Thomas Linke

Thomas Linke

Linke playing for RB Salzburg (2009 charity)
Personal information
Date of birth	(1969-12-26) 26 December 1969 (age 47)
Place of birth	Sömmerda, East Germany
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing position	Centre back
Youth career
1977–1983	Robotron Sömmerda
1983–1988	Rot-Weiß Erfurt
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1988–1992	Rot-Weiß Erfurt	85	(2)
1992–1998	Schalke 04	175	(13)
1998–2005	Bayern Munich	165	(3)
2005–2007	Red Bull Salzburg	51	(3)
2007–2008	Bayern Munich II	27	(1)
Total		502	(22)
National team
1997–2004	Germany	43	(1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

Thomas Linke (born 26 December 1969) is a retired German professional footballer who played as a central defender, and the current director of football of FC Ingolstadt 04.

Linke was remembered as a hard-nosed tackler with tremendous heading ability, and played in 13 Bundesliga seasons in representation of Schalke 04 and Bayern Munich, totalling 340 games.

Having gained his first cap for Germany in his late 20's, Linke went on to represent the nation in one World Cup and one European Championship.

Born in Sömmerda, Thuringia, East Germany, Linke began playing football in 1977 with local BSG Robotron Sömmerda. In 1983, he transferred to FC Rot-Weiß Erfurt, eventually making the breakthrough into the first team in 1989; with the latter, he had the opportunity to gain experience by playing in the DDR-Oberliga.

After finishing third in the last year of the competition, the club was placed into the newly consolidated 2. Bundesliga in 1991, as part of the German reunification process. Linke was a starter throughout the season but was ultimately unable to prevent it from being relegated, while also appearing in four games in the UEFA Cup.