The information of Uwe Seeler’s passing was confirmed by his former membership, Hamburg, on Thursday, citing data obtained from the late striker’s household.
Throughout his enjoying profession with Hamburg and West Germany, which spanned from the mid-Nineteen Fifties to the early Nineteen Seventies, Uwe Seeler was often called one of many world’s greatest strikers and had many honors bestowed upon him.
Thrice Seeler was voted West Germany’s Footballer of the Yr, in 1960, 1964 and 1970 — the yr he was additionally awarded West Germany’s Federal Cross of Benefit. Regardless that he by no means received a title with West Germany, in 1972 he grew to become simply the second man to be named honorary captain of the nationwide staff. He helped Hamburg to a German soccer championship in 1960, three years earlier than the formation of the Bundesliga, in addition to a German Cup title in 1963.
Nevertheless, his public picture was fashioned not a lot by his footballing achievements however extra by his down-to-earth, simple and easy-going character, which earned him the nickname “uns Uwe” (our Uwe).He was additionally extensively revered for his sense of honest play, having solely been despatched off as soon as in his complete profession. His rejection of a high-priced supply from Inter Milan in 1961 additionally endeared him to the Hamburg followers.
HSV without end
Uwe Seeler was born right into a sporting household in Hamburg on November 5, 1936. His father, Erwin Seeler, was one of many metropolis’s hottest footballers from Nineteen Twenties to the Forties, so it got here as no shock when he too joined Hamburger SV in 1946. He established himself as a prime objective scorer within the Oberliga Nord (then the highest tier of West German soccer) between 1956 and 1962. When Hamburg grew to become one of many founding members of the Bundesliga in 1963-64, Seeler grew to become the brand new league’s first prime scorer with 30 objectives.
West Germany coach Sepp Herberger gave Seeler his first name as much as the nationwide staff in 1954 and he made his first look on the age of simply 17. Nevertheless, it was on the 1958 World Cup in Sweden that he established himself as a world star. Three years later, he wore the captain’s armband for the primary time. In 1966 he was a member of the West German staff that misplaced 4-2 to England within the World Cup ultimate in London’s Wembley Stadium.
Seeler (left) performed for West Germany in a number of World Cups
4 years later, although West Germany would get their revenge within the World Cup quarterfinals in Mexico as Seeler scored with the again of his head to offer them a 3-2 win over England. Shortly after that World Cup, Seeler retired from worldwide soccer, making his ultimate look for West Germany in opposition to Hungary in September 1970. He performed his final match for Hamburg in Might, 1972.
Solid in bronze
Nevertheless, even in his post-playing days, Seeler was by no means removed from the sport he liked. He efficiently ran a clothes firm and labored as a consultant for a sporting items producer. He additionally served as president of his beloved HSV from 1995 to 1998.
A sculpture of a duplicate of Seeler’s proper foot, was unveiled in 2005 and stands in entrance of Hamburg’s dwelling floor, the Volksparkstadion.
Though he has now departed, in Hamburg and all through Germany, Seeler will at all times be fondly remembered as “uns Uwe” (our Uwe).
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Uwe Seeler turns 80
A Hamburg icon
No different participant is as synonymous with Hamburg as Uwe Seeler. The Hamburg native performed for his hometown membership from 1953 to 1972 – first within the Oberliga-Nord, the top-flight division within the north of West Germany – earlier than the Bundesliga was based in in 1963.
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Uwe Seeler turns 80
Purpose getter
Starting in 1953, Uwe Seeler made a complete of 476 appearances and scored 404 objectives for Hamburg within the Oberliga-Nord and the Bundesliga. He was the Oberliga-Nord’s prime objective scorer seven occasions, together with in 1954-55, when he shared the honour with teammate Günter Schlegel. He was additionally the highest scorer within the first season of the Bundesliga, 1963-64.
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Uwe Seeler turns 80
Particular person success
Whereas Seeler loved loads of particular person success – he was named West Germany’s participant of the yr in 1960, 1964 and 1970 – Hamburg solely managed to win two titles with him within the lineup; the German championship in 1960, and the German Cup in 1963.
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Uwe Seeler turns 80
Comeback from damage
In a match in opposition to Eintracht Frankfurt in 1965, Uwe Seeler sustained a torn hamstring. In these days, such a critical damage would usually have ended a participant’s profession. No participant earlier than him had ever comeback from a torn hamstring. Nevertheless, Seeler did simply that, with the assistance of a particular shoe supplied by gear provider Adidas.
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Uwe Seeler turns 80
Solid in Stone
Seeler spent his complete profession in Hamburg, turning down profitable gives to maneuver overseas. Inter Milan had even supplied the German membership greater than one million deutschmarks for him – a fortune on the time. In 2005 this bronze statue of his proper foot was unveiled in entrance of Hamburg’s stadium, in honor of his service to the membership.
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Uwe Seeler turns 80
Eagle on the shirt
For a lot of his profession, Uwe Seeler was additionally one of many first names on the lineup card for the nationwide staff. West Germany coach Sepp Herberger first referred to as him up as a 17-year-old. He would go on to play a complete of 72 video games for West Germany, scoring 39 occasions. He appeared in the identical 4 World Cups as Brazilian legend Pele from 1958 to 1970, scoring a complete of 9 objectives.
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Uwe Seeler turns 80
Again of the top
The perfect-remembered of his objectives for West Germany was this one in opposition to England within the quarterfinals of the 1970 World Cup in Mexico. Seeler struck the ball with the again of his head, beating England goalkeeper Peter Bonetti to even the rating at 2-2. West Germany went on to beat England 3-2 and advance to the semifinals, the place they might lose to Italy in additional time.
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Uwe Seeler turns 80
Good loser
Seeler was additionally identified for his sportsmanship – in victory and defeat. His sportsmanship didn’t go unnoticed by the English followers, who applauded not simply Seeler however the remainder of the West German staff for the way they performed themselves after dropping the 1966 World Cup on a disputed objective at Wembley.
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Uwe Seeler turns 80
Honorary captain
In 1972, the DFB (German soccer affiliation) named Seeler the second honorary captain of the West German nationwide staff. Right here he seems with the primary man to obtain the honour, the late Fritz Walter (left) and Franz Beckenbauer (center), who grew to become the third in 1982. Right here, Beckenbauer was about to participate in a charity match that very same yr.
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Uwe Seeler turns 80
Membership president
After his enjoying profession ended, Seeler labored as an envoy for Adidas and for a short while he owned a petroleum station. From 1995 he to 1998, he served as president of Hamburg, the soccer membership for which he had performed so many video games.
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Uwe Seeler turns 80
Mover and shaker
Seeler holds a protracted checklist of titles bestowed upon him by the city-state of Hamburg, together with honorary citizen and honorary police commissioner. Berlin has honored him with the Order of Benefit of the Federal Republic of Germany. Right here is is seen with one other of Hamburg’s most well-known sons, the late former West German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt.
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Uwe Seeler turns 80
Fortunately married
Regardless of his fame, the son of a Hamburg harbor laborer nonetheless has each toes planted firmly on the bottom. He has been married to his spouse Ilka since 1959. His recipe for a cheerful marriage? “I make the foremost selections, she makes the minor selections. She decides that are main and that are minor.”
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Uwe Seeler turns 80
Pale into the background
Seeler is now not an everyday at Hamburg’s dwelling video games, however he’s nonetheless a eager follower of the membership. Like many different followers, he has noticed developments on the membership lately with dismay. “I hope I by no means see Hamburg get relegated,” he has mentioned.
Writer: Andreas Sten-Ziemons, Chuck Penfold
This text was initially printed in German
