Rainer bonhof biography sample

Rainer Bonhof

Bonhof, a midfielder, was part of the highly successful Borussia Mönchengladbach side of the 1970s winning numerous Bundesliga, German Cup and UEFA Cup titles. Scotland lost in the playoffs on aggregate to Croatia.

He worked as an assistant coach for several German clubs before receiving an invitation from his former teammate Berti Vogts to join the national team coaching staff.

Bonhof was the first full-time manager of the Scotland under-21 team. From 1990 to 1998, Bonhof assisted Vogts in player selection for the national team.

After Vogts stepped down as head coach, Bonhof returned to his struggling hometown club Borussia Monchengladbach. Read more on Wikipedia

His biography is available in 36 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 35 in 2024).

Former Liverpool goalkeeper, Ray Clemence, in 1977 following a European Cup tie between the Reds and Borussia Mönchengladbach, admitted he feared Bonhof's shots and apparently with good reason. After him are Manfred Kaltz (1953), Joachim Streich (1951), Hans-Peter Briegel (1955), Klaus Augenthaler (1957), Bodo Illgner (1967), and Jürgen Sparwasser (1948).

German born Soccer Players

Go to all Rankings

1. Biography of Rainer Bonhof
2. Early Career
3. National Team Success
4. 1974 World Cup
5. Club Career
6. Later Career and Coaching

Biography of Rainer Bonhof

Rainer Bonhof was a German football player who was known for his skills as a versatile midfielder with a powerful shot.

He was born on March 29, 1952, in Emmerich, Germany.

Early Career

Bonhof's talent as a footballer was evident from a young age. He scored 14 goals in European cup competitions and amassed 57 goals in the West German top-flight.

He won his first of 53 caps in 1972. Bonhof became (at that time) Germany's youngest World Champion on 7 July 1974 following his team's 2–1 win over the Netherlands in Munich's Olympiastadion at the 1974 FIFA World Cup.

Bonhof assisted Gerd Müller's winning goal. However, Bonhof did not play a significant role in the tournament. Before him are Agne Simonsson, Ian Rush, Hugo Meisl, Viliam Schrojf, Pedro Rocha, and Predrag Mijatović. Bonhof's consistency and talent earned him a permanent place in the national team, although injuries occasionally prevented him from playing.

Later Career and Coaching

In 1980, Bonhof retired from professional football and pursued a career in coaching.

His move and that of Uli Stielike prompted the DFB to remove their ban on selecting foreign based players for the national team. However, disagreements with Vogts, who had become the club's director, led to the team's relegation from the Bundesliga.

Bonhof eventually left the club, acknowledging his inability to save them from relegation.

He was appointed manager of the Scotland under-21 team in 2002, joining the Scotland national team setup some months after countryman Berti Vogts has been appointed Scotland manager. He received his formal license in 1988, and has coached several teams. It was not until two years later that he truly made his mark on the international stage.

1974 World Cup

Bonhof was included in the squad for the 1974 FIFA World Cup.

Although he did not feature in the early group stage matches, he seized his opportunity in the later stages of the tournament. He still remains the most decorated player in the history of the European Championships with two gold and one silver medal.

His playing career was abruptly ended by an ankle joint injury in 1983.

Bonhof went on to coach.