Uwe Seeler, one of the greatest figures of post-war German football, passed away at the age of 85, despite himself having fallen into the shadow of the golden generation of Franz Beckenbauer and Gerd Müller.
"He was a role model for many, we will miss him," Chancellor Olaf Scholz commented on Twitter.
Considered by his contemporaries to be one of the best center-forward on the planet, Seeler had the misfortune of not winning a title with West Germany.
Too young to be crowned world champion in 1954 (his first national call was in October 1954), he ended his career in 1972, two years before the 1974 home World Cup, beating Johan Cruijff's Holland in the final. .
In 1970, in Mexico, he was one of the protagonists of Italy-Germany 4-3, then renamed "the game of the century" for its spectacularity.
Thanks to Seeler's goals, the "Nationalmannschaft" was fourth at the 1958 World Cup in Sweden, then came out in the quarterfinals from the 1962 edition, before reaching, and losing, the legendary 1966 final in England, which went down in history for a bounced ball. on the goal line, but judged on the inside.
This famous "Wembley goal" as it is called in Germany, still debated and contested 50 years later, contributed to the Germans' 4-2 defeat.
At the end of the match Seeler, as a good captain, raised his teammates one by one and urged them to do a lap of honor that will be remembered.
"There are many titles that make a player or team legend. But there are few gestures that make them immortal," wrote Sascha Theisen, the author of the book "Helden" ("Heroes").
Seeler was born in Hamburg in 1936, the son of Dieter Seeler, one of the most popular footballers of the Hanseatic city, who became a port worker once his sporting career ended.
In 1953, he was only 16 when he played his first HSV game.
His first goal in August 1954.
He then became the team's starting center forward, but had to wait until 1960 for the consecration: in the championship final against Cologne he scored two goals, contributing to the 3-2 victory.
He is also the first top scorer in the history of the Bundesliga, whose first edition took place in 1963-'64.
Hamburg finished sixth, thanks to 30 goals from their captain.
