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Berlin (AFP) – Andreas Brehme, who scored an 85th-minute penalty kick to give West Germany victory over Argentina in the 1990 World Cup final, died overnight on Tuesday at the age of 63, his former club Bayern Munich announced.
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“FC Bayern is deeply shocked by the sudden death of Andreas Brehme,” the club said in a statement.
“We will always hold Andreas Brehme in our hearts, both as a world champion and as a very special person.”
A versatile left-back, Brehme spent two seasons with Bayern Munich from 1986 to 1988, winning the Bundesliga in 1987.
Brehme left his mark on teams across Europe, playing for Kaiserslautern and Inter Milan, as well as Bayern, Saarbrücken and Real Zaragoza.
However, the defender’s football journey began at HSV Balmbek Uhlenhorst, a small working-class club in his hometown of Hamburg.
Brehme’s incredible ability with both feet was also due to the influence of his father and coach, Bernd.
In Italy, Brehme will be remembered for the partnership he forged with compatriots Jurgen Klinsmann and Lothar Matthaus at Inter Milan.
“Ciao Andi, a legend for all time,” said the club, where Brehme played more than 150 games and won the Serie A title and the UEFA Cup.
“I wasn’t thinking anything.”
The Nerazzurri will wear black armbands in Brehme’s honor during their Champions League game against Atlético Madrid at the San Siro later on Tuesday.
Brehme’s closest links in the sporting world are probably Kaiserslautern, where he played 10 seasons across two stints before taking charge of the club in the early 2000s.
The Kaiserslautern legend was moved to tears in 1996 when the Red Devils were relegated from the Bundesliga.
However, the team quickly returned to the top and in 1998, with Brehme as captain, they headed straight for the title.
Brehme played 86 times for his country, but none surpassed the 1-0 victory over Diego Maradona’s Argentina side in Rome.
This goal was a calmly scored penalty, and it avenges West Germany’s 3-2 loss to Argentina in the 1986 World Cup final in Mexico.
Four years later, Brehme stepped up to the spot in place of team captain Matthaus, who did not want to take on the responsibility, after changing his boots at half-time.
“Everywhere I go, at the airport, when I go shopping, I get asked about it all the time,” Brehme told AFP’s sports news subsidiary SID.
“I didn’t think about the importance of this penalty. I didn’t think anything of it,” said Brehme, who scored the ball to the goalkeeper’s right.
“Our World Cup Hero”
Brehme’s World Cup-winning team-mates were shocked by the death of their goal-scorer.
“Andy was always positive and radiated pure life force. He was a great human being and a great friend,” defender Guido Buchwald told SID.
Brehme’s passing comes shortly after that of another German soccer legend, Franz Beckenbauer.
Beckenbauer, who died in January, was the manager when West Germany won its third World Cup title.
“Unfortunately, the sad news does not stop,” midfielder Pierre Littbarski told SID.
“This is very, very sad for German football, especially for us, the 1990 world champions.”
One of Brehme’s national team colleagues, Rudi Ferrer, said his death left him “infinitely sad”.
“Andy was a World Cup hero, but more than that, he was my best friend and colleague.”
© 2024 AFP
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