1. Before Football, There Was a Craft 

Before becoming a professional footballer, Lothar completed an apprenticeship as an interior decorator (“Raumausstatter”). His original plan was clear: if football did not work out, he wanted to become an interior designer. 

That early education shaped his discipline and work ethic. Football was never taken for granted, it was something he earned step by step.

2. PUMA Was Family – Not a Contract 

Lothar Matthäus’ connection to PUMA started long before professional football. His father worked for more than 40 years as a caretaker and facility manager at the PUMA headquarters in Herzogenaurach. His mother also worked for PUMA, manufacturing components for shoes from home, and his brother joined the company in customer services and warehouse operations. More generations followed. 

Helmut Fischer, long-time PUMA employee and close friend of Lothar, remembers: 

It was only natural that this passion soon found a home on the pitch. As a youth player for 1. FC Herzogenaurach, he already wore PUMA boots long before sponsorships mattered. PUMA was not a brand choice – it was part of his everyday life.

5. Values That Defined His Career 

Resilience, responsibility and mental strength were never slogans for Lothar Matthäus – they were principles he lived by. Wherever he played, he stood for commitment, clarity and accountability, often long before titles followed.

He developed into a leader early, not because the club demanded it, but because he took responsibility. Lothar captained FC Bayern Munich and the German national team at the same time – a rare role that required authority, trust and consistency at the very highest level. 

His character showed most clearly in difficult moments. After serious injuries, including a cruciate ligament tear and a broken hand, he fought his way back each time. Not by waiting for perfect conditions, but by working, enduring and returning stronger. 

7. Highs, Lows – and the Ballon d’Or 

Highs and lows did not define him. How he responded to them did.

Lothar experienced both heartbreak and triumph at the highest level. He was part of two lost World Cup finals in 1982 and 1986 – the latter remembered for his iconic duels with Diego Maradona. Those intense battles on the pitch marked the beginning of a long friendship marked by mutual respect off the pitch.

Only four years later, everything changed. At the 1990 World Cup, Lothar dominated the tournament and led Germany to the title. In the same year, he was awarded with the Ballon d’Or – a rare honor for a central midfielder at that time.

9. A Second Career with Substance 

Since 2012, Lothar has been a permanent and influential voice in football broadcasting on German television. His analysis is direct, clear and consistently focused on performance.

Over the years, his assessments have been quoted, debated and referenced more than those of any other TV football expert in Germany. This impact was officially recognized when he was awarded the German Sports Journalists’ Prize, naming him the country’s most-quoted TV football expert.

Beyond Street Soccer, Matthäus remains closely connected to 1. FC Herzogenaurach to this day. He supports training camps as a coach and donates parts of his interview fees to youth development at the club.

Last but not least: Wishes for the Future  

When asked what he wishes for himself and for PUMA if we meet again in ten years, Lothar looks ahead: 

For Lothar, heritage matters, but only if it helps shape the future. Even at 75, he wants to remain part of an honest, living sports culture – engaged, curious and connected across generations. 

In that sense, his wish for the future is simple, and shared with PUMA: To remain credible. To stay close to real performance. And to keep sport fast, honest and inspiring across generations.