Football's Pioneers: Erwin Kostedde
In March 1975, West Germany visited Wembley for a friendly. Gerd Müller, the scorer of West Germany’s winner in the previous year’s World Cup Final, had retired. In his place at Wembley was Kostedde, of Kickers Offenbach, making his second international appearance.
Kostedde had already made history as the first black player to represent his country. He was born in Münster in 1946, the son of a white German woman and a black US serviceman who he never knew.
Children like Kostedde faced routine double discrimination: for being black, and for being the 'illegitimate' offspring of occupation soldiers. He recalls other children refusing to play with him.
Football offered an escape. His hometown club, Preussen Münster, took Kostedde on in 1965. His opening season tally of 18 goals in 35 games got him noticed, and he moved to MSV Duisberg in 1967. By his own admission, his career nearly faltered due to a party lifestyle. Duisberg terminated his contract.
A spell in Belgium, with Standard Liège, gave Kostedde the chance to refocus. Joining in 1968, he was central to their successive titles over the next three seasons and was the league’s top scorer in 1970/71.
Kostedde moved back to the Bundesliga, joining Kickers Offenbach in 1971. He continued to attract attention for his style and scoring record, netting 80 times in 129 league games over the next four years. His national call-up duly came for a Euro qualifier in Malta in 1974.
He went on to play for his country only twice more: in the friendly at Wembley, and in a Euro qualifier against Greece in 1975.
Kostedde had a good club career after this disappointment, playing for Hertha and Borussia Dortmund before another spell at Liège and a successful season in France with Stade Laval, where he scored 21 times in 34 games. He saw out his career, still scoring prolifically, at Werder Bremen and Osnabrück.
Looking back from his retirement, Kostedde is candid about the barriers he faced, including team-mates not passing to him and horrific racist abuse from opposing fans.
Kostedde’s fantastic club career and scoring record stand, and he remains a favourite at Offenbach. He did not achieve the international success that he deserved, but his legacy is evident now.