Bayern Munich goalkeeper Tom Starke has won 13 major trophies after playing just seven times

The 36-year-old has won nearly two trophies for every match he's played in

Jack de Menezes
Tuesday 02 May 2017 11:56 BST
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Tom Starke has won 13 major trophies with Bayern Munich despite making just seven appearances
Tom Starke has won 13 major trophies with Bayern Munich despite making just seven appearances (Getty)

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There are not many players in the world who can boast 13 major trophies all with the same club, but there are even fewer who hold such an honours list having played just seven matches.

Step forward Bayern Munich goalkeeper Tom Starke, who has had to play second-fiddle to Manuel Neuer for his entire career with the Bavarian club. The 36-year-old arrived at the Allianz Arena in 2012 and has made just five Bundesliga appearances in his five years with the club, winning the league each season.

In total, Stark has played just 640 minutes in all competitions, yet is able to boast an impressive-yet-ridiculous trophy-to-games ratio of 1.86, winning nearly two cups or titles for every match he has featured in.

With Neuer rated as one of the best goalkeepers in the world, it is no surprise to see the Germany No 1 start every match available, through given Bayern’s dominance of domestic football this season, is does raise the question of why Stark has not been given more chances to play in competitions like the German Cup.

The former Hoffenheim and Duisburg goalkeeper has won three German Cups, two German Supercups, one Champions League, one Uefa Super Cup and one Fifa Club World Cup, along with the five Bundesliga titles – the last of which was clinched at the weekend when Bayern ended their run of five games without a win by thrashing Wolfsburg 6-0 and securing a fifth consecutive league title in the process.

And even though Neuer has been ruled out of the rest of the season after breaking his foot in the Champions League defeat by Real Madrid, Starke doesn’t look like he’ll be playing any time soon, with manager Carlo Ancelotti calling on Sven Ulreich to deputise for his regular goalkeeper.

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