Horst Hrubesch

Horst Hrubesch (German: [ˈhɔʁst ˈʁuːbɛʃ]; born 17 April 1951) is a German professional football manager and former player who last managed the Germany women's national team. As a player, Hrubesch won three West German championships with his club side, Hamburger SV, as well as the European Cup title in 1983. He was a key member of the West Germany team that won the 1980 European Championship and made it to the final of the 1982 World Cup, losing to Italy. His nickname was Das Kopfball-Ungeheuer (the Header Beast) for his heading skills as a centre forward.

Club career

Hrubesch played in small clubs until the age of 24 when he was signed by Rot-Weiss Essen. There, he played well enough that in 1978 Hamburger SV (HSV) bought him. At Hamburg he blossomed into one of the most productive forwards of the Bundesliga and was soon called up for the West German national team. Hrubesch formed an attacking partnership with fellow HSV player Manfred Kaltz, a right wingback whose crosses Hrubesch often headed in, or headed to teammates to provide them with scoring chances. Hrubesch won the West German championship three times with Hamburg, in 1979, 1982 and 1983; and his team finished second in the league standings twice, in 1980 and 1981. In all, he scored 96 goals in 159 matches for the club.

Hrubesch won the European Cup in 1983, captaining the team to a 1–0 win against favourites Juventus in the final in Athens. Three years earlier he had been on the team that lost the 1980 European Cup Final against Nottingham Forest, however he was injured shortly before the game and could only feature as a half time substitute. Hamburg reached one other major European final while Hrubesch was on the team, losing the 1982 UEFA Cup final against IFK Göteborg.