A German-Canadian Olympic soccer player who scored a record 10 goals in a single Olympic match in 1904, a feat that still stands today.
Gottfried Fuchs, also known as Godfrey Fuchs, was a German Olympic footballer who made history by scoring a then-world record 10 goals for the Germany national team in a 16-0 win against Russia at the 1912 Olympics. This incredible feat earned him the top scorer title of the tournament, a record that stood for nearly a century.
Fuchs was born on May 3, 1889, in Karlsruhe, Germany, to a Jewish family. His older brother, Richard Fuchs, was a composer and architect. Gottfried's passion for football led him to debut for the Germany national team at the tender age of 18.
He played for Düsseldorfer SC (1899-1904, 1914-1920) and Karlsruher FV (1906-1914), winning the German national title in 1910. Between 1911 and 1913, he was considered the best center-forward in the world, earning six caps and scoring 13 goals for Germany.
The 1912 Olympics in Stockholm will always be remembered as Fuchs' finest hour. On July 1, 1912, he scored an incredible 10 goals in a single match against Russia, setting a world record that would stand for 89 years. This performance tied the record set by Sophus Nielsen at the 1908 Summer Olympics.
Fuchs served in the German Army as an artillery officer during World War I and was awarded the Iron Cross. In 1928, he moved to Berlin with his family. However, as the Nazi regime gained power, Fuchs, being Jewish, was forced to flee Germany in 1937 to escape persecution.
He initially emigrated to England and then in 1940, moved to Canada, where he would spend the remainder of his life. The German Football Association erased all references to him from their records between 1933 and 1945, a testament to the regime's efforts to erase Jewish contributions to German football.
Fuchs' remarkable achievements on the football pitch earned him a place in the history books. He was the first German player to score four goals in a single match and held the record for most goals scored in a single international match for nearly a century.
In 2001, Australian player Archie Thompson surpassed Fuchs' record by scoring 13 goals in a 31-0 defeat of American Samoa. Despite this, Fuchs' legacy as a football legend and a symbol of Jewish resilience in the face of persecution remains unwavering.
Gottfried Fuchs' remarkable life serves as an inspiration to us all. From his incredible achievements on the football pitch to his bravery in the face of persecution, Fuchs' story is a testament to the power of human resilience and determination.
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