Klaus Fischer

Klaus Fischer
	Fischer in 2013
Personal information
Date of birth	27 December 1949 (age 74)
Place of birth	Kreuzstraßl, West Germany
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)	Forward
Youth career
1958–1961	SC Kreuzstraßl
1961–1968	SC Zwiesel
Senior career*
Years	Team
1968–1970	1860 Munich
1970–1981	Schalke 04
1981–1984	1. FC Köln
1984–1988	VfL Bochum
Total
International career
1971	West Germany U-23
1977–1982	West Germany
Managerial career
1988–1989	VfL Bochum (assistant)
1989–1992	Schalke 04 (assistant)
1990	→ Schalke 04 (interim)
1992	→ Schalke 04 (interim)
1992–1995	Schalke 04 II
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Klaus Fischer (born 27 December 1949) is a German former professional footballer and coach. He was a key player on the West Germany national team that lost the 1982 World Cup final to Italy. As a forward, he was noted for his bicycle kicks, and scored a spectacular overhead kick equalizer in extra-time of a 1982 World Cup semi-final against France.

Club career

Fischer was born in Kreuzstraßl, near Lindberg (Bayerischer Wald) in the district of Regen.

He moved from SC Zwiesel to TSV 1860 Munich in 1968 and made 535 Bundesliga appearances for 1860 Munich, FC Schalke 04, 1. FC Köln and VfL Bochum. With Schalke 04 he won the German Cup in 1972. Schalke 04 were one of the clubs involved in a bribery scandal in season 1970–71 of the Bundesliga. As one of the players involved, Fischer initially received a ban for life, but this punishment was later reduced to a one-year league ban and a five-year ban from national team eligibility.

In 1976, he was top scorer in the Bundesliga. With 268 goals he ranks third to Gerd Müller and Robert Lewandowski on the list of all-time top Bundesliga goalscorers. In 1988 Fischer's club side VfL Bochum made it to the German Cup final, but Fischer did not feature in the final match. He ended his career in 1988.^[1]

His 182 league goals for Schalke 04 remain a club record.^[2]

International career

Fischer made 45 appearances for the West Germany national team from 1977 to 1982, scoring 32 goals (eight headers and 24 with his feet, including two bicycle kicks). He appeared in two World Cups and was a World Cup runner-up in Spain in 1982.^[3]

Fischer was known particularly for his bicycle kicks, often set up for him by Rüdiger Abramczik. His goal from a bicycle kick in a 4–1 win in a 1977 international match against Switzerland was selected as the Goal of the Year by German television viewers. It was later voted Goal of the Decade and Goal of the Century. He also scored a famous bicycle kick equalizer in extra time in a 1982 World Cup semi-final against France, which West Germany went on to win on penalties.

Coaching career

Fischer runs a football training school.^[4]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition^[5]
Club	Season	League			Cup		Europe		League Cup		Total
Club	Season	League	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
1860 Munich	1968–69	Bundesliga	26	9	1	0	2	0	—		29	9
	1969–70	Bundesliga	34	19	0	0	2	2	—		36	21
	Total		60	28	1	0	4	2	—		65	30
Schalke 04	1969–70	Bundesliga	0	0	2	0	—		—		2	0
	1970–71		34	15	5	1	—		—		39	16
	1971–72		29	22	9	7	—		—		38	29
	1972–73		0	0	0	0	1	1	6	3	7	4
	1973–74		25	21	1	1	—		—		26	22
	1974–75		33	17	3	3	—		—		36	20
	1975–76		34	29	3	3	—		—		37	32
	1976–77		31	24	3	4	5	6	—		39	34
	1977–78		32	20	6	7	3	0	—		41	27
	1978–79		34	21	3	4	—		—		37	25
	1979–80		26	7	4	4	—		—		30	11
	1980–81		17	6	0	0	—		—		17	6
	Total		295	182	39	34	9	7	6	3	349	226
1. FC Köln	1981–82	Bundesliga	31	7	1	0	—		—		32	7
	1982–83		32	12	6	5	5	3	—		43	20
	1983–84		33	12	3	5	4	2	—		40	19
	Total		96	31	10	10	9	5	—		115	46
VfL Bochum	1984–85	Bundesliga	34	16	3	0	—		—		37	16
	1985–86		27	8	4	0	—		—		31	8
	1986–87		11	3	0	0	—		—		11	3
	1987–88		12	0	3	2	—		—		15	2
	Total		84	27	10	2	—		—		94	29
Career total			535	268	60	46	22	14	6	3	623	331