Date of birth: 3 November 1945 (age 66)
Place of birth: Nordlingen, Germany
Playing position: Striker
Current role: Bayern Munich II (Assistant manager)
Gerd Muller (seen left in the adjoining picture) was the one man army in West Germany's strikeforce in 1972 as no team had an answer to him. He was on a goal scoring spree and the Russians had every reason to be wary of him as a threat in the final. Muller, who still holds the record for the highest goals for Germany, smashed seven goals in qualifying and four in the main tournament - two each in the semis and final - to set up West Germany's victory.
One of the most prolific goal scorers ever, he netted a massive 68 goals in 62 games for his national side. Just a month before the final of the Euro 1972, Muller had scored all four goals in a 4-1 thrashing of the Soviet side. He stands 8th on the all-time highest goal scorers list despite playing fewer matches than all the others in top 15.
When his playing career ended in 1982, alcoholism had took him over and led to his downfall. He still works as the Assistant coach of Bayern Munich II side which he joined at the behest of his former mates at Bayern Munich who had convinced him to undergo alcohol rehabilitation.
Gerd Muller
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