Rudolf Brunnenmeier

Rudolf "Rudi" Brunnenmeier (February 11, 1941 – April 18, 2003) was a German professional football player who played as a centre forward.

Biography

Brunnenmeier debuted as a professional footballer in 1960 with TSV 1860 Munich at the age of 19. He signed with the club in the year of its centenary and went on to play for eight seasons, scoring 139 goals in 225 games. During his time with TSV 1860 Munich, he won the German Cup in 1964 and the Bundesliga in 1966.

In addition to these achievements, Brunnenmeier was the top scorer in the Bundesliga a year before winning the championship. He then signed with Neuchâtel Xamax FC in Switzerland for four years, before transferring to FC Zürich in 1972. While at FC Zürich, he won the Swiss Cup and the UEFA Intertoto Cup in 1973.

After a stint with SC Bregenz in Austria, Brunnenmeier signed with Liechtenstein's FC Balzers, where he won the Liechtenstein Cup in 1979. He retired as a professional footballer after playing for FC Balzers.

Early Life and Career

Brunnenmeier was born in Olching, a district west of Munich, on February 11, 1941. His father died of cancer at an early age, followed by the death of his two brothers from the same disease. After completing primary school, Brunnenmeier made a commercial apprenticeship and played football for SC Olching, where he scored 87 out of 107 goals in a single season.

At the age of 19, Brunnenmeier was signed by TSV 1860 Munich, despite being underage at the time. His mother had to sign the contract on his behalf. This marked the beginning of his professional football career with TSV 1860 Munich.

Career Achievements

* German Cup winner (1964)
* Bundesliga champion (1966)
* Top scorer in the Bundesliga
* Swiss Cup winner (1973) with FC Zürich
* UEFA Intertoto Cup winner (1973) with FC Zürich
* Liechtenstein Cup winner (1979) with FC Balzers