Paul Lambert: ‘Zinedine Zidane just looked at me and said “bloody hell”’

Broke and out of contract at Motherwell, the Scot took a risk in seeking a trial at Dortmund only to become an European Cup winner within 12 months

This is a story in three parts. The unlikely tale of how Paul Lambert signed for Borussia Dortmund in 1996. Why Lambert is still revered there, despite making only 64 appearances. And the sad story of why he had to leave Germany in 1997, although not everyone would describe a Glasgow-born footballer signing for Celtic in such gloomy terms.

That’s not to say Lambert hasn’t achieved a lot elsewhere. He won a Scottish Cup with St Mirren, helped Motherwell into Europe and captained Scotland and Celtic, where he won four league titles. He has managed some of England’s biggest teams: Aston Villa, Norwich City and controversially their rivals Ipswich. He has four children and seems happy away from management with his second wife, Kara, their two large Belgian Malinois dogs and numerous chickens at their home outside Nottingham. But we’re here to talk about Dortmund, and how a promising but relatively unproven Scottish midfielder went from earning £500 a week at Motherwell to becoming a Champions League winner within 12 months.