Erich Juskowiak

Erich Juskowiak (7 September 1926 in Oberhausen – 1 July 1983 in Düsseldorf) was a football (soccer) player for the German national team between 1951 and 1959. He earned 31 caps and 4 goals for Germany. His position was left back. He played in the World Cup Finals in 1958 where Germany reached the semi-final.

Juskowiak served in World War II where he got injured several times and even survived a shot in the head. After the war, Juskowiak joined Rot-Weiß Oberhausen where he began as an outside forward. It soon was discovered though that he was more useful as a defender. After switching to the right back position, he got the attention of German national team coach Sepp Herberger and debuted in the German national team on 23 December 1951, against Luxembourg.

Juskowiak's hopes of making the 1954 German World Cup squad however did not materialize, as it took three years before he played again for Germany (December 1954). Switching from right back to left back frequently in the next two years, Juskowiak finally settled as a left back in 1957. By that time, Juskowiak was rated as one of the best full backs in Germany. Based on his performances in 1958 and 1959, Kicker (sports magazine) rated him world class in their biennial Rangliste des deutschen Fußballs (ranking list of German football). He was mostly known for his very hard shot, which earned him his nickname "Hammer".