DFB: Important personalities – the honorary captains of the German Football Association
Created: 2022-11-02 15:41
Philipp Lahm was the last person to receive the DFB honorary captain's award in 2017.
© IMAGO/Michael Weber
Honorary captain is the DFB's highest award for deserving national team players.
Information on history and the selection process.
Bern – The legendary final victory against Hungary on July 6, 1954 underpinned the first appointment of an honorary captain by the DFB two days later.
Fritz Walter, captain of the newly crowned world champion team, was the first to receive this award.
How high this is is shown by the fact that apart from him (as of April 2022) only seven other DFB personalities have received this special award.
Honorary captain: Selection of the DFB personalities for the badge of honour
The German Football Association sets very high standards before the committee appoints a new honorary captain.
The first criterion for the order of honor is an above-average participation in international matches, primarily as a player captain.
It is also important that the DFB personality who is up for the award has made a special contribution to football.
Unlike the case of the exceptional footballer Fritz Walter, the selection code now includes the addition “after the end of the international career”.
After receiving this exclusive recognition, the dignitaries commit themselves to promoting and presenting the values of the DFB even after their active career on the pitch.
On the occasion of these actions, the regulars' table of the honorary captains takes place every two years as part of a benefit event of the Egidius Braun Foundation.
Honorary captain: history and list of those who have been honored so far
So far, eight footballers have been honored with the honorary captaincy of the DFB.
Personalities belonging to this elite list are:
Fritz Walter, 1958
61 caps and 33 goals
World Champion 1954
379 games for 1. FC Kaiserslautern
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Uwe Seeler, 1972
72 caps and 43 goals
Vice World Champion 1966 and 1970
476 games for HSV
Franz Beckenbauer, 1982
103 caps and 14 goals
Vice World Champion 1966
World Champion 1974
European Champion 1972
Lothar Matthäus, 2001
150 caps and 23 goals
World Champion 1990
European Champion 1980
World Player of the Year 1991
Bettina Wiegmann, 2004
154 caps and 51 goals
World Champion 2003
Vice World Champion 1995
European Champion 1991, 1995, 1997 and 2001
Bronze medal at the 2000 Olympic Games
Birgit Prince, 2013
214 internationals
more than 30 national and international titles
World Champion 2003 and 2007
European Champion 1995, 1997, 2001, 2005 and 2009
Bronze medal at the 2000, 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games
Jurgen Klinsmann, 2016
108 caps and 47 goals
1988 Olympic bronze medal
World Champion 1990
European Champion 1996
2006 3rd place at the World Cup as coach of the DFB national team
Philip Lahm, 2017
113 caps and 5 goals
World Champion 2014
DFB personalities: High awards for merits off the pitch
In addition to the (formerly) active DFB personalities, the German Football Association also honors merits in the background.
This applies, among other things, to DFB Presidents, who have shown exceptional commitment to lawn sports during their term of office.
The basic requirement for appointment as honorary president is at least two completed terms of office or many years of commendable work on the DFB executive committee.
The award is given by the presentation of the enlarged Golden DFB Badge of Honor with diamonds.
Bearers of this recognition among the twelve DFB Presidents are the late Dr.
Peco Bauwens, Gerhard Mayer-Vorfelder and Dr.
HC Egidius Braun.
The Badge of Honor of the German Football Association is awarded in different versions.
In addition to the particularly elegant version already mentioned for the deserving honorary president and the version in silver and gold, there is the DFB merit pin.
DFB merit pin - for services to football, already awarded by the association
Silver badge of honor – at least 10 years of meritorious service in a DFB volunteer position
Badge of honor in gold - additional award after receiving the silver pin for DFB merit pin - for services to football, already awarded by the association
Silver badge of honor – at least 10 years of meritorious service in a DFB volunteer position
Badge of honor in gold - additional award after receiving the silver pin for further, at least six years of special service to football in the DFB
Another visual award is the honorary clasp, which is awarded to DFB personalities who have proven themselves worthy of honorary membership with the exception of membership in the DFB Executive Committee.