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Overath thrilled: Cologne's football hero celebrates a strong victory!
Wolfgang Overath, 81, praises Cologne's winning performance against Freiburg. An insight into the past and present of the FC.
Overath thrilled: Cologne's football hero celebrates a strong victory!
An impressive afternoon for 1. FC Köln: On September 3, 2025, the billy goats celebrated a clear 4-1 win against SC Freiburg in the Bundesliga. Almost 50,000 passionate fans filled the stadium, including Cologne legend and world champion Wolfgang Overath, who was proud of his team. At 81 years old and with 542 appearances for FC, he has already experienced a lot, but he described this match as FC's best in two to three years, which is certainly a compliment for the current team. Before that, Overath met new coach Lukas Kwasniok for the first time, who brings a breath of fresh air to the club.
Cologne's performance was impressive. They not only played tactically cleverly, but also showed unbridled will, energy and commitment. “We really pulled ourselves together as a team and covered 5 kilometers more than the Freiburg team,” was how the players performed. That makes you sit up and take notice, especially when you consider that there were six new additions to the starting line-up and another three came from the bench. Overath noticed the coach's clear style and at the same time urged patience: "The team needs time to find itself after the upheaval."
About Wolfgang Overath
Wolfgang Overath, who turns 82 on September 29th, is not only a legend of German football, but also an active person off the pitch. He works as a real estate entrepreneur and attaches great importance to healthy eating and exercise. Next Wednesday there will be a friendly match between 1. FC Köln and Siegburger SV, which was given to Overath for his birthday. The net proceeds from the game go to the “Wolfgang Overath Fund”, which supports social projects. Around 5,000 spectators are expected, although Overath emphasizes that the game is not being organized in his honor, but for his youth club.
Overath is positive about 1. FC Köln's return to the Bundesliga after relegation and has confidence in coach Kwasniok and sports director Thomas Kessler. He sees the squad changes as an opportunity and is optimistic that they will be able to stay in the league. There are also exciting times ahead in the club itself: three teams of applicants will be running for the first time in the next board elections, which Overath welcomes as a selection opportunity for the members.
A look back
Wolfgang Overath's career began in 1953 at Siegburger SV 04. Since his debut in the youth national team in 1960 and the move to 1. FC Köln in 1962, he has celebrated many successes, including the German championship in 1964 and the DFB Cup in 1968 and 1977. From 1963 to 1977 he played an impressive 765 games for FC and scored 287 goals, of which 409 Games in the Bundesliga and 83 goals are among his statistics. He was also part of the German national team that won the world championship title in 1974.
After his active career, various positions followed, including being elected president of 1. FC Köln in 2004. Despite the ups and downs of his tenure, which was marked by coaching changes and sporting success, he threw in the towel in 2011 and resigned. But even after his presidency, he is an influential figure in the club and remains connected to the FC.
1. FC Köln's upcoming away games against Wolfsburg on September 13th and Leipzig on September 20th will show whether the team's new momentum will bring lasting success. Wolfgang Overath definitely remains optimistic about the future of the club.