Interviews
Our World Cup winners – An interview with Rudi Völler
Monday, May 29, 2006
1954 - 1974 - 1990: Magical numbers in German football. How do the previous World Cup heroes rate the chances of their young successors of today? In the last of his conversations with the World Cup winners of yesteryear, sports journalist Wolfgang Golz interviews Rudi Völler, winner of the 1990 World Cup in Rome.
Mr. Völler, the obligatory opening question: Why will Germany win the World Cup in July?
Rudi Völler: Things are looking pretty good before the tournament. We are the home nation at the World Cup and there'll be a tremendous wave of euphoria just like there was at the Confederations Cup. That's why I am sure we've got a good chance of reaching the Final. Let me put it like this, Brazil are the clear favourites, closely followed by Italy, France and Argentina.
And not Holland?
Correct.
How does a player feel just before the World Cup: Under greater pressure or looking forward to the forthcoming feast of football?
You definitely look forward to it. You only start to feel pressure before the first game when you feel even more on edge than you do before the Final. The weeks of preparation are long and tortuous.
What exactly do you remember about your first World Cup?
The main thing is, the media scene back then was completely different. That was over twenty years ago: I was already 26 when I played in the Mexico finals. The whole country was football crazy and there was a tremendous atmosphere. On the other hand, there was a lot of stress and arguments in the team. It was the first time Franz Beckenbauer had managed the national side at a tournament. Even so we ended up as runners-up at the Final in what I consider to be the finest football stadium in the world. For me the Aztec Stadium is the Mecca of world football even if there are great stadiums all over the world these days.
How did you feel back in 1990 when you won the Italy World Cup and held the trophy aloft in the Rome evening air?
It was wonderful. But the best part of the game was the last four or five minutes. Argentina only had nine players on the pitch and had nothing left to give to the game. Sometimes the dying minutes of a game can drag on but I was enjoying it. We stroked the ball round the pitch and the Argentines couldn't get hold of it – the feeling of winning the World Cup was incredible. If you win the German league title that's just momentary. But World Cup wins last forever. It's funny that in most sports you are the ex-world champions straight after the next world championship. In football you are World Cup winners forever. Just like Olympic champions.
And how did you feel when you went out to Bulgaria 2-1 in USA '94?
Of course, you feel very disappointed. And in Germany we were spoiled because we had reached the Final in the three previous tournaments. But as a professional player you have to learn to accept defeat occasionally. However, I did feel sorry for the manager Berti Vogts.
Can you imagine putting World Cup winner on a business letterhead?
No, I can't imagine that. And also, you don't have to because everybody knows you are.
You played in three World Cup finals and were manager in 2002. What are the big differences between the two?
As a player you are just part of a team. And of course you want sporting success and to produce the best possible personal performances but as a player you don't carry any responsibility. That means you can enjoy yourself more at tournaments. As manager you're up to your neck in it. You can only enjoy a World Cup when it's all over.
Whether we're talking about Franz Beckenbauer, yourself or Jürgen Klinsmann it's amazing how you got the call-up to be Germany manager. How did your wife react when you told her you'd been appointed?
Naturally she was surprised. After I explained everything she said, "Of course. You've got to do it". She knew all about the implications of marrying a footballer.
You can't always be fair as a manager. Is that a burden?
There are a thousand ways of defining what's fair. You can't satisfy everybody when you pick a team. You often have to accept the burden of making difficult decisions.
Jürgen Klinsmann has decided who's Germany's number one: Lehmann instead of Kahn in goal. What was your most difficult decision?
When you get to a tournament there are always two or three players on the verge of making the squad. Having to tell them they're staying at home isn't easy. It's the same with the World Cup Final; you have to tell one player or the other that they haven't made it into the starting line-up. I didn't lose any sleep over it but you're always under pressure. There's no time to relax.
So you preferred playing to managing at the World Cup?
No, it was just different. I liked being the manager. There were highs and lows; but more highs overall.
In the 1986 and 2002 World Cup Finals in Mexico and Japan the goalkeepers Toni Schumacher and Oliver Kahn (against Brazil) made mistakes that had serious consequences. How does that affect you as a manager and as a player?
It was 0-0 for a long time. In 2002, as in 1986, we had quite a bit of time left. It didn't worry me. Mistakes happen and goals are scored. But if you're losing to Brazil you have to open up. And then there's a greater chance of conceding a second goal. That's exactly what happened.
Is it easy talking about these mistakes now?
No, why?
What's changed since your success at the 1990 World Cup?
When you're still playing you think, the game can't get any quicker. And then you find out after all that it has become more athletic and faster. There won't be any revolutionary changes in tactics but there is a trend towards faster players, that is fleet of foot and quick of mind. That goes together with tactical ability. The important thing is not to be afraid of making mistakes and to want the ball. However, one on ones have become more and more difficult. You left them behind when the tackles started flying in. Today you get two or three players on the man with the ball. It never used to be like that.
You were a World Cup winner in 1990 along with the current Germany coach Jürgen Klinsmann. What was Klinsmann like then as a person?
Jürgen was a different kind of professional footballer. He always suffered terribly when we had to spend a long time at training camps. That's why he does things differently today. As players we complemented each other perfectly. The important thing was everyone wanted each other to be successful. We always had a warm and friendly relationship with each other.
Photo: picture-alliance / ASA / WerekRudi VöllerWhen I resigned as manager I allowed myself some time out to think things over carefully. What direction was my life taking? Fortunately I still had my connection to Bayer Leverkusen as I had been their manager. But at the moment I'm happiest being Director of Sport. It's good being able to do both.
It's funny that your angry outburst on TV after the Iceland game is better remembered than finishing runner-up at the 2002 World Cup.
Curiously there are two episodes in my life that stick in the mind. At home that interview with Waldi Hartmann and abroad the photos of Frank Rijkard when he spat at me in the 1990 World Cup. Wherever I am in the world people always talk about it. Everyone knows the incident. But the worst thing was, I was spat at and I got sent off as well. That was an absolute outrage in my eyes. The referee will take the secret of my sending-off to his grave.
How well are you doing in getting tickets for the World Cup?
I'll be working with Günter Jauch on RTL covering the Sunday games – in fact, there'll be eight in total. I am curious about the African teams. I hope a few of them will upset the form books. I must admit to being a bit selfish as there might be one of them that Bayer Leverkusen could afford to buy.
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Rudi Völler was born on 13 April 1960 in Offenbach. He played 232 Bundesliga games for 1860 Munich, Werder Bremen and Bayer Leverkusen, scoring 132 goals, and in 1983 he was top goalscorer (23 goals) and footballer of the year. He won the French league title and the Champions League with Olympic Marseille. He made 90 international appearances (47 goals), was runner-up in the 1992 European Championship and won the World Cup in 1990. As manager he finished as runner-up in the 2002 World Cup.
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