Oliver Kahn was 18 years old when he began playing professional soccer in 1987. Born on June 15, 1969, he made his professional debut for Karlsruher SC on November 27, 1987.
Kahn had joined Karlsruher SC’s youth setup at age six and initially played as a field player before becoming a goalkeeper. During the 1987–88 season, he entered the professional squad as a reserve behind Alexander Famulla. His first Bundesliga appearance came in a 4–0 defeat away to 1. FC Köln.
Although Kahn was already a professional at 18, he did not immediately become the club’s regular starter. That happened later, around 1990. He eventually moved to Bayern Munich in 1994 and spent the rest of his club career there, winning eight Bundesliga titles and the 2001 UEFA Champions League. He also captained Germany to the 2002 World Cup final and won the tournament’s Golden Ball.