Mehmet Scholl
A sublimely creative midfielder whose delicate touch, visionary passing, and clutch goals defined an era of Bayern Munich dominance and German football elegance.
Born 1970 (age 56)·German footballer·Birthday: October 16·Generation X
Biography
Mehmet Scholl’s career was a masterclass in technical artistry, played out over 15 seasons at the heart of Bayern Munich’s midfield. Born in Germany to a Turkish father and German mother, his style was less about brute force and more about intelligence, feints, and a magical left foot. He was the creative spark in a team of giants, capable of unlocking defenses with a perfectly weighted through ball or deciding a tense match with a free-kick. Scholl’s timing was impeccable; his goals and assists were crucial in securing a haul of trophies, including eight Bundesliga titles and the 2001 UEFA Champions League crown. Though injuries limited his role with the German national team, his legacy at Bayern is untouchable—a player who made the difficult look effortless and brought joy to the game.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Mehmet was born in 1970, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Mehmet Was Born
The biggest hits of 1970
#1 Movie
Love Story
Best Picture
Patton
#1 TV Show
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Mehmet's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1970Born
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1975Started school
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1983Became a teenager
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1986Could drive
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1988Could vote
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1991Turned 21
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2000Turned 30
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 40
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 50
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 56 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won eight Bundesliga titles and the UEFA Champions League in 2001 with Bayern Munich.
- Scored over 100 goals for Bayern Munich from a midfield position.
- Earned 36 caps for the German national team and was part of the squad that won UEFA Euro 1996.
- Later managed Bayern Munich II to promotion to the 3. Liga in 2011.
Did You Know?
He is known by the nickname "Scholli" among fans and teammates.
After retirement, he became a popular and outspoken television pundit for German broadcaster ARD.
He scored a famous last-minute goal against Manchester United in the 1998-99 Champions League group stage, though United would famously win the tie later that season.
His son, Lucas Scholl, also became a professional footballer.
“I always tried to play football that was pleasing to the eye, with intelligence and a bit of magic.”
