Norbert Nachtweih


Norbert Nachtweih is a German former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.
He played in 325 Bundesliga games over the course of 13 seasons, playing for Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayern Munich and winning eight major titles combined, including four national championships with the latter.

Football career

Born in Sangerhausen, East Germany, Nachtweih moved to West Germany in 1976, signing with Eintracht Frankfurt, for which he appeared as a midfielder over the course of five Bundesliga seasons, scoring 25 goals in his last three years combined and winning the 1979–80 UEFA Cup against fellow league side Borussia Mönchengladbach.
In the 1982 summer, Nachtweih joined FC Bayern Munich, contributing with 85 games and ten goals as the Bavarians won three consecutive national championships from 1985–87, and also being regularly played as a defender. In 1989, the 32-year-old moved to France and signed for AS Cannes, partnering a young Zinedine Zidane in two Ligue 1 seasons, and helping the club qualify to the UEFA Cup in his first.
After a brief spell with Eintracht, Nachtweih signed with second division's SV Waldhof Mannheim in December 1991. He retired from professional football after five seasons at the age of 39, but still competed a few years at the amateur level.
After his active career, Nachtweih managed SV Bernbach and FK Pirmasens. Subsequently, he returned to Eintracht Frankfurt, working in the club's football academy.

Defection

In October 1976, following an under-21 international game, Nachtweih fled to West Germany via Turkey alongside Jürgen Pahl, being suspended one year by FIFA. Even though he was one of the best German footballers in the 1980s, FIFA formalities forbade a career in the West German national team, as he had previously appeared with East Germany.

Honours

Eintracht Frankfurt
Bayern Munich