Christian Wörns

Christian Wörns

Personal information
Date of birth	(1972-05-10) 10 May 1972
Place of birth	Mannheim, West Germany
Height
Position(s)	Sweeper
Youth career
1980–1985	Phönix Mannheim
1985–1989	Waldhof Mannheim
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1989–1991	Waldhof Mannheim	52	(3)
1991–1998	Bayer Leverkusen	211	(13)
1998–1999	Paris Saint-Germain	28	(2)
1999–2008	Borussia Dortmund	240	(14)
Total		531	(32)
International career
1990–1993	Germany U21	16	(1)
1992–2005	Germany	66	(0)
Managerial career
2009–2011	Hombrucher SV (youth)
2012–2013	VfL Bochum U15
2013–2014	FC Schalke 04 U17
2014–2015	SpVgg Unterhaching (assistant)
2014–2015	SpVgg Unterhaching U16
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Christian Wörns (born 10 May 1972 in Mannheim) is a retired German footballer who played as a sweeper. Wörns was widely considered one of the finest German defenders of his generation and one of the best center backs of his era. He started his career with Waldhof Mannheim but played the majority of his career with Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund. He also had a short stint with Paris SG.

Career

Club career

Wörns made his professional debut in the Bundesliga at the young age of 17 years, 3 months and 30 days for Waldhof Mannheim and at the time, was the fourth youngest debutant ever. He played 18 games in his first season and 34 the next in the 2. Bundesliga.

The next year, he transferred to Bayer Leverkusen. Wörns quickly established himself as a defensive stalwart and anchored the strong Leverkusen defense for nearly a decade, together with sweeper Jens Nowotny and Markus Happe.

In 1998, he moved abroad to Paris SG in France. He failed to settle in and after one season transferred to Borussia Dortmund. He continued to play at Borussia Dortmund until he retired in 2008.

International career

Wörns represented his country on 66 occasions and did not score.

• Euro 1992: receives a runners-up (silver) medal as a backup squad member
• Euro 1996: after an injury hit season, Wörns fails to get nominated and misses being on the winning squad.
• World Cup 1998: Considered the best player on the German squad, Wörns played well for much of the tournament. However, in the quarter-final match against Croatia, he fouled Davor Šuker in the 40th minute to stop a possible breakaway run on goal, and received a straight red card from Norwegian referee Rune Pedersen. Three unanswered goals were scored against Germany after his sending off, making him the scapegoat for his country's 0–3 loss.
• World Cup 2002: Does not play due to injury, but the team finishes the tournament as runners-up (silver).
• Euro 2004: Germany is eliminated in the group stage after two draws and a loss.
• When Germany manager Jürgen Klinsmann announced the 22 players for a friendly with Italy in Florence, in the lead-up to the 2006 FIFA World Cup, 34-year-old Wörns was only a backup squad member. This prompted an outrageous interview by Wörns. Because he verbally attacked Klinsmann during the interview, the German Football Association took disciplinary action against Wörns and banned from playing as an international. This was similar to what happened to Uli Stein (during the 1986 FIFA World Cup) and Stefan Effenberg (during the 1994 FIFA World Cup). The dropping of Wörns from the national team was roundly panned in Germany, as Italy routed Germany 4-1 in that exhibition game, and Klinsmann bore the brunt of the criticism as the team was ranked only 22nd in the world entering the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Germany ending up finished the tournament in third place (bronze).

Career statistics

Club performance			League		Cup		Continental		Total
Season	Club	League	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Germany			League		DFB-Pokal		Europe		Total
1989–90	Waldhof Mannheim	Bundesliga	18	0	0	0	0	0	18	0
1990–91		2. Bundesliga	24	3	0	0	0	0	24	3
1991–92	Bayer Leverkusen	Bundesliga	38	0	0	0	0	0	38	0
1992–93			34	2	0	0	0	0	34	2
1993–94			33	6	0	0	6	1	39	7
1994–95			19	1	0	0	5	0	24	1
1995–96			25	2	0	0	0	0	25	2
1996–97			33	1	0	0	0	0	33	1
1997–98			29	1	3	0	7	0	39	1
France			League		Coupe de France		Europe		Total
1998–99	Paris Saint-Germain	Ligue 1	28	2	0	0	1	0	29	2
Germany			League		DFB-Pokal		Europe		Total
1999–2000	Borussia Dortmund	Bundesliga	26	2	1	0	7	0	34	2
2000–01			23	2	3	0	0	0	26	2
2001–02			29	2	1	0	16	0	46	2
2002–03			30	0	1	0	10	0	41	0
2003–04			31	1	2	0	6	0	39	1
2004–05			29	1	1	0	0	0	30	1
2005–06			28	3	1	0	0	0	29	3
2006–07			24	2	2	0	0	0	26	2
2007–08			20	1	3	0	0	0	23	1
Total	France		28	2	0	0	1	0	29	2
	Germany		503	30	18	0	58	1	579	31
Career total			531	32	18	0	59	1	608	33

Honours

Bayer Leverkusen

• DFB-Pokal: Winner 1992–93
• Bundesliga: Runners-up: 1996–97

Paris St-Germain FC

• Trophée des champions: Winner 1998

Borussia Dortmund

• Bundesliga: Winner 2001–02
• DFB-Pokal: Runner-up: 2007–08

Germany National Team

• UEFA European Football Championship: Runner-up Euro 1992

External links

• Leverkusen who's who

Sporting positions
Preceded by Christoph Metzelder	Borussia Dortmund captain 2004–2008	Succeeded by Sebastian Kehl