1. Rainer Bonhof was born on 29 March 1952 and is a German former professional footballer, who played as a defensive midfielder or wing-back.
27 Facts About Rainer Bonhof
1. 2.
Rainer Bonhof was known for his occasional bursts upfield and his fierce shot.
3.
Rainer Bonhof was a key player for the 1974 West Germany national team that won the World Cup.
4.
Rainer Bonhof was part of the highly successful Borussia Monchengladbach side of the 1970s, winning numerous Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, and UEFA Cup titles.
5.
Rainer Bonhof was widely recognized as having one of the game's hardest free-kicks as well as long and precise throw-ins.
6.
Rainer Bonhof scored 14 goals in European cup competitions and amassed 57 goals in the West German top-flight.
7.
Rainer Bonhof was awarded the ARD Goal of the Month on three occasions, twice for free-kicks and once for a 30-metre strike.
8.
On 18 October 1969, Rainer Bonhof played his first international junior match for West Germany in Geleen against the Netherlands, a match that ended 1:1.
9.
Rainer Bonhof won the first of his 53 senior caps in 1972.
10.
Rainer Bonhof's penetrating run into the opposition penalty area and pass to Gerd Muller led to the winning goal in that game.
11.
Rainer Bonhof was a fixture in the West Germany national team from that World Cup onward.
12.
Rainer Bonhof was regarded one of the best players in the 1976 European Championship, assisting for four of the six West German goals in the semi-final and final.
13.
Rainer Bonhof continued to play an important role in the national team following his transfer to Valencia.
14.
Rainer Bonhof's move and that of Uli Stielike prompted the DFB to remove their ban on selecting foreign based players for the national team.
15.
Rainer Bonhof played a role in qualifying for the 1980 European Championships and was selected for the squad, but injuries kept him from making an appearance during the West German victory.
16.
Between 1980 and 2012 Rainer Bonhof was the only player to have won the European Championships twice, although he did not play a single game in either the 1972 or 1980 tournaments.
17.
Rainer Bonhof remains the most decorated player in the history of the European Championships, with two gold medals and one silver.
18.
Rainer Bonhof's fear was to prove justified, as during the spring of 1978 Clemence was beaten twice by Bonhof from nearly identical locations at both club and international level.
19.
Rainer Bonhof's playing career was abruptly ended by an ankle injury in 1983.
20.
Rainer Bonhof went on to coach several teams after receiving his formal license in 1988.
21.
Rainer Bonhof was coach of Borussia Moenchengladbach in the late 1990s, but the team was relegated from the Bundesliga.
22.
Rainer Bonhof was appointed manager of the Scotland under-21 team in 2002, joining the Scotland national team setup some months after countryman Berti Vogts had been appointed Scotland manager.
23.
Rainer Bonhof was the first full-time manager of the Scotland under-21 team.
24.
Rainer Bonhof continued as Scotland under-21 manager after Vogts resigned as national team manager in November 2004, but resigned in November 2005 after the team went on a run of 14 games without a victory.
25.
Rainer Bonhof had helped Darren Fletcher and James McFadden progress to the full national team.
26.
On 1 September 2006, Rainer Bonhof signed a contract with recent FA Premier League winners Chelsea to become their scout for the scopes of Germany and Austria.
27.
The deal between Chelsea FC and Rainer Bonhof ended because of the club's high debts.