Jörg Heinrich
Encyclopedia
Jörg Heinrich is a former German
football defender
.
After spells with various small clubs in East Germany, Heinrich joined amateur side Kickers Emden
in the summer of 1990 and played for the club in the following four seasons, three of which were in the third division. In the summer of 1994, he left Kickers Emden for Bundesliga
side SC Freiburg
and started his professional career at the club. He made his Bundesliga debut on 20 August 1994 as a second-half substitute in SC Freiburg's opening match of the 1994–95 Bundesliga season, a 2–0 defeat away against Karlsruher SC
. He went on to become a regular in the Freiburg team during his first season with the club and appeared in 33 out of possible 34 Bundesliga matches that season, also scoring seven goals for the club in the league and helping the team to a surprising third-place finish in the Bundesliga that season. He scored his first Bundesliga goal already in his second appearance for SC Freiburg in the league, netting the final goal in the club's surprising 5–1 home victory over FC Bayern Munich
.
He appeared in another eight Bundesliga matches for SC Freiburg in the following season and went on to leave the club for Borussia Dortmund
in January 1996. He went on to appear for Borussia Dortmund in all 17 Bundesliga matches until the end of the 1995–96 season and also won the Bundesliga champions title with the club that season. He was also a regular in the following two seasons, appearing in 64 out of possible 68 Bundesliga matches. He scored 11 Bundesliga goals for Borussia Dortmund in two and half seasons with the club. In 1997, he also won the UEFA Champions League
with Borussia Dortmund, playing all 90 minutes in their 3–1 victory over Juventus Turin
in the Final.
In the summer of 1998, Heinrich moved to Italian
club ACF Fiorentina
and continued to play there in the following two seasons before returning to Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2000. In two seasons with Fiorentina, he made 57 Serie A
appearances and scored five goals for the club in the league. He subsequently played three seasons for Borussia Dortmund, but was a regular only in the first of these three seasons. In 2002, he won another Bundesliga champions title with the club. Between 2000 and 2003, Heinrich made 63 Bundesliga appearances for Borussia Dortmund and scored seven goals for the club in the league. He also participated with Borussia Dortmund in the 2002–03 UEFA Champions League season and made seven appearances in the competition.
In the summer of 2003, Heinrich left Borussia Dortmund for 1. FC Köln
and appeared in 20 Bundesliga matches for the club in the following season before finishing his professional career in the spring of 2004. He played his last Bundesliga match in 1. FC Köln's 3–0 defeat away against SC Freiburg, his first professional club, on 27 March 2004. After retiring from professional football, he continued to play as an amateur in the fourth-division Oberliga NOFV-Nord, spending one season with Ludwigsfelder FC
and one half-season with 1. FC Union Berlin
, where he finished his playing career in December 2005 and continued to work for the club as their sports director. Since August 2006, he also plays occasionally for fifth-division side TSV Chemie Premnitz.
Heinrich was also a member of the German national team
between 1995 and 2002, winning 37 international caps and scoring two goals for the team. He made his international debut in Germany's friendly match against Italy
on 21 June 1995. He was a member of the German squad at the 1998 World Cup
finals in France
and appeared in all five matches before the team was surprisingly eliminated by Croatia
in the quarterfinals. He also appeared for Germany in all of their three matches at the disappointing 1999 Confederations Cup in Mexico
, where the team was eliminated in the group stage.
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
football defender
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
.
After spells with various small clubs in East Germany, Heinrich joined amateur side Kickers Emden
Kickers Emden
BSV Kickers Emden is a German association football club, located in Emden, Lower Saxony.-History:The club first began playing in 1928 as a section of the gymnastics club Emder Turnverein, which was founded in 1861...
in the summer of 1990 and played for the club in the following four seasons, three of which were in the third division. In the summer of 1994, he left Kickers Emden for Bundesliga
Fußball-Bundesliga
The Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
side SC Freiburg
SC Freiburg
Sport-Club Freiburg, commonly known as SC Freiburg, is a German association football club, based in the city of Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Württemberg. SC Freiburg has played in the Bundesliga, the top tier of German football, since their promotion in 2009...
and started his professional career at the club. He made his Bundesliga debut on 20 August 1994 as a second-half substitute in SC Freiburg's opening match of the 1994–95 Bundesliga season, a 2–0 defeat away against Karlsruher SC
Karlsruher SC
Karlsruher SC is a German association football club, based in Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg. KSC rose out of the consolidation of a number of predecessor clubs. They currently play in the 2...
. He went on to become a regular in the Freiburg team during his first season with the club and appeared in 33 out of possible 34 Bundesliga matches that season, also scoring seven goals for the club in the league and helping the team to a surprising third-place finish in the Bundesliga that season. He scored his first Bundesliga goal already in his second appearance for SC Freiburg in the league, netting the final goal in the club's surprising 5–1 home victory over FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups....
.
He appeared in another eight Bundesliga matches for SC Freiburg in the following season and went on to leave the club for Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund
Ballspielverein Borussia Dortmund, commonly BVB, are a German sports club based in Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia. Dortmund are one of the most successful clubs in German football history. Borussia Dortmund play in the Bundesliga, the top league of German football...
in January 1996. He went on to appear for Borussia Dortmund in all 17 Bundesliga matches until the end of the 1995–96 season and also won the Bundesliga champions title with the club that season. He was also a regular in the following two seasons, appearing in 64 out of possible 68 Bundesliga matches. He scored 11 Bundesliga goals for Borussia Dortmund in two and half seasons with the club. In 1997, he also won the UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
with Borussia Dortmund, playing all 90 minutes in their 3–1 victory over Juventus Turin
Juventus F.C.
Juventus Football Club S.p.A. , commonly referred to as Juventus and colloquially as Juve , are a professional Italian association football club based in Turin, Piedmont...
in the Final.
In the summer of 1998, Heinrich moved to Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
club ACF Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina, commonly referred to as simply Fiorentina, is a professional Italian football club from Florence, Tuscany. Founded by a merger in 1926, Fiorentina have played at the top level of Italian football for the majority of their existence; only four clubs have played in more Serie A...
and continued to play there in the following two seasons before returning to Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2000. In two seasons with Fiorentina, he made 57 Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
appearances and scored five goals for the club in the league. He subsequently played three seasons for Borussia Dortmund, but was a regular only in the first of these three seasons. In 2002, he won another Bundesliga champions title with the club. Between 2000 and 2003, Heinrich made 63 Bundesliga appearances for Borussia Dortmund and scored seven goals for the club in the league. He also participated with Borussia Dortmund in the 2002–03 UEFA Champions League season and made seven appearances in the competition.
In the summer of 2003, Heinrich left Borussia Dortmund for 1. FC Köln
1. FC Köln
1. FC Köln is a German association football club based in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia. It was formed in 1948 as a merger of the clubs Kölner Ballspiel-Club 1901 and SpVgg Sülz 07....
and appeared in 20 Bundesliga matches for the club in the following season before finishing his professional career in the spring of 2004. He played his last Bundesliga match in 1. FC Köln's 3–0 defeat away against SC Freiburg, his first professional club, on 27 March 2004. After retiring from professional football, he continued to play as an amateur in the fourth-division Oberliga NOFV-Nord, spending one season with Ludwigsfelder FC
Ludwigsfelder FC
Ludwigsfelder FC is a German football club from Ludwigsfelde in Brandenburg.- History :The association was created in 1947 as Vorwärts Ludwigsfelde as the postwar successor to Rot-Weiß Ludwigsfelde established in 1939...
and one half-season with 1. FC Union Berlin
1. FC Union Berlin
1. FC Union Berlin is a German association football club based in Berlin. It is one of two sides in the city bearing the name Union that emerged during the Cold War and played in East Germany, while the other played in the west. The club currently plays in the 2. Fußball-Bundesliga.-Foundation to...
, where he finished his playing career in December 2005 and continued to work for the club as their sports director. Since August 2006, he also plays occasionally for fifth-division side TSV Chemie Premnitz.
Heinrich was also a member of the German national team
Germany national football team
The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
between 1995 and 2002, winning 37 international caps and scoring two goals for the team. He made his international debut in Germany's friendly match against Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
on 21 June 1995. He was a member of the German squad at the 1998 World Cup
1998 FIFA World Cup
The 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 16th FIFA World Cup, was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1998. France was chosen as host nation by FIFA on 2 July 1992. The tournament was won by France, who beat Brazil 3-0 in the final...
finals in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and appeared in all five matches before the team was surprisingly eliminated by Croatia
Croatia national football team
The Croatia national football team represents Croatia in international football. The team is controlled by the Croatian Football Federation, the governing body for football in the country, and has been managed since 2006 by former player Slaven Bilić...
in the quarterfinals. He also appeared for Germany in all of their three matches at the disappointing 1999 Confederations Cup in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, where the team was eliminated in the group stage.
Honours
- UEFA Champions LeagueUEFA Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
winner: 1996–97 - UEFA Cup finalist: 2001–02
- Intercontinental CupIntercontinental Cup (football)The European/South American Cup, commonly referred to as the World Club Championship, Intercontinental Cup or Toyota Cup, was a football competition endorsed by UEFA and CONMEBOL, contested between the winners of the European Cup and the South American Copa Libertadores...
winner: 19971997 Intercontinental CupThe 1997 Intercontinental Cup was a football match played on 2 December 1997 between Borussia Dortmund, winners of the 1996-97 UEFA Champions League, and Cruzeiro, winners of the 1997 Copa Libertadores. The match was played at the neutral venue of the National Stadium in Tokyo in front of 46,953 fans... - BundesligaFußball-BundesligaThe Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
champion: 1995–96, 2001–02