Klaus Decker
Encyclopedia
Klaus Decker is a former East German football player who spent his entire senior career with 1. FC Magdeburg in the DDR-Oberliga
.
Traktor Diesdorf near his home town. In 1966 he joined 1. FC Magdeburg
, going on to play in East Germany's top-flight, the DDR-Oberliga
from 1970 to 1983. 1.71-meter-tall Decker played in 278 matches for the club, scoring 7 goals. In addition Decker who had learned the profession of a construction mechanic played in 51 FDGB-Pokal matches, scoring twice and winning the competition four times, in 1973
, 1978
, 1979
and 1983
. He also played in 40 matches on European level. His cup titles aside, Decker also won the Oberliga championship on three occasions, in 1973, 1974 and 1975. His biggest success was the victory in the European Cup Winners' Cup
. Magdeburg beat A.C. Milan
to clinch the title in De Kuip, Rotterdam
. Due to an injury Decker missed the final match, but as integral to reaching the final.
Decker played in three full international matches for East Germany
in 1974. As a youth player Decker played in the 1970 UEFA Junior Tournament
for East Germany, winning the title in Scotland
. The defender
was the team's top scorer at the tournament with three goals.
DDR-Oberliga
The DDR-Oberliga was, prior to German reunification in 1990, the elite level of football competition in the DDR , being roughly equivalent to the Oberliga or Bundesliga in West Germany.-Overview:Following World...
.
Career
Klaus Decker began to play football at BSGBetriebssportgemeinschaft (GDR)
A Betriebssportgemeinschaft was an organizational form of sports clubs in East Germany.After World War II, the Allied Control Commission had dissolved all existing sports structures, including the dissolution of all existing sports clubs on the basis of directive 23, dated 17 December 1945. This...
Traktor Diesdorf near his home town. In 1966 he joined 1. FC Magdeburg
1. FC Magdeburg
1. FC Magdeburg is a German association football club playing in Magdeburg, Saxony-Anhalt.-History:Football has been played in Magdeburg since the end of the 19th century. On 15 June 1896 SV Victoria 96 Magdeburg was founded, a club that had its best days before World War II, when it participated...
, going on to play in East Germany's top-flight, the DDR-Oberliga
DDR-Oberliga
The DDR-Oberliga was, prior to German reunification in 1990, the elite level of football competition in the DDR , being roughly equivalent to the Oberliga or Bundesliga in West Germany.-Overview:Following World...
from 1970 to 1983. 1.71-meter-tall Decker played in 278 matches for the club, scoring 7 goals. In addition Decker who had learned the profession of a construction mechanic played in 51 FDGB-Pokal matches, scoring twice and winning the competition four times, in 1973
FDGB-Pokal 1972–73
The 1972-73 season was the 22nd competition for the FDGB-Pokal, the national football cup competition of East Germany.As the second-tier DDR-Liga had been enlarged to 58 teams in the previous season, the competition had to be held in a new format...
, 1978
FDGB-Pokal 1977–78
The 1977-78 season saw the 27th competition for the FDGB-Pokal of East Germany.After a qualifying round with four teams from the second-tier DDR-Liga the first round proper was played with 55 teams from the DDR-Liga, the two teams that had been relegated from the DDR-Oberliga in 1976-77 and the 18...
, 1979
FDGB-Pokal 1978–79
The 1978-79 season saw the 28th competition for the FDGB-Pokal, the East German national football cup. Starting from the third round, the fixtures were played over two legs, culminating in a one-legged final....
and 1983
FDGB-Pokal 1982–83
The FDGB-Pokal 1982-83 was the 32nd competition for the trophy. By beating FC Karl-Marx-Stadt, 1. FC Magdeburg won their 7th FDGB-Pokal title.- Participants :89 teams were eligible for the 1982-82 FDGB-Pokal...
. He also played in 40 matches on European level. His cup titles aside, Decker also won the Oberliga championship on three occasions, in 1973, 1974 and 1975. His biggest success was the victory in the European Cup Winners' Cup
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
The UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was a football club competition contested annually by the most recent winners of all European domestic cup competitions. The cup is one of the many inter-European club competitions that have been organised by UEFA. The first competition was held in the 1960–61 season—but...
. Magdeburg beat A.C. Milan
A.C. Milan
Associazione Calcio Milan, commonly referred to as A.C. Milan or simply Milan , is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, that plays in the Serie A. Milan was founded in 1899 by English lace-maker Herbert Kilpin and businessman Alfred Edwards among others...
to clinch the title in De Kuip, Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
. Due to an injury Decker missed the final match, but as integral to reaching the final.
Decker played in three full international matches for East Germany
East Germany national football team
The East Germany national football team was from 1952 to 1990 the football team of East Germany, playing as one of three post-war German teams, along with Saarland and West Germany....
in 1974. As a youth player Decker played in the 1970 UEFA Junior Tournament
UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship
The European Under 19 Football Championship is an annual football competition organised by the sport's European governing body, UEFA. The competition has been held since 1948. It was originally called the FIFA junior tournament, until it was taken over by UEFA in 1955...
for East Germany, winning the title in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. The 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....
was the team's top scorer at the tournament with three goals.
Later life
After his playing career, Decker worked as a business consultant in foreign trade. In 1996 he started to work for the Football Association Saxony-Anhalt (FSA), since 1 January 2000 he has been working as managing director for the FSA.Honors
- UEFA Junior TournamentUEFA European Under-19 Football ChampionshipThe European Under 19 Football Championship is an annual football competition organised by the sport's European governing body, UEFA. The competition has been held since 1948. It was originally called the FIFA junior tournament, until it was taken over by UEFA in 1955...
: 1- Winner 1970
- European Cup Winners' CupUEFA Cup Winners' CupThe UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was a football club competition contested annually by the most recent winners of all European domestic cup competitions. The cup is one of the many inter-European club competitions that have been organised by UEFA. The first competition was held in the 1960–61 season—but...
: 1- Winner 1974
- DDR-OberligaDDR-OberligaThe DDR-Oberliga was, prior to German reunification in 1990, the elite level of football competition in the DDR , being roughly equivalent to the Oberliga or Bundesliga in West Germany.-Overview:Following World...
: 3- 1973, 1974, 1975
- FDGB-Pokal: 4
- Winner 1973FDGB-Pokal 1972–73The 1972-73 season was the 22nd competition for the FDGB-Pokal, the national football cup competition of East Germany.As the second-tier DDR-Liga had been enlarged to 58 teams in the previous season, the competition had to be held in a new format...
, 1978FDGB-Pokal 1977–78The 1977-78 season saw the 27th competition for the FDGB-Pokal of East Germany.After a qualifying round with four teams from the second-tier DDR-Liga the first round proper was played with 55 teams from the DDR-Liga, the two teams that had been relegated from the DDR-Oberliga in 1976-77 and the 18...
, 1979FDGB-Pokal 1978–79The 1978-79 season saw the 28th competition for the FDGB-Pokal, the East German national football cup. Starting from the third round, the fixtures were played over two legs, culminating in a one-legged final....
, 1983FDGB-Pokal 1982–83The FDGB-Pokal 1982-83 was the 32nd competition for the trophy. By beating FC Karl-Marx-Stadt, 1. FC Magdeburg won their 7th FDGB-Pokal title.- Participants :89 teams were eligible for the 1982-82 FDGB-Pokal...
- Winner 1973