10 Footballers with Brains to Go with Their Talent | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors

Paul Breitner is one of the most charismatic and outspoken personalities the German game has ever produced.

The legendary full-back made his name playing for the all-conquering Bayern Munich and German sides of the early '70s before he moved to Real Madrid.

Now in a role at Bayern Munich, and contributing to German television, the former German international is one of only a few men to have scored in two separate World Cup finals.

Breitner had won everything in the game by the age of 22 and is hailed by many, even considering the great Paulo Maldini, as the greatest left-back to have ever played the game.

Off the pitch, Breitner was an absolute one of a kind. 

The importance of education and to be his own person was drummed into him at an early age by his parents. He therefore had to consider Bayern Munich's overtures very carefully before committing to their cause in 1970. Even then he refused to sign a contract past two years because he was studying to be a teacher and wanted to work with disabled children.

Once at Munich, a notably conservative city, Breitner was unafraid to show his political teeth and interests by openly reading communist books from Mao Zedong and voicing political and social opinions.

When Real Madrid made an approach for him in 1974, many felt he would reject their audacious bid and wage offer to stay in Germany. Breitner, however, felt he owed it to himself to earn as much money and to learn as much from life as possible. He promptly moved to the Bernabeu.

Madrid, at the time, were heavily linked with dictator Francisco Franco.

Der Afro, as he was so lovingly named, then signed one of the first cosmetic deals in world football and shaved off his trademark beard.

Never let it be said that Paul Breitner was not intelligent enough to be his own man.

Today, Breitner is an intelligent and articulate football analyst who often appears on Irish radio and German TV.