Rainer Bonhof

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Bonhof was part of the highly successful Borussia Mönchengladbach side of the 1970s, winning numerous Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, and UEFA Cup titles. He was widely recognized as having one of the game's hardest free-kicks as well as long and precise throw-ins. He scored 14 goals in European cup competitions and amassed 57 goals in the West German top-flight. Bonhof was awarded the ARD Goal of the Month on three occasions, twice for free-kicks and once for a 30-metre strike.

In Their Own Story

In the spring of 1978, former Liverpool goalkeeper Ray Clemence admitted he feared Bonhof's shots after facing him in the 1977 European Cup final. That fear proved justified when Clemence was beaten twice by Bonhof from nearly identical locations at both club and international levels during that spring. The 1977 final strike had previously hit the post, but later attempts found the net. His career took a sharp turn with his transfer to Valencia, where he won the Copa del Rey (1978–79) and UEFA Cup Winners' Cup (1979–80). This move, alongside Uli Stielike's, prompted the DFB to lift its ban on selecting foreign-based players. Bonhof played in every match of the 1978 World Cup until West Germany's elimination by Austria. Although selected for the 1980 European Championship squad where Germany won, injuries prevented him from playing. His final international appearance was a 4–1 defeat to Brazil; despite a strong 1981–82 season with 1. FC Köln, he was not recalled. His playing career ended abruptly in 1983 due to an ankle injury.

Reader's Guide

On 18 October 1969, Bonhof played his first international junior match for West Germany in Geleen against the Netherlands, a match that ended 1:1. At that time, he had Dutch citizenship, as his grandfather was Dutch. Bonhof became a German citizen soon after this match. He won the first of his 53 senior caps in 1972. Bonhof was Germany's youngest World Cup winning player after it beat the Netherlands 2-1 on 7 July 1974 in Munich's Olympiastadion at the 1974 FIFA World Cup. His penetrating run into the opposition penalty area and pass to Gerd Muller led to the winning goal in that game. Two matches earlier Bonhof scored the goal that put West Germany up 2–1 against Sweden, a match the Germans eventually won 4–2. Bonhof was a fixture in the West Germany national team from that World Cup onward. He 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. West Germany lost to Czechoslovakia on penalties in the final. Bonhof played in every match of the 1978 FIFA World Cup when West Germany was eliminated in the second round following a 3–2 defeat at the hands of their historic rivals, Austria. He continued to play an important role in the national team following his transfer to Valencia. His move and that of Uli Stielike prompted the DFB to remove their ban on selecting foreign based players for the national team. He 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. His last appearance for the national team came in a 4–1 defeat at the hands of Brazil, and in spite of a strong Bundesliga campaign for 1. FC Köln in 1981–82 he was not selected to return to the national team. Between 1980 and 2012 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. He now shares this record with 13 players from the Spanish national team; 12 who won back-to-back titles in 2008 and 2012 and Jesús Navas who won in 2012 and 2024. Bonhof remains the most decorated player in the history of the European Championships, with two gold medals and one silver. Former Liverpool goalkeeper, Ray Clemence, in 1977, following a European Cup final between the Reds and Borussia Mönchengladb

Did You Know?

• Bonhof scored the goal that put West Germany up 2–1 against Sweden in the 1974 World Cup.
• He provided the assist to the winning goal in the 1974 World Cup final.
• Bonhof was the first full-time manager of the Scotland under-21 team.
• He was appointed vice president of Borussia Mönchengladbach in February 2009 and became club president in March 2024.