Career
He played for 1. Football Club Köln between 1948 and 1965. He also played for the West-Germany national football team, earning 39 caps and scoring 15 goals. Between 1957 and 1962, Schäfer captained Germany 16 times.
He is normally considered one of Germany"s greatest wingers and was particularly known for his long shots.
Schäfer"s position was that of an outside left. In the latter stages of his career, he became an inside left forward.
He debuted for Germany on 9 November 1952, in the international friendly against Switzerland, scoring a goal. Football Club Köln in 1962 and 1964 and was voted German Football player of the Year in 1963, at the age of 35.
He played in the first two seasons of the newly founded Bundesliga 39 matches (20 goals) before retiring from professional football.