Gerhard Kleppinger

Defender Gerhard Kleppinger was on the West German football team that won the third-place match against Italy 3-0, and took the bronze medal at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Therefore, the team and all players were awarded the Silver Bay Leaf, Germany’s highest sports award. Kleppinger never won a full international cap, but played with the Olympic team eight times, scoring one goal.

Domestically, Kleppinger played with SV Darmstadt 98 (1975-80), Hannover 96 (1980-82), Karlsruher SC (1982-84), FC Schalke 04 (1984-87), Borussia Dortmund (1987-88), FC Bayer 05 Uerdingen (1988-91), and Darmstadt again (1991-96). In total, Kleppinger played 287 Bundesliga matches and scored six goals. He also played 254 second Bundesliga matches.

After his playing career, Kleppinger became a coach with Darmstadt, Viktoria Griesheim, FC St. Pauli, FC Gütersloh, Rot-Weiß Oberhausen, FC Schalke 04, FSV Frankfurt, and SV Sandhausen. He also owned a football school.