International Career
Effenberg played 35 games for the German national team and scored five goals. His debut came on 5 June 1991, in a Euro 1992 qualifier against Wales, as he played the last 18 minutes of a 0–1 away loss. He would be an everpresent fixture during the final stages, even netting in the second group stage match, a 2–0 win over Scotland.
However, Effenberg's international career was marked by controversy and several years in the international wilderness, after the German Football Association refused to consider him for selection following an incident at the 1994 FIFA World Cup. In the group game against South Korea, Effenberg had gestured in an inappropriate manner ("gave the finger") to fans at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas when he got substituted after a subpar performance; the Germans were then only one goal up, after leading 3–0. Because of this incident, coach Berti Vogts decided to drop Effenberg from the German national team for the remainder of the tournament.
Effenberg was briefly re-instated to the national team four years later for a couple of friendly matches in September. These games proved to be his last caps and also Vogts' final matches in charge of the national team.
Read more about this topic: Stefan Effenberg
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