Philipp Lahm

           Philipp Lahm is a German professional footballer who plays as a full back or defensive midfielder for Bayern Munich and formerly for the German national team. He is the captain of his club, having skippered them to numerous honours including the 2013 UEFA Champions League as part of the Treble, and he was captain of his national team where he led them to the 2014 FIFA World Cup before retiring from international football.

           Lahm is considered by many to be the best full back of his generation, and was included in the World Cup team of the tournament in 2006 and 2010, the UEFA Team of the Tournament in 2008 and 2012 and in the UEFA Team of the Year 2006, 2008, 2012 and 2013. Although Lahm is right-footed, he is able to play on both sides of the pitch. He often cuts from the flank to the inside of the pitch to either shoot or pass. He is renowned for his pace, dribbling and precise tackling abilities as well as his small stature, giving him the nickname the "Magic Dwarf".

           Lahm was born in Munich, Bavaria. He is married to Claudia. Andreas Ottl was the only footballer invited to the wedding. Lahm and Ottl like to snooker and tennis together. In his youth, Lahm was a joker in school. He was considered to be a bright student, and had aspirations to become a baker. Lahm was a ball boy at the Olympic Stadium for Bayern Munich matches.

           Lahm is involved in many charity campaigns and events. In June 2007, FIFA announced that Lahm and Owen Hargreaves would visit South Africa in advance to support the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Although Hargreaves never managed to take part in the trip due to injury, Lahm and German national teammate Piotr Trochowski visited the country taking time not only to visit the 2010 FIFA World Cup organizers but also to visit a local SOS Children's Village and to take part in the Kick-AIDS event.

           Lahm has established a foundation, Philipp Lahm-Stiftung, to support underprivileged children and is also an official ambassador representing "FIFA for SOS Children's Villages". In addition he was an ambassador of the 2007, 2008 and 2009 World AIDS Day. He has also taken part in a campaign against speeding and various others such as Bündnis für Kinder, a campaign against child abuse.

           Lahm was awarded a Tolerantia-Preis on 20 September 2008, due to his outstanding contribution against intolerance and homophobia in sports, particularly in football. He also stated that it's a "pity that being gay in football is still a taboo subject" and he would have no problem with a homosexual teammate and is "not afraid of homosexuals". However, Lahm does not advise footballers to publicly admit to being homosexual, because of the abuse they would suffer.