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Michael Kraft (Fußballspieler)

Michael Kraft (Fußballspieler)

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Michael Kraft: The Reliable Goalkeeper and Sought-After Goalkeeping Coach from the Westerwald

A Football Life Between the Bench, Bundesliga, and International Goalkeeping Training

Michael Kraft, born on April 23, 1966, in Dernbach, is one of those German football figures whose career is characterized less by glamour and spotlight and more by reliability, expertise, and long endurance. As a former football goalkeeper and current goalkeeping coach, he has exemplified professionalism in the background, training discipline, and a career that took him from the Westerwald to international coaching positions. His story illustrates how much influence a player can exert, even when the headlines often celebrate different names. ([de.wikipedia.org](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Kraft_%28Fu%C3%9Fballspieler%29))

Early Years and the Path to Professional Football

Kraft laid the sports foundation at SpVgg EGC Wirges, with whom he became the Rheinland-Palatinate A-youth champion in 1981/82. Even this early success points to a solid training as a goalkeeper, where reaction ability, positioning, and mentality were crucial. The path to the professional realm led him into a career that remained characterized by persistence and competition. ([de.wikipedia.org](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Kraft_%28Fu%C3%9Fballspieler%29))

Michael Kraft was active as a professional for eleven years, but mostly not as the undisputed number one, but as a goalkeeper that teams could rely on in the background. This role requires a special form of concentration, self-discipline, and team understanding because one's playing time remains limited yet performance is expected at any moment. At Bakırköyspor in Turkey and 1. FC Köln, he took on the role of the starting goalkeeper but had to give up the position each time. ([de.wikipedia.org](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Kraft_%28Fu%C3%9Fballspieler%29))

Bundesliga Time at 1. FC Köln: Presence Instead of Lasting Fame

His most notable chapter as a player was written with 1. FC Köln, for whom he played 27 Bundesliga matches; other sources report a total of 32 appearances for the club. In Cologne, he experienced the unique dynamics of a club that is always under observation, both sporting and emotionally. The 1996/97 season particularly stood out for him, according to reports, also due to spectacular victories such as the 4-0 against Borussia Mönchengladbach and the 4-0 against Bayer Leverkusen. ([de.wikipedia.org](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Kraft_%28Fu%C3%9Fballspieler%29))

This phase shows a goalkeeper whose performances were measurable not only by statistics. Eight matches without conceding a goal in 24 appearances during that season underscore the quality of his defensive work. For a keeper who was often planned as number two, this is a testament to stability and competitive toughness. ([express.de](https://www.express.de/sport/fussball/ex-fc-keeper-michael-kraft-jetzt-trainer-in-chinese-taipeh-1262256))

Stations in Germany, Turkey, and Asia

After his active career, another equally exciting chapter opened up for Kraft: goalkeeping training. He initially worked in South Korea with Bucheon SK and Incheon United, later also as a co-coach at Preußen Münster. From January 2006, he became the goalkeeping coach at Werder Bremen, succeeding Dieter Burdenski. ([de.wikipedia.org](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Kraft_%28Fu%C3%9Fballspieler%29))

His time at Werder Bremen was particularly successful under Thomas Schaaf. According to Wikipedia, Kraft won the Supercup with the club in 2006, the DFB-Pokal in 2009, and was a UEFA Cup finalist in 2009; additionally, he also reached the DFB-Pokal final in 2010 and participated in the Champions League six times. This record highlights how influential his work has been in the training routine of a top team. ([de.wikipedia.org](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Kraft_%28Fu%C3%9Fballspieler%29))

Even after Bremen, Kraft remained in high demand internationally. In 2014, Eintracht Frankfurt hired him along with Thomas Schaaf, and later he had positions in China with Shijiazhuang Ever Bright FC and Beijing Guoan, work with the Irish women's national team, and an engagement at Fenerbahçe Istanbul until 2022. In 2026, the press reported that he was working as a goalkeeping coach for Chinese Taipei and running his own youth development project with the Keeper Academy. ([de.wikipedia.org](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Kraft_%28Fu%C3%9Fballspieler%29))

Goalkeeping Coach with Experience, Attitude, and an International Perspective

Michael Kraft's profile as a coach is closely tied to practical proximity. He is regarded as someone who not only trains goalkeepers technically but also prepares them mentally for competitive situations. The combination of Bundesliga experience, international stations, and years of working with professionals makes him an authoritative figure in goalkeeping training. ([de.wikipedia.org](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Kraft_%28Fu%C3%9Fballspieler%29))

Reports about his career also tell of a footballer who never confined himself to a single league or culture. The stations in South Korea, China, Turkey, and most recently in Chinese Taipei demonstrate a high adaptability and an eye for different paths of education in football. This is not a minor aspect but rather a core part of his sporting biography. ([de.wikipedia.org](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Kraft_%28Fu%C3%9Fballspieler%29))

Successes, Role, and Sporting Significance

The documented successes include the Rheinland-Palatinate A-youth title with Wirges, the German runner-up title in 1989 with 1. FC Köln, as well as later titles and final participations with Werder Bremen. These accolades do not reflect a classic star career, but rather the journey of a player who has supported teams in challenging phases. This is where a particular value lies: in football history, such professionals are often indispensable, even though they rarely receive the biggest media stage. ([de.wikipedia.org](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Kraft_%28Fu%C3%9Fballspieler%29))

A football podcast's assessment describes Kraft as the "perfect number two" and as a loyal training partner who helped national goalkeeper Bodo Illgner reach peak performance. Such classifications illustrate that his importance goes far beyond the number of his games. His influence emerges in daily work on the training ground, in the stability of a squad, and in the development of goalkeepers. ([kult-kicker.de](https://kult-kicker.de/2025/02/21/kult-kicker-podcast-folge-68-michael-kraft/))

Personal Touch and the Resonance of His Career

Kraft's career was also accompanied by defining anecdotes that portray him as a down-to-earth yet cosmopolitan football person. Reports about his time at Incheon United or the episode with Tim Wiese's golden Rolex add color to his biography without overshadowing the professional core. They illustrate a life in football marked by travel, upheavals, and sporting loyalty. ([express.de](https://www.express.de/sport/fussball/ex-fc-keeper-michael-kraft-jetzt-trainer-in-chinese-taipeh-1262256))

It is known that he is married and has three children. This aspect aligns with the image of a man whose career is built not on self-promotion but on continuity, family, and skilled football work. For fans of goalkeeping, he remains an interesting figure because he embodies the quiet yet essential side of professional football. ([de.wikipedia.org](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Kraft_%28Fu%C3%9Fballspieler%29))

Conclusion: Why Michael Kraft Remains in Football Memory

Michael Kraft is intriguing because he exemplifies how valuable a goalkeeper with experience, discipline, and an international outlook is for modern football. His career connects Bundesliga, international stations, coaching work, and sustainable youth development into a credible whole. Those who understand football not just through goals but through roles, processes, and development recognize in Kraft a remarkable personality. ([de.wikipedia.org](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Kraft_%28Fu%C3%9Fballspieler%29))

His work in goalkeeping training keeps him relevant to this day: he stands for expertise, the art of teaching, and that quiet authority that often makes the difference in football. Michael Kraft remains a name for all who appreciate the depth of the game. His career deserves attention because it shows how far a goalkeeper with character can go. ([de.wikipedia.org](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Kraft_%28Fu%C3%9Fballspieler%29))

Official Channels of Michael Kraft:

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Sources: