Fredi Bobic
The striker who won the UEFA European Championship with Germany and later became a sporting director.
Fredi Bobic is a German football executive and former player who played as a striker. He is currently the head of football operations and the sporting director at Ekstraklasa club Legia Warsaw. Bobic was born in Maribor, SFR Yugoslavia, to a Slovene father and a Croatian mother. A few months after his birth, his parents emigrated with him to West Germany. He acquired German citizenship while in Stuttgart. Bobic reached his prime in the mid-1990s at VfB Stuttgart in the Bundesliga, where he formed part of the successful attacking line-up known as the "magic triangle" with Giovane Élber and Krasimir Balakov.
- Nationality
- German
- Position
- striker
- Major Honour
- UEFA European Championship: 1996
- International Caps
- 37 caps (10 goals) for the Germany national team
- Status
- Retired
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Bobic's prime came at VfB Stuttgart in the Bundesliga. In his first Bundesliga season (1994–95), he scored a goal in each of his first five games, making him a candidate for the Germany national team after only a few appearances. In 1996, he was the Bundesliga's top scorer with 17 goals. At Stuttgart, he formed part of a successful attacking line-up, along with strike partner Giovane Élber and attacking midfielder Krasimir Balakov, known as the "magic triangle". After four years in Stuttgart, in 1999 he signed with Borussia Dortmund and was the club's top scorer in both 1999–2000 and 2000–01. However, after the signings of Jan Koller and Márcio Amoroso in the summer of 2001, he soon fell out of favor and played only three games in the first half of 2001–02 season. Subsequently, Bobic was loaned to the Premier League side Bolton Wanderers, where he had a successful spell, playing a key role in keeping Bolton in the Premiership. His hat-trick in the 4–1 win against Ipswich at the Reebok Stadium ensured Bolton stayed up, and remained the last Bolton hat-trick in a competitive game until Joe Mason in the 2014–15 season. After returning from England, Bobic was signed by newly promoted Bundesliga side Hannover 96 where he reestablished himself as one of the league's top scorers, netting 14 times in 27 games. In 2003, he was signed by Hertha BSC, where he played for two seasons, scoring 8 goals in 54 games. He last played for Croatian outfit NK Rijeka before retiring in June 2006, at the end of the 2005–06 season.
In Their Own Story
Bobic won 37 caps (10 goals) for the Germany national team and was part of the UEFA Euro 1996 winning squad. He also played at UEFA Euro 2004, having returned to the national team in 2002 after a four-year absence. After his playing career, Bobic signed a contract as a managing director of Bulgarian club Chernomorets Burgas on 25 March 2009 and worked in the club with his former teammate Krasimir Balakov. On 27 July 2010, Bobic became new director of sport of VfB Stuttgart. On 20 January 2012, he extended his contract with VfB Stuttgart until June 2016. He took on the role as board representative for sport of the club on 10 April 2013. Bobic was sacked on 24 September 2014. On 1 June 2016, Bobic became sporting director of Eintracht Frankfurt. During his term the club won the DFB-Pokal after beating Bayern Munich in the final (3–1). On 14 April 2021, Hertha BSC announced its decision to hire Bobic as their new managing director for sport starting 1 July 2021. Bobic was sacked on 28 January 2023 after a 2–0 loss to 1. FC Union in the Berlin derby. In April 2025, Bobic was appointed head of operations at Polish top-flight club Legia Warsaw. On 31 May 2026, he replaced Michał Żewłakow as Legia's sporting director.
Reader's Guide
Fredi Bobic's career is marked by key moments: he was the Bundesliga's top scorer in 1995–96 with 17 goals, and he scored a hat-trick for Bolton Wanderers in a 4–1 win against Ipswich that kept Bolton in the Premiership. He won the DFB-Pokal with VfB Stuttgart in 1996–97 and the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund in 2001–02. With Germany, he won the UEFA European Championship in 1996. As a sporting director, he helped Eintracht Frankfurt win the DFB-Pokal in 2016–17, beating Bayern Munich 3–1 in the final. Bobic was named in the kicker Bundesliga Team of the Season for 1995–96.
Did You Know?
- Bobic scored a goal in each of his first five Bundesliga games in the 1994–95 season.
- He was the Bundesliga's top scorer in 1995–96 with 17 goals.
- His hat-trick for Bolton Wanderers against Ipswich in 2002 kept Bolton in the Premiership.
- Bobic was part of the Germany squad that won UEFA Euro 1996.
- As sporting director of Eintracht Frankfurt, the club won the DFB-Pokal in 2016–17, beating Bayern Munich 3–1 in the final.