Hans-Peter Briegel is German champion, European champion and vice world champion. But he always remains humble and down-to-earth. A portrait for the 70th birthday.
Hans-Peter Briegel does not see himself as an icon. Fritz Walter is an icon or Ottmar Walter, Horst Eckel, Werner Liebrich, Werner Kohlmeyer. “For me, the great players are those who have become world champions,” says Briegel. Andreas Brehme comes to mind – and of course Miroslav Klose. “Icon would be a bit exaggerated,” said Vice World Champion and European Champion Hans-Peter Briegel modestly in an interview with SWR Sport a few days before his 70th birthday.
FCK legend Hans-Peter Briegel
Briegel is a true Palatinate boy
But Hans-Peter Briegel has everything it takes to be an FCK icon: He was born on October 11, 1955 in Kaiserslautern and grew up on his parents’ farm in Rodenbach, where he worked for hours even as a child. Even when he became famous with 1. FC Kaiserslautern, he still helped out at home. Immediately after training, he drove to the farm and helped with the harvest.
In the early years of his career, Hans-Peter-Briegel still helped with his parents’ business.
Against Real Madrid in the west curve
He first learned to kick on the street and then at SV Rodenbach. Even back then he wanted to join the FCK, so he wrote it down in a poetry album when he was ten or twelve years old. “Because I’ve been standing in the west curve since 1963. First with my father at the beginning and then alone.” From there he also got this on October 20, 1973 legendary 7:4 against Bayern Munich seen. “To be honest, I wanted to leave at halftime. But then I pulled myself together and never regretted it. It was the biggest game for me – to this day.” After a pause, he quickly added: “As a spectator!”
As a player, there were many more big games to come: for example, the sensational victory over Real Madrid on March 17, 1982, when the Red Devils swept the Royals off the pitch 5-0 and reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup. Or the 1-0 win at FC Bayern Munich on May 14, 1983 – Briegel himself headed the decisive goal. And it would take until August 1997 before an FCK team could win in Munich again.
Winning goalscorer Hans-Peter-Briegel and coach Ernst Diehl celebrate the FCK victory at FC Bayern Munich on May 14, 1983.
This is how Briegel became the “Walz of the Palatinate”
Back then, Briegel was well-known and popular. But the start was difficult. “People didn’t always want me here,” Briegel said in a 2023 interview. It was thanks to the patience of the then FCK coach Erich Ribbeck (1973 to 1978) that Briegel did not go to Eintracht Trier, but was able to assert himself in Kaiserslautern. Between 1975 and 1984 he played 240 Bundesliga games for FCK and scored 47 goals – an astonishing rate for someone who mostly played central defender.
His speed and powerful advances made him famous. So he became the “Walz from the Palatinate”. Actually inappropriate for a 1.88 meter man who ran the hundred meters in eleven seconds at his best. Briegel initially found the nickname “to get used to”. Because “a roller sounds slow”. However, he never got rid of it. “Somehow I got used to it over time.”
Briegel celebrated great success in Italy
At Hellas Verona, Hans-Peter-Briegel had to assert himself against Diego Maradona and other world-class strikers.
After nine years in the Palatinate, Briegel moved to Italy to Hellas Verona (1984 to 1986). He became Italian champion and Germany’s footballer of the year in his first year. He won the Italian Cup with Sampdoria Genoa (1986 to 1988). In 72 international matches he was twice runner-up in the world championships with the DFB (1982 & 1986) – and even European champion in 1980. “That was something special. I have to be honest: I celebrated for two or three days afterwards and no one knew where I was.”
According to his own statements, Briegel has become friends with the two lost World Cup finals over the years. “The sting isn’t that deep.” But secretly he still hopes that at some point he will catch up with Jorge Burruchaga, who scored the decisive 3-2 in the 1986 World Cup final. He laughs every time he says that.
Hans-Peter Briegel couldn’t stop Jorge Burruchaga in the 1986 World Cup final.
Hundreds of Briegels in Albania
During his coaching positions – including at Wattenscheid 09 (1994 to 1995), Beşiktaş Istanbul (1999 to 2000), Trabzonspor (2001 to 2002) and as national coach of Albania (2002 to 2006) and Bahrain (2006 to 2007) – he was denied titles. Nevertheless, he was successful. He did valuable development work, especially during his time in Albania. The Albanians were so grateful to him, that they named some of their children “Briegel” after their national coach at the time.
As the national coach of Albania, Hans-Peter Briegel was so popular that many Albanians named their children after him.
Briegel returned to the FCK as an official
In 1996 Briegel returned to his favorite club in the Palatinate. As sporting director, he held the squad together after Leverkusen’s relegation, then brought in Otto Rehhagel and shaped the relegated team into the promoted team that became German champions in 1998. But when the title was won, Briegel was no longer on board. He had a falling out with coach Rehhagel and president Hubert Keßler and resigned as sporting director on October 21, 1997. Nevertheless, he was elected to the Red Devils’ supervisory board twice more.
At the age of 70, Hans-Peter Briegel can look back on a great career. Or as Briegel says: “My life had more bright sides than dark sides.” There are definitely a few people who are happy to see me again. But I always say: Those who are now younger than 50 don’t even know me anymore.” So it remains to be said: For the national team he is a hero, for the FCK he is a legend. For Briegel himself he is Hans-Peter – a modest European champion who always stayed down to earth.
Broadcast on Saturday, October 11, 2025, 7:30 p.m., SWR Aktuell Rhineland-Palatinate, SWR RP
