Karl-Heinz Körbel

• Honorary Award Recipient of the DFL
• Record player of the Bundesliga

Karl-Heinz Körbel, born in Dossenheim, Baden-Württemberg in 1954, was distinguished as an Ehrenpreisträger (Honorary Award Recipient) in 2013 as part of the Bundesliga’s 50th-anniversary celebrations. He holds the Bundesliga appearance record of 602 matches – all of them for Eintracht Frankfurt. His professional career began on 14 October 1972 at the age of 17 – despite playing against FC Bayern München and no less an opponent than striker Gerd Müller, he helped secure a 2:1 win. In his last-ever match on the penultimate day of the 1990-91 season, he received his fourth yellow card, triggering a ban. “Charly”, as he is widely known, had barely missed a game in 19 Bundesliga seasons, apart from a spell on the sidelines with a fractured tibia. At Eintracht Frankfurt, he won the DFB-Pokal four times, and lifted the UEFA Cup, the forerunner of the UEFA Europa League, in 1980.

After holding various roles on Eintracht’s coaching staff and serving two stints as interim and head coach, Karl-Heinz Körbel managed VfB Lübeck and FSV Zwickau, both in Bundesliga 2, before returning to Frankfurt. One of his posts there is head of the academy. As an Eintracht legend and in recognition of his contribution to society, he was awarded the badge of honour of Frankfurt am Main at the beginning of 2020.

^{Foto: Getty Images/Andreas Rentz}