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Gerd Müller in the jersey of FC Bayern Munich
Photo:
imago sports photo service / imago / WEREK
Former national soccer striker Gerd Müller, who died in August, will be honored as a "legend of sport" at the 39th German Sports Press Ball on November 6th in Frankfurt am Main.
As the organizers announced on Tuesday, it will be the first time in the history of the ball that this award will be presented posthumously.
The former star of FC Bayern Munich died on August 15 at the age of 75 after a long illness.
"With the› Legende des Sports ‹award, we are honoring the sporting life's work of a personality who has not only inspired and touched football fans for more than a decade," the statement said.
"Gerd Müller's career is unique."
His wife Uschi Müller agreed to the honor.
In consultation with the family, the former national team colleague Rainer Bonhof will accept the Pegasos Prize on their behalf.
Müller came to FC Bayern in the summer of 1964 and shaped an era.
He won four German championships with the club, four times the DFB Cup, three times the European Cup and once the European Cup Winners' Cup.
With the German national team, he was European champion in 1972 and world champion in 1974.
After his career, he stayed with the club for a long time as a coach for the youngsters.
In the last few years until his death, Müller lived in a nursing home because of Alzheimer's disease.
Müller's record of 365 goals in 427 Bundesliga games is unmatched to this day.
The "Legend of Sports" award has been awarded since 2007.
Previous winners include the biathlon Olympic champions Magdalena Neuner and Laura Dahlmeier, the former Wimbledon winner Boris Becker (tennis), the double Olympic champion Kati Witt (figure skating) as well as football greats such as Franz Beckenbauer, Uwe Seeler, Lothar Matthäus and Joachim Löw.
ara / dpa
