Bert Trautmann
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| Personal information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Bernhard Carl Trautmann | |
| Date of birth | October 22, 1923 | |
| Place of birth | Bremen, Germany | |
| Playing position | Goalkeeper | |
| Club information | ||
| Current club | retired | |
| Senior career* | ||
| Years | Team | Apps (Gls) |
| 1949-1964 | Manchester City | 545 (0) |
| National team‡ | ||
| Germany | ||
| and correct as of 2005. |
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Bernhard "Bert" Carl Trautmann OBE (born October 22, 1923) is a former German football player. He played from 1949 to 1964 for Manchester City as the keeper. Trautmann is in Germany nearly unknown and had never played in the national team of his country. But in Manchester, he's until today one of the most popular player.
Bert Trautmann was born at October 22 in 1923. He began playing football at age 10, when he was 18 he had to go to do his military service for the German Nazi-Regime. The paratrooper was first imprisoned by the Sowiet, later by the British army. He did not left the island after his shank and became a professional football player.
After some years he went to Manchester City. In the first time, the fans hate the "Nazi boy". But after the 1956 FA Cup final, the fans accept Trautmann as a good player for their team. At the 75th minute of this game, Trautmann was hit by a player from Birmingham. The crash broke his neck, but Trautmann finished the game. Today it's often called a medical miracle that Trautmann did not die at this day.
Just a few days after the game his five years old son died in a car crash. In 1950 he had married the first time, in 1990 again. In the year 2004 he was honored by Queen Elizabeth II.
