The German coach reshaped Denmark’s national team and was once handed a rare lifetime pass by the fast-food giant.
The only person in his country to ever have a McDonald’s gold card was this legendary soccer coach
Sepp Piontek, widely regarded as the man who dragged Danish soccer into the modern era, died on Thursday, February 19, at the age of 85. He was also the only person in Denmark to hold a McDonald’s gold card.
He received the card in 1988 while attending, as guest of honor, the opening of the first restaurant by McDonald’s in Denmark, at the Rosengårdcentret mall in Odense. The restaurant’s owner, Ernst Kier, chose to present the German coach with the award.
The so-called guldkort – gold card – entitled Piontek to eat free for life at any McDonald’s location. He was not alone in enjoying the perk. Other global figures have also received similar cards, including Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and investor Warren Buffett.
The most influential coach in Danish soccer history
The former manager was, without question, one of the most transformative figures in the history of Denmark’s national team, which he led for 11 years from 1979 to 1990. He laid the groundwork for turning the “Red Dynamite” into a genuine contender, guided by players such as Michael Laudrup, Preben Elkjær and Morten Olsen, while instilling a winning mentality and introducing modern training methods.
Among the highlights of his tenure was the 1984 European Championship, where Denmark reached the semifinals before losing on penalties to Spain, coached by Miguel Muñoz and spearheaded by players such as Señor, Santillana and Gordillo.
Two years later, at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, Denmark topped Group E after winning all three of its games. Once again, however, Spain ended its run, this time with a 5–1 rout.
Club career and international roles
In addition to Denmark, Piontek also managed Haiti’s national team in 1976 and 1978, and Turkey from 1990 to 1993. At club level, he coached Werder Bremen between 1972 and 1975, a side with which he had won the Bundesliga as a player in 1965.
He also managed Fortuna Düsseldorf shortly before taking charge of the Caribbean national team.
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