Born in
Waldbrunn, Baden-Württemberg, Steiner began playing football in his hometown with TSV Strümpfelbrunn. He started his professional career in 1975, going on to spend four seasons in the
second division with
SV Waldhof Mannheim. Steiner appeared in 349 games in the
Bundesliga, scoring 27 times from 1979 until 1991 with
MSV Duisburg and
1. FC Köln. With the latter side, he was instrumental in five league finishes in the top three, also winning the
German Cup in
1983 and losing the
1985–86 UEFA Cup to
Real Madrid. After retiring at 34, Steiner later worked as a
scout for Köln's
Rhine rival,
Bayer 04 Leverkusen, before taking up the same role back at the former club. ==International career==