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 Bonhof withGermany in 1975 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | (1952-03-29)29 March 1952 (age 73) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Emmerich am Rhein,West Germany | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Midfielder | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | Borussia Mönchengladbach (president) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1963–1970 | SuS Emmerich | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1970–1978 | Borussia Mönchengladbach | 231 | (42) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1978–1980 | Valencia | 61 | (10) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1980–1983 | 1. FC Köln | 74 | (14) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1983 | Hertha BSC | 6 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 371 | (67) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1971–1973 | West Germany U23 | 5 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1972–1981 | West Germany | 53 | (9) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Managerial career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1990–1998 | Germany (assistant coach) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998 | Germany U21 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–1999 | Borussia Mönchengladbach | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2001 | Al-Kuwait | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2002–2005 | Scotland U21 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rainer Bonhof (born 29 March 1952) is a German former professionalfootballer, who played as adefensive midfielder orwing-back. He was known for his occasional bursts upfield and his fierce shot. He was a key player for the 1974West Germany national team that won the World Cup (defeating theNetherlands 2–1 in the final, where he provided the assist to the winning goal). Bonhof was one of the stars for his club side,Borussia Mönchengladbach, and won numerous domestic league and cup titles.
Since 2024, he has held the position of club president ofBorussia Mönchengladbach.
Bonhof was part of the highly successfulBorussia Mönchengladbach side of the 1970s, winning numerousBundesliga,DFB-Pokal, andUEFA 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[1] and amassed 57 goals in the West German top-flight.[2] Bonhof was awarded theARD Goal of the Month on three occasions, twice for free-kicks and once for a 30-metre strike.
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.[3] Bonhof wasGermany's youngest World Cup winning player after it beat theNetherlands 2-1 on 7 July 1974 in Munich'sOlympiastadion at the1974 FIFA World Cup. His penetrating run into the opposition penalty area and pass toGerd Muller led to the winning goal in that game. Two matches earlier Bonhof scored the goal that putWest 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 toCzechoslovakia on penalties in the final.
Bonhof played in every match of the1978 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 ofUli 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 strongBundesliga campaign for1. 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 andJesús 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.
FormerLiverpool goalkeeper,Ray Clemence, in 1977, following aEuropean Cup final between the Reds and Borussia Mönchengladbach, admitted he feared Bonhof's shots. His fear was to prove justified, as during the spring of 1978 Clemence was beaten twice by Bonhof from nearly identical locations at both club and international level. A Bonhof shot had beaten Clemence in the 1977 final, too, but that strike hit the post.
Bonhof's playing career was abruptly ended by an ankle injury in 1983. He went on to coach several teams after receiving his formal license in 1988. Bonhof was coach of Borussia Moenchengladbach in the late 1990s, but the team was relegated from the Bundesliga.[4] He was appointed manager of theScotland under-21 team in 2002, joining the Scotland national team setup some months after countrymanBerti Vogts had been appointedScotland manager.[5] Bonhof was the first full-time manager of the Scotland under-21 team.[5] The team enjoyed initial success under Bonhof, winning an away qualifier againstGermany and progressing to the qualifying playoffs for the2004 European Championship.[4] Scotland lost in the playoffs on aggregate toCroatia.[4] Bonhof continued as Scotland under-21 manager after Vogts resigned as national team manager in November 2004,[5] but resigned in November 2005 after the team went on a run of 14 games without a victory.[4][6] Bonhof had helpedDarren Fletcher andJames McFadden progress to the full national team.[4][6]
On 1 September 2006, Bonhof signed a contract with recentFA Premier League winnersChelsea to become their scout for the scopes of Germany and Austria. The contract was a rolling deal, allowing either Chelsea and Bonhof to break it up any time. The deal between Chelsea F.C. and Bonhof ended because of the club's high debts. Bonhof left London on 31 October 2008.
On 11 February 2009, he was named as the new vice president of Borussia Mönchengladbach.[7] In March 2024, club presidentRolf Königs resigned and Bonhof was appointed as his successor.[8]
Borussia Mönchengladbach
Valencia
1. FC Köln
Germany
Individual
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