German · Göppingen, Germany · Born 30 July 1964German footballer and manager who won the 1990 World Cup and 1996 European Championship as a player, later managed Germany to third place at 2006 World Cup
Jürgen Klinsmann was born on 30 July 1964 in Göppingen, in the Swabian region of West Germany, to Siegfried and Martha Klinsmann. His father was a master baker, and the family later moved to Stuttgart when Jürgen was 14 after Siegfried opened his own bakery in the city's Botnang district — earning the young Klinsmann the affectionate nickname "the baker's son from Botnang." He began playing organised football at eight with local club TB Gingen before joining Stuttgarter Kickers' youth ranks, though his parents insisted he first complete his formal apprenticeship as a baker, which he finished in 1982 before turning fully professional. Klinsmann broke through with VfB Stuttgart, finishing as the Bundesliga's top scorer in 1987–88 and earning his first West Germany caps that year. He went on to play for some of Europe's biggest clubs — Inter Milan, Monaco, Tottenham Hotspur, and Bayern Munich — winning the UEFA Cup with both Inter in 1991 and Bayern in 1996, and was voted German Footballer of the Year in 1994 and 1998, plus English Footballer of the Year in 1995 during his time at Tottenham. Internationally, Klinsmann was central to two of West Germany's greatest triumphs: the 1990 World Cup, won in Italy, and the 1996 European Championship, won on English soil. He finished his international career with 47 goals for his country, the fourth-highest total in German football history. After retiring from playing in 1998, he briefly returned to action in 2003 under the pseudonym "Jay Göppingen" for an American semi-professional club, scoring five goals in eight games purely for enjoyment of the game. Klinsmann transitioned into management, leading Germany to a third-place finish at the 2006 World Cup on home soil with a brand of attacking, high-energy football that reshaped the national team's identity for a generation. He went on to manage Bayern Munich, the United States national team from 2011 to 2016, Hertha BSC, and South Korea, continuing to be a prominent voice in world football well into his sixties.
Winning the 1990 World Cup and 1996 European Championship with Germany
How They Played
Clinical finisher with excellent movement in the box and strong aerial ability
Lasting Impact
One of Germany's greatest strikers who became a successful international manager
Career Honours
- FIFA World Cup 1990 (Germany)
- UEFA European Championship 1996 (Germany)
- UEFA Cup 1996 (Bayern Munich)
- Bundesliga (VfB Stuttgart)
- Ligue 1 (Monaco)
- Managed Germany to 3rd place World Cup 2006
- FIFA World Cup 1990
- UEFA European Championship 1996
- UEFA Cup 1996
| Club | Period | Fee | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stuttgarter Kickers | 1981–1984 | — | 61 | 22 |
| VfB Stuttgart | 1984–1989 | — | 156 | 79 |
| Inter Milan | 1989–1992 | — | 95 | 34 |
| Monaco | 1992–1994 | — | 65 | 29 |
| Tottenham Hotspur | 1994–1995 | — | 41 | 20 |
| Bayern Munich | 1995–1997 | — | 65 | 31 |
| Sampdoria | 1997–1998 | — | 8 | 2 |
| Tottenham Hotspur | 1997–1998 | loan | 15 | 9 |
| Orange County Blue Star | 2003–2003 | — | 8 | 5 |
 Germany | — | — | 108 | 47 |
German Athletes