Editing Paul Breitner (section)

{{short description|German footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name           = Paul Breitner
| full_name      =
| image          = Paul Breitner 2011.jpg
| caption        = Breitner in 2011
| birth_date     = {{birth date and age|1951|9|5|df=y}} 
| birth_place    = [[Kolbermoor]], [[Bavaria]], West Germany
| height         = 1.76 m<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.worldfootball.net/spieler_profil/paul-breitner/ | title = Paul Breitner | publisher = worldfootball.net | access-date = 17 July 2011}}</ref>
| currentclub    = 
| position       = [[Left-back]], [[midfielder]]
| youthyears1    = 1957–1961
| youthclubs1    = SV-DJK Kolbermoor
| youthyears2    = 1961–1970
| youthclubs2    = ESV Freilassing
| years1         = 1970–1974
| clubs1         = [[FC Bayern Munich|Bayern Munich]]
| caps1          = 109
| goals1         = 17
| years2         = 1974–1977
| clubs2         = [[Real Madrid C.F.|Real Madrid]]
| caps2          = 84
| goals2         = 10
| years3         = 1977–1978
| clubs3         = [[Eintracht Braunschweig]]
| caps3          = 30
| goals3         = 10
| years4         = 1978–1983
| clubs4         = [[FC Bayern Munich|Bayern Munich]]
| caps4          = 146
| goals4         = 66
| totalcaps      = 369
| totalgoals     = 103
| nationalyears1 = 1968–1970
| nationalteam1  = [[Germany national youth football team|West Germany Youth]]
| nationalcaps1  = 16
| nationalgoals1 = 1
| nationalyears2 = 1971
| nationalteam2  = [[Germany national under-21 football team|West Germany U-23]]
| nationalcaps2  = 1
| nationalgoals2 = 0
| nationalyears3 = 1971–1982
| nationalteam3  = [[Germany national football team|West Germany]]
| nationalcaps3  = 48
| nationalgoals3 = 10
| medaltemplates      = 
{{Medal|Sport|Men's [[Association football|football]]}}
{{Medal|Country|{{fb|FRG}}}}
{{Medal|Comp|[[FIFA World Cup]]}}
{{Medal|W|[[1974 FIFA World Cup|1974 West Germany]]|}}
{{Medal|RU|[[1982 FIFA World Cup|1982 Spain]]|}}
{{Medal|Comp|[[UEFA European Championship]]}}
{{Medal|W|[[1972 UEFA European Championship|1972 Belgium]]|}}
}}
'''Paul Breitner''' ({{IPA|de|ˈpaʊ̯l ˈbʁaɪ̯tnɐ}}; born 5 September 1951) is a German former professional [[Association football|footballer]] who played as a [[midfielder]] and [[left-back]].<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.kicker.de/paul-breitner/spieler/bundesliga/1981-82/fc-bayern-muenchen | title =Breitner, Paul  | language = de | publisher=[[Kicker (magazine)|Kicker]] | access-date =2 January 2011}}</ref> Considered one of the best full-backs and midfielders of all time, and one of the best players of his era, Breitner was named in the FIFA World Cup All-Time Team. In 2004 he was named one of the [[FIFA 100|Top 125 greatest living footballers]] as part of [[FIFA]]'s 100th anniversary celebration.<ref>{{cite web|date=4 March 2004|title=Pele's list of the greatest|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/3533891.stm|access-date=15 June 2013|publisher=BBC Sport}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/10-greatest-midfielders-in-football-history/10 |title=10 greatest midfielders in football history: #1 Lothar Matthaus |website=sportskeeda.com |publisher=[[Sportskeeda]] |first=Ashwin |last=Hanagudu |date=17 September 2016 |access-date=6 November 2018}}</ref>

Breitner was [[Cap (sport)|capped]] 48 times for West Germany and was an integral part of the team that won the [[1974 FIFA World Cup]], scoring in the [[1974 FIFA World Cup final|final]]. 

He also scored in the [[1982 FIFA World Cup final|final]] of the [[1982 FIFA World Cup]], making him one of only five players to have scored in two different World Cup final matches, the others being [[Pelé]], [[Vavá]], [[Zinedine Zidane]] and [[Kylian Mbappé]].

He was known for his partnerships with [[Franz Beckenbauer]], [[Hans-Georg Schwarzenbeck]] and [[Berti Vogts]] in defence for the national team, and his midfield combination with [[Karl-Heinz Rummenigge]] for [[FC Bayern Munich|Bayern Munich]].

Breitner has been working as a commentator, pundit and columnist in Germany since retiring and is also an advisor to the Bayern management board.