Matthias Sammer was a commanding sweeper and one of the outstanding German footballers of the 1990s. Beginning in the former East Germany, he became the driving force of a redefined libero role, surging out of defence to launch attacks with authority and precision.
He inspired Borussia Dortmund to league titles and a Champions League triumph and was pivotal to Germany’s victory at the 1996 European Championship, a feat that earned him the Ballon d’Or. Injury curtailed his playing days, but his influence on the game endured.