The German Connection at Lazio

Photo by comfreak from Freerange Stock

Germany is famous for its rich history in art, philosophy and literature, its automobile industry, composers, landmarks and architecture, universities, sausages, Pretzels, beer and the Oktoberfest but also for a very strong football tradition.

Germany have won the World Cup 4 times (1954, 1974, 1990, 2014) and the European Championship 3 times (1972, 1980, 1996)

The top German clubs are Bayern Munich (83 total trophies with 34 league titles), Borussia Dortmund (22-5), Schalke 04 (17-0), Werder Bremen (16-4), Hamburger SV (15-3), F.C Nürnberg (13-1), VfB Stuttgart (11-3), Borussia Mönchengladbach (10-5), Eintracht Frankfurt (8-0), F.C Kaiserslautern (7-2), F.C Köln (7-2 ) and Bayer Leverkusen (5-1).

Some of the best players in German history include; Otto Harder, Richard Hoffmann, Fritz Walter, Uwe Seeler, Sepp Maier, Gerd Müller, Franz Beckenbauer, Berti Vogts, Paul Breitner, Klaus Allofs, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Lothar Matthäus, Oliver Kahn Jürgen Kohler, Matthias Sammer, Rudi Völler, Jurgen Klinsmann, Oliver Bierhoff, Ulk Kirsten, Mattias Brehme, Karl-Heinz Riedle, Thomas Doll, Michael Ballack, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Philipp Lahm, Miroslav Klose, Lucas Podolski, Toni Kroos, Manuel Neuer, Thomas Müller, Ilkay Gündoğan and many more.

Many of these have played in Serie A and some for Lazio while others had a brief connection.

Hubert Fielding - forward, he was owned by Roman but in 1909 played a few games for Lazio in the Coppa Tosti. He then became a referee.

Howard - forward, he too played for Roman but turned out for Lazio in a few games.

Giovanni Zenaro - goalkeeper, he was born in Berlin but he arrived from Schio in 1934 and stayed two seasons. In the first he played one league game and then five in the second. The main keeper was Giacomo Blason. Zenaro then played for Marzotto Valdagno, Sanremese, Varese and MATER (Rome).

Guido Klein - forward, he arrived in 1949 from Stuttgart (previously Fortitudo-Rome) where he had played six seasons. He took part in a few summer friendlies but was not signed and went to Torrese, then Catania, (he is 3rd top goal scorer in their history), Modena, Nuova Cisterna and Romulea. From 1972 to 1976 he was Lazio Women's coach.

Klein had dual nationality as his father was German and his mother Italian.

Erich Hahn- midfielder/forward, he arrived from F.C Kassel Hessen (Germany 2nd tier) for a trial in February 1962. He played in a Lazio v Sabaudia friendly but was not signed. He then played for Eintracht Frankfurt, Alemannia Aachen, Bellinzona and St. Louis Stars (USA).

Karl-Heinz Riedle - forward, he arrived from Werder Bremen in 1990 (previously Augusta and Blau-Weiß Berlin).

Source Lazio Wiki

He stayed three seasons, playing 94 games with 32 goals (84-30 in A). He then went to Borussia Dortmund (winning 2 league titles and a Champions league with 2 goals in final), Liverpool and Fulham.

He won 12 caps for West Germany (before unification) with 2 goals and 30 for Germany with 14 goals. He won a World Cup in 1990, a silver at Euro '92 and a bronze at Seul Olympics 1988.

Riedle was a quality centre-forward and exceptionally good in the air. He had the capacity to jump high and remain elevated a fraction longer than his markers. He thus earned the nicknames "Gummy" and "Air Riedle".

He did well at Lazio despite a mediocre squad and combined well with Ruben Sosa. He was one of the first signs things were changing for the better at Lazio, being able to buy a recent world champion showed the Biancocelesti were stepping up a gear.

Thomas Doll - midfielder, he arrived from Hamburger SV in 1991 (previously Hansa Rostock and Dynamo Berlin) and stayed three seasons. He played 71 games with 10 goals (64 and 9 in A). He then left for Eintracht Frankfurt on loan but came back to Lazio briefly in 1994-95 and played 2 more games in Coppa Italia with 2 goals before going back to Frankfurt. He then played for Bari and Hamburger SV again.

Source Lazio Wiki

He is originally from East Germany and played 29 times for DDR with 7 goals (plus 14 games with 2 goals for the Olympic team). After unification he earned 18 caps for Germany with 1 goal. He won a runner-up medal at Euro 1992.

After retiring he became a coach; Hamburger SV, Borussia Dortmund, Al-Hilal, Ferencváros, Hannover 96, APOEL and currently Persija (Indonesia).

Doll was an attacking midfielder who usually played out wide on the right. He was agile but strong and balanced his excellent skills and creativity with athleticism. Unfortunately, at Lazio he suffered several injuries but was still a success and very popular.

Alessio Wilms - defender, he arrived from Munster in 2007 to have a trial for the youth team. He was then signed in the summer of 2008. Some bureaucratic problems delayed his debut in the U17 until December. His career then took him to the German lower tiers; Lotte, Rheine, Rot Weiss Ahlen, Hiltrup, Emsdetten 05). He is Italo-German.

Source Lazio Wiki

Thomas Hitzlsperger - midfielder, he arrived from Stuttgart (previously Aston Villa) in January 2010. He only stayed six months, playing 6 league games with 1 goal. He left for West-Ham United, then Wolfsburg and Everton.

He earned 52 caps for Germany with 6 goals. He won bronze medals at the Germany World Cup 2006 and Euro 2008.

He was a solid midfielder known as "The Hammer". He was not given much chance and never really settled at Lazio.

Miroslav Klose - forward, he arrived from Bayern Munich (previously Kaiserslautern and Werder Bremen) in 2011. He stayed five seasons, playing 171 games with 63 goals (including a derby winner and another in a 3-2 win). He won the famous Coppa Italia in 2013 beating bitter rivals Roma in the final.

He earned 137 caps for Germany, scored 71 goals and won the World Cup in 2014. He is the player with the most world cup goals, 16.

He is currently manager of Nürnberg in the German 2nd tier.

A complete centre-forward he was skilful, opportunist, intelligent and good in the air. Despite some injuries he was adored at Lazio and is definitely a club legend.

Clay Verkay- midfielder, he arrived in the summer of 2014 from Eintracht Frankfurt to play for the U19s. He stayed two seasons, winning a Coppa Italia Primavera and a Supercoppa Primavera. In 2016 he left for Neumünster. He is Albanian-German.

Moritz Leitner - midfielder, he arrived from Stuttgart (previously Monaco 1860, Borussia Dortmund, Augusta) in 2016. He only stayed until January 2017, making 2 league appearances (only 13 minutes). He left for Augsburg.

Progon Maloku - forward, he arrived from Bayern Munich in 2017 but due to bureaucratic problems was officially signed in January 2018. He played for the U19s. He is German of Kosovar origin.

Noel Etienne Tare - forward, he joined the U15s in 2018 and in 2019 moved up to the U19s for two seasons. He then left for Rapid Vienna in 2022. He is the son of Igli Tare (former Lazio player and then sporting director). He has three passports; German, Italian and Albanian.

Arjon Ibrahimović - midfielder, the most recent arrival he came from Bayern Munich on loan in January 2025 (he previously played for Frosinone on loan for a season). He played 1 league game and 1 in the Europa League. He then went back to Germany.

He has played for Germany U16s, U17s, U18s, U19s and U20s.