Oliver Bierhoff
The powerful striker who wrote himself into German football lore by scoring the golden goal that clinched the 1996 European Championship.
Born 1968 (age 58)·German footballer·Birthday: May 1·Generation X
Biography
Oliver Bierhoff was a late bloomer who became the definitive target man for a generation. After unremarkable spells in the German and Austrian leagues, his career ignited in Italy's Serie A, first with Ascoli and then Udinese, where his aerial dominance and clinical finishing made him a consistent scorer. His defining moment arrived on the international stage at Wembley Stadium, where his two goals—including the first golden goal in major tournament history—delivered the Euro 96 trophy to Germany. This cemented his status, leading to a move to AC Milan. After retirement, Bierhoff smoothly transitioned into football administration, serving as the German national team's manager and later technical director, helping oversee their 2014 World Cup triumph from the front office.
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.
Oliver was born in 1968, 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 Oliver Was Born
The biggest hits of 1968
#1 Movie
2001: A Space Odyssey
Best Picture
Oliver!
#1 TV Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Oliver's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1968Born
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1973Started school
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1981Became a teenager
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1984Could drive
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1986Could vote
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
1989Turned 21
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1998Turned 30
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 40
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 50
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 58 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Scored the first 'golden goal' in major international tournament history to win UEFA Euro 1996 for Germany.
- Won the Serie A title with AC Milan in the 1998–99 season.
- Served as the German national team's manager from 2004 to 2017, playing a key role in their 2014 World Cup victory.
- Finished as the top scorer in Serie A for the 1997–98 season while playing for Udinese.
- Earned 70 caps for Germany, scoring 37 goals.
Did You Know?
He earned a degree in business economics from the University of Hagen while still playing professionally.
Bierhoff did not make his debut for the German national team until he was 26 years old.
He is the founder of the 'Oliver Bierhoff Foundation', which supports children in need.
Before his football career took off, he did a brief internship at the chemical company Bayer.
“The header against the Czech Republic was the most important goal of my career, but also the most beautiful.”
