1.10.2023Bayer 04

Birthday boy of the month: Klaus Bruckmann turns 70

Klaus Bruckmann was born in Oberhausen on 9 October 1953. He started with football at TuS Grün-Weiss Holten. After his move to MSV Duisburg his coach in the U19 squad was Willibert Kremer. With him, he won the Germany U19 championship in 1972 with a 2-0 win against VfB Stuttgart. He was then signed on professional terms and he played for MSV Duisburg 75 times in the Bundesliga from 1972 to 1977. In June 1975 he played for the Zebras in the cup final against Eintracht Frankfurt but the game ended in a 1-0 defeat.

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In the summer of 1977 he signed for Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Bundesliga 2 where his former youth coach Willibert Kremer was now the head coach. The move proved to be a stroke of good luck. Klaus Bruckmann became a regular first choice in the team and at the same time completed a training course at Bayer AG. He made 75 appearances for the Werkself in Bundesliga 2 and scored 19 goals. He was promoted to the Bundesliga with Bayer 04 in the 1978/79 season.

He was a key part of Bayer 04 in the following years and played in 118 Bundesliga games. Bruckmann only scored five goals but one was really special: When the first derby was played at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium on 15 September 1979, Klaus Bruckmann opened the scoring with a wonderful header from a Dieter Herzog cross on 71 minutes. The FC Köln and Germany keeper at the time Toni Schumacher was helpless. The game unfortunately ended in a draw but Klaus Bruckmann will always remain the first player to score a Bundesliga goal for Bayer 04 against FC Köln.

He ended his professional playing career at Bayer 04 after the 1983/84 season but did play for the second team for a season as he focused on his work at Bayer AG.

Dear Klaus, I wish you all the best on your 70th birthday. Stay healthy and have a great day!

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