Rudolf Kargus

Football player infobox
playername = Rudolf Kargus
fullname = Rudolf Kargus
dateofbirth = birth date and age|df=yes|1952|8|15
cityofbirth = Worms
countryofbirth = West Germany
height = height|m=1.83
currentclub = retired
position = Goalkeeper
youthyears =
youthclubs = Wormatia Worms
Hamburger SV
years = 1971–1980
1980–1984
1984–1986
1986–1987
1987–1990
clubs = Hamburger SV
1. FC Nuremberg
Karlsruher SC
Fortuna Düsseldorf
1. FC Köln
caps(goals) = 254 (0)
141 (0)
022 (0)
020 (0)
000 (0)
nationalyears = 1975–1977
nationalteam = West Germany
nationalcaps(goals) = 003 (0)

Rudolf Kargus (born 15 August 1952 in Worms, West Germany) is a former German football player.

Joining the youth ranks of Hamburger SV from boyhood-club Wormatia Worms in 1970, Kargus stepped up to become a Bundesliga goalkeeper for the North Germans from 1971, capturing the starting role in the goal of Hamburg in 1973. He served as the clubs first-choice until Hamburg headed for a change on that position in 1980.

In his years with Hamburg he graduated into a goalkeeper as promising as reliable, known for his ability to save penalties (which earned him the "Elfmetertöter" nickname). He won the European Cup Winners' Cup with Hamburger SV in 1977, was runner-up with them in the European Cup in 1980 after winning the Bundesliga title the season before.

After the end of his deal with Hamburg in 1980 it took him four months to sign a new deal elsewhere, joining 1. FC Nuremberg. He was in the 1. FC Nuremberg goal when Nuremberg was relegated to the 2nd Bundesliga in 1984, going on for them in the lower division until Bundesliga side Karlsruher SC snapped him up in December 1984. He had tough luck in this change of clubs since Karlsruher SC could not avoid relegation to the 2nd Bundesliga in the remainder of the season and, so, he had to return to playing games on that level in 1985–1986.

For the campaign of 1986–1987 he returned to Bundesliga with a move to Fortuna Düsseldorf, but experienced another relegation from Bundesliga with them then. Following Düsseldorf's relegation the then well-travelled goalkeeper signed with another Bundesliga side, 1. FC Köln. However, in his three years with the side from Cologne he was just the veteran stand-in for Köln's young first-choice Bodo Illgner and did not manage to get any Bundesliga game for his final professional club. In total, Rudi Kargus played in 408 Bundesliga matches in his career and took part 19 times for his clubs in the 2nd Bundesliga.

His West Germany career had started early with youth internationals in his years with Wormatia Worms. His first senior cap was a product of Helmut Schön looking for Sepp Maier replacements and the good form of young Kargus for Hamburg in the Bundesliga. Four days prior to Christmas 1975 Kargus was chosen to represent West Germany in a friendly against Turkey. He did well and was subsequently named in the 1976 UEFA European Championship squad, serving as (the unused) deputy of Sepp Maier. A further friendly appearance later, Kargus came on also at half-time against Yugoslavia in 1977 to replace Maier. That was the last cap (of three) Kargus won in his career, although he was one of three goalkeepers in the West German squad for the 1978 FIFA World Cup.

After the end of his career, Rudolf “Rudi” Kargus had several stints as coach to school kids in goalkeeping and was also active as artist painter, painting scenes of football.