Karl-Heinz Schnellinger

Karl-Heinz Schnellinger is a German former footballer who played as a defender. He was born in Düren. An athletic and hard-tackling player, with a strong physique, he was nicknamed the "Volkswagen" for his continuity of performance, both in quantity and in quality, and for his versatility; indeed, although he was usually deployed as a full-back, he was capable of playing anywhere along the back, and could also play as a centre-back, as a sweeper, or even as a defensive midfielder. In his prime he was often considered one of the best and most complete leftbacks in the world in his era, rivaled only by Giacinto Facchetti, Nilton Santos and Silvio Marzolini.