
Taking the ball from Augenthaler inside his own half at the San Siro on 10 June 1990, he carried it through the Yugoslav midfield, stepped past Davor Jozic and struck it from 25 metres. That summer he lifted the World Cup as captain in Rome, then took the Ballon d'Or and became the first FIFA World Player of the Year in 1991, on top of Euro 1980, the 1991 UEFA Cup, seven Bundesliga titles and 150 caps for Germany. Career record: 150 caps and 23 goals for Germany; club career at Borussia Mönchengladbach, FC Bayern Munich, Inter Milan; honours include Ballon d'Or, 2× national Player of the Year (1990–1999), 3× Hall of Fame (2018–2018).
| 1979–1984 | Borussia Mönchengladbach |
| 1984–1988 | FC Bayern Munich |
| 1988–1992 | Inter Milan |
| 1992–2000 | FC Bayern Munich |
| 2000–2000 | New York Red Bulls |
| Germany | 150 caps, 23 goals |
Germany legends whose careers overlapped Matthäus's
One rank above: Manuel Neuer at #3.
One rank below: Karl-Heinz Rummenigge at #5.
Germany's editorial top five: Franz Beckenbauer · Gerd Müller · Manuel Neuer · Lothar Matthäus · Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.