Memorial Page for Dieter Herzog

Dieter Herzog (born 15 July 1946 in Oberhausen; died 20 November 2025) was a German footballer. The left winger became a World Cup winner with the German national team in 1974 and was closely associated at club level with Fortuna Düsseldorf and Bayer 04 Leverkusen.

From the Ruhr area to professional football

Herzog began at clubs in the Ruhr area, including Spielvereinigung Sterkrade, VfB Bottrop and Hamborn 07. In 1970 he joined Fortuna Düsseldorf. There he developed on the left wing into a fast, strong dribbler and helped the club win promotion to the Bundesliga in 1971.

Fortuna Düsseldorf

Herzog played six years in Düsseldorf and made more than 250 competitive appearances for Fortuna. Between August 1970 and November 1974 he put together a long uninterrupted run of league matches. With Fortuna he finished third in the Bundesliga in both 1973 and 1974.

World Cup winner in 1974

In 1974 national coach Helmut Schön called Herzog into the national team. At the World Cup in West Germany he was used in the second final round against Yugoslavia and Sweden. Germany won both matches and became world champions in Munich on 7 July 1974. Herzog won five senior caps in all.

Bayer 04 Leverkusen

In 1976 Herzog moved from Düsseldorf to Bayer 04 Leverkusen. The move to the second-division club surprised many observers, but matched Herzog's wish for a sporting task and a professional future. In Leverkusen he became captain, won promotion to the Bundesliga with the club in 1979 and remained connected with Bayer 04 as a scout after his playing career.

Death and memory

Herzog ended his professional career in 1983. After his death, Bayer 04 Leverkusen, Fortuna Düsseldorf and the DFB honoured him as a player, colleague and member of Germany's 1974 World Cup squad. Dieter Herzog died on 20 November 2025 at the age of 79.