Olaf Thon is a former German footballer who was active during the 1980's and 90's. Nicknamed "The Professor" during his playing days, Thon mainly operated as central midfielder and later as a sweeper in his career. His 19 year professional club football career is mainly associated with Bundesliga clubs Schalke and Bayern Munich. He was a key part of the German national side as well, earning a total of 50 caps. Let us now look back at his career.
Schalke's very own young sensation
It was with Schalke that Thon made his professional football debut, at the age of 17. The German midfielder's impact at the club was immediate, as he played a pivotal role in helping Schalke get promoted to the Bundesliga with 14 goals in 38 games. One of his highlight performances that season came up against Bayern Munich in the DFB-Pokal, as Thon scored a hat-trick in a 6-6 thriller. Bayern however went on to win the replay and ultimately the whole tournament.
It was on 24th August 1984 that Professor Thon made his first appearance in the German top level against Borussia Mönchengladbach. Schalke however lost that match 3-1.from this point till the next 3 seasons, he only scored once in single digits, rarely missing a match for the team. Thus establishing himself as a reliable player both in terms of performance and availability.
The Bavarians come calling
The summer of 1988 was a turning point in Olaf Thon's career, as he was signed by Bayern Munich. He was signed as a replacement for Lothar Matthäus, who was on the verge of joining Inter Milan. Thon scored 8 goals in 32 appearances for Bayern, and was instrumental in leading them to a league title win. The same scoring feats were repeated by him the following year, as Bayern won yet another league.
Back to Schalke
Olaf Thon returned to his boyhood club Schalke in 1994, after a 6 year stint at Bayern that saw him win 3 Bundesliga titles and a DFB-Supercup. His second stint at the club was quite different from the first one, as an old and mature Thon was now exclusively operating in a sweeper position for Schalke. His third year after returning was quite special, as he led the club to the season's UEFA Cup final against Inter Milan. The match reached till penalties, and Schalke overcame their final hurdle to become European Champions. In a season that saw Schalke finish 12th in the Bundesliga table, the UEFA CUP Victory was a much needed morale boost for both the club and its players.
The final years of his career were deeply overshadowed by injuries, to the extent where he only appeared in nine matches in his last two seasons combined. Thon's recurring injury issues eventually led to his retirement in June 2002 at the age of 36.
International achievements and legacy
In addition to his heroics at club level, Olaf Thon was an important part of the German national side as well. He was selected for the German squads at three FIFA World Cups, and played a key role in helping the nation become World Champions in the 1990 World Cup. The historic victory had also helped Thon and the German recover from the wounds that were inflicted from their 1986 World Cup final loss.
He left football as one of the finest in German League history, with Bundesliga totals of 443 games and 82 goals.
Olaf Thon's Bundesliga career was nothing short of a magical journey, as he went on to dominate Germany with the Bavarians and eventually conquered Europe with his boyhood club Schalke.
