A defender, he started his playing career at FC Bayern Munich, where he won two Bundesliga titles and a UEFA Cup before moving to A.C. Milan, winning an Italian Scudetto.

With the Germany national team, Ziege won UEFA Euro 1996 and finished runner-up at the 2002 FIFA World Cup.

He had the technical ability of a number 10 – a great left foot with which he could score goals and provide assists – but he could also run up and down for 90 minutes.

He never fully accepted the idea of not playing as a left-back, however, and after leaving AC Milan he didn’t have a great career".

[7] He made his debut for Liverpool in a 3–2 home win over Manchester City on 9 September 2000, replacing Steven Gerrard in the second half.

A combination of knee injuries and the improving form of Jamie Carragher,[8] meant he was transferred to Tottenham Hotspur at the end of that season.

On 14 March 2002, Liverpool were fined £20,000 by The Football Association for having made an illegal approach for Ziege when he had been at Middlesbrough.

However, by this time Ziege's injury problems were escalating, and by 2004 his contract was terminated by mutual consent so he could return to Germany.

Ziege returned to Germany with Borussia Mönchengladbach in June 2004,[12] but announced his retirement in October 2005, having not played since the previous December due to a persistent ankle injury.

Ziege was not initially named in Rudi Völler's UEFA Euro 2004 squad,[15] but was then called up after an injury to Christian Rahn.

[17] At the time of his appointment, with ten matches to go until the end of the season, Borussia Mönchengladbach were at the bottom of the Bundesliga, with five points between them and safety.