FRANCE 98 – General Media News Template

Andreas Kopke had to sit a long time in the shadow of his predecessor Bodo Illgner before getting a chance to show his stuff.

Although of equal ability, he could not buck the pecking order. Kopke sat patiently on the bench when Germany celebrated World Cup glory in Rome in 1990 but then was justified after Germany was painfully beaten by Bulgaria at only the quarter final stage four years later. Amid the recriminations, Berti Vogts admitted his one mistake of the US tournament was to put Illgner and not Kopke in goal. Since that day Kopke has been Germany’s undisputed number one. He is the only man Vogts has guaranteed a place in the side this World Cup.

It is Kopke’s quiet assurance on the goal line which lends Germany’s defensive unit such an unbreachable aura. He is a quiet person who shies away from the limelight, preferring others to do the post-match talking. At Euro 96, the European championships in England, he was the man of tournament and led Germany to victory with a solid display of no-fuss keeping. It is also largely due to him that French club Olympique Marseilles have turned themselves around since coming back from scandal and near financial ruin under the presidency of corrupt former French government minister Bernard Tapie. Kopke plans to hang up his gloves after this World Cup, although he will stay on with Marseille at club level.

Germany already have a new number 1 waiting in the wings in the form of Bayern Munich’s Oliver Kahn. He will be on the bench as a reserve in France but, like Kopke before him, is obeying the German goalkeeper credo of silently biding his time.