 Maier in 2012 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Josef Dieter Maier | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 28 February 1944 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Metten, Nazi Germany | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Goalkeeper | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1952–1959 | TSV Haar | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1959–1962 | Bayern Munich | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1962–1980 | Bayern Munich | 537 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1961–1962 | West Germany Youth | 11 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1963 | West Germany Amateur | 4 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1966–1979 | West Germany | 95 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Managerial career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1988–2004 | Germany (goalkeeping coach) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1994–2008 | Bayern Munich (goalkeeping coach) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Josef Dieter "Sepp" Maier (German pronunciation: [ˈjoːzɛf ˈdiːtɐ zɛp ˈmaɪɐ]; born 28 February 1944) is a German former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper for Bayern Munich and the West Germany national team.[1] Regarded as one of football's greatest goalkeepers, he was nicknamed "Die Katze von Anzing" ("the cat from Anzing") for his fast reflexes, agility, flexibility, speed, and consistency. With 709 matches played across seventeen seasons, he was Bayern's all-time record appearance holder,[2] until he was surpassed by Thomas Müller in 2024.
In addition to his shot-stopping ability, Maier was also known for his ability to dominate his box, as well as his sense of humour and personality throughout his career, which made him a fan favourite. Regarding his playing style, he once quipped "a keeper should give off a sense of calm, and not fall asleep while doing so."[3][4][5][6]
- ^ "Sepp Maier" (in German). fussballdaten.de. Retrieved 6 February 2010.
- ^ "Sonderausstellung zum 80. Geburtstag" (in German). FC Bayern Munich. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
- ^ "I PIU' GRANDI NUMERI UNO" [The Greatest Number Ones] (in Italian). Storie di Calcio. Retrieved 14 August 2015.
- ^ Guillem Balagué (5 February 2010). "Casillas names his top ten No1s". UEFA. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
- ^ "The Cat from Anzing". Bundesliga. Retrieved 16 June 2019.
- ^ "Saving grace: Europe's favourite goalkeepers". UEFA. 30 January 2015. Retrieved 14 March 2020.