Jens Lehmann regularly puts himself on the sidelines. Most recently, the former DFB goalkeeper had to surrender his driver's license because he had drunk too much. Almost a side note in the 54-year-old's thick scandal file.
Former German national goalkeeper Jens Lehmann has long been a regular in the tabloids. No wonder, after all, the 54-year-old provides enough material with his behavior on and off the pitch.
The most recent example is his visit to the Oktoberfest. There, the 61-time international took a deep drink, but then got behind the wheel, according to a report in "Bild". "Licence taken away after Oktoberfest intoxication!" was the headline after the boozy evening, as the police stopped Lehmann and humorlessly took away his driving license.
The episode fits seamlessly into Lehmann's résumé, as he also has a few sporting highlights to his name. He won the UEFA Cup with Schalke 04 in 1997, went a whole season undefeated with Arsenal (2003) and was goalkeeper number one - ahead of arch-rival Oliver Kahn - in the German summer fairytale when the DFB finished third at the home World Cup.
But the list of his escapades is certainly longer than his successes on the pitch. Here is an (incomplete) chronological list compiled by "11Freunde".
A permanent guest of the judiciary
At Euro 24, he blasphemes in an interview about the German international Robert Andrich, who dyed his hair pink. He begins with the words "You have to be careful these days...", followed by a 50-second tirade that left many viewers stunned. "I expect UEFA to ban hair colors like Andrich's because it can lead to confusion among opponents," Lehmann explained - and that was about the most harmless thing he had to say.
Things got legal at the end of 2023, when Lehmann allegedly sawed a roof beam of a garage in a dispute because it was blocking his view of the lake. To avoid being caught, he even allegedly ripped the surveillance camera cable out of its anchorage. Unfortunately, the camera continued to run on battery power, which is why the footballer was caught in the act. Lehmann has lodged an appeal against the verdict - a fine of 420,000 euros.
He also had to appear in court because of the "parking ticket gate". On the one hand, he allegedly charged his e-Porsche without paying for the electricity. On the other hand, Lehmann is said to have cheated his way through the exit barrier with his car to avoid paying parking fees.
Triple of racism, coronavirus swearing and homophobia
In 2021, Lehmann lost his position for sporting matters on the Hertha Berlin supervisory board. Lehmann had called former German international Dennis Aogo an "odds-on black" in a WhatsApp message.
Lehmann also had to appear before a judge in 2016 and pay a total fine of 42,500 euros for aiding and abetting a hit-and-run. As a co-driver, he had helped a colleague to make off without leaving a trace after an accident.
In addition to racist gaffes, Lehmann also had coronavirus trivializations and homophobic remarks in store. His answer to the question of how he would have reacted if he had known about Thomas Hitzlsperger's (formerly his teammate in Stuttgart) homosexuality during his active career: "Funny, I think. You shower together every day. (...) Nobody can control their thoughts."
Speaking of controlling. During a Champions League match, the then Stuttgart goalkeeper once had to pee very urgently - and without further ado peed behind an advertising hoarding.
Jens L. did not even stop at his teammates and fans
The feisty kicker also often clashed with professional colleagues, even if they sometimes played in the same team: "11Freunde" succinctly describes his list of sins: "Giovane Elber got an elbow, Freiburg's Coulibaly a kick, Ulf Kirsten a finger with a goalkeeper's glove in his nose, at VfB Stuttgart a classic revenge foul for Mainz's Aristide Bancé and in Dortmund times a capital order clamp for fellow player Amoroso."
Even fans were not spared by the belligerent contemporary. He quickly stole a fan's glasses after a match. The footballer also made no friends with his neighbors on Lake Starnberg, not far from Munich. Lehmann regularly took the helicopter from there to attend training in Stuttgart.
The goalkeeper knows all about trouble with the law anyway. In 2000, Lehmann was clocked at 131 km/h. However, he sent his brother Jörg - disguised in sunglasses - to the subsequent court hearing. The judge quickly saw through the game.
