Marcus Babbel (Defender)
Date of birth: 08.09.72
Squad number: 6
Height: 6'1" (1.85m)
Weight: -
Characteristics: Tough tackling, no nonsense defender
Former clubs: Bayern Munich
Birth Place: Munich
Markus arrived at Anfield on a Bosman-style free transfer earlier this summer from Bayern Munich, having helped the most famous of all German clubs to a domestic League and Cup 'double' in his final
season. He also played a leading role in taking Bayern into the semi-finals of the Champions League, where they lost out narrowly to eventual winners Real Madrid.
Markus is recognised back home as one of Germany's most dependable and versatile
defenders. Although he can operate as a defensive man-marker in a back-three, he is also equally effective playing as a right wing-back or as a conventional right-back in a flat back
four. Very strong in the air, he often ventures forward at free-kicks and has been known to score some very important goals for Bayern, both in domestic and European
competition. He also has a reputation for fair play and is seldom booked.
A German international since 1995 - he made his debut in a friendly against Spain in February of that year - Markus has been a regular for the Nationalmannschaft during that time and completed his half-century of international caps in Germany's Euro 2000 opener against Romania. Markus was a key contributor to Germany's Euro 96 triumph in England, playing in five of their six matches, including every minute of the quarter-final, semi-final and
final. He has since announced a two year break from international football to concentrate on his Liverpool career.
Munich born and bred, he is a proud Bavarian and until his move to Anfield he had spent all bar two years of his career at Bayern. From 1992-94 he moved north on loan to Hamburg, and after returning to Munich he pledged allegiance to Bayern with a quote that went down in Bundesliga folkore, saying: "I don't want to go to a foreign club. I was already playing for one in Hamburg!"
Now, though, Markus has joined his fellow countryman Didi Hamann at Liverpool, and he will be keen to enjoy the same sort of success here that he had at
Bayern. In all, he won three Bundesliga titles, two German Cups and the 1996 UEFA Cup. Add to those that winner's medal with Germany at Euro '96, and you have a player who is very accustomed to hoisting aloft the silverware.