Matthias Sammer

Born in Dresden, then in East Germany, on September 5, 1967, Matthias Sammer is the son of former player and coach Klaus Sammer and began his career precisely under his father's management at Dynamo Dresden, a club he joined in the youth categories at nine years old. He made his debut as a striker in the senior team in 1985, playing professionally until German reunification. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, he transferred to VfB Stuttgart in 1990 and helped the club become the first Bundesliga champion of reunified Germany, in the 1991-92 season. He had a brief stint at Internazionale Milano in 1992-93 before returning to Germany to wear the Borussia Dortmund shirt, where he would experience the most glorious years of his career. Moved back to the libero position by coach Ottmar Hitzfeld, Sammer became the commander of the black and yellow defense, earning the nickname 'Beckenbauer of the 90s'. With Dortmund, he won two Bundesligas (1995 and 1996), the UEFA Champions League and the 1997 Intercontinental Cup. For the German national team, he played 74 matches and scored 20 goals, being elected the best player of Euro 1996, disputed and won by Germany in England. A few months later, he was honored with the Ballon d'Or from France Football. Knee problems forced him to end his career prematurely in 1998, but his legacy as a modern libero remains as a reference in the history of German football.