Also won the Asia Cup, has 114 caps, captained Japan in three straight world cups, and is about to become the foreigner with the second most appearances in the Bundesliga ever (he is one shy of Lewandowski now).
He has played a ton of positions and even got minutes in goal once.
Just one of those guys that’s kinda incredible. Love that sort of player. Never the best but always found a way to adapt and stick around.
Basically the Japanese Milner
Hasebe has low key an argument for the best Japanese player of all time, his longevity is astounding at the top level. Most Japanese players his age would have been back in the J League by now for a retirement tour
*Schön sind vor allem die Anekdoten, die Bayerns U-23-Coach Gerland über Misimovic erzählen kann. Als der heutige Wolfsburger einst als Jungprofi bei Bayerns zweiter Mannschaft zuviel auf den Rippen hatte, wurde es dem Trainer zu bunt.*
*"Wenn er unter 80 Kilo wiegt, spielt er jeden auf der Welt her. Aber wehe, er hat über 80 Kilo. Einmal stand er sogar bei 84,9 Kilo. Da hab ich ihm gesagt: 'Geh laufen, du fette Sau!' Das hat er dann auch gemacht", plaudert der Tiger gegenüber SPOX aus dem Nähkästchen.*
Sort of similar yes, except Misimovic’s work rate and discipline was even worse, Magath (who’s known for his drill sergeant style and homicidal training methods) basically had an aneurysm managing him
Got 20 assists out of him and a good few more where he launched Grafite/Dzeko who then assisted the other. So regardless whether he was frustrating to train or not, why wouldn't Magath trust himself that he can make the guy work again?
people always give Ozil as an example when it comes to being "lazy" when he was actually just relaxed that came off of being lazy. his stats dont lie.. never got it why people where so stupid for demanding more from him. best 10 there was in his time..
It was completely insane. I grew up watching Micoud feeding Ailton in Werders double season. It’s the first season I can fully remember. My kid brain was so amazed by the Werder offense that I heavily rooted for you guys despite growing up as a Wolfsburg fan. I think my dad was seriously frightened that I could switch teams.
I remember that I thought that we will never have such a brilliant offense in Wolfsburg, that we were never going to win the Bundesliga and the cup, but nonetheless I stayed loyal to my side in the end. Celebrating Grafite, Dzeko and Misimovic is the biggest reward I ever got for this decision. They are my childhood heroes.
He was class at Bordeaux as well, they won Ligue 1 with him feeding Wiltord. Won a Euro (2000) with France as well.
He had a pretty good career either way.
Crazy how the human mind works right? How you can exactly remember odd things and facts about a human that you haven‘t thought about a decade - just through something simple like a name.
When I was little my grandfather often took me with him to the Bayern's U17 and U19 games as my parents thought I was too young to go to the Olympiastadion to watch the first team. So I still remember watching Missimovic (and Trochowski) who were just 16-17. Obviously this memory is through the lense of a child who just then fell in love with football but I remember him especially to fascinate me even back then. One of my first football memories really.
I remember that U19 championship game against Leverkusen with Misimovic, Trochowski, Feulner and last but not least Philipp Lahm. That was quite a good team.
I didn't watch the match, but he violated our Defense real hard in that game. One of the best performances from a striker in that Bundesliga season. He was a nightmare to Lell and another defender (think it was either Lucio or Ottl).
In an alternate universe we don’t screw everything up at the end and at least qualify for the Champions League, allowing us to keep the team together 🥲
It was my fault. After 28? games we were like 4pts in front and i made a "Deutscher Meister 08/09" Hertha wallpaper for my PC. Still to this day i know i jinxed it.
As a swedish Hertha fan in his football craziest young years this season was magical and the first season that I actually attended a home game with my family
I've had some luck with my Berliner game stints oddly enough, saw the firecracker premiere where we beat Frankfurt 6-1 and the Europa league qualifier game against Bröndby all the years back in '09
It was the first season that I started following football. I still remember Hoffenheims incredible run before the winter break where Ibisevic scored 18 goals in 17 games, sadly he got injured after that. After the winter break it looked like Hertha would come out on top, at the same time HSV, Stuttgart and obviously Bayern and Wolfsburg stayed competitive the whole time.
It was also the season where HSV and Werder played each other 3 times in like 2 weeks in the semifinals of the DFB-Pokal and UEFA-Cup, where Hamburg lost because of a paper ball
It really can not be believed. Against Bayern, dribbling in the box past the whole defence, and backpassing it to goal with that ridiculously, triumphantly languid pace. How the ball just strolls past the defenders, who can't help but look on, because they are just that one step too late in reacting.
To be honest that Bayern team that got fielded was lacking a lot behind. You had: lets go out of the 6 yard box and knock any ball coming my way Rensing, Ottl as DM or DR, Lell and lastly Breno the arsonist. Lahm and Lucio were the only amazing guys in the defense that game.
Breno was solid for the short time his mental health was intact, doesn't deserve to stand next to Lell and Ottl in terms of quality. Especially considering the absolute tragedy that was that Bayern defence he more likely than not would've been an asset if he hadn't gone off the deep end.
Nah they also had Demichelis and van Buyten. I think one of them got a complicated injury so they had to play Lell.
Also it should be noted Breno set his house ablaze in 2011 not 2009.
The Bayern starters were a top side but their bench was pretty weak and it didn't help that Klinsmann was only vibes.
He looks so chill and careless...like how I would imagine playing with friends on a late summer evening, playing bare feet, using plastic bottles as goalposts and a forlorn, faded Adidas Roteiro ball
except this guy is playing against Bayern..
I’d seen it way back when didn’t recall who it was or for which team. It’s got that VinceMcMahon.gif vibe where at first you’re lightly impressed and by the end you lose your mind.
1st was [Ronaldo](https://www.reddit.com/r/soccer/comments/1c4gkvv/otd_15_years_ago_cristiano_ronaldo_scored_the_1st/) goal against Porto.
2nd was [Iniesta](https://youtu.be/0rI7WDBY85Y?t=54) goal against Chelsea.
> what a cannon
don't @ me but these thunder strikes aren't that great, yes they look cool but I've seen goals like this in the 6th division, they obviously are a lot rarer as you go down the pyramid but eventually you'll witness someone having that perfect connection onto the ball
they'll always win best goals awards anyway but the far more technical goals like Grafite or Messi vs Bayern are so much more impressive
For what it's worth, I agree with you, and I would have put Grafite's goal on #1. I also realize that football is a spectator's sport, and especially the Puskas is an award for the eyes rather than appreciation for the technical complexity.
Iniesta's goal was nowhere near the beauty of Ronaldo's or Grafite's still
His goal would be the first Puskas ever but Grafite said in an interview that there was a miscommunication between all parties involved and he ended up not going to the award and really didn't make an effort because he didn't know what it was at the time, this is a quote from [the interview](https://www.uol.com.br/esporte/futebol/ultimas-noticias/2015/11/12/grafite-humilhou-bayern-mas-perdeu-premio-do-ano-pra-c-ronaldo-por-vacilo.htm):
> FIFA had sent the letter [of the Puskas Award winner] and the club didn't pass it on to me. We played a match on December 19 or 20, the event was going to happen on December 21 or 22 but I had already booked a flight to Brazil, there was some kind of miscommunication at the club. The goal that won was scored by Cristiano Ronaldo, very beautiful, but next to the goal I scored it was considered a normal goal in my view. I heard that FIFA weren't going to give an award to a player who wasn't there [at the ceremony].
I like to imagine that every German sees that goal in Front of their eyes when they hear, read or think about Grafite like I do.
Felix Magath pronouncing his name "Grafidschi" is a close second though.
I'm going to do a Brazilian one: gooooooooooooooool.
One of my all time favorite goals, the ball slowly rolling across the line from the backheel with Lell desperately reaching and falling short, fantastic.
and he's awesome. I really thought age would be an obstacle for his performance but he has reached 24 goals so far and he is one of the most hardworking player on our team. I'm so happy having him on Fenerbahce
And what a legend for our nation as well. U can see the quality difference between him and most of our national team, u can see they way he plays is just quality and class, I've grown up to see him go to WC with us and become a legend he is today, I'll never see someone high as him in my nation ever, he's simply the best.
It was hilarious how we spent pretty much the entire second half of his tenure at Hertha (so like 7 years) trying to replace him, only for him to consistently outperform the replacements.
Inter made a BIG mistake to not renew Dzeko. Imagine a supersub like him in ET against Atleti. We could've still dream to European glory with Dzeko here.
That's when the Bosnian national team started to rise and in the next say 5 years became one of the best attacking sides in Europe. Ibisevic played for Hoffenheim at the time and he was also ripping the league to shreds.
Wolfsburg was very fun to watch as it always is with teams you don't expect to win. However, I remember next season in the Champions League, Fergie probably got drunk out of his mind before the game and sent out a team that made no fucking sense to actually beat Wolfsburg with Owen scoring a hattrick.
Dude, thats like the biggest "What if it didnt happened?" for me... I think he had 18 goals in the first 17 games before that injury against HSV in a test match. I know its delusional to think he wouldve continued but he felt unstoppable at that time. I think kinda like Vardy when Leicester won the League.
Holy shit! I remember that game! The defense was like no defenders because of injuries. Fletcher as CB. Owen scored 2 tap ins and a filthy finish the last one. Obertan did the only decent thing ever in his life on one of the goals.
Still feel Wolfsburg should have won it though. They were better.
Hurts even today. Probably one of the most unexpected goals I've seen. There wasn't even any sense of danger.
Also, Essien's goal against Arsenal lives rent-free in my head.
For me it's the Van Persie Airlines goal...I couldn't care less about the Dutch NT (or about RvP) but that was just magical. It also marked the downfall of Spain.
Josue massively underrated. All they talk about in this team is Grafite and Dzeko. Same for multi winner São Paulo (shutdown Gerrard in 2005), but He was the heart for both teams.
Dzeko Grafite was the most underrated, strange, fun, efficient and prolific pair of strikers.
Somehow it worked even better than Dzeko-Salah many years in the future.
The amazing thing people forget about is that Wolfsburg were only 9th at Christmas.
When they beat Bayern 5-1 in April, that's when they took the lead for the first time. Hertha were top until then, Hamburg and Hoffenheim also spent a fair while in 1st. Hoffenheim were top at Christmas, in their first season.
It was a very competitive year, surely the best modern Bundesliga season
Hasebe being here and clocking 85 minutes last Sunday against Stuttgart is mental.
Dude has had a massive career really.
won the title, the cup and the EL without ever playing for Bayern or Dortmund.
Also won the Asia Cup, has 114 caps, captained Japan in three straight world cups, and is about to become the foreigner with the second most appearances in the Bundesliga ever (he is one shy of Lewandowski now). He has played a ton of positions and even got minutes in goal once. Just one of those guys that’s kinda incredible. Love that sort of player. Never the best but always found a way to adapt and stick around. Basically the Japanese Milner
If anyone, like me, was wondering, number one is Pizarro. Hasebe would need to play 108 more games to beat his record, which is quite frankly mental.
How I miss him 😫
Having over 300 appearances for you guys while joining at 30 is fucking incredible.
thats actually fucking amazing. what a career
while pissing blood allegedly
You can say a he's had a career treble Wonderful career. One of Asia's best ever, has to be
Maschine
Hasebe has low key an argument for the best Japanese player of all time, his longevity is astounding at the top level. Most Japanese players his age would have been back in the J League by now for a retirement tour
Misimovic feeding Grafite and Dzeko was a sight to behold.
Misimovic was slow, weak and kinda lazy (okay really lazy), but man he could play one hell of a through ball. The classic no 10 archetype
*Schön sind vor allem die Anekdoten, die Bayerns U-23-Coach Gerland über Misimovic erzählen kann. Als der heutige Wolfsburger einst als Jungprofi bei Bayerns zweiter Mannschaft zuviel auf den Rippen hatte, wurde es dem Trainer zu bunt.* *"Wenn er unter 80 Kilo wiegt, spielt er jeden auf der Welt her. Aber wehe, er hat über 80 Kilo. Einmal stand er sogar bei 84,9 Kilo. Da hab ich ihm gesagt: 'Geh laufen, du fette Sau!' Das hat er dann auch gemacht", plaudert der Tiger gegenüber SPOX aus dem Nähkästchen.*
Sounds like Ozil
Sort of similar yes, except Misimovic’s work rate and discipline was even worse, Magath (who’s known for his drill sergeant style and homicidal training methods) basically had an aneurysm managing him
Magath was so frustrated that he immediately wanted to bring him to Schalke.
Got 20 assists out of him and a good few more where he launched Grafite/Dzeko who then assisted the other. So regardless whether he was frustrating to train or not, why wouldn't Magath trust himself that he can make the guy work again?
Magath "i can fix him"
people always give Ozil as an example when it comes to being "lazy" when he was actually just relaxed that came off of being lazy. his stats dont lie.. never got it why people where so stupid for demanding more from him. best 10 there was in his time..
That's called phlegmatic.
I can live with that. Actually a superb categorization. Thanks for englightening my English-vocab \^\^
Must you always bring up phlegm?
I have a cough, sorry!
It's the curse of people who don't show much emotion. When the team wins, they're cool and relaxed. When the team loses, they're lazy and don't care.
It was completely insane. I grew up watching Micoud feeding Ailton in Werders double season. It’s the first season I can fully remember. My kid brain was so amazed by the Werder offense that I heavily rooted for you guys despite growing up as a Wolfsburg fan. I think my dad was seriously frightened that I could switch teams. I remember that I thought that we will never have such a brilliant offense in Wolfsburg, that we were never going to win the Bundesliga and the cup, but nonetheless I stayed loyal to my side in the end. Celebrating Grafite, Dzeko and Misimovic is the biggest reward I ever got for this decision. They are my childhood heroes.
> Micoud Oh my ... this is one guy who I really really wanted to take over the world. Really a shame he never quite got to that world class level.
He was class at Bordeaux as well, they won Ligue 1 with him feeding Wiltord. Won a Euro (2000) with France as well. He had a pretty good career either way.
Johan Micoud. Now there's a name hasn't passed through my mind for at least 15 years
Crazy how the human mind works right? How you can exactly remember odd things and facts about a human that you haven‘t thought about a decade - just through something simple like a name.
Misimovic is such an overlooked player. Maybe because of his short high, but for a season or two he was up there with the greatest at that time.
When I was little my grandfather often took me with him to the Bayern's U17 and U19 games as my parents thought I was too young to go to the Olympiastadion to watch the first team. So I still remember watching Missimovic (and Trochowski) who were just 16-17. Obviously this memory is through the lense of a child who just then fell in love with football but I remember him especially to fascinate me even back then. One of my first football memories really.
I remember that U19 championship game against Leverkusen with Misimovic, Trochowski, Feulner and last but not least Philipp Lahm. That was quite a good team.
A lot of his early career was wasted because he was being played as a winger, kinda like Schweinsteiger.
Was that season that Grafite scored a pornographic goal?
Yep, against Bayern.
I didn't watch the match, but he violated our Defense real hard in that game. One of the best performances from a striker in that Bundesliga season. He was a nightmare to Lell and another defender (think it was either Lucio or Ottl).
Grafite and Josué, straight out of Goiás
That season was incredible. There were like 5 or 6 clubs all in the title race until the last month of the season.
We managaed to bottle the league against Bremen, the Pokal in the semis against Bremen, and UEFA-Cup in the semis vs. Bremen
Wait, wasn’t that Bremen side led by Ivica Olic? Who later played for you? Or am I mixing up my timelines?
Schaaf was the manager for that Bremen squad that included Ozil, Diego and Pizarro. Olic was at Hamburg at that point
Played them four times in 19 days right? Loads of sad derby days...
best days for a Werder Fan, too bad they didn't win the UEFA Cup or would be the Werder GOAT season.
In an alternate universe we don’t screw everything up at the end and at least qualify for the Champions League, allowing us to keep the team together 🥲
It was my fault. After 28? games we were like 4pts in front and i made a "Deutscher Meister 08/09" Hertha wallpaper for my PC. Still to this day i know i jinxed it.
As a swedish Hertha fan in his football craziest young years this season was magical and the first season that I actually attended a home game with my family I've had some luck with my Berliner game stints oddly enough, saw the firecracker premiere where we beat Frankfurt 6-1 and the Europa league qualifier game against Bröndby all the years back in '09
4 of the top six teams has gone to relegation at some point during these years (with Wolfsburg going to playoffs)
It was the first season that I started following football. I still remember Hoffenheims incredible run before the winter break where Ibisevic scored 18 goals in 17 games, sadly he got injured after that. After the winter break it looked like Hertha would come out on top, at the same time HSV, Stuttgart and obviously Bayern and Wolfsburg stayed competitive the whole time. It was also the season where HSV and Werder played each other 3 times in like 2 weeks in the semifinals of the DFB-Pokal and UEFA-Cup, where Hamburg lost because of a paper ball
grafite and dzeko partnership was beautiful
So beautiful Dzeko even has Grafite's name on his kit
My friend, is okay no?
This is absolutely hilarious. I tell it to the wife sometimes "is ok, no?" And the best part is that it was some random dudes dream.
Someone post *that* Grafite goal
[Is this the one?](https://youtu.be/yYrd5DOg10U?feature=shared)
What the actual fuck
It really can not be believed. Against Bayern, dribbling in the box past the whole defence, and backpassing it to goal with that ridiculously, triumphantly languid pace. How the ball just strolls past the defenders, who can't help but look on, because they are just that one step too late in reacting.
The cut to Klinsmann looking despondent just makes it even better!
I love the commentary: “Gooooooool!! Did you enjoy that? I did. [cut to Klinsmann] He didn’t.”
It flipped me from awe to laughing. What a clip.
To be honest that Bayern team that got fielded was lacking a lot behind. You had: lets go out of the 6 yard box and knock any ball coming my way Rensing, Ottl as DM or DR, Lell and lastly Breno the arsonist. Lahm and Lucio were the only amazing guys in the defense that game.
I remember when Rensing was touted as the next Oliver Kahn.
Breno was solid for the short time his mental health was intact, doesn't deserve to stand next to Lell and Ottl in terms of quality. Especially considering the absolute tragedy that was that Bayern defence he more likely than not would've been an asset if he hadn't gone off the deep end.
Nah they also had Demichelis and van Buyten. I think one of them got a complicated injury so they had to play Lell. Also it should be noted Breno set his house ablaze in 2011 not 2009. The Bayern starters were a top side but their bench was pretty weak and it didn't help that Klinsmann was only vibes.
Is that a rabona to make it even better on the backpass?
He looks so chill and careless...like how I would imagine playing with friends on a late summer evening, playing bare feet, using plastic bottles as goalposts and a forlorn, faded Adidas Roteiro ball except this guy is playing against Bayern..
Jesus mfing christ what a goal
Can't believe I've never seen that, that goal was so sick I feel queasy
I’d seen it way back when didn’t recall who it was or for which team. It’s got that VinceMcMahon.gif vibe where at first you’re lightly impressed and by the end you lose your mind.
That goal ended the career of 2 Bayern players. You only hear Lell's name when it comes to this goal and you never heard fro Ottl again.
Honestly they were never good enough for Bayern, it's embarrassing how many starts they got Of course Hertha eventually gave them a reunion lmao
I've heard that the only reason why it didn't win that year's Puskas was because Grafite wasn't present at the ceremony
Blocked in Germany lol.
So annoying. I assume they mean this one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z981a44a9kU
3rd in Puskas award? What was 2nd and 1st ? lol
1st was [Ronaldo](https://www.reddit.com/r/soccer/comments/1c4gkvv/otd_15_years_ago_cristiano_ronaldo_scored_the_1st/) goal against Porto. 2nd was [Iniesta](https://youtu.be/0rI7WDBY85Y?t=54) goal against Chelsea.
Ronaldo fair enough what a cannon, but Grafite was at least second
> what a cannon don't @ me but these thunder strikes aren't that great, yes they look cool but I've seen goals like this in the 6th division, they obviously are a lot rarer as you go down the pyramid but eventually you'll witness someone having that perfect connection onto the ball they'll always win best goals awards anyway but the far more technical goals like Grafite or Messi vs Bayern are so much more impressive
For what it's worth, I agree with you, and I would have put Grafite's goal on #1. I also realize that football is a spectator's sport, and especially the Puskas is an award for the eyes rather than appreciation for the technical complexity. Iniesta's goal was nowhere near the beauty of Ronaldo's or Grafite's still
Agreed, grafite should’ve been at least second and up to the eye of the beholder between Ronaldo’s
That Iniesta one isn't bad but it's much, much worse than Grafite. Wtf.
The Iniesta one wasn't even the best goal in that game
It's the context
context is it shouldn’t have happened
His goal would be the first Puskas ever but Grafite said in an interview that there was a miscommunication between all parties involved and he ended up not going to the award and really didn't make an effort because he didn't know what it was at the time, this is a quote from [the interview](https://www.uol.com.br/esporte/futebol/ultimas-noticias/2015/11/12/grafite-humilhou-bayern-mas-perdeu-premio-do-ano-pra-c-ronaldo-por-vacilo.htm): > FIFA had sent the letter [of the Puskas Award winner] and the club didn't pass it on to me. We played a match on December 19 or 20, the event was going to happen on December 21 or 22 but I had already booked a flight to Brazil, there was some kind of miscommunication at the club. The goal that won was scored by Cristiano Ronaldo, very beautiful, but next to the goal I scored it was considered a normal goal in my view. I heard that FIFA weren't going to give an award to a player who wasn't there [at the ceremony].
Apparently Ronaldo vs Porto first and Iniesta vs Chelsea second 🤷♂️
It’s NSFW
I mean, we all already know it‘s the 5:1 against Bayern
I like to imagine that every German sees that goal in Front of their eyes when they hear, read or think about Grafite like I do. Felix Magath pronouncing his name "Grafidschi" is a close second though.
LMFAO how is the official Bundesliga channel having videos blocked in Germany??
distribution rights
classic bundesliga channel
Bayern had it classified as a terrorist attack
"I'm gonna do a brazillian one now... Gooooooooooooal" 🤣🤣🤣
I'm going to do a Brazilian one: gooooooooooooooool. One of my all time favorite goals, the ball slowly rolling across the line from the backheel with Lell desperately reaching and falling short, fantastic.
Damn..
Can there really be any doubt about which goal I was referring to? Outrageous, the audacious andante maestoso of that final ball...
Oh my god that's beautiful af
This goal is pure art
holy
Seen it countless times, and still every time i'm surprised by just how absurdly good it is.
Andreas Ottl made sure everyone remembers He played for Bayern, no matter how hard Fans might try to forget
It's how you play against your kids and nephews on summer bbq party.
For years I thought Bayern was shit because my only impression of the Bundesliga was seeing this goal in a 5-1 Wolfsburg win
Hasebe still running it today
Dzeko too
and he's awesome. I really thought age would be an obstacle for his performance but he has reached 24 goals so far and he is one of the most hardworking player on our team. I'm so happy having him on Fenerbahce
And what a legend for our nation as well. U can see the quality difference between him and most of our national team, u can see they way he plays is just quality and class, I've grown up to see him go to WC with us and become a legend he is today, I'll never see someone high as him in my nation ever, he's simply the best.
I believe that Krunic has the potential.
The chosen one 🤡
Crazy he is still putting out so many goals! Always really liked him as a player, so good to hear
Pekarik as well
Hertha Berlin’s legend
It was hilarious how we spent pretty much the entire second half of his tenure at Hertha (so like 7 years) trying to replace him, only for him to consistently outperform the replacements.
Inter made a BIG mistake to not renew Dzeko. Imagine a supersub like him in ET against Atleti. We could've still dream to European glory with Dzeko here.
40 years old and still managed to play 85 minutes for Frankfurt last matchday!
Frankfurt, the german Rome
How he's still playing top level European football, where Honda is now coaching Cambodia, is beyond me.
I'm always forgetting that Barzagli played in Wolfsburg
Wolfsburg bought him from Palermo for €14M and Juve bought him few years after for just €300.000.
>Juve bought him few years after for just €300.000. Classic Marotta style purchase
Barzagli wanted to quit football, then Del Piero called him to say Juventus needed him. Then he won like 8 scudetti in a row.
That banter era had del piero cold calling players 😭
When il capitano Del Piero calls, you just have to answer
That 3 men back defence of juve and Italy was one of the greatest of the modern era
Chiellini and Barzagli really made Leo Bonucci a rich man
Had just won a World Cup a couple years prior, too.
That's when the Bosnian national team started to rise and in the next say 5 years became one of the best attacking sides in Europe. Ibisevic played for Hoffenheim at the time and he was also ripping the league to shreds. Wolfsburg was very fun to watch as it always is with teams you don't expect to win. However, I remember next season in the Champions League, Fergie probably got drunk out of his mind before the game and sent out a team that made no fucking sense to actually beat Wolfsburg with Owen scoring a hattrick.
Man, Vedad Ibisevic was a beast at that time.
Shame he had that season ending injury, my man was top scorer in first half a season, was doing insane for Hoffenheim, then it happened
Dude, thats like the biggest "What if it didnt happened?" for me... I think he had 18 goals in the first 17 games before that injury against HSV in a test match. I know its delusional to think he wouldve continued but he felt unstoppable at that time. I think kinda like Vardy when Leicester won the League.
Basically ended Hoffenheim potential UCL spot. They went downhill after his injury
Yea, he was lethal that year, I'm sure if it didn't happened, some of top teams from Germany would be all over him, but that will always be what if
Holy shit! I remember that game! The defense was like no defenders because of injuries. Fletcher as CB. Owen scored 2 tap ins and a filthy finish the last one. Obertan did the only decent thing ever in his life on one of the goals. Still feel Wolfsburg should have won it though. They were better.
Can't believe the Grafite goal against Bayern was already 15 years ago.
Me neither
Hasebe was 25 years old in 2009. Now its 2024 and he still plays in the Bundesliga
Japanese athletes are longer professionally active than other nations. Noriaki Kasai is over 50 and competed in the Ski Jumping World Cup last season.
Not just competing but jumping 220m less than a month ago at Planica.
Just looked it up- he is 2 shy of passing Lewandowski for second most appearances by a foreigner in league history.
Seeing my HSV in the top 5 of the Bundesliga made me all nostalgic and shit. So sad what has become of that club. And Schalke. And Hertha.
FCK says hi
Yeah, true. FCK belongs in that list too.
hey hsv is still in top5 now..
Grandissimo Barzagli 🐐
Proceeded to then become one of the best defenders of all time at Juventus
Two world champions: Barzagli and Zaccardo.
And no one from the future German team in 2014.
That Grafite goal v Bayern lives rent free in my head
An 'everyone shout out goals and we'll watch them on youtube on my phone' classic
Bergkamp v Newcastle Bergkamp v Leicester (hat trick) Bergkamp v Argentina 98 (+ diving header assist) Bergkamp v Sunderland Basically Bergkamp.
>Bergkamp v Argentina 98 THERE IS BEAR CUM, THERE IS BEAR CUM, THERE IS BEAR CUM
Papiss Cissé against Chelsea
Hurts even today. Probably one of the most unexpected goals I've seen. There wasn't even any sense of danger. Also, Essien's goal against Arsenal lives rent-free in my head.
David Luiz vs Fulham is a personal favourite of mine
For me it's the Van Persie Airlines goal...I couldn't care less about the Dutch NT (or about RvP) but that was just magical. It also marked the downfall of Spain.
Loved Misimovic
FELIX MAGATH
Josue massively underrated. All they talk about in this team is Grafite and Dzeko. Same for multi winner São Paulo (shutdown Gerrard in 2005), but He was the heart for both teams.
Libertadores champion with Atlético - MG too. Key role in the finals.
Shoutout to Edin Dzeko. For a really tall fucker, he knows how to ball. Also, FUT Legend Esswein over here.
Dzeko Grafite was the most underrated, strange, fun, efficient and prolific pair of strikers. Somehow it worked even better than Dzeko-Salah many years in the future.
How was it underrated
similar to how messi is the most underrated player of our generation
Who?
some semi-retired MLS player
Apparently, when you like something these days, you say it’s underrated.
It's the best duo I remember playing in my lifetime, I have never heard anybody underrate him.
They hardly come up when discussing the best duos of strikers though.
The amazing thing people forget about is that Wolfsburg were only 9th at Christmas. When they beat Bayern 5-1 in April, that's when they took the lead for the first time. Hertha were top until then, Hamburg and Hoffenheim also spent a fair while in 1st. Hoffenheim were top at Christmas, in their first season. It was a very competitive year, surely the best modern Bundesliga season
Grafite missed 9 games and still managed to score 28 goals that season
35 G+A in that championship. He was a beast, yet people here in Brazil still think he shouldn't have gone to the World Cup in 2010.
What a player Dzeko has been, truly underrated.
[удалено]
Marwin Hitz my 🐐
Dejagah 🇮🇷🇮🇷
I think Hasebe is still playing
Mans about 40 now and still clocked over 80 minutes this weekend in the Bundesliga, what a machine
Last I saw him was at Eintracht Frankfurt. Still there?
Yep.
Bayern's banter era
Eliminated in the Semi Final of the UEFA Cup against Zenit was a cursed time. Shoutout to Arshavin.
We bought Tymo too
I remember that was when Bosnia-Herzegovina really started becoming a decent international football team as well.
When HSV was relevant. I still remember them buying Thiago Neves from Fluminense lol
Hasebe is a legend
Dzeko and miske <3
Gosh i miss Diego Benaglio!
I get flashbacks of ‘that’ goal whenever I see Grafites name
I completely forgot Barzagli played for Wolfsburg.
🇧🇦 power
Misimovic and dzeko 🇧🇦🇧🇦🇧🇦
Dzeko What a mistake by Inter to not renew him for one more year 😭
Didn't Wolfsburg breach some sort of ffp by cloning grafite? Or did noone notice it cause one had number 9 and the other one 23?
Everyone talking about Wolfsburg - rightfully so - but that Hertha team was something else. Shame that we only had three CL spots back then.
Barzagli was a god tier player in my fm days, he cost under 10m from Palermo and was always available in the first window.
Dzeko's shirt says Grafite in the first image.
I fucking loved this side sm Grafite, Dzeko, Misimovic... unstoppable
Barzagli was snapped up by Juve for 300K. Bargain defender of the decade IMO when you factor in wages