Oliver Kahn's 55th birthday: The legend's turbulent journey

Oliver Kahn spent 14 years of his football career (from 1994 to 2008) as a goalkeeper and celebrated 23 titles with Bayern, including the Champions League 2001. Kahn played a total of 632 matches for the Bavarian team.

In August 2019, at a club supervisory board meeting, all members unanimously voted to appoint Kahn to Bayern's board. Ultimately, he lasted only four years there.

After ending his football career (in 2008), the 86-time German international became a football expert on German television ZDF. In 2011, the athlete completed his studies in Salzburg, earning an MBA in general management.

Oliver Kahn was never a fan favourite. Perhaps this was because his desire to win bordered on obsession. For instance, he was invited to a charity event where funds were being raised for an orphanage. Towards the end, 9-year-old children were taking penalty kicks. For every successful penalty, the organizers would donate money.

Kahn saved all the shots. You can't like a guy like that, even if you—as a goalkeeper—admire him. On Saturday, he celebrates his 55th birthday.

A few years ago, a scandal involving Kahn erupted in Germany. But it wasn't about him grabbing Thomas Brdaric from Leverkusen by the neck, which caused widespread outrage.

Nor was it about him being caught playing golf all day while rehabilitating and then partying until 5 am in a disco.

It was about Kahn leaving his wife Simone in 2003 and getting involved with celebrity Verena Kerth. Perhaps there are many such cases, but the Kahns had a 4-year-old daughter, Kathrina, who was expecting a baby brother, David, at any moment. Simone was heavily pregnant.

Years later, Oli returned to his wife, only to shortly afterwards announce a divorce. He soon remarried, this time to the beautiful blonde Svenja, with whom he is still together and has a nearly 14-year-old son, Julian.