Wolfgang Rausch

Wolfgang Rausch (30 April 1947 – 10 May 2025) was a German professional footballer who played as a defender. He made a total of 257 appearances in the Bundesliga during his playing career.

Career Rausch was born in Aachen. In 1979, he left Germany for the United States where he signed with the Dallas Tornado of the North American Soccer League. Rausch played three outdoor and one indoor seasons with the Tornado. While with the Tornado, he also played the 1979–1980 Major Indoor Soccer League season on loan with the Detroit Lightning. In the fall of 1981, Rausch left the Tornado and signed with the New Jersey Rockets of the MISL. In 1982, he moved back outdoors with the Oklahoma City Slickers of the second division American Soccer League at the request of head coach Brian Harvey, an ex-teammate from the Tornado. During his season in Oklahoma, Rausch was also an assistant coach. After one season, he joined the newly established Dallas Americans as a player-coach. The ASL collapsed after the 1983 season and the Americans moved to the United Soccer League for the 1984 and 1985 seasons.

Death On 10 May 2025, Rausch died at the age of 78.