Thomas Linke

Early years and Schalke 04

Born in Sömmerda, Bezirk Erfurt, East Germany, Linke began playing football in 1977 with local BSG Robotron Sömmerda. In 1983, he transferred to FC Rot-Weiß Erfurt, eventually making the breakthrough into the first team in 1989; with the latter, he had the opportunity to gain experience by playing in the DDR-Oberliga. After finishing third in the last year of the competition, the club was placed into the newly consolidated 2. Bundesliga in 1991, as part of the German reunification process. Linke was a starter throughout the season but was ultimately unable to prevent it from being relegated, while also appearing in four games in the UEFA Cup. During Rot-Weiß Erfurt's German Cup win over FC Schalke 04, the latter team's management took notice of Linke and signed him for the following campaign. He quickly earned his way into the starting line-up and, from 1992 until 1998, appeared in a total of 175 Bundesliga games for the Royal Blues, his debut coming on 1 September 1992 in a 0–0 home draw against SV Werder Bremen. Linke's crowning achievement during his tenure with Schalke was the penalty shootout win over Inter Milan, in the 1996–97 UEFA Cup. He appeared in 11 matches during the victorious run, scoring twice.

Bayern Munich

In 1998, Linke joined national giants FC Bayern Munich, where he would go on to experience the most successful chapter of his professional career. In his first season, he scored his first goal for the…

Linke's debut with the Germany national side took place in a 3–0 victory over South Africa on 15 November 1997. He represented the nation at UEFA Euro 2000 and the 2002 FIFA World Cup. In the latter competition, Linke played a key role in the team that would eventually finish runner-up after a 0–2 loss in the final to Brazil. Additionally, he scored his only international goal during the group stage match against Saudi Arabia, an 8–0 routing. Linke announced his international retirement after that tournament, but was called up for national duty once more in 2004. After numerous injuries to the defensive line, national coach Jürgen Klinsmann personally called the player on the telephone and asked him to temporarily come out of retirement. He appeared, being booked, in a 3–1 friendly win in Austria on 18 August 2004, and retired immediately after, with 43 caps to his name.

Club

International

Scores and results table. Germany's goal tally first:

Schalke 04

UEFA Cup: 1996–97 Bayern Munich

Bundesliga: 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2004–05 DFB-Pokal: 1999–2000, 2002–03, 2004–05; runner-up: 1998–99 DFB-Ligapokal: 1998, 1999, 2000, 2004 UEFA Champions League: 2000–01; runner-up: 1998–99 Intercontinental Cup: 2001 Red Bull Salzburg

Austrian Bundesliga: 2006–07 Germany

FIFA World Cup runner-up: 2002