You played for top clubs such as Bayern Munich, Liverpool, and VfB Stuttgart – how did the footballing culture differ between Germany and England during your career?
“The English league is harder. Every game I played there, you had to fight until the end – it was unbelievable. I had never seen this before. At Bayern Munich and Stuttgart, if you were 2-0 or 3-0 up, the game was finished. In England, even if you were 3-0 ahead, you had to fight until the final whistle. The other teams never gave up.
“The power and physical strength in the Premier League was amazing. Even back then, there were so many fantastic players—and now, the level is even higher. Smaller clubs like Crystal Palace and Brighton have fantastic scouting systems and aren’t afraid to invest in top talent. Aston Villa and Newcastle have also been fantastic in recent years.
“In Germany, it was great to see Bayer Leverkusen beat Bayern Munich – they had top players and a top manager. But usually, the gap is too big. In England, it’s different. If you do things right and the board supports you, anything is possible. Just look at Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal – they’ve finished second three times and could easily win the league next.”
At Liverpool, you won the UEFA Cup and both domestic cup competitions in 2001. How would you sum up that season in relation to your career as a whole?
“That season was the best of my career. My performances were top, but more than anything, I loved playing for this team and this club. Every home game at Anfield felt like a birthday present. The atmosphere, the fans – it was unbelievable.
“What I’m most proud of is how we won the FA Cup against Arsenal. They had an unbelievable team, much stronger than us on paper. But we had mentality, togetherness, and a strong work ethic. We beat them.
“The same happened against Bayern Munich in the Super Cup. They had world-class players, but we played as a team and won. We didn’t have a squad full of superstars – six or seven fantastic players, the rest were very good – but together we achieved something special. We won three trophies and finished third in the Premier League. It was fantastic.”
You were part of Germany’s squad during the 1996 European Championship win – what made that team special, and what do you remember most about the tournament?
“Playing the tournament in England – the home of football – was a dream. The stadiums were fantastic, the atmosphere was electric, and our team spirit was unbelievable. We were talented and united.
“In Germany, the mindset is: if you get through the group stage, anything is possible. We didn’t enter thinking we’d win the whole thing, but once we progressed, our confidence grew.
“We had real quality – Jürgen Klinsmann, Christian Ziege, Matthias Sammer. True world-class players. And we had others like Steffen Freund who brought heart and balance to the squad. England had amazing players too – Steve McManaman, Alan Shearer. That semi-final was the real final.
“It was a 50/50 game. We just had the luck in the penalty shootout. For me, that match was the final of the tournament.”
Featured image: “Markus Babbel – Tag der Legenden 2016 01” by Frank Schwichtenberg is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Markus Babbel was speaking courtesy of Leo Vegas.
Callum McFadden 