38 Facts About Philipp Lahm

Philipp Lahm is a German former professional footballer who played as a full-back.

Philipp Lahm is a former captain of his national team, which he led to win the 2014 FIFA World Cup, before retiring from international football.

Philipp Lahm was included in the World Cup team of the tournament in 2006,2010, and 2014, and the UEFA Team of the Tournament in 2008 and 2012 and in the UEFA Team of the Year 2006,2008,2012,2013 and 2014.

Philipp Lahm developed into a professional football player within the Bayern Munich Junior Team.

Up to this point Philipp Lahm played as a defensive midfielder, right midfielder or right full-back.

Philipp Lahm was originally signed as a back-up for Andreas Hinkel, who played as right back, but coach Felix Magath moved him to the left back position, on which he toppled the German international Heiko Gerber.

Philipp Lahm made his first professional start as a left back on the fourth matchday as a 63rd-minute substitute for Gerber and his first game over the full 90 minutes followed on the sixth matchday against Borussia Dortmund.

On 29 September 2003, Philipp Lahm made his first Champions League appearance as a starter against Manchester United.

In January 2005, Philipp Lahm suffered a stress-fracture in his right foot and was thus sidelined for four months, making his comeback on 9 April 2005, against FC Schalke 04.

Philipp Lahm returned to the field at the end of November, playing twice for the B team and thereafter making his first professional Bundesliga appearance for Bayern in November 2005 against Arminia Bielefeld.

On 8 November 2009, Philipp Lahm was given the highest fine in the history of Bayern Munich to date after giving an unauthorised interview in the Suddeutsche Zeitung.

Philipp Lahm criticised the transfer policy of the club and the lack of game philosophy and strategic planning.

Philipp Lahm was chosen as vice-captain by Van Gaal, and played full-time in all of Bayern's competitive matches apart from the first-round game in the DFB-Pokal.

On 19 May 2012, Philipp Lahm captained Bayern in the 2012 UEFA Champions League Final against Chelsea at the Allianz Arena.

Philipp Lahm scored the team's first penalty in the shootout but Bayern finished as runner-up for the second time in three seasons.

In June 2014, Philipp Lahm signed a new contract keeping him at Bayern until 2018.

Philipp Lahm equaled Kahn's record "in Germany" of 103 matches on 13 April 2016.

Philipp Lahm had rejected an offer from the club to become a sporting director.

Philipp Lahm entered Bayern Munich's Hall of Fame on 27 May 2017; he won eight Bundesliga titles and the Champions League while playing for the club.

Philipp Lahm started his international career in the U19 national team.

Philipp Lahm was part of Germany's team in UEFA Euro 2004 in Portugal and played full 90 minutes in all three games.

Philipp Lahm missed more than a year of international football between January 2005 and March 2006 due to injuries, including the 2005 Confederations Cup, but after his recovery he immediately made it back to the starting line-up.

Philipp Lahm scored the first goal in the opening game of the World Cup in Germany against Costa Rica in the sixth minute, cutting inside the area and launching a right foot shot into the top-right corner of the net.

Philipp Lahm was awarded Man of the Match for his performance in the second group game against Poland.

Philipp Lahm was the only German player to play the complete 690 minutes of the World Cup and was elected to the All Star Team of the tournament.

Philipp Lahm started the tournament as a right back but replaced the under-performing Jansen as left back midway through the second game.

Philipp Lahm described this as the most important goal of his career and although he was elected Man of the Match, he himself did not consider this as well-deserved.

Philipp Lahm was ever present during Germany's 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign and was the only player to play every single minute.

Captain Philipp Lahm's solid defending helped Germany win all ten qualification matches for UEFA Euro 2012, and he provided one assist each for Mesut Ozil and Mario Gomez.

Philipp Lahm was an ever-present in the German defence that attracted praise from a variety of sources.

On 11 July 2014, Philipp Lahm was named on the 10-man shortlist for FIFA's Golden Ball award for the tournament's best player.

On 8 December 2017, Philipp Lahm was named honorary ambassador for Germany's bid to host the UEFA Euro 2024.

Philipp Lahm was a UEFA Euro 2020 ambassador and later became the tournament director for UEFA Euro 2024.

Philipp Lahm is known as a private person who maintains a low-profile outside of football; his best friend Andreas Ottl was the only footballer present at his wedding to Claudia Schattenberg.

Lahm has established a foundation, Philipp Lahm-Stiftung, to support underprivileged children and is an official ambassador representing "FIFA for SOS Children's Villages".

Philipp Lahm has taken part in a campaign against speeding and various others such as Bundnis fur Kinder, a campaign against child abuse.

Philipp Lahm was awarded a Tolerantia-Preis on 20 September 2008, due to his outstanding contribution against intolerance and homophobia in sports, particularly in football.

Philipp Lahm stated that it's a "pity that being gay in football is still a taboo subject" and he would have no problem with a homosexual teammate and is "not afraid of homosexuals".