1. Life
Gerhard Strack's life began in Kerpen, a town located in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. His early years were dedicated to the development of his footballing talent, progressing through local youth clubs before joining a prominent professional youth setup.
1.1. Early life and youth career
Strack started his youth football journey with local clubs, playing for Glückauf Habbelrath-Grefrath until 1966. He then moved to SpVg Frechen 20, where he continued his development until 1973. Following his time at these local clubs, Strack spent one season in the youth team of 1. FC Köln, which proved to be a crucial step before he advanced to their senior professional squad.
2. Club career
Gerhard Strack's professional club career spanned over a decade, seeing him play for three different clubs across Germany and Switzerland. He primarily played as a defender throughout his career.
2.1. 1. FC Köln
Strack had a long and impactful tenure with 1. FC Köln, playing for the club for eleven seasons. During this period, he made a total of 339 appearances for the team across all competitions. Of these, 261 games were played in the top-tier Bundesliga. He was also a notable goal-scorer for a defender, netting 46 goals in total, with 31 of those coming in Bundesliga matches. His time with 1. FC Köln was highly successful, as he was part of the squad that won the DFB-Pokal (German Cup) on three occasions. Additionally, Strack contributed to 1. FC Köln's triumph in the German championship once.
2.2. FC Basel
Following his extensive period with 1. FC Köln, Strack moved to Switzerland to join FC Basel for their 1985-86 season. He played under the management of Helmut Benthaus. Strack made his domestic league debut for FC Basel on 7 August 1985, in a home game at the St. Jakob-Park, where Basel suffered a 0-1 defeat against FC Luzern. A few weeks later, on 4 September, he scored his first goal for the club in an away match against St. Gallen, which ended in a 1-1 draw.
Over his two seasons with FC Basel, Strack played a total of 71 games, scoring 17 goals. This tally included 48 appearances in the Nationalliga A, where he scored 9 goals. He also played 6 games in the Swiss Cup, contributing 3 goals, and participated in 17 friendly games, scoring the remaining 5 goals.
2.3. Fortuna Düsseldorf
After his spell in Switzerland with FC Basel, Strack returned to Germany for his final professional season. He joined Fortuna Düsseldorf for the 1987-88 season, playing in the 2. Bundesliga, the second tier of German football.
3. International career
Gerhard Strack represented the West Germany national football team during his career, earning ten caps between 1982 and 1983. He scored one goal for his national team, which proved to be critically important. This goal came against the Albania national football team in a UEFA European Championship qualifier match. The game was played in Saarbrücken at the Ludwigspark Stadion on 20 November 1983. Strack's goal secured a 2-1 victory for West Germany, a result that was vital for their qualification to UEFA Euro 1984. This win ensured that West Germany advanced to the tournament ahead of the Northern Ireland national football team. Although he was included in the West German squad for UEFA Euro 1984, Strack did not make any appearances during the tournament.
4. Death
Gerhard Strack passed away on 21 May 2020, at the age of 64. The exact location of his death in Germany has not been widely specified in public sources.
5. Assessment
Gerhard Strack's football career is characterized by his long-standing commitment and significant contributions as a defender, particularly during his eleven seasons with 1. FC Köln. His role in securing three DFB-Pokal titles and a German championship with Köln solidifies his place as an integral part of one of the club's successful eras. Beyond his club achievements, Strack's singular goal for West Germany against Albania remains a memorable highlight of his international career, directly enabling his nation's qualification for UEFA Euro 1984. Despite not playing in the tournament itself, his crucial intervention demonstrated his ability to perform under pressure on the international stage. His career reflects a solid and dependable professional who consistently contributed to his teams' successes, both domestically and internationally.