Klaus Fischer

Klaus Fischer (born 27 December 1949) is a German former footballer and coach. He was a key player on the West Germany team that lost the 1982 World Cup final to Italy. As a striker, he was noted for his bicycle kicks, and scored a spectacular overhead kick equalizer in extra-time of a 1982 World Cup semi-final against France.

Klaus Fischer

Klaus Fischer in 2013
Personal information
Full name	Klaus Fischer
Date of birth	27 December 1949
Place of birth	Kreuzstraßl, West Germany
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)	Forward
Youth career
1958–1961	SC Kreuzstraßl
1961–1968	SC Zwiesel
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1968–1970	TSV 1860 München	60	(28)
1970–1981	FC Schalke 04	295	(182)
1981–1984	1. FC Köln	96	(31)
1984–1988	VfL Bochum	84	(27)
Total		535	(268)
National team
1971	West Germany U-23	2	(2)
1977–1982	West Germany	45	(32)
Teams managed
1988–1989	VfL Bochum (assistant)
1989–1992	FC Schalke 04 (assistant)
1990	→ FC Schalke 04 (interim)
1992	→ FC Schalke 04 (interim)
1992–1995	FC Schalke 04 II
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Club career

Fischer was born in Kreuzstraßl, near Lindberg (Bayerischer Wald) in the district of Regen.

He moved from SC Zwiesel to TSV 1860 München in 1968 and made 535 Bundesliga appearances for TSV 1860 München, FC Schalke 04, 1. FC Köln and VfL Bochum. With Schalke 04 he won the German Cup in 1972. Schalke 04 were one of the clubs involved in a bribery scandal in season 1970–71 of the Bundesliga. As one of the players involved, Fischer initially received a ban for life, but this punishment was later reduced to a one-year league ban and a five-year ban from national team eligibility.

In 1976, he was top scorer in the Bundesliga. With 268 goals he ranks second to Gerd Müller on the list of all-time top Bundesliga goalscorers. In 1988 Fischer's club side VfL Bochum made it to the German Cup Final, but Fischer did not feature in the final match. Klaus Fischer ended his career in 1988.[1]

His 182 league goals for Schalke 04 remain a club record.[2]

International career

Fischer made 45 appearances for the Germany national football team from 1977 to 1982, scoring 32 goals (eight headers and 24 with his feet, including two bicycle kicks). He appeared in two World Cups and was a World Cup runner-up in Spain in 1982.[3]

Fischer was known particularly for his bicycle kicks, often set up for him by Rüdiger Abramczik. His goal from a bicycle kick in a 4–1 win in a 1977 international match against Switzerland was selected as the Goal of the Year by German television viewers. It would later be voted Goal of the Decade and Goal of the Century. He also scored a famous bicycle kick equalizer in extra time in a 1982 World Cup semi-final against France, which West Germany went on to win on penalties.

Coaching career

Fischer currently runs a football training school.[4]

Career statistics

Club

Ref.[5]

Club	Season	League			Cup		Europe		League Cup		Total
		League	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
1860 Munich	1968–69	Bundesliga	26	9	1	0	2	0	—		29	9
	1969–70		34	19	0	0	2	2	—		36	21
	Totals		60	28	1	0	4	2	—		65	30
Schalke 04	1969–70	Bundesliga	0	0	2	0	—		—		2	0
	1970–71		34	15	5	1	—		—		39	16
	1971–72		29	22	9	7	—		—		38	29
	1972–73		0	0	0	0	1	1	6	3	7	4
	1973–74		25	21	1	1	—		—		26	22
	1974–75		33	17	3	3	—		—		36	20
	1975–76		34	29	3	3	—		—		37	32
	1976–77		31	24	3	4	5	6	—		39	34
	1977–78		32	20	6	7	3	0	—		41	27
	1978–79		34	21	3	4	—		—		37	25
	1979–80		26	7	4	4	—		—		30	11
	1980–81		17	6	0	0	—		—		17	6
	Totals		295	182	39	34	9	7	6	3	349	226
1. FC Köln	1981–82	Bundesliga	31	7	1	0	—		—		32	7
	1982–83		32	12	6	5	5	3	—		43	20
	1983–84		33	12	3	5	4	2	—		40	19
	Totals		96	31	10	10	9	5	—		115	46
VfL Bochum	1984–85	Bundesliga	34	16	3	0	—		—		37	16
	1985–86		27	8	4	0	—		—		31	8
	1986–87		11	3	0	0	—		—		11	3
	1987–88		12	0	3	2	—		—		15	2
	Totals		84	27	10	2	—		—		94	29
Career totals			535	268	60	46	22	14	6	3	623	331

International

Ref.[6]

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Germany	1977	9	11
	1978	11	1
	1979	6	5
	1980	1	2
	1981	8	9
	1982	10	4
Total		45	32

Honours

Club

Schalke 04

• DFB-Pokal: 1971–72

1. FC Köln

• DFB-Pokal: 1982–83

International

West Germany

• FIFA World Cup runner-up: 1982

Individual

• Bundesliga top scorer: 1975–76 (29 goals)
• Goal of the Year (Germany): 1977[7]
• Goal of the Decade (Germany)[7]
• Goal of the Century (Germany)[7]
• kicker Bundesliga Team of the Season: 1984–85[8]

References

1. "Klaus Fischer: "Mr. Fallrückzieher" wird 60" [Klaus Fischer: "Mr. Bicycle Kick" is 60] (in German). reviersport.de. 26 December 2009. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
2. "Klaus Fischer turns 70 – "Mr. Bicycle Kick still knows where the goal is"". Schalke 04. 27 December 2019.
3. Klaus Fischer – FIFA competition record
4. "Fußball: Klaus Fischer und kleine Kicker-Träume" (in German). derwesten.de.de. 25 December 2009. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
5. "Klaus Fischer » Club matches". WorldFootball.
6. "Klaus Fischer - Goals in International Matches". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation.
7. "November 1977 - Fischer" (in German). Sportschau. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
8. "Bundesliga Historie 1984/85" (in German). kicker.