Michael Zorc: 44 years in 17 pictures

Michael Zorc was actually supposed to make the switch in 1977, but he had made a pledge to his youth coach at TuS Eving-Lindenhorst. And he kept his word. In July 1978, he joined BVB's youth team at the age of 15 (photo from 1980).

18 October 1981: Michael Zorc won the Junior World Cup with the Germany U18s courtesy of a 4-0 victory against Qatar in the final. He was awarded the "Silver Ball" as the second-best player at the tournament.

Zorc already had a year of Bundesliga action under his belt when he was pictured in this match against Karlsruher SC on 23 October 1982. He had made his debut in a 2-0 loss at Werder Bremen on 24 October 1981.

He scored his first goal in a 2-1 away defeat to VfB Stuttgart on 22 January 1983. Pictured here competing with Asgeir Sigurvinsson, Zorc levelled the scores at 1-1 in the 67th minute of the match.

Michael Zorc established himself as one of the Bundesliga's most reliable penalty takers. He converted from the spot on 49 of his 57 attempts. Of the top 3 – Manfred Kaltz and Gerd Müller are ahead of him in terms of penalties scored – nobody one has a better rate.

Michael Zorc scored the most important of his 159 goals for BVB on Whit Monday in 1986, in a 1-1 draw with Fortuna Cologne. It marked the beginning of a successful catch-up mission, as BVB kept their place in the division.

Four goals in one game! On 3 May 1988, Michael Zorc scored all four of BVB's goals – two of them penalties – in a 4-2 home victory over Bayer 05 Uerdingen.

The first title: on 24 June 1989, Borussia Dortmund claimed their first title since 1966. Team captain Michael Zorc is pictured here with the DFB-Pokal following a 4-1 final victory over Werder Bremen.

Zorc wore the No. 8 shirt for Germany seven times, making his debut in a 3-1 defeat in Brazil on 16 December 1992. Though an exceptional player, his international career spanned only 386 minutes.

Michael Zorc won the Bundesliga title with BVB as a player on two occasions: 1995 and 1996 (pictured). The captain holds the Shield aloft.

His sporting highlight came on 28 May 1997 when Dortmund won the UEFA Champions League. Later that year, on 2 December, the Club World Cup title followed. Michael Zorc scored the all-important opening goal in a 2-0 victory over Brazilian club Cruzeiro.

In the summer of 1998, Michael Zorc takes up the position of sporting manager. He followed on seamlessly from predecessor Ottmar Hitzfeld and is pictured here sitting on the bench alongside Uwe Neuhaus and Michael Skibbe.

During his long career as sporting director, Michael Zorc signed a number of players. Leonardo de Deus Santos, known as Dede for short, was Zorc's first BVB transfer in the spring of 1998 (photo from the year 2008).

Zorc not only brought in players – but coaches too: the signing of Jürgen Klopp marked the start of the third "golden era" in the club's history.

In May 2012, Borussia Dortmund won the first and to date only double in the club's history. The architects of the triumph were Hans-Joachim Watzke, Jürgen Klopp and Michael Zorc (from right to left).

Borussia Dortmund have reached the most important game in club football twice. The "Road to Wembley" in 2013 might not have ended with the title, but the run to the final made us "Europe's most happening club".

Now the end has come: in the coming days, Michael Zorc will clear out his office. It is the end of an era that began in July 1978.
Compiled by Boris Rupert