Hans Jakob (footballer)

Hans Jakob (June 16, 1908 – March 24, 1994) was a German football player. He was born in Munich.

He played over 1000 games as goalkeeper for SSV Jahn Regensburg, and also for FC Bayern Munich from 1942 to 1945.^[1] He earned 38 caps for the Germany national football team, and was part of two World Cups teams in 1934 and 1938, but played in only one game, the third-place playoff in 1934. Jakob was a member of the famous "Breslau Elf" that defeated Denmark 8–0 in 1937. In his 38 international games,^[2] Jakob kept eleven clean-sheets and while he was in goal, Germany were only defeated eight times.

'Jakl' Jakob was an all-round athlete who managed considerable results in track-and-field, winning the Bavarian hurdles race championships repeatedly, which led a decathlon promoter to almost persuade him to pursue a decathlon career.^[3] Jakob became Germany’s number one goal keeper after the 1934 World Cup, replacing Willibald Kress, who had fallen out of favour with Reich coach Otto Nerz after a momentous blunder by Kress in the semi final had arguably cost Germany a place in the final. He died in Regensburg.

In his 1978 book Fussball, Helmut Schön characterised Jakob as follows:

"Thanks to his size and physical impact he was especially adept in catching high crosses and usually prevailed in turmoils inside the goal mouth."

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