Schumacher made his first-team debut with 1. FC Köln at the age of 19. He played for the club from 1972 to 1987, including in 213 consecutive Bundesliga matches from 1977 to 1983. For most of those years, until well into the mid-1980s, he was widely considered one of the world's top goalkeepers, and he was the automatic first-choice goalkeeper for his country. He backstopped Köln to the double in 1978, winning the Bundesliga title and the DFB-Pokal. The year before he had led Köln to a DFB-Pokal victory, the club's first major trophy win in nine years. He appeared in two other DFB-Pokal finals, in 1980 and 1983. Schumacher was voted the WestGerman Footballer of the Year twice, in 1984 and 1986, by the nation's football journalists.
International career
Schumacher played 76 international matches for West Germany between 1979 and 1986, including 15 World Cup qualifying matches and 14 World Cup matches. He won the 1980 European Championship and lost two World Cup finals, in 1982 and 1986. In the 1982 tournament, in the controversial semi-final against France, he saved two penalty kicks in the post-extra time shootout, which West Germany ultimately won. In the 1986 quarter-final against tournament hosts, Mexico, he saved two of the three shootout penalties he faced, enabling West Germany to advance.
Schumacher was involved in a collision with a French defender, substitute Patrick Battiston, in the semi-final of the 1982 World Cup. Battiston and Schumacher were both sprinting towards a long through ball pass from Michel Platini. Battiston managed to reach the ball first and flicked it up and to the side of the approaching Schumacher. Schumacher leapt into the air as the ball sailed past him, ultimately wide of the goal. Schumacher, still in the air, collided with Battiston. The resulting contact left Battiston unconscious, later slipping into a coma. Schumacher has always denied any foul intention regarding the incident, saying that he was simply going for the ball, as a goalkeeper is entitled to do. Others have alleged that he intentionally collided with Battiston. Battiston also lost two teeth and had three cracked ribs. He received oxygen on the pitch. Michel Platini later said that he thought Battiston had died, because "he had no pulse and looked pale". The Dutch referee Charles Corver did not award a penalty for the incident. Schumacher proceeded to take the goal kick and play resumed. West Germany would eventually go on to win the game on penalty kicks after the match was tied at 3–3. Schumacher caused more controversy after the game with his response to news that Battiston had lost two teeth: "If that's all that's wrong, tell him I'll pay for the crowns." Schumacher did visit Battiston in the hospital, and though the Frenchman felt his apology at the time as insincere, Battiston admitted that he had forgiven him by the time the two countries faced each other four years later in yet another World Cup semifinal. That match ended in a 2–0 victory for West Germany. A French newspaper poll asked which was the least popular man in France, and Schumacher beat Adolf Hitler into second. When West Germany and France met again in World Cup 1986, Battiston said that the incident was "forgiven and forgotten". However, he said that he was wary of getting "close to Schumacher" and said that he would hold a distance of at least 40 meters from the German goalkeeper. Schumacher would mostly refrain from commenting on the incident.
In 1987, Schumacher's autobiography, Anpfiff, was published in various countries, including France. There was much interest in Schumacher's comments on the Battiston incident. Schumacher maintained that his actions did not constitute a foul and that he was only trying to get the ball. He said that he did not go over to check on Battiston's condition because several French players were standing around Battiston and making threatening gestures in his direction. The book also included accounts of alleged improprieties by German football players, including substance abuse. This resulted in Schumacher's exclusion from the German national team and his long-term Bundesliga club, 1. FC Köln.
Personal life
He is married to Jasmin Schumacher and has a daughter. He has a son, Oliver, and daughter, Vanessa, from his previous marriage to Marlies Schumacher.
