Willi Landgraf

Wilfried "Willi" Landgraf (born 29 August 1968) is a German former professional footballer who played as a defender and made a record 508 appearances in the 2. Bundesliga.

Playing career Landgraf was born in Mülheim an der Ruhr and joined the youth ranks of Rot-Weiss Essen from the adjacent city of Essen as a teenager in 1985. He was promoted to the first team for the 1986–87 season at the club. Towards the end of that season, on 30 May 1987, the then 18-year-old was given his debut in the 2. Bundesliga under manager Horst Hrubesch.

After spending seven seasons with Rot-Weiss Essen as well as three seasons with Homburg and Gütersloh, respectively, Landgraf joined Alemannia Aachen in 1999. Alemannia Aachen were promoted to the Bundesliga at the end of that season, three months before Landgraf's 38th birthday. Still, he admitted that he did not want to spend another season on the bench just to be able to say that he played in the first division. Since then, he has coached various youth teams at the club.