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1.05.2022Bayer 04

Birthday boy of the month: Christian Wörns turns 50

Christian ‘Wörnser’ Wörns was born in Mannheim on 10 May 1972. He played for youth teams at Phönix and Waldhof Mannheim. Just after finishing with the youth teams, he moved up to the senior squad at Waldhof Mannheim but his 18 Bundesliga appearances were not enough to avoid relegation. In the second year with the first team he was one of the best central defenders in the second division and he came to the attention of Bayer 04.

Christian joined Leverkusen on 1 July 1991 and he formed a very strong and reliable partnership at the Werkself in central defence with Martin Kree. Wörnser was uncompromising in tackles, a tough opponent and incredibly strong in the air. He made 211 Bundesliga appearances for Bayer 04 scoring 13 goals along the way. His biggest success with our club was winning the DFB Cup in 1993.

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After seven successful years at Leverkusen, he joined Paris St Germain for 12 months but was not happy there so he returned to the Bundesliga. To the sorrow of all Bayer 04 fans, he won the Bundesliga title in 2002 with his new club Borussia Dortmund. Christian was capped 66 times for Germany and he ended his playing career in 2008 after a total of 469 Bundesliga appearances. But he stayed with football and began his coaching career. Wörnser primarily worked with youth teams for VfL Bochum, Schalke 04, SpVgg Unterhaching, FC Augsburg, 1860 Munich and, last but not least, for the German Football Association since 2019. He worked alongside a familiar face for Bayer 04 in assistant coach Peter Hermann, responsible for the 2002 intake but since March he has been the assistant coach at Schalke 04.

Wörnser, I wish you many happy returns on your 50th birthday. Stay fit and healthy.

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