Key Figures

Few players dare to undermine their coach's authority. Fewer still would substitute themselves into a match. Guenter Netzer did. Under the eyes of disciplinarian Hennes Weisweiler, Netzer staged his rebellion in the 1973 DFB-Pokal final against 1. FC Koeln — his last match for Gladbach. Three minutes after entering the pitch, he scored the winner. In 297 league matches, the playmaker who embodied the mythical number ten like no other German scored 108 goals, won two championships (1970, 1971) and two Footballer of the Year awards (1972, 1973). He became the first German to join Real Madrid in 1973.

With 'He'll be someone,' coach Hennes Weisweiler introduced Berti Vogts to the German national team in 1967. The defender was already in his second year at Gladbach — diligent, disciplined, but lacking flair. In 14 years at the club, Vogts made 419 Bundesliga appearances and scored 33 goals. As captain, he led Gladbach to UEFA Cup victories in 1975 and 1979, five Bundesliga titles, and the DFB-Pokal. The combative defender — nicknamed 'Terrier' — was famous for his aggressive defending.

The club's postal address reads 'Hennes-Weisweiler-Allee 1' for good reason. Under his eleven-year reign, Gladbach rose from provincial obscurity to internationally recognized club. His offensive philosophy generated excitement — experts still speak reverently of his counter-attacking tactics. His 1959 coaching manual remains a standard reference for football trainer education. Under Weisweiler, Gladbach won nearly every other match (169 of 340). He never had a written contract — his word was his bond.

Allan Simonsen was voted European Footballer of the Year in 1977. Playing for Gladbach from 1972 to 1979, the 165cm-tall striker was spotted by Weisweiler at the 1972 Olympics. His first two seasons produced just 17 appearances and two goals — they even tried to sell him. The 1974/75 breakthrough changed everything: 18 league goals alongside Jupp Heynckes's 27, a championship, and the UEFA Cup. As the first Dane to win the Ballon d'Or, Simonsen scored in both the 1977 European Cup final and the 1979 UEFA Cup final.

'I was only the twelfth choice here,' Hans Meyer quipped at his 1999 unveiling. Dry humor and self-deprecation are his trademarks. As coach from 1999 to 2003 and briefly in 2008/09, he guided Gladbach back to the Bundesliga in 2001 and remains an honorary club member. The East German-raised Meyer once led Carl Zeiss Jena to a European final in 1981.

Kamps arrived from Duesseldorf in 1982 and stayed for 22 years as a player alone, making 390 Bundesliga appearances — second only to Berti Vogts. The goalkeeper legend is famous for training his charges in shorts regardless of weather, but his true claim to fame dates to April 7, 1992: in the DFB-Pokal semifinal, Kamps saved all four Leverkusen penalties in the shootout — a record that stood alone until 2020.

The Last Wall: In a time of constant upheaval, he was the only true constant between the posts. Over nine years, the Swiss international goalkeeper defined Gladbach's game with seemingly superhuman reflexes. In the historic 5-0 against Bayern in the DFB-Pokal 2021, he saved against Lewandowski and Gnabry as if it could go on forever. His legacy: 367 competitive appearances, record performances in series — and a departure to Bayern Munich in summer 2023 that left a gap impossible to fill, both on the pitch and as a leader.

The Last Captain: Identity figure and bridge between eras. Stindl arrived from Hannover in 2015 and became the face of the Eberl era — captain, scorer in decisive moments, quiet anchor in the chaos. His retirement in 2023 drew the emotional line under a generation. With him went the last player who knew what Champions League felt like at the Lower Rhine.

The Culture Carrier: Kramer arrived in 2013 on loan from Bayer Leverkusen — the club had actually wanted Leon Goretzka, who chose Schalke instead. Under Lucien Favre, the second-division player became a World Cup finalist within a year at Brazil 2014. In 2015 he had to return to Leverkusen, where he didn't fit Roger Schmidt's system and ended up playing centre-back. A year later Max Eberl brought him back permanently. 288 competitive appearances, ten years with a smile at Borussia-Park. Already during his playing career, Kramer became Germany's most popular TV pundit (ZDF). After his departure in 2024, he published a debut novel that hit number one on the Spiegel bestseller list in its first week. The man became more famous as a non-footballer than as a footballer. The curiosity of this era.

The Luebeck-born Grashoff balanced Gladbach's competitive disadvantages — small stadium, small city — and kept the club at the top of the Bundesliga for over 25 years. As part of the legendary board triumvirate with president Helmut Beyer and team doctor Alfred Gerhards, he shaped Gladbach's golden era. A street near Borussia-Park bears his name.

The only player in Bundesliga history to transfer from Gladbach to Bayern twice. The 'Tiger' began his career in 1987, once shooting out a hotel room ceiling light with an air rifle. At Gladbach he won the 1995 DFB-Pokal; at Bayern three championships and the 2001 Champions League. He earned his nickname after losing a bet and having a tiger head sprayed into his hair.

From Gladbach's goalkeeping school to FC Barcelona and world-class status. 'MAtS' established himself at the Catalan giants from 2014 onwards, though he remained Germany's number two behind Manuel Neuer for years.

Germany's first naturalized international player. From 1970 to 1978, Bonhof won four Bundesliga titles, the DFB-Pokal, and the UEFA Cup with Gladbach. His return as coach in 1998 ended in Gladbach's first-ever relegation. Since 2009 he serves as vice-president.