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A portrait of Wolfgang Fahrian during the 1962 World Cup in Chile
Photo:
IMAGO / press photo Baumann
Former national soccer goalkeeper Wolfgang Fahrian is dead. As his former club Fortuna Köln announced, the German regular goalkeeper at the 1962 World Cup died on Wednesday night at the age of 80 from pneumonia.
"We are deeply saddened by the death of a true Fortuna legend and express our heartfelt condolences to all family members and friends of Wolfgang Fahrian," it said.
Fahrian, known as the “black panther”, worked for the club from 1969 to 1976 and lived in Cologne for more than half his life.
In the Bundesliga, Fahrian also played for Hertha BSC and 1860 Munich.
Further stations were Fortuna Düsseldorf and Ulm 1846. The Düsseldorfers also announced the death of the ex-keeper.
Between 1962 and 1964, Fahrian made ten saves for the national team.
As a second division keeper for the World Cup
In 1962, Fahrian surprisingly stood between the posts at the World Cup in Chile as the second division goalkeeper.
The hitherto regular keeper, the great Hans Tilkowski, wanted to leave immediately after Sepp Herberger announced and is said to have rioted in his room out of frustration, as it was later said.
The fact that Germany failed in the round of 16 60 years ago was ultimately Fahrian's fault.
The fact that there were no more international matches was due to a ban due to petty payments when moving to Hertha in 1964.
“The club made me an offer that went beyond what was permitted.
Who would refuse that?' said Fahrian later.
»It was my job and I had to earn something with it.
The others also got more than the allowed 20,000 marks.
Nobody asks for that any more.«
After the active career, Fahrian worked as a player consultant for a long time.
His clients included Jürgen Kohler, Kevin Kuranyi and Kevin-Prince Boateng.
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