In a shocking turn of events, Germany’s football community has been thrown into mourning. As reported by Bild on Tuesday morning, the nation has lost its iconic world champion.
The tragic news concerns Andreas Brehme, who passed away during the night in Munich. The celebrated footballer was just 64 years old. Initial reports suggest that the cause of the untimely death was likely a cardiac arrest.
Brehme was a highly respected figure in the world of football, and a key component of the generation that propelled Germany to World Cup glory in Italy in 1990. His name is etched in football history, being the one who scored the decisive penalty that clinched the final in Rome against Maradona’s Argentina, with a scoreline of 1-0.
Details emerging from Bild indicate that he was rushed to the emergency department of a hospital close to his residence, but sadly, it was too late to save him.
Brehme was a native of Hamburg and had a distinguished playing career. His clubs included Saarbrücken, Kaiserslautern, Bayern, Inter, and Zaragoza. He made a total of 86 appearances for the national team of the then FR Germany, finding the net eight times. He was primarily a left back, but showed his versatility by also playing as a left midfielder and central defender. Furthermore, he was ambidextrous, proficiently shooting with both feet.
His post-playing career saw him take up coaching roles at Kaiserslautern, Unterhaching, and as an assistant coach at Stuttgart. His last professional engagement was in 2018, with Vojvodina.
The beginning of this year was already marked by sadness for Brehme, with the passing of his friend and mentor, Franz Beckenbauer. Beckenbauer was the coach of the national team during their triumphant 1990 World Cup campaign.
Brehme is survived by his partner Susanne Schaefer, and his two adult sons from his relationship with Pilar.
