Ottmar Hitzfeld

Born on January 12, 1949, in Lörrach, Germany, Ottmar Hitzfeld initially pursued a playing career as a forward. He began in the lower German leagues with TuS Stetten and FV Lörrach before joining FC Basel in 1971. With Basel, he secured two Swiss Super League titles in 1972 and 1973, becoming the league’s top goalscorer in the latter season. In 1975, he also won the Swiss Cup. While playing for Basel, Hitzfeld earned a degree in mathematics and sports education, maintaining amateur status to represent West Germany in the 1972 Summer Olympics, where he scored five goals. He then moved to VfB Stuttgart in 1975, contributing significantly to their promotion to the Bundesliga in 1977, scoring 33 goals in 55 league matches. He set a 2. Bundesliga record by scoring six goals in one match against SSV Jahn Regensburg. After three years with Stuttgart, he returned to Switzerland, playing for FC Lugano and FC Luzern before retiring as a player in 1983.

Hitzfeld’s managerial career commenced in 1983 with SC Zug, guiding them to immediate promotion to the Nationalliga A. He then managed FC Aarau for four years, winning his first title as a coach, the Swiss Cup, in 1985. From 1988 to 1991, he led Grasshopper Club Zürich to four trophies, including two Swiss Championships (1990, 1991) and two Swiss Cups (1989, 1990). In 1991, he transitioned to the Bundesliga, taking charge of Borussia Dortmund. He steered Dortmund to consecutive Bundesliga titles in 1995 and 1996, and famously secured the UEFA Champions League in 1997, defeating Juventus. This success earned him his first “World Coach of the Year” award. After a brief period as sports manager at Dortmund, he took over as manager of Bayern Munich in 1998, where he continued his remarkable track record.

During his first spell at Bayern Munich (1998-2004), Hitzfeld garnered five Bundesliga titles, three DFB-Pokals, and the UEFA Champions League in 2001, making him one of only a few managers to win the European trophy with two different clubs. He was recognized again as “World Coach of the Year” in 2001. After a short break, he returned to Bayern Munich in 2007, leading them to another Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal double in 2008. Following his second tenure at Bayern, Hitzfeld managed the Swiss national team from 2008 to 2014, guiding them to the FIFA World Cup finals in 2010 and 2014. He announced his retirement from coaching after the 2014 World Cup, leaving behind a legacy of 18 major titles and a reputation as a meticulous and highly successful coach.