Focus On; Berti Vogts

Bio:

Vogts joined the boys’ football team of local sports club VfR Büttgen in 1954, at the age of seven, staying with them until his transfer in 1965 to Borussia Mönchengladbach. A right back, his tenacity earned him the nickname “Der Terrier”.

He was one of the key players, along with Rainer Bonhof, Herbert Wimmer, Uli Stielike, Allan Simonsen and Jupp Heynckes, during Borussia’s golden years in the 1970s, when it won the Bundesliga five times, the German Cup once, and the UEFA Cup twice. Vogts also played in the 1977 European Cup Final defeat by Liverpool.

Vogts made 419 Bundesliga appearances for Mönchengladbach, scoring 32 times, and also appeared 64 times for the club in European competition, scoring eight goals. Vogts remained with Mönchengladbach, until he retired from playing in 1979.

Vogts (left) shadowing Johan Cruyff in the 1974 FIFA World Cup Final
Vogts played nine international boys’ games for West Germany, made three appearances for the under 23s team, and has 96 senior caps, making him one of Germany’s most capped players. He was captain for twenty of the senior games, scored one international goal and was also a member of the German national team that won the 1974 World Cup.

Nicknamed “Der Terrier” for always fighting for every ball as if it were his last, Vogts was a big favourite with his home crowd. Vogts famously marked, and subdued, Johan Cruyff, in the final of the 1974 World Cup in Munich, West Germany, won by West Germany 2–1.

During the match between West Germany and Austria on 21 June 1978, in the second round of the 1978 FIFA World Cup, he scored an own goal, allowing Austria to beat West Germany for the first time in 47 years, and preventing West Germany from moving on to the next round. In Austria, this match is fondly known as the Miracle of Córdoba.

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