3] According to the club, "in his role as chairman he is responsible for external relations, new media, board 🔔 affairs and representing the holding company on national and international bodies."
During his tenure, Bayern Munich managed to move to their 🔔 new stadium, Allianz Arena.[4] Oliver Kahn took over his CEO position at Bayern Munich from 1 July 2024.[5] Rummenigge was 🔔 appointed a member of the supervisory board on 30 May 2024.[6]
Miscellaneous [ edit ]
In April 1983, the British pop duo 🔔 Alan & Denise recorded a tribute song about his "sexy knees" in the song "Rummenigge". The single reached number 43 🔔 in German charts.[7]
From 1990 until 1994, Rummenigge worked as a TV co–commentator for matches of the Germany national team.
In March 🔔 2004, he was named by Pelé as one of the top 125 greatest living footballers.
His brother Michael Rummenigge was also 🔔 a noteworthy footballer. He played as forward for Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund from 1982 to 1988 and 1988 to 🔔 1994, respectively. He also represented Germany on two occasions between 1983 and 1986.
Rummenigge and his wife Martina have three sons 🔔 and two daughters born between 1980 and 1991.[8]
Rummenigge supports ending the 50+1 rule.[9]
Career statistics [ edit ]
Club [ edit ]
Appearances 🔔 and goals by club, season and competition[10][11][12][13] Club Season League Cup[a] Continental[b] Other[c] Total Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps 🔔 Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Bayern Munich 1974–75 Bundesliga 21 5 3 1 4 0 — 28 6 1975–76 32 🔔 8 7 2 9 3 2 0 50 13 1976–77 31 12 5 2 6 1 4 0 46 15 🔔 1977–78 29 8 3 0 6 6 — 38 14 1978–79 34 14 2 0 — 36 14 1979–80 34 🔔 26 3 5 10 5 47 36 1980–81 34 29 3 4 8 6 45 39 1981–82 32 14 7 🔔 7 9 6 48 27 1982–83 34 20 2 0 6 1 42 21 1983–84 29 26 7 4 6 🔔 2 42 32 Total 310 162 42 25 64 30 6 0 422 217 Inter Milan 1984–85 Serie A 26 🔔 8 9 5 9 5 — 44 18 1985–86 24 13 6 2 9 3 39 18 1986–87 14 3 🔔 5 2 5 1 24 6 Total 64 24 20 9 23 9 — 107 42 Servette 1987–88 Super League 🔔 28 10 — — 28 10 1988–89 32 24 4 0 36 24 Total 60 34 4 0 — 64 🔔 34 Career total 434 220 62 34 91 39 6 0 593 293
International [ edit ]
Appearances and goals by national 🔔 team and year[14] National team Year Apps Goals Germany 1976 2 0 1977 6 1 1978 12 4 1979 8 🔔 5 1980 10 4 1981 11 9 1982 13 9 1983 10 8 1984 8 1 1985 6 3 1986 🔔 9 1 Total 95 45
Scores and results list West Germany's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Rummenigge 🔔 goal.
Honours [ edit ]
Rummenigge in 1982
Bayern Munich
West Germany
Individual
Notes [ edit ]
