Frank Rost

1.1. Family background

Rost comes from a distinguished sporting family, with both of his parents being Olympic medalists in handball. His father, Peter Rost, won a gold medal at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow as part of the East German handball team. His mother, Christina Rost, also a handball player, achieved a silver medal at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal and a bronze medal at the 1980 Moscow Games.

Rost's youth football career began at an early age. He played for several youth clubs in East Germany, including BSG Lokomotive West Leipzig^German from 1981 to 1982, SV Chemie Böhlen^German from 1982 to 1986, and 1. FC Lokomotive Leipzig from 1986 to 1991.

2.1. 1. FC Markkleeberg

Rost began his professional career at 1. FC Markkleeberg in 1991, playing in the third tier of German football. He made 33 appearances for the club before attracting interest from higher-division teams.

2.2. Werder Bremen

In 1992, Rost moved to Werder Bremen. He initially played for Werder Bremen II, making 94 appearances for the reserve team between 1992 and 1995. He made his Bundesliga debut during the 1995-96 season and became the first-choice goalkeeper for the senior team during the 1998-99 season.

During his tenure at Werder Bremen, Rost achieved significant success. He helped the club win the DFB-Pokal twice, in 1993-94 and 1998-99. The 1998-99 final against Bayern Munich famously went to a penalty shootout, where Rost scored a penalty himself before saving a crucial shot from Lothar Matthäus to secure the cup for Bremen. He also contributed to Werder Bremen's UEFA Intertoto Cup victory in 1998.

On 31 March 2002, Rost made history by becoming only the second goalkeeper in Bundesliga history (after Jens Lehmann) to score a goal from open play. His goal against Hansa Rostock was part of a dramatic comeback, as Werder Bremen scored two goals in the final minutes to win 4-3 after trailing 3-1. At the end of the 2001-02 season, Werder Bremen finished sixth, qualifying for the UEFA Cup.

2.3. Schalke 04

In July 2002, Rost transferred to Schalke 04, where he quickly established himself as the regular first-choice goalkeeper. He maintained this position until late 2006, when he lost his starting spot to the emerging talent Manuel Neuer. During his time at Schalke, the club won the UEFA Intertoto Cup in both 2003 and 2004, and the DFL-Ligapokal in 2005. Schalke also finished as Bundesliga runner-up in 2004-05 and DFB-Pokal runner-up in the same season.

2.4. Hamburger SV

In January 2007, Rost moved to Hamburger SV, a club that was struggling at the bottom of the league table. He immediately became the first-choice goalkeeper and played a crucial role in helping the team climb from last place to a seventh-place finish by the end of the season.

On 30 July 2009, Rost made his 100th international club appearance in a Europa League qualifier against Danish side Randers FC, which Hamburg won 4-0. Rost holds the German record for the most combined appearances in the UEFA Cup and UEFA Europa League, having played 90 matches in these competitions. This places him second overall in the all-time appearances list, behind only Giuseppe Bergomi.

During his time at Hamburger SV, his teammates affectionately gave him the nickname "Frost." Rost left Hamburger SV at the end of the 2010-11 season, having played 149 league matches for the club. He hoped to continue his career abroad or transition into coaching. Hamburger SV also won the Emirates Cup in 2008 during his tenure.

2.5. New York Red Bulls

On 13 July 2011, Rost signed with the New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer. During the 2011 season, he appeared in 11 regular season matches and recorded five clean sheets. However, the club announced in January 2012 that they could not agree on terms for his return, and Rost subsequently left the team. He announced his retirement from professional football on 19 February 2012. The New York Red Bulls won the Emirates Cup in 2011.

4.1. Club

4.2. International