Thomas Hessler: one of the legends of German soccer, what was the magnificence of his career?
Hessler, a former German international, was not only a member of the 1990 World Cup winners, but also a winner of the 1996 European Nations Cup. His all-round performance allowed him to move around the field with ease, attacking and defending despite his small stature.
Hessler began his career at FC Berlin before moving to Cologne in 1983, contributing 17 goals in 149 league games. His career with the national team was also bright, as he was selected in 1988 and won the World Cup.
After the 1990 World Cup, he joined Juventus in Italy for a fee of 15 million marks, and although he moved to Roma after only one year, his influence was still huge.In 1994, Hessler returned to the Bundesliga, joining Karlsruhe, and helping to stabilize the team at the top of the Bundesliga.
Hessler's glory at Karlsruhe didn't last long, as he left in 1998 to play for the likes of Borussia Dortmund and Munich 1860 in the Bundesliga until he retired in 2003 with Austrian club Salzburg.
Despite fading out of the national team for a while after his retirement, Hessler's contribution to the national team is indelible, including winning the 1996 European Cup of Nations. After his retirement, he became assistant CEO of FC Köln.
Hessler's book of honors reads: World Cup winner (1990), European Championship winner (1996), German Player of the Year on several occasions, European Championship Player of the Year, and third place as FIFA World Footballer of the Year (1992).
Here's a full breakdown of Thomas Hessler, for more stats and stories on the German soccer legend, stay tuned to our website.
