Martin Max

Not to be confused with Max Martin.

Martin Max
Max in 2018
Personal information
Date of birth (1968-08-07) 7 August 1968 (age 56)
Place of birth Tarnowskie Góry, Poland
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Striker
Youth career
Rodło Górniki Bytom
Blau-Weiß Post Recklinghausen
FC Recklinghausen
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1989–1995 Borussia Mönchengladbach 142 (22)
1995–1999 Schalke 04 109 (33)
1999–2003 1860 Munich 112 (51)
2003–2004 Hansa Rostock 33 (20)
Total 396 (126)
International career
2002 Germany 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Martin Max (born 7 August 1968) is a German former professional footballer who played as a striker.

One of the oldest winners of the Bundesliga's top scorer crown, at the age of 32 and 34, he represented four teams in his country of adoption.

Club career

Born in Tarnowskie Góry in Upper Silesia, Max started to play football in the youth of Rodło Górniki Bytom, and in 1982, he emigrated with his parents as ethnic Germans (Aussiedler) from Poland and went to Germany, where the family settled in Recklinghausen in the Ruhr region (Ruhrgebiet). In Recklinghausen, he joined the youth team of Blau-Weiß Post Recklinghausen, and in 1985, he transferred to the offspring of the 1. FC Recklinghausen.

At Schalke, Max revived his career, netting 23 goals in his first two seasons combined, adding three in the victorious UEFA Cup campaign, and his penalty shootout attempt in the final against Inter Milan.

Max with Schalke in 1996

He joined TSV 1860 Munich in 1999, and was crowned league topscorer in his first season, with 19. In 2001–02, he added 18 for a second individual accolade, tied with Márcio Amoroso.

Already at 35, Max moved to Hansa Rostock, and contributed massively to the former East Germany side's comfortable league position, as he netted 20 goals and ranked third in the goal charts. He retired at the end of the season with a total of 396 matches, with 126 first division goals.[1]

After retiring, Max began running a soccer camp for youths.

International career

Courtesy of his stellar TSV performances, Max earned his only cap for Germany, on 17 April 2002, coming on as a substitute during the 84th minute in a 1–0 loss in a friendly in the Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion (today MHPArena) in Stuttgart against Argentina.[2] He was subsequently named on stand-by for that summer's 2002 FIFA World Cup.[3]

Personal life

His son, Philipp, is also a footballer.[4]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League DFB-Pokal Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Borussia Mönchengladbach 1989–90 Bundesliga 11 0 1 0 — — 12 0
1990–91 Bundesliga 30 7 0 0 — — 30 7
1991–92 Bundesliga 36 4 6 2 — — 42 6
1992–93 Bundesliga 21 3 1 0 — — 22 3
1993–94 Bundesliga 24 8 1 0 — — 25 8
1994–95 Bundesliga 20 0 1 0 — — 21 0
Total 142 22 10 2 — — 152 24
Schalke 04 1995–96 Bundesliga 32 11 2 0 — — 34 11
1996–97 Bundesliga 30 12 2 1 10[a] 3 — 42 16
1997–98 Bundesliga 19 4 0 0 6[a] 1 — 25 5
1998–99 Bundesliga 28 6 1 1 2 0 1[b] 0 32 7
Total 109 33 5 2 18 4 1 0 133 39
1860 Munich 1999–2000 Bundesliga 32 19 2 2 — — 34 21
2000–01 Bundesliga 31 8 3 2 7 3 — 41 13
2001–02 Bundesliga 28 18 4 3 — 6[c] 5 38 26
2002–03 Bundesliga 21 6 2 5 — 2[c] 0 25 11
Total 112 51 11 12 7 3 8 5 138 71
Hansa Rostock 2003–04 Bundesliga 33 20 2 0 — — 35 20
Career total 396 126 28 16 25 7 9 5 458 154
  1. ^ a b Appearances in UEFA Cup
  2. ^ Appearance in DFB Ligapokal
  3. ^ a b Appearances in UEFA Intertoto Cup

Honours

Borussia Mönchengladbach

Schalke 04

Individual

References

  1. ^ Matthias Arnhold (1 October 2015). "Martin Max - Matches and Goals in Bundesliga". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
  2. ^ Matthias Arnhold (1 October 2015). "Martin Max - International Appearances". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
  3. ^ "No surprises from Voeller". BBC Sport. 6 May 2002. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  4. ^ "Philipp und Martin Max: Jeder muss seinen Weg finden" (in German). dfb.de. 17 February 2014. Retrieved 27 March 2014.
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