Fritz Szepan

Football player infobox
playername = Fritz Szepan


fullname = Friedrich Szepan
dateofbirth = birth date|1907|9|2|
cityofbirth = Gelsenkirchen
dateofdeath = death date and age|1974|12|14|1907|9|2|
countryofbirth = Germany
currentclub =
position = Winger
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1916–1950
clubs = Schalke
caps(goals) =
nationalyears = 1929–1939
nationalteam = Germany
nationalcaps(goals) = 34 (8)

Friedrich "Fritz" Szepan (September 2, 1907 in Gelsenkirchen – December 14, 1974 in Gelsenkirchen) was a German soccer player in the period leading up to and including World War II. He spent his entire career with Schalke 04 where he won six national championships and one German Cup. He is commonly regarded as one of the greatest Schalke players of all time. To celebrate the 100th birthday of the club, the supporters voted the Schalker Jahrhundertelf, the "Team of the century": he was included in the midfield. From 1929 to 1938 he played for the German national team which he led as captain in 30 matches and during two World Cups.

Life

Fritz Szepan was born in 1907 in the industrial town of Gelsenkirchen, in a family that came to Gelsenkirchen from eastprussian Kreis Neidenburg. He joined Schalke 04 as a youth player in 1916 and remained with the side until his retirement in 1950. He and his brother-in-law Ernst Kuzorra led Schalke during the era of the team's greatest success in the 30s when it was the dominant club in Germany. Together they established the famous "Schalker Kreisel" system that used short flat passes to overwhelm their opponent's defense.

Unlike Kuzorra, Szepan also had a successful international career. From 1929 to 1938 he played for the German national team which he led as captain in 30 matches and during two World Cups.

After his retirement in 1950, Szepan remained active as coach for Wuppertaler SV, Schalke 04 and Rot-Weiß Essen, leading that club to the German championship in 1955. He served Schalke again as club president from 1964 to 1967. Fritz Szepan died on 14 December, 1974 in his hometown Gelsenkirchen.

Trivia

*He and fellow Schalke star Ernst Kuzorra married sisters and thus became brothers-in-law.

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External links

*de icon [http://www.homecourt.de/weltfussball/spieler_profil.php?id=6715 Player profile]
* [http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/szepan-intl.html International career]