Rudi Assauer shaped football in Germany for over five decades like hardly anyone else - as a player, interim coach, manager, and arena builder. Born in Saarland and raised in the Ruhr area, he was discovered while playing for the Bundeswehr team. Assauer was the youngest member of the first German team to win a European trophy - Borussia Dortmund, in 1966. After six years with BVB, he spent another six years at Werder Bremen. There, in 1976, he became the youngest manager in professional football overnight after ending his playing career. In 1981, he made a sudden move to FC Schalke 04, where he initially stayed for only five years, but returned to Schalke in 1993. Under Assauer, the Royal Blues experienced their most successful period since the 1930s, winning the UEFA Cup in 1997 and claiming the cup victory twice, in 2001 and 2002. However, the most tragic event in the club's history also occurred during this era.