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Uwe Seeler, who led West Germany to the 1966 World Cup ultimate as captain of the nationwide crew, died on Thursday. He was 85.
Thought to be certainly one of Germany’s best-ever gamers, Seeler was well-known for his overhead kicks and skill to attain objectives from the unlikeliest of angles. He was additionally recognized for his humility and equity, and revered for his by no means wavering loyalty to hometown membership Hamburger SV.
Hamburg membership spokesman Christian Pletz advised The Related Press that Seeler’s household had confirmed the demise.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stated on Twitter that the nation was mourning the passing of “our Uwe.”
“He was a task mannequin for a lot of, a soccer legend and naturally an honorary citizen of Hamburg. I used to be permitted to provide the after-dinner speech for his eightieth birthday: ‘We truly all wish to be like our Uwe – self-confident and modest.’ He will likely be missed,” Scholz wrote.
Seeler performed for Hamburg from 1952-73, scoring 445 objectives in 519 Oberliga and Bundesliga appearances for the crew. He stays Hamburg’s report scorer within the Bundesliga with 137 objectives. The membership stated he scored 507 objectives in 587 aggressive video games for the membership altogether.
Hamburg, which had been the one remaining crew to have performed each season within the Bundesliga because the league’s formation in 1963, was lastly relegated to the second division in 2018.
The membership on Thursday mourned the lack of a “legend.”
“Uwe Seeler stands for every little thing that characterizes an excellent individual: down-to-earth, loyalty, joie de vivre, and he was at all times approachable. He’s the epitome of HSV,” the membership’s sports activities director Jonas Boldt stated. “I personally have a particular reminiscence of our being collectively on his final birthday. He talked store, requested about his HSV, gave me ideas and some jokes. We are going to always remember him and can at all times cherish him.”
Seeler scored 43 objectives in 72 video games for West Germany, ending runner-up to England on the 1966 World Cup and with a third-place medal 4 years later in Mexico. He was a part of the German crew for 16 years.
“Whereas I used to be at 4 World Cups, I’d have preferred to have received the title as soon as. I didn’t have the luck,” Seeler stated. “Nonetheless, every little thing was great. I remorse nothing.”
Seeler was voted German soccer participant of the 12 months in 1960, 1964 and 1970.
Brazil nice Pele included Seeler in his record of the world’s biggest residing gamers in 2004.
“His dealing with of the ball was excellent, his shot exact, and what actually amazed me was his means to go the ball,” Pele stated.
Seeler acquired gives from golf equipment in Spain and Italy, most notably an enormous supply from Inter Milan in 1961, however he opted to stick with Hamburg.
“If Uwe Seeler laced up his boots, then the opposing goalkeeper may gown up warmly and ideally placed on a second pair of gloves as a result of Seeler scored from all over the place and in each doable means. Whether or not overhead kicks, flying headers, pictures from distance, volleys, lobs, opportunist strikes — he at all times discovered a solution to get the ball over the road,” Hamburg wrote in particular complement to have a good time Seeler’s eightieth birthday in 2016.
Seeler received the German championship in 1960 and German Cup in 1963 with Hamburg, however he additionally endured heartbreak with close to misses within the European Cup and European Cup Winners’ Cup. Hamburg misplaced to Barcelona within the European Cup semifinals in 1961 and to Milan within the Cup Winners’ Cup ultimate in 1968.
Seeler suffered from repeated well being setbacks lately. In Could 2020, he underwent an operation to restore a damaged hip after a foul fall at residence.
He misplaced listening to in his proper ear and had issues with steadiness after a automobile accident in 2010. He additionally had a pacemaker fitted and needed to have a tumor faraway from his shoulder, information company dpa reported.
Seeler was married to his spouse, Ilka, for greater than 60 years. That they had three daughters. His grandson, Levin Öztunali, performs for Bundesliga membership Union Berlin.
Seeler’s older brother, Dieter, additionally performed for Hamburg. Their father, Erwin, labored on a barge in Hamburg’s port and was additionally recognized for enjoying soccer within the metropolis.
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Extra AP soccer: https://apnews.com/Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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