The monster tackle, the unstoppable dash, the curler into the corner: at FC Bayern there are and have been many players with unique abilities, who give us unforgettable moments. Such as Samuel Kuffour, who particularly shone against international stars. The Ghanaian defender made 277 competitive appearances for the German record champions from 1993 to 2005 and won 17 trophies with the club. Today, 3 September, he celebrates his 50th birthday – we wish him all the best.
Effenberg’s strength of nerve to make it 1-1, Kahn’s epic saves in the penalty shootout – those scenes from our Champions League triumph against Valencia will be remembered forever by many fans. Samuel Kuffour’s contribution to the fourth Champions League title might be less prominent. The Ghanaian centre-back didn’t provide an iconic moment at the San Siro on 23 May 2001, but his whole performance over the 120 minutes in the Bayern back three is legendary. Like in all the previous knockout matches, he’s on the pitch the whole time and intercepts one attack after the other. He closes the opponents down, throws himself into tackles and aerial duels and cuts out countless balls. Having nullified Manchester United’s Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole in the quarter-finals, and Raúl and Guti of Real Madrid in the semis, now it’s John Carew’s turn. The burly, 1.96-metre number nine iss barely in the game in the final. For someone of his relatively modest height of 1.78 metres, “Sammy” looks shoulders above. How does he manage to hold his own so well against the stars of his day? What characterises his defending?
Kuffour never shirks a tackle. He seeks them out, defends proactively on the front foot and puts his body on the line in a way that’s rarely been seen in FCB history. Even in training, he was no different. “I hated training against him,” reveals Giovane Élber, who played with him at Bayern from 1997 to 2003. Of course, this style of play brings with it a certain risk – he holds the record for the most sending-offs in an FCB shirt (eight). But fans and bosses are happy to forgive him for that. “When someone clatters into players like Sammy, then he can also make mistakes,” says Uli Hoeneß. Especially since he always manages to focus in the big games.
A key component of Kuffour’s game is his impressive athleticism. He has tremendous acceleration and agility, which allow him to hold his own even against technically superior players. Added to this is his exceptional jumping ability, thanks to which he easily holds his own in the air against opponents like Carew. Unsurprisingly, this also allows him to pose a constant goalscoring threat in attack, especially at set pieces. Six of his ten goals for Bayern were scored with his head. However, this does not apply to his most important goal – the winning goal in the Intercontinental Cup final against Boca Juniors in the 109th minute of extra time in November 2001. He scores that one with his right foot amid a scramble in the penalty area.
The third and perhaps most important reason for his stellar performances on the big stage is Kuffour’s 100-percent identification with FC Bayern. After joining the club at Säbener Straße at age 17, our club became like a second family to him. At the third of six championship celebrations, he chanted from the balcony of Munich Town Hall: “Wir wollen rot-weiße Trikots!” (“We want red-and-white jerseys!”) The last-minute loss to Manchester United in 1999 only fueled his determination to give his all for FCB. It was a painful experience that he tries to put behind him as best he can. To that end, he gives it his all on the pitch – and becomes a Bayern legend. It’s hard to believe that he’ll be celebrating his 50th birthday on 3 September. Happy birthday, dear Sammy!
Source: sports.yahoo.com
