Sports Nicknames - Der Titan, Vol-kahn-o

Oliver Kahn is routinely included in lists of the best goalkeepers of all time for a reason. The German international helped set Bayern Munich's period of dominance in the 2008s, becoming so aggressive and commanding in goal that he became known as Der Titan (The Titan).



Kahn began his career at the local team of Karlsruher SC, which his father had played at. He would play for the team for 7 years, although he only established himself as the starting keeper in 1990. Kahn was noted by Bayern for his strong influence on the dressing room and quality keeping performances, so they signed him for a record fee for a goalkeeper (at the time) of DM4.6 million (€2.385 million).

Kahn would spend the next 14 years at Bayern, helping the club win every competition available. They were crowned Bundesliga champions in 8 seasons, won the DFB-Pokal in 6 seasons, the UEFA Cup in 1995-96 and the UEFA Champions League in 2000-01. Kahn was also a crucial part of the German national team, which won the 1996 European Championship and finished as runners up in the 2002 World Cup. At that 2002 edition of the World Cup, Kahn became the only keeper to ever win the Golden Ball award.

Kahn was undoubtedly a great keeper, but what often sets him apart is his mental strength and leadership capabilities. He was determined to succeed, regardless of the players he had around him. Such steely determination and natural skill that he displayed in goal makes Der Titan deserve his spot on the list of the best keepers of all time.


--

Click for more Sports Nicknames