#21 Philipp Lahm

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Philipp Lahm had the eyes of the world on him when he crashed in the opening goal of the FIFA World Cup last summer and the Germany international is still riding the crest of a wave. Lahm, 23, was voted into the uefa.com users' Team of the Year, and having helped FC Bayern München though to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League, the left-back is hoping to have more to celebrate before the end of the season.

uefa.com: What does it mean to be so appreciated by the fans?

Philipp Lahm: It's a big honour to be picked in the uefa.com Team of the Year. Thank
you to the fans who voted me. To be honest in 2005 I would never have expected to be in a team with players such as Ronaldinho, [Fabio] Cannavaro and [Gianluigi] Buffon. This is great.

uefa.com: Does it feel extra special to be in such exalted company at such a young age?

Lahm: Certainly, especially when you consider in my case I had a broken foot, a torn cruciate ligament and then an elbow injury just before the World Cup. That's why it is so nice to finish off 2006 by being nominated for such a team.

uefa.com: How did you balance national and international duties?

Lahm: With FC Bayern we were crowned German champions early, we also won the cup - my first titles. That was beautiful, but of course you will always focus on the World Cup in your own country. You can only have this once in your life anyway and I was able to play in it. There was a lot of pressure, but it was great fun too.

uefa.com: Was it hard to return to earth after the World Cup?

Lahm: No it wasn't difficult. I don’t think we were ever that far off the ground. The family is what is most important and that keeps you grounded. It's just difficult to resume your everyday life. You always have heavy legs, you're not free in your head, you only get short holidays and a short time to prepare for the season. I think you could really see that in the players.

uefa.com: You knocked out Real Madrid CF and are now up against AC Milan in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League. Does the fact Milan are having a difficult season make Bayern favourites?

Lahm: No, I don't think so. AC Milan are aiming to win the Champions League, while we are going from game to game. You could see in the tie against Real that it was an advantage for us to play our first game away from home. Last year many of the teams that won their Round of 16 tie played away first as well. We're in better form than before, which gives us some optimism for the Milan tie.

uefa.com: Where does that new self-confidence come from?

Lahm: Quite easy, from recent results. We didn't have a good first half of the season and we didn't start the second half well. Now we're getting into our stride, as you could see from the games against Hertha BSC Berlin and Madrid. I think the last 30 minutes in Madrid were a turning point for us.

uefa.com: Will it be easier for you to win the UEFA Champions League than defend your Bundesliga title, given how far you are behind leaders FC Schalke 04?

Lahm: Both are possible, but difficult. We’ll do everything to win both titles, but we also know how hard it will be to win just one of them.

uefa.com: What are Milan's greatest strengths?

Lahm: Like every Italian team they're very compact in defence and wait for their opponents to make mistakes. It's always difficult to score against Italian teams, and they have quality players who can score at any time.

uefa.com: Would it be an advantage for you if Paolo Maldini fails to recover from injury in time to play?

Lahm: I think it would be. He's a sort of role model for me, having played at the top of the game for more than a decade, so it's good news for us.

uefa.com: The competition is wide open after FC Barcelona and Olympique Lyonnais were knocked out. Who do you think can win it?

Lahm: There are the English teams and AC Milan, who have always gone far in recent years. There are also a couple of outsiders who should not to underestimated.

uefa.com: Bayern München for instance?

Lahm: Of course. We're in the quarter-finals and already looking to the semi-finals so there is everything to play for.

uefa.com: What does it mean to have Ottmar Hitzfeld back as coach?

Lahm: He has a lot of experience and knows everything about this club after coaching here for six years. He is a great coach.

uefa.com*-*Magazine

[Oliver_Kahn]

World Class full-back.

I wonder where he'll play when Jansen comes

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It would be interesting to see the decision of Hitzfeld. Would Jansen remain in the bench? Or would either Sagnol or Lahm warm the bench?

[Oliver_Kahn]

Maybe Jansen will be benched, until he gains enough experience. In his second season, I can see Sagnol losing his place

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Bayern Munich left back Philip Lahm still believes that his side have a chance of winning the Bundesliga - and keeping Owen Hargreaves.

Bayern have had one of their poorest seasons in recent history, currently lying fourth in the German top division and six points of leaders Schalke.

But Lahm thinks that they can claw the deficit back - although acknowledges that it is Schalke and Werder's to lose.

"I believe we can (win it)," Lahm told the Guardian. "But it's no longer in our hands. The bottom line for us is to qualify for the Champions League."

Before the current Bundesliga campaign started, Bayern general manager Uli Hoeness promised that the club would emulate Germany's style of play in the 2006 World Cup, attacking with pace and dynamism. But Lahm thinks that this tactic has perhaps been their undoing:

"Germany trained together for seven weeks before the World Cup and we were exceptionally fit," Lahm continued. "But you can't play the way we played in the World Cup over a whole season.

"Also, many of our players didn't have much of a break or pre-season. As a result, the poor first half of the season wasn't such a surprise.

Lahm shares the same agent as Manchester United target Hargreaves, who has declared his ambition to play for the Premiership leaders. But Lahm was reticent on the rumours, saying only:

"I don't know. I cannot say. I hope he stays here."

Bayern face Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Bayern's Lahm still believes - Football - Eurosport

[Oliver_Kahn]

There are moments in a football player's career that are unforgettable and it doesn't matter what level of football the player is playing when the moment happenned.


Philipp Lahm was playing on a D-Youth team when FC Bayern München came calling. "Jan Pienta, former FCB- Youth Coach had scouted me. And he asked me if I'd like to come to Bayern," Lahm narrates.

But instead of taking every young football player's dream offer, he rejected it preferring to continue kicking the ball with his friends on their home team FT Gern (a Munich neighbourhood).

The offer he couldn't refuse

But then came an offer the 12-year-old couldn't turn down. "I was going to be allowed to be the ballboy with the professional team in the stadium, so I changed my mind." That was to be the beginning of a comet-like career.

Lahm played in all of FC Bayern's "junior teams" and was a regular in every age-group. And Lahm started collecting silverware in the A-Youth team, winning the German Championship in 2001 on a side with players like
Philipp Heerwagen, Markus Feulner and Zjvezdan Misimovic.

And he repeated the feat in 2002 on a team with Andreas Ottl, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Pjotr Trochowski.

Debut against Lens

Lahm's patience and professional attitude made it easy for him to remain calm while waiting for his chance to play fort he top team. And it finally came on November 13, 2002 when Coach Ottmar Hitzfeld substituted him into the Champions League match against RC Lens (3:3).

The move to Stuttgart

The bosses of the record German Champions wanted to push talent from their own organisation. And when VfB Stuttgart came calling they agreed to a two year loan. The next step in Lahm's career.

In Stuttgart Lahm not only got his first professional contract, he also got a new position. Instead of the right outside defense position or defensive midfielder, Lahm's new assignment was left defender.

First international cap

Lahm's success in his new position – 31 games in his first season – led to Germany coach Rudi Völler noticing the new talent and it wasn't long until he called him into the national side. He let him go the entire distance in his fist international match a 2-1 win over Croatia. And Lahm was suddenly known all over Germany.

Lahm had no trouble keeping his feet on the ground in spite of his new-found popularity. "When old men look into your bags when you're shopping to see what Lahm buys, you have to be able to deal with it, " says Lahm.

Injuries at Stuttgart

Lahm also learned that it's not all roses early in his career. After a great first season in Stuttgart his second year was marked by a succession of injuries.

After a broken bone in January 2005 he got a torn knee-ligament in May and returned to FC Bayern on crutches that summer.

During his rehabilitation work Bayern extended his contract through 2009.

Bayern's Player of the Year 2006

Even though he only played in 20 matches in the 2005-2006 season it was enough fort he Bayern fans to vote him "Player of the Year" 2006.

But a big part of that was his performance for Germany during the FIFA 2006 World Cup. It was Lahm yho got the tournament's first goal and it was a beauty.

"The Goal of my life"

"For me it was the goal of the year, even the goal of my life", Lahm says. And the shot earned him praise from none less than football legend Diego Armando Maradona.

"That was a world-class effort from Philipp Lahm. He played perfectly and shot a great goal. If he holds form he could be one of the top players of the World Cup," commented the Argentinian after Germany's 4-2 win over Costa Rica.

Strange, since his play in the World Cup was never 100% certain. A few days before the tournament started, Lahm sustained a partial tear of a left elbow tendon and ligament

2006 World Cup All Star

His own specially-built frame couldn't even Stopp him from being nominated as one of the all-stars of the 2006 World Cup Tournament.

Now, neither the FC Bayern München team nor the German national side can do without the services of Philipp Lahm. And he's only missed one Bundesliga match this season.

Lahm's stats show him winning 61 per cent of his one-on-one battles, so he's still giving it everything he's got. "I think that's what the fans like," Lahm explains.

Especially in the district of Munich called Gern where a football player's boyhood dream began...

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Germany international Philipp Lahm grins as he reveals how much he is looking forward to “a massive game” against FT Gern. Only the seriously foolhardy would bet against Bayern winning at a canter away to Munich local league outfit Freie Turnerschaft Gern in Friday’s benefit match, but the run-out represents the personal highlight of the pre-season period for Lahm. “I’m really fired up for tomorrow,” he repeats, “we have to beat them.”

Secretly, the scorer of the opening goal at last summer’s World Cup will be hoping FT Gern at least do themselves credit, because it is where Lahm took up organised football at the age of five, going on to spend six seasons wearing the suburban outfit’s colours. The family links to Gern remain strong: his mother is a youth officer at the club and his sister an active member. The proceeds from Friday’s match have been earmarked for the construction of urgently-needed new dressing room facilities.

The ties that bind

“I’m very close to FT Gern. I still know plenty of people there,” Lahm relates, recalling a long injury lay-off after damaging cruciate ligaments in 2005. “I went and watched the first team there every Sunday,” he explains. On Friday, he will cross paths with one or two players he used to urge on from the touchlines: “They still have a couple of lads I know.”

However, old allegiances and friendships will be put aside for the 90 minutes on Friday. The match is Bayern’s second warm-up outing of the new season, with Lahm set to switch from the left to the right side of defence for the first time. “At the moment we’re training with me as right-back and Marcell Jansen on the left,” he comments.

Battle for places

In all probability, Bayern will field the pair in the positions they occupy for Germany, an arrangement likely to continue into the early part of the Bundesliga campaign, at least until the competition for the full-back positions heats up with Willy Sagnol’s return to fitness. Lahm regards the situation as normal. “We all have to use pre-season to prove we’re worth a place in the starting line-up. Eighteen, 19, 20, 21 of us have a realistic chance of playing from the start.”

On Friday at least, FT Gern old boy Lahm is guaranteed a game. He would dearly love to add his name to the scoresheet. “I don’t think anyone would be angry with me if I scored,” he reflects, reporting on the mood in the Gern camp in the run-up to the fixture: “They’re all up for it.”

Philipp the boss

However, the 23-year-old is privately planning a personal contribution towards foiling his hometown heroes in their efforts to keep the score within respectable limits. “They don’t know I’m giving the pre-match team-talk tomorrow,” Lahm smiles, a picture of excited anticipation.

[toni87]

he is the best left back in the world!!!!!!!!!!! 8)

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Philipp Lahm emerged from the dressing room on Thursday lunchtime with a radio-controlled model helicopter under his arm, a tableau with symbolic character for the man desperate to hit the heights with Bayern this term. “We want to prove we belong right at the top again from the very beginning,” Lahm declared on the eve of Munich’s Bundesliga opener against Hansa Rostock.

The Germany international is convinced Bayern can improve on last season’s disappointing outcome. “We have a lot more quality in the squad,” he remarked, noting that the eight new signings had all settled remarkably quickly at the club. “They’ve all been totally open with the established players, which has made it a lot easier for everyone.“

Interview: Philipp Lahm

fcbayern.de: Philipp, how do you feel ahead of the league restart on Saturday?
Lahm: “After such a long pre-season, you’re just delighted when it starts again for real. The mood in the dressing room is excellent. We’ve prepared very well, but pre-season counts for nothing any more. All that matters is how we do on Saturday. We want to prove we belong right at the top again from the very beginning. We intend to make a start against Rostock.“

fcbayern.de: What lessons have been drawn from the Cup tie in Burghausen?
Lahm: “We didn’t play badly, but we’ve got to put away our chances, even against the so-called weaker teams. We had a lot of trouble scoring goals against defensively-minded teams last season. That has to improve: we need early goals, so we can relax and play football.“

fcbayern.de: How do you rate Hansa Rostock?
Lahm: “I’m sure they’ll start defensively, but we have to focus on ourselves and play our game. We need to attack at pace, which is definitely a strength of ours.“

fcbayern.de: Have we seen the last of the defensive problems which characterised last season?
Lahm: “I believe we’re getting there. In the last few matches, and especially in the League Cup, we allowed our opponents very few chances and twice kept a clean sheet. But it’s not just the back four, the team has to defend as a unit. We’ve worked hard on that in pre-season, and it’s definitely better than last year.“

fcbayern.de: You’ve switched from right to left-back. Is that a big change for you?
Lahm: “Of course – it’s the other side, isn’t it? There’s a lot of difference in the details. But the switch doesn’t bother me, I’ve often enough played on the right for Germany.“

fcbayern.de: Marcell Jansen, your fellow Germany full-back, is now filling the same role for Bayern.
Lahm: “That’s the case for now, because of Willy Sagnol’s injury. We’ll have to see how it is in a couple of weeks time. We’ll all have to deliver the goods, but as long as we’re still in three competitions, a rest won’t do anyone any harm.“

fcbayern.de: What’s your impression of the new arrivals as people?
Lahm: “Very positive! It’s amazing how quickly they’ve settled down. They’ve all been totally open with the established players, which has made it a lot easier for everyone.“

fcbayern.de: What has Ottmar Hitzfeld changed since you came back for the new campaign?
Lahm: “He appeared in mid-season last term, so you can’t make the comparison, and we have a totally different squad now. Training is fantastic, it’s a high-tempo affair again. That’s something we missed last season. We simply have more quality in the squad.“

fcbayern.de: So you’re probably enjoying it more too...
Lahm: “Success always makes it more fun. Our pre-season was good, so it’s highly enjoyable at Bayern right now. But it won’t be truly enjoyable until we can say it’s been a successful season.“

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The 90 minutes were up at Wembley in Germany's midweek meeting with England when Philipp Lahm experienced arguably the highlight of his stellar career to date: visiting skipper Bernd Schneider strode past Lahm on his way towards the substitutes' bench and handed the Munich man the captain's armband. Even in the heat of the action, Lahm must have been aware he thus became one of the youngest-ever captains of his country.

The 23-year-old later described Schneider's choice as "random. I was standing right in front of him." The gesture was nevertheless full of symbolic meaning. Appearing for the first time in the defensive holding role in front of the back four, the Bayern starlet excelled as Germany scored a prestige 2-1 victory over their arch-rivals, and certainly deserved the honour of leading his team over the finish line.

Lahm: I'm stronger on the flanks

"Philipp did a very good job, but you can take that for granted with him. You can field him wherever you want and he'll do well. He's an experienced player now,“ team manager Oliver Bierhoff commented. "Philipp had a fantastic game," Bayern boss Ottmar Hitzfeld enthused on Thursday.

Earlier in the week, Germany supremo Joachim Löw asked Lahm if he was prepared for a crack at the central midfield role. The player accepted without hesitation. "It went well, but it's different. You probably play the ball more often as a full-back. And let's be clear about one thing: I'm stronger as a full-back. The coach is well aware of my abilities."

Header off the line

Löw was in full agreement: "Philipp Lahm will normally play at full back. Once our injured players return, that's where he'll be.“ Nevertheless, Wednesday evening saw Lahm emerge from nowhere as a viable stand-in for long-term injury victim Thorsten Frings.

The Bayern man's ability to tackle cleanly meant England were denied any of their favoured free-kick positions in front of goal. He provided the pass from which Christian Pander blasted Germany's winner, and crowned an outstanding display by heading a goalbound effort off the line in the closing phase.

Gerland in the know

Lahm has only filled the traditional number 6 berth for Bayern in the Bundesliga once, a 1-1 away draw with Hannover in February 2006, but in the club's U-19s and later in the reserves, central defensive midfield was not unknown territory for him.

"In training and in matches, Philipp proves he's an exceptional footballer. You never have to tell him a great deal,“ reserve coach Hermann Gerland revealed to fcbayern.de. "He instinctively knows what to do. You can field him on the left, the right or in the middle, he's equally strong everywhere. He's probably a good goalkeeper too, although I reckon he's too short for that," Gerland smiled on Thursday.

Mature at 23

Lahm, named at left-back in the 2006 World Cup All-Star Team, has recently performed with great credit for club and country at right-back, evidence of extraordinary versatility and all-round ability. The 23-year-old has also emerged as a role model and confidant for many of his younger team-mates.

"I'm happy with responsibility. If young players com to me with questions, I do my best to help,“ he reports. Despite all that, the armband he briefly received from Schneider had to be returned immediately after the match at Wembley: "In the dressing room, they all said to me I should put it back where it belongs."

[Vargas_4]

Lahm is such a good player. So cool that we have him

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FRESH NEWS: Lahm has been called by Germany NT coach Low for the Euro 08 qualifier against Wales on Sep 8, and the friendly against Romania 4 days later.

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Deutschland ohne Lahm gegen Wales

Bundestrainer Joachim Löw musste einen weiteren personellen Nackenschlag hinnehmen. Beim Training der deutschen Nationalmannschaft am Donnerstagabend in Köln zog sich Defensivspieler Philipp Lahm vom deutschen Rekordmeister Bayern München eine Innenbanddehnung am linken Knie zu.

Damit fällt er für das EM-Qualifikationsspiel am Samstag in Cardiff gegen Wales (20:30 Uhr MESZ live im ZDF) und auch für die Test-Begegnung am kommenden Mittwoch gegen Rumänien in Köln aus.

Lahm seems to have injuried his left knee.

This means he's out for Germany's Euro 2008 qualification match against Wales on Sep 8.
He's out aswell for the friendly against Romania four days later.

Bad news.

I swear we're being cursed.

He could aswell be out for Bayern's match against Schalke.