The football world is in mourning after the news of the death of Andreas Brehme, the former West Germany and Inter Milan star who scored the penalty that clinched the 1990 World Cup title. Brehme, who was 63, died of a heart attack on Monday night, according to his partner Susanne Schaefer. Brehme was widely regarded as one of the best full-backs of all time, with the rare ability to play on both sides of the pitch and use both feet with equal proficiency. He was also a superb set-piece taker, scoring eight goals for his national team in 86 caps. Brehme had a long and successful club career, playing for some of the biggest teams in Europe. He started his professional journey at HSV Barmbek-Uhlenhorst, before joining Kaiserslautern in 1978. He spent five seasons there, winning the German Cup in 1982. He then moved to Bayern Munich in 1984, where he won two Bundesliga titles and reached the European Cup final in 1987, losing to Porto. In 1988, he joined Inter Milan, where he formed a formidable trio with his compatriots Lothar Matthaus and Jurgen Klinsmann. He won the Serie A and the UEFA Cup with the Nerazzurri, becoming a fan favorite. He left Inter in 1992 and joined Real Zaragoza, where he won the Copa del Rey in 1994. He returned to Kaiserslautern in 1995 and helped them win the Bundesliga in 1998, in his final season as a player.
A WORLD CUP HERO AND A LEGEND OF GERMAN FOOTBALL
Brehme’s most memorable moment came in the 1990 World Cup final in Rome, where he faced Argentina, the same team that had defeated West Germany in the 1986 final in Mexico. The match was a tense and tactical affair, with neither side able to break the deadlock. It seemed that the game would go to extra time, until the 85th minute, when Rudi Voller was fouled by Roberto Sensini in the penalty area. The referee awarded a penalty to West Germany, and Brehme stepped up to take it. Brehme, who was a right-footed player, chose to take the penalty with his left foot, as he had done in the semi-final against England. He showed great composure and confidence, as he sent the Argentine goalkeeper Sergio Goycochea the wrong way and placed the ball into the bottom corner of the net. He had just scored the most important goal of his career, and gave West Germany their third World Cup trophy. Brehme celebrated with his captain and friend Matthaus, who was also his teammate at Inter. They were joined by other stars of the team, such as Klinsmann, Thomas Hassler, Pierre Littbarski and Klaus Augenthaler. Brehme was selected in the team of the tournament, along with four other West Germans. He also made history by becoming the first player to score in two World Cup finals, having scored a brilliant free-kick against Argentina in 1986.
A TRIBUTE FROM THE FOOTBALL COMMUNITY
Brehme’s death has been met with shock and sorrow by the football community, with many former colleagues, rivals and admirers paying their respects to him. His former coach Franz Beckenbauer, who died in December, had once praised Brehme as “the best full-back in the world”. His former partner Matthaus said that Brehme was “a great player and a great person”. His former club Inter said that he was “a wonderful player, a great Interista. Ciao Andy, forever legend”. The German Football Association (DFB) said that Brehme was “a World Cup winner and, above all, a very special human being”. The DFB president Fritz Keller said that Brehme was “a role model for generations of footballers, a gentleman on and off the field, and a true legend of German football”. The DFB also announced that they will hold a minute of silence before the next international match in his memory. Brehme is survived by his partner Susanne, his two sons Joshua and Noah, and his daughter Sarah. He will be remembered as one of the greatest players of his era, and one of the heroes of the 1990 World Cup.
