Markus Steinhöfer (born 7 March 1986) is a German former professional footballer who played as a right-back.

At the same time, as of February 2004, he made his first appearances for the FC Bayern München Amateure in the third-tier Regionalliga Süd, winning the championship title in that division at the end of the season.

[1] Under head coach Friedhelm Funkel Steinhöfer was a regular starter, he played in 32 of the 34 league matches.

However, in his second season following the change of manager to Michael Skibbe, Steinhöfer struggled to find a regular spot in the team and announced that it was his intention to transfer.

Again, he was barely taken into consideration by coach Skibbe and only substituted in on in four league games and so was unable to make an impact.

Samuel Inkoom had transferred out to Dnjepr Dnjepropetrovsk and Steinhöfer had signed in from Eintracht Frankfurt to them on a two-and-a-half-year contract.

[5] He played in all 18 Swiss Super League games and at the end of the 2010–11 season Steinhöfer won the Championship title with Basel.

To the beginning of their 2011–12 season Steinhöfer was member of the Basel team that won the 2011 Uhrencup, beating both Hertha Berlin 3–0 and West Ham United 2–1 to lead the table on goal difference above Young Boys.

On 7 December 2011, during the Champions League group C match at home in the St. Jakob-Park against Manchester United, trying to make a clearance, Steinhöfer volleyed the ball against his own crossbar.

Ending the group in second position, Basel continued in the knockout phase and advanced as far as the semi-finals, there being matched against the reigning UEFA Champions League holders Chelsea.

[12] In the 2012–13 Swiss Cup Basel reached the final and played in the Stadion Wankdorf in Bern against the Grasshoppers.

Steinhöfer scored in the 71st minute, a left footed shot from about 10 Meters out, that was slightly deflected off the back of a defender.

[14] For the 2013/14 season he moved to the Spanish first division team Real Betis, and on 3 November 2013 (12th matchday) he played his debut for them in the 2-3 defeat in the away game against FC Málaga.

[15] Just on the following day he moved to league rivals VfR Aalen, signing a contract until the end of the season.