 Schneider training forGermany in 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Bernd Schneider[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | (1973-11-17)17 November 1973 (age 52) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Jena, East Germany | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1980–1983 | BSG Aufbau Jena | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1983–1991 | Carl Zeiss Jena | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1991–1998 | Carl Zeiss Jena | 158 | (21) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–1999 | Eintracht Frankfurt | 33 | (4) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999–2009 | Bayer Leverkusen | 263 | (35) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009 | Bayer Leverkusen II | 8 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 462 | (61) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Germany U-18 | 2 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999–2001 | Germany B | 4 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999–2008 | Germany | 81 | (4) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bernd Schneider (born 17 November 1973) is a German former professionalfootballer who played as amidfielder. After retiring in June 2009, he took up an advisory role at his first club,Carl Zeiss Jena, and a scouting position atBayer Leverkusen.
NicknamedSchnix by fans and teammates, Schneider started out at his hometown club Carl Zeiss Jena and made a name for himself during his decade-long stint atBayer Leverkusen. He earned the nickname "The White Brazilian"[2] for hisdribbling and passing skills as well as his accuratefree kicks andcorners. Although mostly a provider of goals rather than a finisher, he was capable of scoring, especially from long distance. Schneider is notable for having multiple second and third place medals from national, continental and international tournaments (including theBundesliga,UEFA Champions League andFIFA World Cup) without ever having won a major tournament.[3]
Schneider started his professional career at localCarl Zeiss Jena, going on to help theThuringian outfit to stay five seasons in thesecond division;[4] his debut came on 13 August 1991, playing close to ten minutes in a 1–3 loss atDarmstadt 98.
Schneider then played one season atEintracht Frankfurt, subsequently moving toBayer Leverkusen, and establishing himself as an essential player for both club and country. In1999–2000 and2001–02, he was instrumental in Bayer's runner-up league finishes, serving 11decisive passes in the latter season, as well as netting five goals himself; he also appeared 19 times as the side reached the2002 Champions League Final.
More a creator than a finisher, Schneider scored a career-best tenleague goals in the2003–04 season, making him the highest-scoring midfielder in that year's competition, alongsideJohan Micoud; Leverkusen finished third and, during the following season, Schneider renewed his link for a further four years.[5]
After two more seasons in which he scored ten goals and achieved 18 assists in 60 matches, Schneider began suffering consecutive injuries: first thecalf,[6] then theback, being sidelined almost the entire2008–09 due to the latter.[7] He only managed to return to action on 16 May 2009, playing the last 20 minutes of a 5–0 home win againstBorussia Mönchengladbach. The following month, he announced his retirement after failing to fully recover from the injury.[8][9]
On 29 May 2009, Carl Zeiss Jena named him as mentor to club president Peter Schreiber,[10] and he began to work as scout for Bayer Leverkusen in June, immediately after retiring from play.[11]
Schneider made his debut forGermany during the1999 Confederations Cup, playing in the 2–0 win againstNew Zealand and the loss to theUnited States (same result).[12]
Since then, Schneider established himself as a vital squad member due to his work rate and versatility. He was ever-present at the2002 World Cup, where he scored his first goal in their 8–0 thrashing of Saudi Arabia in the group stages, and at theEuro 2004. At theWorld Cup on home soil, along with Ballack,Torsten Frings andBastian Schweinsteiger, they formed a formidable midfield and all played their part in the national team's unexpected success. He captained the team in their opening game against Costa Rica as Ballack was out injured.[13] In the final group stage match, he was instrumental in Germany's 3–0 win over Ecuador which guaranteed them maximum points as group winners.
Schneider was ruled out of Germany'sEuro 2008 squad due to surgery to fix aslipped disc.[14] He retired with 81 caps for Germany.
Schneider and his wife Carina have a daughter, Emily, and a son, Giovani.[15]
| Club | Season | League | DFB-Pokal | Europe[a] | Other[b] | Total | Ref. | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| League | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Carl Zeiss Jena | 1991–92 | 2. Bundesliga | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | [16] | |
| 1992–93 | 21 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 24 | 0 | [16] | ||||
| 1993–94 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | [17] | ||||
| 1994–95 | 34 | 7 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 35 | 7 | [16] | ||||
| 1995–96 | 33 | 6 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 35 | 7 | [16] | ||||
| 1996–97 | 31 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 31 | 1 | [18] | ||||
| 1997–98 | 33 | 6 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 37 | 6 | [19] | ||||
| Total | 156 | 20 | 11 | 1 | — | 3 | 0 | 170 | 21 | — | |||
| Eintracht Frankfurt | 1998–99 | Bundesliga | 33 | 4 | 2 | 2 | — | — | 35 | 6 | [20] | ||
| Bayer Leverkusen | 1999–2000 | Bundesliga | 32 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 42 | 4 | [16] |
| 2000–01 | 31 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 1 | — | 41 | 3 | [21] | |||
| 2001–02 | 30 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 17 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 54 | 9 | [16] | ||
| 2002–03 | 28 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 10 | 3 | — | 43 | 6 | [22] | |||
| 2003–04 | 33 | 10 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 36 | 10 | [23] | ||||
| 2004–05 | 33 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 45 | 3 | [16] | ||
| 2005–06 | 29 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 34 | 6 | [16] | ||
| 2006–07 | 31 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 4 | — | 45 | 11 | [24] | |||
| 2007–08 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1 | — | 23 | 1 | [25] | |||
| 2008–09 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | [16] | ||||
| Total | 263 | 35 | 23 | 6 | 73 | 11 | 5 | 1 | 364 | 53 | — | ||
| Bayer Leverkusen II | 2008–09 | Regionalliga West | 8 | 1 | — | 8 | 1 | [16] | |||||
| Career total | 426 | 52 | 36 | 9 | 73 | 11 | 8 | 1 | 543 | 73 | — | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | 1999 | 5 | 0 |
| 2000 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2001 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2002 | 14 | 1 | |
| 2003 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2004 | 14 | 0 | |
| 2005 | 14 | 0 | |
| 2006 | 16 | 2 | |
| 2007 | 5 | 1 | |
| 2008 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 81 | 4 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 June 2002 | Sapporo Dome,Sapporo, Japan |  Saudi Arabia | 8–0 | 8–0 | 2002 World Cup |
| 2 | 16 August 2006 | Veltins-Arena,Gelsenkirchen, Germany |  Sweden | 1–0 | 3–0 | Friendly |
| 3 | 6 September 2006 | Stadio Olimpico,Serravalle,San Marino |  San Marino | 13–0 | 13–0 | UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying |
| 4 | 12 September 2007 | Rhein Energie Stadion,Cologne, Germany |  Romania | 1–1 | 3–1 | Friendly |
Bayer Leverkusen
Germany
Individual
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| International | |
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| People | |
