Thomas Helmer

Thomas Helmer (born 21 April 1965) is a German former footballer. His preferred playing position was sweeper, but he was primarily deployed as a centre-back.

Helmer spent most of his club career with Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich – appearing in nearly 400 Bundesliga games in 15 seasons – and won the European Championship in 1996.

Club career

Born in Herford, West Germany, Helmer began his professional career with Arminia Bielefeld, playing four games late in 1984–85, in a season that ended in relegation. In the following season, he netted five goals in 35 second division matches, prompting interest from Borussia Dortmund, which signed him in 1986. A key element from the start, Helmer also scored 16 goals during his six-season stint.

In 1992, he joined FC Bayern Munich in controversial circumstances. Dortmund did not wish to sell Helmer, one of its best players, to a rival Bundesliga team, and sent him to France's Olympique Lyonnais instead. However, only three months later, Lyon sold Helmer to Bayern Munich for 7.5 million marks, at the time a record transfer fee paid by the Bavarian club. The resulting furore became so heated that the Germany national side coach Berti Vogts threatened to drop Helmer from the UEFA Euro 92 squad because of the distraction the affair was causing.

Helmer was also an integral part (scoring seven goals in his debut season) and, eventually, captain of an ascendant Bayern Munich team of the late-1990s, winning three league titles, one cup and three League cups), adding the 1995–96 UEFA Cup, where he scored once (against FC Girondins de Bordeaux in the final's first leg) in 12 games. Defensively, the team would also include, during Helmer's stay, internationals Olaf Thon, Lothar Matthäus and Markus Babbel.

Upon leaving Bayern in 1999, Helmer opted to move to the Premier League. He was offered a contract by Liverpool, but chose instead to join newly promoted Sunderland on a free transfer. Sunderland manager Peter Reid hardly used him, however, making just two league appearances against Leeds United and Arsenal and he returned to Germany on loan with Hertha BSC. Although he had appeared in the UEFA Champions League for Hertha, upon his return to Sunderland, Reid judged that "his legs had gone", and the club bought-out his contract, with the player retiring immediately afterwards.

International career

Helmer made his full international debut for Germany on 10 October 1990, a 3–1 win in a friendly match with Sweden in Stockholm. He enjoyed great success in the UEFA European Football Championships, starting in consecutive finals. In 1992, Germany lost surprisingly to Denmark, which had been called at the last hour, but four years later went one better, defeating the Czech Republic in extra-time at Wembley.

Helmer also appeared in two FIFA World Cups, bowing out of international football in the second round clash of the 1998 edition against Mexico, when he was replaced before half-time by Christian Ziege. He was known for tripping Josip Weber during the 1994 world cup in the penalty area but Kurt Röthlisberger, the referee, did not make a call.

Post-retirement

File:Thomas Helmer 2012 (cropped).jpg

Helmer during a charity match in 2012

After retiring, Helmer worked as a sports journalist and television presenter with DSF. Additionally, he served as Germany's ambassador to children's charity "FIFA for SOS Children's Villages", first undertaking it in 1997.

Helmer was a member of the Supervisory board of Arminia Bielefeld from 19 July 2011 to 15 December 2015.

Career statistics

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

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	21 June 1995	Letzigrund, Zürich	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Italy	flag alias = Flag of Italy.svg	flag alias-1861 = Flag of Italy (1861–1946).svg	flag alias-1943 = War flag of the Italian Social Republic.svg	flag alias-2003 = Flag of Italy (2003–2006).svg	flag alias-civil = Civil Ensign of Italy.svg	flag alias-naval = Naval Ensign of Italy.svg	flag alias-navy-1947 = Naval Ensign of Italy (1947-2013).svg	link alias-naval = Italian Navy	link alias-air force = Italian Air Force	link alias-army = Italian Army	flag alias-navy = Naval Ensign of Italy.svg	link alias-navy = Italian Navy	link alias-roller hockey = Italy {{{mw}}} national roller hockey team	size =	name =	variant =	altlink = national football team	altvar = football }} || 1–0 || 2–0 || Friendly
2.	8 October 1995	Ulrich-Haberland-Stadion, Leverkusen	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Moldova	flag alias = Flag of Moldova.svg	flag alias-1346 = Flag of Moldavia.svg	flag alias-1917 = Flag of the Moldavian Democratic Republic.svg	flag alias-1925 = Flag of Moldavian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (1925-1932).svg	flag alias-1937 = Flag of Moldavian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (1937-1938).svg	flag alias-1938 = Flag of Moldavian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic.svg	flag alias-1940 = Flag of the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic (1941-1952).svg	flag alias-1952 = Flag of Moldavian SSR.svg	flag alias-1990 = Flag of Moldova (1990–2010).svg	flag alias-army = Flag of the Armed Forces of Moldova.svg	link alias-army = Moldovan Ground Forces	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || 2–0 || 6–1 || Euro 1996 qualifier
3.	11 October 1997	AWD-Arena, Hanover	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Albania	flag alias = Flag of Albania.svg	flag alias-1914 = Flag of Albania (1914–1920).svg	flag alias-1914a= Regentaschapalbanievlag.gif	flag alias-1920 = Flag of Albania (1920–1926).svg	flag alias-1926 = Flag of Albania (1926–1928).svg	flag alias-1928 = Flag of Albania (1934–1939).svg	flag alias-1939 = Flag of Albania (1939–1943).svg	flag alias-1943 = Flag of Albania (1943–1944).svg	flag alias-1944 = Flag of Albania 1944.svg	flag alias-1946 = Flag of Albania (1946–1992).svg	flag alias-1992 = Flag of Albania (1992–2002).svg	flag alias-civil = Civil Ensign of Albania.svg	flag alias-naval = Naval Ensign of Albania.svg	link alias-naval = Albanian Naval Force	link alias-army = Albanian Land Force	flag alias-army=Albanian Land Forces insignia.svg	border-army=	flag alias-air force=Albanian Air Forces insignia.svg	link alias-air force=Albanian Air Force	border-air force=	flag alias-navy=Albanian Naval Forces insignia.svg	link alias-navy=Albanian Naval Force	border-navy=	link alias-military = Albanian Armed Forces	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || 1–1 || 4–3 || 1998 World Cup qualifier
4.	22 February 1998	King Fahd International Stadium, Riyadh	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Saudi Arabia	flag alias = Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg	flag alias-1744 = Flag of the First Saudi State.svg	flag alias-1822 = Flag of the First Saudi State.svg	flag alias-1902 = Flag of the Second Saudi State.svg	flag alias-1921 = Flag of Nejd (1921).svg	flag alias-1926 = Flag of Nejd (1926).svg	flag alias-1932 = Flag of Saudi Arabia (1932–1934).svg	flag alias-1934 = Flag of Saudi Arabia (1934–1938).svg	flag alias-1938 = Flag of Saudi Arabia (1938–1973).svg	flag alias-naval = Naval Ensign of Saudi Arabia.svg	link alias-naval = Royal Saudi Navy	flag alias-navy = Naval base flag of the Royal Saudi Navy.svg	link alias-navy = Royal Saudi Navy	flag alias-army = Flag of the Royal Saudi Land Forces.svg	link alias-army = Saudi Arabian Army	flag alias-military = Saudi Armed Forces Flag.svg	link alias-military = Armed Forces of Saudi Arabia	flag alias-air force = Ensign of the Royal Saudi Air Force.svg	link alias-air force = Royal Saudi Air Force	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || 2–0 || 3–0 || Friendly
5.	5 June 1998	Carl-Benz-Stadion, Mannheim	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Luxembourg	flag alias = Flag of Luxembourg.svg	flag alias-civil = Civil Ensign of Luxembourg.svg	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || 3–0 || 7–0 || Friendly

Honours

Borussia Dortmund

• DFB-Pokal: 1988–89
• DFL-Supercup: 1989

Bayern Munich

• Bundesliga: 1993–94, 1996–97, 1998–99
• DFB-Pokal: 1997–98; runner-up 1998–99
• DFB-Ligapokal: 1997, 1998
• UEFA Cup: 1995–96
• UEFA Champions League: runner-up 1998–99

Germany

• UEFA European Championship: 1996; runner-up 1992
• US Cup: 1993

External links

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