CMG Speaks presents Lothar Matthäus

Lothar is a World Cup Champion. One of the great footballers of his time. He was the captain of West Germany and led them to victory in the 1990 FIFA World Cup. He was awarded the Ballon d’Or. In 1991, he was named the first FIFA World Player of the Year, and remains the only German to have received the award. He was also included in the Ballon d’Or Dream Team in 2020. Which is an all-time all-star team published by France Football on the 14th of December 2020 after conducting an internet poll of fans to select a football dream team. Matthäus held the record of having played in five FIFA World Cups (1982, 1986, 1990, 1994 and 1998); more than any other outfield player in men’s football, until the 2018 World Cup, in which Mexico’s Rafael Márquez equalled his record. He also won UEFA Euro 1980, and played in the 1984, 1988 and 2000 UEFA European Championships. In 1999, aged 38, Matthäus was again voted German Footballer of the Year, having previously won the award in 1990. Matthäus is a member of the FIFA 100 list of the greatest living football players chosen by Pelé. Diego Maradona said of Matthäus, “he is the best rival I’ve ever had. I guess that’s enough to define him”.