What is Oliver Can doing now? Oliver Kahn - the legendary goalkeeper of German football

August 2, 2012, 14:11

Biographical data: Date of birth: June 15, 1969 (age 43) Place of birth: Karlsruhe, Germany Nationality: Germany Position: goalkeeper Height 188 Weight 91 Nickname: Football titan Oliver Rolf Kahn (German Oliver Rolf Kahn; June 15, 1969, Karlsruhe) - German football goalkeeper, three-time best goalkeeper in the world (1999, 2001, 2002), four-time best goalkeeper in Europe according to UEFA (1999, 2000, 2001, 2002) two-time the best player in Germany (2000, 2001), the six-time best goalkeeper of the Bundesliga (1994, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002), the best player and goalkeeper of the Mundial 2002. Considered one of the best goalkeepers in the world of the late XX - early XXI centuries. blondie))) In 1985-1994 he played for Karlsruhe (in the first team - since 1990, in the national team - since 1995), on July 1, 1994 he moved to Bayern Munich. In the final of the UEFA Champions League - 2001, in a match with Valencia, he saved three penalties, ensuring the victory of his team.
Named the best goalkeeper in the history of the World Cup in terms of the number of goals conceded (at the 2002 World Cup, Kahn conceded only three goals, one against Ireland at group stage and two in the final match against Brazil). In 2006, the record was broken by Gianluigi Buffon At the 2006 World Cup in Germany, he completed his participation in the national team, playing in the match for third place against the Portuguese national team.
On March 29, 2008, he took third place in terms of the number of matches played in the German championship, taking part in a meeting with Nuremberg (1: 1). The goalkeeper caught up with former Schalke 04 footballer Klaus Fichtel, who has 552 games. Only Manfred Kalz (581) and Karl-Heinz Kerbel (602) played more matches in the Bundesliga. At the end of the 2007/08 season, he retired. Once he almost strangled Andreas Herzog when it seemed to him that he did not play very diligently in defense. Kahn explains: “I know that it’s scary, but sometimes it scares me too. her aggression. Therefore, she sometimes comes out of me herself. Kahn's ferocious disposition also manifests itself beyond football field. He repeatedly got into various scandalous stories related to his family life or disagreements with the police. It is not surprising that the fans, and journalists, too, did not hesitate to call him "gorilla", "Neanderthal", "beast", "bulldog", "vampire" more than once. And, it should be noted, it was very suitable for his appearance. It happened that the fans of even his own Bayern team threw bananas at Oliver in mockery, shouting offensive words. Especially if Bayern were losing. Once, in order to tease the fans in return, Kang coolly caught one of the bananas, peeled it, ostentatiously ate it, and then showed the fans a rather obscene gesture. in some match he bit a football player in the face)))
On September 2, 2008, the Allianz Arena hosted farewell match, in which Kahn defended the gates of Bayern, which was opposed by the German national team. According to a preliminary agreement, in the 75th minute he was to be replaced by the new main goalkeeper of the club Rensing. At the 33rd minute, Trochowski brought the German national team forward - it was the last goal conceded in Kahn's career, and at the 51st minute Klose equalized. Exactly 75 minutes after the start of the match, Markus Merk stopped the match, and the goalkeeper left the field after the lap of honor, and after 3 minutes the meeting was completed ahead of schedule.
Kahn currently works as a TV presenter on one of the German TV channels and comments on the matches of the Bundesliga and the German national team. During his career, he played 34 matches for "zero" in European competition. He likes to play golf and participates in golf tournaments in his free time. Kan is strict about his image and does not allow his name to be used in computer games, such as football managers. Therefore, in games published in Germany, he appears under the name Jens Mustermann: the surname Mustermann (literally "model man") is often used in Germany on samples of certificates, filling out questionnaires, etc., and the name is provocative, since this is his name competitor for a place in the national team of Jens Lehmann. Kahn is dedicated to the song Olli Kahn, which was recorded by the German pop group Die Prinzen during the 2002 World Cup. Interesting fact: In training, before the 2006 match against Arminia, Bielefeld, Bayern's substitute goalkeeper, Rensing, kneaded Kahn with shots on goal. One of the balls hit Kan in the eye, while the eye was so badly swollen that Oliver could not enter the field. With Rensing in goal, Bayern won the match 2-0.
Oliver Kahn is currently single, his girlfriend is Verena Kert. From his first marriage he has two children: David and Katharina-Maria. With Verena
At the age of 17, Olever fell in love for the first time - seriously. At a disco, he met Simona. Simona decided to marry after 14 years together, before the birth of her daughter Katarina. son. In all interviews, Kahn said that the family was sacred to him. But the newspapers continued to throw mud at Olever. They looked for various details. And Simone could not stand this dirt and decided to get a divorce. With ex-wife Simona during the presentation of the cup (I don’t know which one)
When Simone was expecting her second child, Oliver began to openly appear in public with a new girlfriend - 21-year-old bartender of an elite club, Verena Kert. Simone did not tolerate this and put her husband out of the house. But a year later, Oliver returned to the family. Because, according to the goalkeeper himself, in 12 months away from the family, he lost control of his life. Largely because of this, Kahn began to miss too much. “I skip with or without reason. This can't help but worry. Therefore, I am increasingly thinking about leaving football, ”the goalkeeper complained to journalists and partners then. These words were published on the eve of the match between Germany and Scotland in the framework of qualifying tournament European Championship and caused outrage among the fans. Still would! Their main hope is not sure of themselves ... Then he “walked” along his former mistress. “Verena and I came to the realization that our relationship is not what we intended it to be. The life of a football pro leaves little room for everything else, and Verena is a young, spectacular woman, and she has needs that I am not able to satisfy, ”Oliver Kahn said at the time. Verena, however, also did not remain in debt and called Kahn in one of her interviews "a real psycho". However, on this moment they are together. Thank you for your attention))

In the homeland of the harsh Oliver Kahn is called Oli. Such an affectionate name for this football player sounds a bit strange, because he looks awesome, fans say. Not only is the German quite impressive in size (with a height of 188 cm, it weighs 91 kg), but also an ominous expression on his face due to malocclusion.

Kahn gained a reputation as a ruthless gambler. The fans of Bayern adored him, and the fans of other clubs hated him. The man heard a bunch of obscene chants behind him, even bananas were thrown at him because of the nickname Gorilla. During his career, the athlete has experienced many ups and downs, but he came out of all situations with his head held high.

Childhood and youth

The ingenious German goalkeeper was born in the city of Karlsruhe, located near the border of Germany and France. Father Rolf Kahn, also a former football player, fought as a midfielder in the local club of the same name. Later he took off the player's T-shirt, trying on the role of a coach of the younger generation. The mentor released a scattering of game stars on the grass, but his own son became the best.

Oliver Kahn today

Rolf forged from the heir to the goalkeeper. I thought that the players around the sea, but the goalkeeper is worth its weight in gold. When the boy was seven years old, his father, as an incentive, gave him the gloves of the legendary fellow countryman, goalkeeper Sepp Mayer.

Oliver, as a child, felt firsthand the cruelty of children. The boy was teased because of the malocclusion, preventing even normal conversation. Then the nicknames Gorilla, Bulldog, Pithecanthropus were attached.

Kan made a lot of efforts to smooth out the defect and make the speech understandable to others. Diction returned to normal, but the nicknames remained.

Oliver Kahn played in the youth team of the Karlsruhe club until the age of 17, and in 1990 he finally got into the starting lineup.

Football

In the main part of the FC, the young man was listed only as the third goalkeeper. But soon, showing off his natural talents, he became the second goalkeeper. Alexander Famulla was at the forefront at that time. The novice football player really wanted to take the place of a teammate, but he had to wait a bit. And fate smiled at the German: one day Famulla stumbled, having received a “vacation” for three matches, and Oliver got into the goal.

However, Kahn did not live up to expectations. The young man conceded four goals in the first game. In general, for the three matches during which he was entrusted with the goal, he allowed his opponents to score nine goals. A series of failures threatened the goalkeeper with departure from the team, miraculously remained, but spent a year on the reserve bench.

Hard training, the desire to prove that there is potential and ability, again brought the young man to the gate. And victories rained down on the team one after another. So much so that in 1993 Karlsruhe received a ticket to the UEFA Cup, where Oliver guarded the gate. At the same time, the goalkeeper, who had already become the main goalkeeper, was called up to the German national team.

The five-year plan flashed without Kahn's participation in the national team, the football player was kept in reserve. Only fought twice with the Georgians and the Swiss. The chance to stand at the gates of the national team received with the departure of Andreas Koepke.

Having performed well in the UEFA Cup, the German attracted the attention of eminent clubs - Bracelona and Juventus claimed. In 1994, Oliver Kahn agreed to a transfer to Bayern, the transfer amount was 5 million marks. Money for those times is astronomical. The first goalkeeper of the strongest German team was Raymond Aumann, whom Oliver managed to remove.

Bayern with Kahn immediately got the UEFA Cup. The next season, another major achievement is given - gold in the German Bundesliga. No one doubted the skill of the goalkeeper, the young man rapidly acquired an army of thousands of fans, Oliver was called the leader of the football club.

In 2001, he brought the club victory in the Champions League, reflecting the penalty three times at the end of the match with Valencia. These saves are among the highlights of Kahn's career that are circulating the web. The goalkeeper is also the owner of the prestigious Ballon d'Or award.

Oliver Kahn's best saves

Not without records in the biography of the German. In the spring of 2007, the Bayern goalkeeper set a new German championship record for the number of victorious matches for a single player. The Munich team defeated Bayer Leverkusen 2:1, the victory was Kahn's 292nd in the national championship.

The awards that the German won in the international arena were added to the team successes. Kan managed to become the silver medalist of the 2002 World Championship. The goalkeeper retired from the national team in 2006.

Along with the awards, the football player also acquired titles. At the beginning of the new millennium, he became the world's best goalkeeper three times, as well as best player Germany. Surpassed Oliver other goalkeepers and the number of goals conceded at the world championships. He took third place in the number of games in home championships - 552 matches.

European clubs fought for the goalkeeper, but Bayern did not want to part with the talented goalkeeper. Every time Oliver thought about a new offer, the management of his native club would certainly raise his salary.

In early autumn 2008, Kahn retired from football.

Games with Oliver Kahn are full of fights and funny cases. A football player could easily start a quarrel with an opponent or kick a colleague in the club. So, at one of Bayern's training sessions, the goalkeeper grabbed the player's neck for neglecting his football duties. And once, in a duel with the Belarusians, he bit his own midfielder. The victim later noted in an interview that he now knows how bulldogs bite, hinting at the nickname Kahn.

In 2001, grass fans made fun of the Bayern goalkeeper for scoring a goal with his hands. The fact is that Oliver dreamed at least once to send the ball into the opponent's goal. The opportunity presented itself in the game against Hansa. Kan forgot that he entered the field as a player, came into the opponent's penalty area and scored the ball with his hands. The referee did not count the goal and showed the goalkeeper yellow card.

Oliver Kahn's handball goal

Long years Kahn feuded with Jens Lehmann, who was asleep and saw himself as the No. 1 goalkeeper in the national team. And the footballer still waited for the finest hour. Oliver did not succeed in the 2004-2005 season, and Lehmann was put in the gate at the next World Championship.

This championship led to the reconciliation of enemies: after the quarter-final match with the Argentines, in which Lehmann "won" a penalty shoot-out, Kahn came up and congratulated Jens.

However, Oliver Kahn was remembered by fans and rivals as a person of empathy. A touching story happened in the 2001 Champions League final. Bayern played with Valencia. Opponent goalkeeper Santiago Cañizaresu's mother died during a match. The football player sank down on the grass and cried. Oliver hurried to the goalkeeper, whom he comforted with the words

"Kanyi, don't cry, your mom is looking at you now and she's really proud to have given life to the legendary goalkeeper, you."

After that, Santiago got up and continued to play.

Personal life

The personal life of a German is not stable. Oliver stubbornly sought the hand and heart of a former classmate named Simone for 14 years. As a result, in 1999 she became the wife of a goalkeeper. She got married pregnant. From this woman, Kan has two children - daughter Katharina and son David.

However, the exemplary head of the family did not turn out from a football player. Four years after the marriage, Oliver left his wife for a young waitress, Verena Kert. Moreover, the wife was carrying a second child and was about to give birth.

With Verena, who is 11 years younger, the athlete never went down the aisle, he just lived under the same roof. Later, the girl decided to renew her relationship with her former lover, the young Greek Alexander. And Oliver returned to the family. But the former feelings could not be returned, the couple broke up completely.

However, the footballer did not remain alone - in 2011 he married again. The chosen one was a woman named Svenzha.

Kan is the author of two books. In 2004, the publication “Number One” was published from the pen of a football player, and four years later, a book of memoirs “Ya. Success comes from within." The man has an economic education, so he plays brilliantly on the stock exchanges.

Oliver Kahn now

After graduation football career Oliver went to conquer television, where he grew up to a popular TV presenter and sports commentator. Under his voice are the matches of the Bundesliga and the German national team. Former goalkeeper maintains a page in "Instagram" regularly replenishing the gallery with new photos.

The football player also commented on the departure of Germany from the 2018 World Cup. He believes that the defeat of the national team is quite fair, the players lacked unity.

Awards

• Eight-time German champion
• Winner of six German Cups
• Winner of five German League Cups
• UEFA Cup Winner
• 2000/01 - UEFA Champions League winner
• 2001 - Winner of the Intercontinental Cup
• 1996 - European champion
• 2002 - silver medalist of the World Championship
• 2005 – bronze medalist Confederations Cup
• 2006 - bronze medalist of the World Championship

Oliver Kahn was born on June 15, 1969 in Karlsruhe. His father Rolf was at one time very famous football player and played for the KSC Karlsruhe club from 1963 to 1965. Later, Rolf Kahn was even a coach and consultant to his eminent son. Despite the excellent data, Oliver Kahn was never included in the youth national team of Germany, and in the Karlsruhe team he was only a substitute goalkeeper. "I have only one goal - no later than at the age of 23 to get into the main team," he said in one of the interviews given then.

In the main team

The opportunity came in 1990 after some poor performances by Karlsruhe first goalkeeper Alexander Famulla. Oliver immediately managed to prove himself and, thanks to his skill, the players from Karlsruhe began to play so well that in 1993 they received the right to play in the UEFA Cup, and they dropped out of the fight for this honorary trophy only in the semi-finals. In October of the same year, Kahn was invited to the German national team for the first time. However, despite the fact that in 1994 the German journalists elected him the "Best Goalkeeper of the Year", he had to be content with the role of a substitute goalkeeper here for several more years.

Five million marks and a career change

However, in 1994, after his transfer from Karlsruhe to the strongest German team of all time, Bayern Munich, Kahn's career came to a turning point. By the way, for this action the Munich club had to transfer to the bank account of "Karlsruhe" an astronomical amount for that time - five million marks. Kahn immediately ousted Raimond Aumann, who had been the first goalkeeper of the Munich club for many years.

In 1995, Oliver Kahn's old dream finally came true - he had the honor of defending the gates of the German national team in two matches - against the national teams of Switzerland and Georgia. But at the 1996 European Championships and the 1998 World Championships, he again had to come to terms with the role of a substitute goalkeeper. Only after Andi Köpke left the national team did Oliver Kahn become the first goalkeeper.

Oliver Kahn achieved his biggest successes as part of Bayern Munich. So far four times - in 1997, 1999, 2000 and 2001 - he has been the champion of Germany. In 1996, Oliver Kahn, together with Bayern, won the UEFA Cup, and in 1998 he won the national cup. In 1999, Bayern reached the final of the European Champions League against Manchester United. Two minutes before the end of this meeting, the Munich players were leading with a score of 1:0, but, in the end, they lost - 1:2. Football fans will surely remember this match for a long time, as well as the 2001 European Champions League Cup final, in which Bayern managed to snatch victory from Valencia after extra time as a result of penalty kicks. The hero of this match, by right, should be called Oliver Kahn, who repelled three opponent's penalties.

The best goalkeeper in the world

And this happens in the career of a goalkeeper: naked fans on the field.

In 1999, Oliver Kahn was named the best goalkeeper in the world. That same year, and for the next two years, best football player Germany, and in 2002 - the best football player in the world.

The final match against the Brazilians at the 2002 World Cup could have been Oliver Kahn's finest hour, but his not-so-successful game put an end to the claims of the national team and his own.

The last meeting for the national team of Cannes was held in the summer of 2006 - in the game for third place, he helped his partners win the bronze of the world championship.

In January 2007, the Bayern Munich goalkeeper announced that he intended to retire after his current contract expired in June 2008. "Until 2008 I will fulfill my duties, and at the age of 39 I intend to hang up my boots," he added. right time to switch to something else".

Goalkeeper

Germany

Played for clubs: "Karlsruhe" (Germany) 1986-1994; Bayern (Germany) 1994-2008;

Achievements:

Best Player and Best Goalkeeper World Cup 2002,
The best goalkeeper in the world 1999, 2001, 2002,
The best goalkeeper in Europe 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002
The best football player in Germany 2001, 2002
The best goalkeeper in Germany 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002
Vice world champion 2002
European Champion 1996
Intercontinental Cup Winner 2001
Champions League Winner 2001
UEFA Cup Winner 1996
German Champion 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008
German Cup Winner 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008
League Cup Winner 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2004, 2007, 2008

Oliver Kahn was born in 1969 in Karlsruhe. There he began to play football, where his father brought him, too, by the way, former football player. Oliver took his first steps in the Karlsruhe youth team, and at the age of 18 he got into adult team third goalkeeper. The career was not easy and Kahn remained on the bench for a long time, until he finally had a chance.

In 1990, after the main goalkeeper of "Karlsruhe" Famula earned a three-match suspension, Kahn finally got into

main cast. However, the first games did not impress the fans: in these three matches, Oliver conceded 9 goals. So another year Kahn spent on the bench. The situation with the goalkeepers in the team was critical at that time and left the future star in his native club. Kahn worked on himself for a long time and, when he got the chance again, he presented himself in all his glory and firmly took his place at the gate.

In many ways. thanks to him, "Karlsruhe" at the end of the 1992/1993 season won the right to participate in the UEFA Cup. At that time, Russian Sergey Kiryakov was on the same team with Oliver Canomi. Since then, Kahn's career has been on the rise.

In the 1993/1994 season, Karlsruhe performed quite well in the UEFA Cup, reaching the semi-finals, and Oliver in the summer of 1994 “reached” Bayern Munich itself. The same season was marked by participation in the Champions League, and the next 1995/1996 - a victory in the UEFA Cup. In 1997 Oliver Kahn finally becomes the champion of Germany.

At Bayern, by that time, he was not only the number one goalkeeper, but also the real leader of the team. But relations with the fans did not develop so smoothly. Because of his outstanding appearance and rude disposition, they came up with many offensive nicknames for him: "Gorilla", "Bulldog", etc. However, over time, a much less negative "Ollie" took root.

Meanwhile, his career continues to grow rapidly and in 1999, in addition to another championship in Germany, Kahn is recognized as the best goalkeeper in the world. Unstoppable Manchester United and, in general, luck prevented winning the main trophy - the Champions Cup that season: the Champions Cup left the hands of Munich in a matter of minutes of stoppage time, when the Mancunians scored two goals. Such an event could unsettle anyone but Kahn. He waited in the wings and he was given to him two years later. The Champions League final of the 2000/2001 season, held in Milan, turned out to be unusually tense, as a result, it came to post-match penalties, where Kahn survived and finally lifted such a coveted Champions Cup over his head. It was a real triumph.

Despite the obvious success in the club, Olli could not get into the main team. And although he formally participated in the World Cup-94, Euro-96, World Cup-98, he actually remained the second, and even the third goalkeeper. Only in 1998, Kahn becomes number one in the national team in the selection for Euro 2000. At the European Championship itself, the team performed unsuccessfully, taking the last place in the group and losing heavily to the Portuguese in the last game - 0:3. Oliver's finest hour was the championship in Japan and Korea in 2002. With a generally rather inexpressive team game and rather weak opponents, Kang became the best figure in the team, leading the team to the final, where no one could blame Oliver, despite the defeat from the Brazilians :2. In the same year, he again becomes the best goalkeeper in the world.

At Euro 2004, Kahn's place at the gate was unassailable, despite the obvious negative attitude towards him of the second number of the national team Jens Lemmann. But at the home world championship, the scales still tipped in the direction of Lemman. However, Kahn was given a place in the goal in the match for third place, where he tried on the bronze medals. On this, the legendary goalkeeper completed his career in the national team.

The 2007/2008 season was the last for Oliver Kahn. And he spent it, of course, in Bayern, which became not only his home. He himself became a symbol of Bayern. They said Bayern, they meant Oliver Kahn, and vice versa. Probably nowhere at that time there were such strong associations as this one. According to the results of the last season, the Munich team failed to take the Champions League place in the championship and were content with the performance in the UEFA Cup, taking the place of the unconditional favorite. In the final season for himself, Oliver, of course, wanted to shine and leave the winner, and partly he succeeded: Bayern won the championship and the German Cup. But in the UEFA Cup, everything turned out not so rosy. In the quarterfinals, the Bavarians miraculously managed to go further, overcoming the resistance of the modest “Getafe” only in extra time. A last game the legendary German goalkeeper took place in St. Petersburg, where the Zenit team not only did not let the favorites into the final, but scored four unanswered goals behind Kahn's back.

Top 5 best saves by Oliver Kahn

Date of birth: 06/15/1969
Country: Germany
Club: Bayern (Munich, Germany)
Role: goalkeeper
Place of birth: Karlsruhe
Zodiac sign: Gemini
Nickname: "Olly"
Height: 188 centimeters
Weight: 91 kilograms
Shoe size: 10.5
Marital status: married, wife Simon, 2 children - Katharina-Maria, David
Education: high school
Distinctive traits: impatient, disciplined, ambitious
Hobbies: golf, reading
Previous clubs: SK Karlsruhe (1975-94)

Awards
Best player and best goalkeeper at the 2002 World Cup
The best goalkeeper in the world: 1999, 2001, 2002
Best European Goalkeeper: 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002
Best German Player: 2000, 2001
Best German Goalkeeper: 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002
World Championship finalist: 2002
European Champion: 1996
Club World Championship Winner: 2001
Champions League Winner: 2001
UEFA Cup Winner: 1996
Bundesliga winner: 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005
German Cup Winner: 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005
German League Cup Winner: 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2004

Biography

Oliver Kahn is the best goalkeeper in Germany, a student and successor of Sepp Mayer. Oliver Kahn was born on June 15, 1969 in Karlsruhe. His father, Rolf, was once a very famous football player and played for the Karlsruhe club KSC from 1963 to 1965. By the way, the stadium in Karlsruhe is located just one and a half kilometers from the house where the Kan family lived. Later, Rolf Kahn was even a coach and consultant to his eminent son. Despite excellent data, Oliver Kahn was never included in the youth national team of Germany, and in the Karlsruhe team he was only a substitute goalkeeper.

“I have only one goal - no later than at the age of 23 to get into the main team,” Oliver Kahn said in an interview. Such an opportunity presented itself to him in 1990 after several weak games played by the first goalkeeper of Karlsruhe Alexander Famulla. Oliver immediately managed to prove himself and thanks to his skill, the players from Karlsruhe began to play so well that in 1993 they received the right to play in the UEFA Cup, and they dropped out of the fight for this honorary trophy only in the semi-finals.

In October of the same year, Kahn was invited to the German national team for the first time. However, despite the fact that in 1994 the German journalists elected him the "Best Goalkeeper of the Year", he had to be content with the role of a substitute goalkeeper for another five long years.

The turning point in Oliver Kahn's career came in 1994 after his move from Karlsruhe to Bayern Munich, the strongest German team of all time. By the way, for this action, the Munich club had to transfer an astronomical amount for that time to the bank account of Karlsruhe - five million marks. Kahn immediately ousted Raymond Aumann, who had been the first goalkeeper of the Munich club for many years.

In 1995, Oliver Kahn's old dream finally came true - he had the honor of defending the gates of the German national team in two matches - against the national teams of Switzerland and Georgia. But at the 1996 European Championships and the 1998 World Championships, he again had to come to terms with the role of a substitute goalkeeper. Only after Andi Koeppke left the national team did Oliver Kahn become the first goalkeeper.

Oliver Kahn achieved his biggest successes as part of Bayern Munich. So far, six times - in 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003 and 2005 - he has been German champion. In 1996, Oliver Kahn, together with Bayern, won the UEFA Cup, and in 1998 he won the national cup. In 1999, Bayern reached the European Champions League final against Manchester United. Two minutes before the end of this meeting, the Munich players were leading with a score of 1:0, but in the end they lost - 1:2.

Football fans will surely remember this match for a long time, as well as the 2001 Champions League final, in which Bayern managed to snatch victory from Valencia after extra time as a result of penalty kicks. The hero of that match, by right, should be called Oliver Kahn, who saved three opponent's penalties.

In 1999, 2001 and 2002 Oliver Kahn was elected the best goalkeeper peace. In 2000 and 2001 he was named the best football player in Germany. Largely thanks to the efforts of Oliver, Germany managed to break into the final of the 2002 World Cup.