FC Schalke 04 Greatest All-Time Team
 |
| UEFA Cup in 1997 |
Please also see my All-Time World Cup Team Index.
This is my selection of a 25 member all-time team for the club. The number 25 was chosen because it is the official squad size for the Champions' League.
Founded in 1904, Schalke has won seven German championships, five DFB-Pokals, one DFL-Supercup and one UEFA Cup(1997). The "04" in the club's name derives from its formation in 1904. Schalke has long been one of the most popular professional football teams and multi-sports club in Germany
Team
GK: Manuel Neuer (Germany)
H established Germany's number 1 before the WC Finals in 2010. He helped Germany winning their 4th WC in 2014. He started with Schalke 04, but moved to rival Bayern Munich in 2010. He is the second most expensive keeper of all-time.
GK: Jens Lehmann (Germany)
He was voted UEFA Club Goalkeeper of the Year for the 1996–97 and 2005–06 seasons, and was selected for three World Cup squads. He was a member of Arsenal's Invincibles, playing every match of their famous unbeaten title winning season. He also holds the UEFA Champions League record for the most consecutive clean sheets, having not conceded a goal in 10 matches whilst at Arsenal.
GK: Norbert Nigbur (Germany)
Nigbur joined FC Schalke 04, from tiny SV Gelsenkirchen 06 in 1966, playing 456 matches in the Bundesliga for Schalke and Hertha BSC in between 1966 and 1983. His biggest success on club level was the DFB-Pokal trophy with hometown side Schalke 04 in 1972. In the 1980s, Nigbur played for teams as VfB Hüls, Rot-Weiss Essen and FC Luthenberg outside the top two German divisions. He was capped on six occasions by West Germany, and was a member of the West German squad at the 1974 FIFA World Cup
RB: Hans Nowak (Germany)
While playing for FC Bayern Munich, he won the Cup Winners' Cup in 1967. Nowak became notable for being the first attacking Fullback in German football. Between September 1961 and November 1964, Nowak was the standard right back of West Germany, starting in 15 out of 20 international games during that period.
RB: Yves Eigenrauch (Germany)
Eigenrauch was born in Minden, North Rhine-Westphalia. After beginning his career with Arminia Bielefeld, he went on to spend twelve years with FC Schalke 04, being regularly used during nine of his first ten. He contributed with eight games in the club's victorious run in the UEFA Cup in 1996–97.
SW: Klaus Fichtel (Germany)
He began his career with FC Schalke 04 and after four years with SV Werder Bremen he returned to Schalke. In total he played 552 games (14 goals) in the Bundesliga. Fichtel won 23 caps with West Germany in between 1967 and 1971. He was part of the West German squad at the 1970 FIFA World Cup, playing in five matches during the tournament.
CB: Rolf Rüssmann (Germany)
He played for FC Schalke 04, Club Brugge and Borussia Dortmund. Infamously, he was linked to a match fixing scandal with Schalke and fined for it. The scandal limited him to 20 caps. He played in the WC in 1978.
CB: Willi Schulz (Germany)
He was one of the best center-backs in the world during the 1960's. He started as the sweeper in the 1966 WC Finals. He went to Mexico 1970, but was injured. He played for Hamburger and Schalke 04.
CB: Tomasz Waldoch (Poland)
Waldoch has played for Górnik Zabrze, VfL Bochum, Schalke 04 and Jagiellonia Białystok. He played for the Polish national team, for which he earned 74 caps. Wałdoch was a participant at the 1992 Summer Olympics, where Poland won the silver medal,[1] and was the captain of the Polish team for the 2002 World Cup.
CB: Marcelo Bordon (Brazil)
Between 2004 and July 2010 he played for Bundesliga side Schalke 04.[ He joined the club for a €2.6 million transfer fee from VfB Stuttgart. There, he formed a formidable central defence alongside Mladen Krstajić that earned him the role as team captain from the 2006–07 season until the summer of 2010. Although not a regular for the Brazilian national side, he was part of the team that won the 2004 Copa América.
LB: Helmut Kremers (Germany)
Helmut Kremers won his first of two DFB-Pokal trophies with then lower league side Kickers Offenbach in 1970. In 1972, he had joined FC Schalke 04 together with his twin brother Erwin in 1971, he was able to lift the trophy for a second time. Copped 8 times, Kremers was part of the 1974 FIFA World Cup winning squad.
CM: Olaf Thon (Germany)
Known for his career with Schalke 04 and Bayern Munich, he won the UEFA Cup in 1997. Capped 52 times, he won the WC in 1990. He also played in Euro 1988 and the WC in 1998.
CM: Herbert Burdenski (Germany)
Burdenski began his football career with the Erle 08 in Gelsenkirchen. In 1935 he was discovered playing in the local school championships by Ernst Kuzorra, who signed him to FC Schalke 04. There he became part of the Schalker team, achieving both the 1940 and 1942 the German championship.
 |
| Manuel Neuer |
He was voted UEFA Club Goalkeeper of the Year for the 1996–97 and 2005–06 seasons, and was selected for three World Cup squads. He was a member of Arsenal's Invincibles, playing every match of their famous unbeaten title winning season. He also holds the UEFA Champions League record for the most consecutive clean sheets, having not conceded a goal in 10 matches whilst at Arsenal.
GK: Norbert Nigbur (Germany)
Nigbur joined FC Schalke 04, from tiny SV Gelsenkirchen 06 in 1966, playing 456 matches in the Bundesliga for Schalke and Hertha BSC in between 1966 and 1983. His biggest success on club level was the DFB-Pokal trophy with hometown side Schalke 04 in 1972. In the 1980s, Nigbur played for teams as VfB Hüls, Rot-Weiss Essen and FC Luthenberg outside the top two German divisions. He was capped on six occasions by West Germany, and was a member of the West German squad at the 1974 FIFA World Cup
RB: Hans Nowak (Germany)
While playing for FC Bayern Munich, he won the Cup Winners' Cup in 1967. Nowak became notable for being the first attacking Fullback in German football. Between September 1961 and November 1964, Nowak was the standard right back of West Germany, starting in 15 out of 20 international games during that period.
RB: Yves Eigenrauch (Germany)
Eigenrauch was born in Minden, North Rhine-Westphalia. After beginning his career with Arminia Bielefeld, he went on to spend twelve years with FC Schalke 04, being regularly used during nine of his first ten. He contributed with eight games in the club's victorious run in the UEFA Cup in 1996–97.
SW: Klaus Fichtel (Germany)
He began his career with FC Schalke 04 and after four years with SV Werder Bremen he returned to Schalke. In total he played 552 games (14 goals) in the Bundesliga. Fichtel won 23 caps with West Germany in between 1967 and 1971. He was part of the West German squad at the 1970 FIFA World Cup, playing in five matches during the tournament.
 |
| Klaus Fichtel |
CB: Rolf Rüssmann (Germany)
He played for FC Schalke 04, Club Brugge and Borussia Dortmund. Infamously, he was linked to a match fixing scandal with Schalke and fined for it. The scandal limited him to 20 caps. He played in the WC in 1978.
CB: Willi Schulz (Germany)
He was one of the best center-backs in the world during the 1960's. He started as the sweeper in the 1966 WC Finals. He went to Mexico 1970, but was injured. He played for Hamburger and Schalke 04.
CB: Tomasz Waldoch (Poland)
Waldoch has played for Górnik Zabrze, VfL Bochum, Schalke 04 and Jagiellonia Białystok. He played for the Polish national team, for which he earned 74 caps. Wałdoch was a participant at the 1992 Summer Olympics, where Poland won the silver medal,[1] and was the captain of the Polish team for the 2002 World Cup.
 |
| Tomaz Waldoch |
CB: Marcelo Bordon (Brazil)
Between 2004 and July 2010 he played for Bundesliga side Schalke 04.[ He joined the club for a €2.6 million transfer fee from VfB Stuttgart. There, he formed a formidable central defence alongside Mladen Krstajić that earned him the role as team captain from the 2006–07 season until the summer of 2010. Although not a regular for the Brazilian national side, he was part of the team that won the 2004 Copa América.
LB: Helmut Kremers (Germany)
Helmut Kremers won his first of two DFB-Pokal trophies with then lower league side Kickers Offenbach in 1970. In 1972, he had joined FC Schalke 04 together with his twin brother Erwin in 1971, he was able to lift the trophy for a second time. Copped 8 times, Kremers was part of the 1974 FIFA World Cup winning squad.
CM: Olaf Thon (Germany)
Known for his career with Schalke 04 and Bayern Munich, he won the UEFA Cup in 1997. Capped 52 times, he won the WC in 1990. He also played in Euro 1988 and the WC in 1998.
 |
| Olaf Thon |
CM: Herbert Burdenski (Germany)
Burdenski began his football career with the Erle 08 in Gelsenkirchen. In 1935 he was discovered playing in the local school championships by Ernst Kuzorra, who signed him to FC Schalke 04. There he became part of the Schalker team, achieving both the 1940 and 1942 the German championship.
CM: Fritz Szepan (Germany)
Szepan is one of Germany's greatest midfielder. He played in 1934 and 1938 WC Finals. He played his entire career with Schalke 04. He was voted as the club's greatest ever player.
RW: Stan Libuda (Germany)
Libuda played for FC Schalke 04 from 1961 until 1976 with two interruptions: from 1965 until 1968 he played for Borussia Dortmund, and 1972–73 for RC Strasbourg. He was a major factor in Borussia Dortmund's 1966 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup championship. He scored the final goal against Liverpool F.C. to earn a 2–1 extra time victory for Dortmund. Capped 26 times, he was a part of the team that finished third in the 1970 FIFA World Cup.
 |
| Stan Libuda |
LM: Manfred Kreuz (Germany)
As a player of FC Schalke 04, he played 135 league matches (42 goals) from 1956 to 1963 in the Oberliga West and from 1963 to 1968 in the Bundesliga, He played more than 83 league games with 16 goals. In 1958 he won the German football league with Schalke 04th
AM: Heinz Kördell (Germany)
In 1956, he joined the Schalke team from SpVgg Röhlinghausen. and won the German championship in 1958. For six years, he played at Schalke, before joining Schwarz-Weiß Essen in 1962. In German Oberliga West (then the highest division in German football) he scored 19 goals in 103 matches. Capped once.
FW: Marc Wilmots (Belgium)
He went to 4 WC Finals(1990, 1994, 1998, 2002), scoring 5 goals for Belgium. He won the 1996 UEFA Cup with Schalke 04. He played for Sint-Truiden, Mechelen and Standard Liège.
 |
| Marc Wilmots |
FW: Hermann Eppenhoff (Germany)
The forward was a member of FC Schalke 04 squad, which won the German Championship in the years 1939, 1940 and 1942. He also won three caps with Die Mannschaft, the German national team.
ST: Klaus Fischer (Germany)
He 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 ban. Capped 45 times for West Germany. He also scored a famous bicycle kick goal in extra time in the 1982 World Cup semi-finals against France.
 |
| Klaus Fischer |
ST: Rüdiger Abramczik (Germany)
Best remembered for his career with Schalke 04. He also played with Borussia Dortmund. Capped 19 times. He went to the 1978 WC Finals in Argentina.
ST: Bernhard Klodt (Germany)
Between 1950 and 1959, he played 19 times and scored three goals for the Germany national football team. He was part of the 1954 FIFA World Cup-winning squad, and also played in the 1958 FIFA World Cup. For his club career, he played for FC Schalke 04. He died in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. He debuted in the senior team on 14 March 1943 at the age of 16, when FC Schalke 04 beat VfL Bochum by 10–1.
ST: Ernst Kuzorra (Germany)
During his entire career, he played for Schalke 04, whom he led to six national championships and one national cup. He is commonly regarded as the greatest Schalke player of all time alongside Fritz Szepan. A highly athletic, technical and prolific forward, Kuzorra is also commonly regarded as one of the greatest German forwards. Capped 12 times.
 |
| Fritz Szepan und Ernst Kuzorra |
ST: Ebbe Sand (Denmark)
He played as a striker for Brøndby IF in Denmark and FC Schalke 04 in Germany. He was the German Bundesliga top scorer in 2001, and he won the DFB-Pokal in 2001 and 2002 with Schalke. He represented the Denmark national football team at the 1998 and 2002 FIFA World Cup, as well as the 2000 and 2004 European Championships. At the 1998 World Cup, he scored the fastest-ever World Cup goal by a substitute – 16 seconds after entering the match.
ST: Raul (Spain)
He was probably the best Spanish player in the late 1990's. He won 3 Champions' League trophies with Real Madrid in 1998, 2000 and 2002. He moved to Germany in 2010 and played with Schalke 04 He is the fourth highest goal scorer in the history of La Liga with 228 goals.
 |
| Raul |
Honorable Mention
Bernard Dietz, Adolf Urban, Hans Klodt, Ingo Anderbrügge, Ernst Kalwitzki, Jiří Němec.
Squad Explanation
-- Mesut Özil left the club too early to be considerd.
 |
| 1958 League Champion |
Formation
Post a Comment