Birthday boy of the month: Hans Sarpei turns 50

Hans grew up in Cologne-Chorweiler and started playing football there. In his youth, he first played for Fühlingen-Chorweiler, then moved on to Ford Niehl, Fortuna Köln and Viktoria Köln. In his final youth year, he played for Preußen Köln, where he also took his first steps in the men's game. Winfriedia Mülheim, Siegburger SV, VfL Rheinbach and finally Fortuna Köln were other clubs before MSV Duisburg became aware of Hans in 2000 and brought him to the Wedau.

three years under the bayer cross

After one season with the Zebras, he moved on to VfL Wolfsburg in the Autostadt. In his six years with the Wolves, Hans made 139 Bundesliga appearances and scored three goals. Above all, he made a name for himself in the Bundesliga as a very disciplined full-back, both on the right and left. When he was no longer a regular starter for Wolfsburg in his final season, the approach from Bayer 04 in 2007 came at just the right time. That allowed him to move back to the Rhine and play football near his family.

Bayer 04 coach Michael Skibbe also played the two-footed Hans Sarpei at full-back in Leverkusen. He also shone under the Bayer Cross with his strong tackling and calm play. In three years, he made a total of 55 appearances for the Werkself and worked with two other Bayer 04 coaches in Bruno Labbadia and Jupp Heynckes.

two world cups with Ghana

Parallel to his club career, Hans played for Ghana. He took part in major tournaments with the Ghanaian team, including the 2006 and 2010 World Cups. The 2010 World Cup is particularly memorable, as Ghana reached the quarter-finals and were only narrowly defeated by Uruguay on penalties. As an experienced player, Hans also brought stability to the defence at this tournament. He won a total of 36 international caps.

After the World Cup in South Africa, the defender moved within the Bundesliga from Bayer 04 to Schalke 04. Although he only played nine Bundesliga games for the Royal Blues over the next two years, he was in the starting XI for the 2011 DFB Pokal final and won the DFB Pokal with Schalke 04 with a 5:0 victory over MSV Duisburg. Hans hung up his football boots in 2012.

active in the media after playing career

After the end of his playing career, he embarked on a new path and became a permanent fixture in the German media landscape. He stands out with his sense of humour and self-irony, particularly on social media such as Twitter. His dry, ironic style goes down well with the public and has earned him a large fan base. He combines humour with a direct and honest style that is often surprisingly profound. Behind his humorous façade is a wealth of life experience and empathy.

He can be seen on television in various programmes. He is particularly well known for the programme ‘Das T steht für Coach’, in which he trains lower-league teams as an unconventional coach. In 2015, Hans won the dance show ‘Let's Dance’.

He is also active in community affairs and is committed to integration and diversity. As a person with an international background, he speaks openly about his experiences and uses his high profile to create positive momentum.

In his private life, the father of two daughters still lives in Cologne, although he took on the job of sports director at Eintracht Spandau, a Berlin club that is active in the Baller League, in January 2024.

Dear Hans, I wish you all the best for your 50th birthday. Stay healthy and enjoy your day.