Lothar Kobluhn (12 April 1943 – 21 January 2019) was a German professional footballer who played as a striker. He is most famous for being the top scorer in the Bundesliga during the 1970–71 season while playing for Rot-Weiss Essen, and for his subsequent involvement in the 1971 Bundesliga scandal.
Early Life and Club Career
Born in Oberhausen, Kobluhn began his professional career with Rot-Weiss Essen. He was known for his powerful shooting and presence in the penalty area. His most successful season came in 1970–71, when he scored 24 goals in 34 Bundesliga matches, making him the league's top scorer (Torschützenkönig), an impressive feat for a player whose team, Rot-Weiss Essen, was ultimately relegated that season. Despite his individual success, he was never called up to the West Germany national team.
After his time at Rot-Weiss Essen, Kobluhn also played for SSV Reutlingen 05 and other lower-league clubs before retiring from professional football.
The 1971 Bundesliga Scandal
Kobluhn's career was significantly impacted by the 1971 Bundesliga scandal, a widespread match-fixing affair in German football. He was one of the players who confessed to having accepted money to influence match results. Specifically, he admitted to receiving 20,000 Deutsche Mark to throw a match between Rot-Weiss Essen and Arminia Bielefeld on 29 May 1971.
As a result of his involvement and confession, Kobluhn was initially banned from football for life by the German Football Association (DFB). However, his ban was later reduced to 10 years and then further reduced, allowing him to play again in 1973. His confession was seen by some as a contributing factor to the scandal being fully uncovered, as it encouraged others to come forward.
Later Life
After his playing career, Kobluhn largely stayed out of the public eye. He passed away on 21 January 2019, at the age of 75. His legacy remains marked by both his exceptional goal-scoring ability as a Bundesliga top scorer and his unfortunate role in one of German football's biggest scandals.