1.11.2021Bayer 04

Birthday boy of the month: Alois Reinhardt

Alois Reinhardt was born on 18 November 1961 in Höchstadt an der Aisch. At the age of 16, he left his hometown club TSV Höchstadt to join FC Nürnberg as a youth player. He signed full professional terms in 1979/80 and made his first-team debut in the second division in 1980. After promotion to Germany's top flight with FCN, the central defender scored his first Bundesliga goal in a 1-1 draw with Bayer 04 in December 1980. Alois Reinhardt joined Leverkusen three and a half years later.

The defender, noted for his tackling and heading ability, joined Leverkusen in the 1984/95 season and remained under the Bayer Cross for seven years. He made 186 appearances for the Black and Reds during that time, became a Germany international (four caps) and won the UEFA Cup with Bayer 04 in 1988. He scored the winner with a long-range effort in the 1-0 victory in the first leg of the semi-final against Werder Bremen. "That was definitely the most important goal of my career and an incredibly emotional moment for me," he said about that strike.

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In the summer of 1991, the soft-spoken man joined FC Bayern. He only made ten Bundesliga appearances there in three years due to many injuries but he was in the 1994 Bayern squad that won the league. Alois Reinhardt ended his career after that season and then worked for many years as a coach including for the FC Nürnberg and FC Kaiserslautern Reserves. He celebrates his 60th birthday this November. Many happy returns, Alois.

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