Philipp Lahm is a retired German footballer who has captained the Bundesliga club Bayern Munich and the German national football team. He is considered one of the best German full-backs in world football and has been widely praised for his technique, speed, defence, passing and leadership. During his career, he won several national and international titles, including the 2014 World Cup, where he personally took over the Hercules Cup from Brazil** and FIFA president. It is worth mentioning that in Lahm's 16-year career, he has held the same record as well-known stars Lineker and Ennisda, and has not received a red card. This is a testament to his discipline, work ethic and sportsmanship.
Born on 11 November 1983, Lahm has been a Bayern Munich fan since he was a child, having started his football career in the club's academy. He started out as a right-back, but was later moved to the left-back position as his right foot was more flexible and powerful. He made his first appearance for Bayern Munich in 2002, but with Bayern already having veteran Lizarazu at left-back, he was loaned to Stuttgart, where he was given more opportunities and practice.
He excelled in Stuttgart and attracted the attention of giants such as Chelsea, but Bayern Munich rejected any **, took him back and gave him a place in the main team. Lahm quickly became the heart and soul of Bayern Munich, playing an excellent role at left-back, right-back and midfield. He spent 15 seasons at Bayern Munich, making 517 appearances, scoring 16 goals and providing 87 assists. He helped Bayern Munich win 8 Bundesliga titles, 6 German Cups, 1 Champions League, 1 UEFA Super Cup, 1 Club World Cup and other honours. He ended his career on 20 May 2017 against Freiburg, saying goodbye to the fans and team-mates after the game, and his shirt number 16 was permanently sealed by Bayern Munich.
Lahm has been equally impressive for his country, making his debut for Germany in 2004 and playing in major tournaments such as Euro 2004, 2006, Euro 2008, 2010, Euro 2012 and 2014. He scored his first goal for his country in the opening game of the 2006 World Cup, the first of the tournament, and his performances earned him a selection in the 2006 World Cup All-Star Team.
He scored the winner in the semi-finals of Euro 2008 to help Germany reach the final, and he was named in the Team of the Year. He was named Germany's new captain on the eve of the 2010 World Cup, where he led the team to a series of impressive matches that culminated in a third-place finish. He once again showed his leadership and quality at the 2014 World Cup, leading Germany to victory over Argentina 1-0 in the final to claim their fourth World Cup title. He announced his retirement from the national team on 18 July 2014 and is a legend in German football with 113 appearances and five goals.
Lahm is characterised by his physical strength, his ability to get past the ball, his ability to play the ball down the left flank, and his ability to assist as a full-back. He is excellent at dribbling, passing and shooting, and he likes to dribble through or shoot from the left flank down the middle, which is his signature assist. He is also solid defensively, he is able to stop opposition attacks effectively, his tackles and interceptions are accurate, his tackles and fouls are rare, and he has never received a red card in his career, which shows his discipline, work ethic and sportsmanship. His leadership is also outstanding, he is the soul of Bayern Munich and the German national team, and he is able to boost morale and mobilize tactics to lead his teammates to victory when it matters most. He has also been named in the UEFA Team of the Year, FIFA Team of the Year, German Footballer of the Year, etc., and he is a bright star in German football.
Philippe Lahm is a great footballer, he has left an indelible mark on Bayern Munich and the German national team, he is one of the best full-backs in German football, but he has never received a red card, this is a unique charm of his and a kind of respect for him, he is a role model for football, he deserves our admiration and learning.