9 German sports legends
From Record to Record

Whether in downhill skiing, tennis or Formula 1 racing: These sporting legends have set ground-breaking records. They have also won hearts around the world. We introduce you to some of the personalities to whom German sporting history owes great moments.

Max Schmeling

Boxer Max Schmeling made sports history in 1930: As the first and so far only German, he secured the world heavyweight title. The peak of his career came in 1936, when the athlete, who passed away in 2005, surprised everyone by defeating the American boxing legend Joe Louis in a fight in New York – an underdog victory that made him immortal.

Armin Hary

Armin Hary, who achieved an early sporting success in 1957 as the German runner-up in the 100-meter race, amazed the world in 1960: As the first person, he sprinted the 100 meters in 10.0 seconds – a record that revolutionized athletics. At the Olympic Games in Rome the same year, he became the first German to win the gold medal in the 100-meter race. Despite his withdrawal from sports in 1961, his name remains inseparably linked to this historic triumph.

Rosi Mittermaier

Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria, 1976: The already successful ski racer Rosi Mittermaier becomes 'Gold-Rosi'. With gold in the downhill and slalom, as well as silver in the giant slalom, she won medals in all Olympic skiing disciplines and thrilled an entire country. Previously, she had won World Cup competitions and German Championships. At the end of May 1976, she retired from active skiing at the peak of her career. Her popularity extended well beyond her sports career.

Lothar Matthäus

In 1990, the FIFA World Cup was held in Italy – and Lothar Matthäus led the German national team to World Cup triumph as captain. A moment for the ages, shaped by the extraordinary player who was signed with Inter Milan at the time. With 150 international matches, Matthäus still holds the record for the most appearances in the German Football Association (DFB) jersey. In 1991, he was named FIFA World Player of the Year – the first and so far only German to receive this honor, one of his many accolades.

Michael Schumacher

Seven World Championship titles in Formula 1 – with this, the race car driver Michael Schumacher, known to his fans as 'Schumi,' remains a record holder to this day and has only shared this record with Lewis Hamilton since 2020. Schumacher's career, which began as a child on the go-kart track in his hometown of Kerpen, is marked by superlatives: the most consecutive World Championship titles, Grand Prix victories, and podium finishes. In 2013, Michael Schumacher suffered severe head injuries in a skiing accident. Since then, he has not appeared in public.

Steffi Graf

Steffi Graf, who first picked up a tennis racket at the age of three and quickly earned a reputation as a 'child prodigy,' has left an unparalleled mark on the tennis world. In 1988, the 'Countess' achieved an unprecedented feat: winning all four Grand Slam titles and Olympic gold in a single year. With a total of 22 Grand Slam titles, she retired in 1999, but her record remained unbeaten until 2019. Steffi Graf, who was voted Germany's Sportswoman of the Year five times, is and remains a tennis legend.

Franziska van Almsick

Hardly anyone has influenced German swimming as much as Franziska van Almsick. Born in East Berlin, the athlete won her first Olympic medal at the age of just 14 and swam her way into the hearts of fans. Despite winning nine Olympic medals, she was denied gold at the Games. However, she won many first places at various European and World Championships. Her charisma and presence made ‘Franzi’ the nation's darling right from the start.

Boris Becker

Wimbledon, 1985: The 17-year-old Boris Becker becomes the youngest winner of a Grand Slam tournament. He is also the first German to win the final on Centre Court. This marks a historic moment in tennis. His career continues to gain momentum. He goes on to win the Wimbledon tournament two more times and secures six Grand Slam titles in total with his powerful, emotional play. His international success sparks a genuine tennis boom in Germany.

Miroslav Klose

A football sensation: with a total of 16 goals in four World Cups, Miroslav Klose is still the most successful goalscorer in FIFA history. He crowned his career with the World Cup title in 2014. He also set another record with 71 international goals for the German national team. His goalscoring ability and his consistent class made ‘Miro’ a football legend.